Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 06:28 pm
WASHINGTON – Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s campaign said on Tuesday that it was the target of a foreign hacking attempt, days after the campaign of Republican rival Donald Trump alleged that Iran had also hacked his campaign.
Notification by FBI and Cybersecurity Measures
An FBI official contacted the Harris campaign’s legal and security staff last July about the attempted cyber intrusion, which was linked to a foreign influence operation, said an official with the Harris campaign. “We have robust cybersecurity measures in place and are not aware of any security breaches of our systems resulting from those efforts,” said the official adding that the campaign continued to work closely with law enforcement.
Concerns About Foreign Interference
The Harris campaign would not say which foreign entity the hacking attempt emanated from, but the timing of the incident has given rise to an outpouring of concern over foreign interference in the next U.S. presidential election.
Allegations by Trump Campaign and Warning from State Department
The U.S. State Department warned Iran on Monday not to interfere in the election process. This was after it emerged over the weekend that Iranian hackers had breached systems of the Trump campaign and leaked vetting documents related to Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance. The Trump campaign warned media outlets against disseminating the stolen information, saying doing so would be aiding “America’s enemies.”
History and Eternal Vigilance
The developments go back to the 2016 election, when US intelligence agencies analyzed that Russia had interfered to favor Trump. The President has denied these findings time and again despite concrete evidence to the contrary .
Cybersecurity During Election Season
With the election season heating up in 2024, both campaigns continue to be on high alert for more cyber threats, but the Harris campaign has underscored that it will remain continuously vigilant and in coordination with authorities.