Google says China- and Iran-backed hackers hit Biden and Trump campaigns
On Thursday, an official with Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG) warned that hackers backed by China and Iran are attacking the 2020 presidential campaigns of Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
Recently TAG saw China APT group targeting Biden campaign staff & Iran APT targeting Trump campaign staff with phishing," said Google's Shane Huntley.
No sign of compromise. We sent users our govt attack warning and we referred to fed law enforcement."
Huntley also said Iranian hackers recently attacked email accounts belonging to President Donald Trump's campaign staff.
Recently TAG saw China APT group targeting Biden campaign staff & Iran APT targeting Trump campaign staff with phishing. No sign of compromise. We sent users our govt attack warning and we referred to fed law enforcement. https://t.co/ozlRL4SwhG
- Shane Huntley (@ShaneHuntley) June 4, 2020
If you are working on a campaign this election cycle, your personal accounts may be targeted. Use the best protection you can. Two factor authentication or Advanced Protection really can make a difference. https://t.co/Y8shDx9eWu
- Shane Huntley (@ShaneHuntley) June 4, 2020
The groups involved are ones referred to as APT31 and APT35.
- Shane Huntley (@ShaneHuntley) June 4, 2020
APT above refers to Advanced Persistent Threat."
From Reuters:
Iranian attempts to break into Trump campaign officials' emails have been documented before. Last year, Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) announced that a group often nicknamed Charming Kitten had tried to break into email accounts belonging to an unnamed U.S. presidential campaign that sources identified as Trump's.
Earlier this year, the threat intelligence company Area1 said that Russian hackers had targeted companies tied to a Ukrainian gas firm where Biden's son once served on the board.
Google declined to offer details beyond Huntley's tweets, but the unusually public attribution is a sign of how sensitive Americans have become to digital espionage efforts aimed at political campaigns.
The Trump and Biden campaigns did not immediately return messages. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to messages.
Read more at Reuters:Chinese and Iranian hackers targeted Biden and Trump campaigns, Google says