Former President Donald Trump’s campaign is claiming it was hacked by “foreign sources” with the intent to interfere in the upcoming election.
The Trump campaign statement cited a report published by Microsoft on Friday, which said, “In June 2024, Mint Sandstorm — a group run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence unit — sent a spear-phishing email to a high-ranking official of a presidential campaign from a compromised email account of a former senior advisor. The phishing email contained a fake forward with a hyperlink that directs traffic through an actor-controlled domain before redirecting to the listed domain.”
The IRGC is a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Aug. 8, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla.
Alex Brandon/AP
Microsoft does not identify the presidential campaign in its report. Microsoft has also not responded to ABC News’ request for more information.
A White House National Security Council spokesperson deferred to the Justice Department when asked for comment on the allegations.
“The Biden-Harris Administration strongly condemns any foreign government or entity who attempts to interfere in our electoral process or seeks to undermine confidence in our democratic institutions,” the spokesperson said.
They added that they take any reports of “such activity extremely seriously.”
The Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice declined to comment.
Outside of the Trump campaign statement, ABC News has not confirmed the campaign was hacked by foreign sources with the intent to interfere in the election.
The Secret Service referred ABC News to the Trump campaign and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence didn’t respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks, Michelle Stoddart and Ivan Pereira contributed to this report.
The Trump campaign recently made headlines when it alleged that it was hacked by foreign sources. According to reports, the campaign’s website was targeted by hackers who attempted to gain access to sensitive information and disrupt operations.
The campaign released a statement confirming the breach, stating that they had taken immediate action to secure their systems and investigate the incident. They also claimed that they had notified law enforcement and were working with cybersecurity experts to determine the extent of the breach and identify the perpetrators.
This latest incident has raised concerns about the security of political campaigns and the potential for foreign interference in the upcoming election. The Trump campaign has been a frequent target of cyber attacks, with previous incidents involving attempts to hack into their email accounts and social media accounts.
Foreign interference in US elections has been a hot-button issue since the 2016 election, when Russian hackers targeted both the Democratic and Republican campaigns in an effort to sway the outcome in favor of then-candidate Donald Trump. The Mueller report confirmed that Russian hackers had indeed interfered in the election, leading to indictments of several individuals associated with the Russian government.
The Trump campaign’s allegations of being hacked by foreign sources have reignited fears of interference in the upcoming election. Cybersecurity experts warn that political campaigns are particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks due to the large amount of sensitive information they handle and the high stakes involved in elections.
It is crucial for political campaigns to take cybersecurity seriously and implement robust security measures to protect their systems from hackers. This includes regularly updating software, using strong passwords, and training staff on how to recognize and respond to phishing attempts.
As the 2020 election draws closer, it is essential for all political campaigns to be vigilant and proactive in protecting their systems from cyber attacks. The Trump campaign’s recent allegations serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat of foreign interference in US elections and the importance of safeguarding our democratic process.
