Iranian Hacker Attacks and Disinformation Campaigns Exposed Ahead of US Elections

The revelations from Microsoft regarding Iranian cyber activity in the run-up to the upcoming US presidential elections shed new light on the strategies of state-sponsored actors in the digital age. According to a report from the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center, Iranian state-supported groups have attempted to hack the email accounts of high-ranking US politicians and presidential candidates while simultaneously running 'clandestine news sites' targeting American readers. In June, Iran's Revolutionary Guards launched a spear-phishing campaign, sending a personalized hacking email to a senior official of a presidential campaign. This email originated from the compromised account of a former advisor. Despite a lack of success, the same group also attempted to log into the account of a former presidential candidate. Another Iranian team created 'clandestine news sites' to influence US voters from both political camps leading up to the November elections. One such site, 'Nio Thinker,' published content that specifically insulted former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump. These sites used artificial intelligence to plagiarize content from US sources, thereby obfuscating the origin sources. Microsoft warned that such cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns aim to sow chaos, undermine trust in authorities, and cast doubt on the integrity of the election. Iran denied the allegations in a statement to Reuters, emphasizing that its cyber capabilities are purely defensive and affirming that it has no plans to interfere in the US elections. The threat of foreign influence ahead of the election has increased over the past six months, initially due to Russian activities but more recently due to heightened Iranian efforts, according to Microsoft. Experts are on high alert regarding disinformation and other digital disruptions, aiming to prevent a recurrence of the events surrounding the 2016 election. Additionally, Microsoft emphasized the role of artificial intelligence in the influence operations of foreign actors. Although malicious actors experimented with this technology, many reverted to simpler methods such as mischaracterizing content. Meanwhile, Russian-supported groups continue to promote the spread of false information by advancing absurd claims from 'non-existent whistleblowers,' disinformation, and conspiracy theories.