Israel is not the only power having disagreements with Iran. Iranian hackers gained access to American voting records. US officials warn against direct communication with American voters. Iran, Russia, and China are conducting propaganda operations to influence the upcoming elections. There may even be an encouragement for violent protests following the election.
Iranian cyber threats target US voters.
United States intelligence officials are warning of potential Iranian cyber threats aimed at influencing American voters in upcoming elections. These warnings come as evidence grows that Iranian hackers have gained access to US voting databases, echoing tactics used during the 2020 election cycle. These cyber intrusions have far-reaching consequences, posing serious threats to national security and democratic processes.
According to a declassified US intelligence memo, Iranian military intelligence may have accessed personal information about American voters. This data could be used to target individuals with tailored messages or even incite physical actions such as vandalism. The strategy is consistent with previous Iranian operations suspected of sending menacing messages to citizens in the United States, Sweden, and Israel.
U.S. officials expect that Iran is likely to contact individual Americans directly to try to influence how they vote, sources say.
Last week, intelligence officials said that Iran and Russia were continuing propaganda operations to influence voters. https://t.co/gK0td71HmR
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 30, 2024
Multi-Faceted Foreign Interference
Iran is not alone in its attempts to sway US elections. According to intelligence reports, Russia and China are both actively engaged in propaganda operations aimed at American voters. Each country appears to have different preferences for the election outcome, with Russia backing former President Trump and Iran supporting Vice President Kamala Harris.
“You don’t have to read the tea leaves to know this is a possible tactic. They have a clear history of using it.” – John Hultquist –
The Foreign Malign Influence Center, founded in 2022, is at the forefront of efforts to safeguard American elections from foreign interference. Their primary goal is to combat “malign foreign influence,” which includes hacks, leaks, bot networks, troll farms, and targeted attack advertisements. As Election Day approaches, these activities are expected to increase, posing a significant challenge to election security professionals.
Iran is meddling in the election, trying to kill President Trump, hacking the campaign and sending it to Dems
DOJ and FBI know Iran nationals hacked into a voter registration database and showed how they could use the data to exploit UOCAVA — yet they buried it in an indictment pic.twitter.com/UGI7dny8xn
— Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) October 4, 2024
Emerging Threats and Concerns
A growing concern among intelligence officials is the potential use of artificial intelligence in election interference. The advent of deepfake technology poses a new threat, as it could be used to create highly convincing false narratives or manipulated media. Social media companies play a crucial role in identifying and mitigating foreign influence campaigns, but they often rely on government confirmation before taking action.
Recent indictments have revealed detailed information about Russian and Iranian efforts to influence U.S. elections. However, there is ongoing concern about undisclosed foreign influence operations that may be operating beyond the scope of those publicly identified. This underscores the need for continued vigilance and robust cybersecurity measures to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
Post-election Concerns
“Foreign efforts to undermine American democracy will continue after Election Day, U.S. intelligence officials said on Monday, with covert influence campaigns focused on questioning the validity of election results after polls close.” – U.S. intelligence officials
As the United States enters another critical election cycle, the threat of foreign interference looms large. The complex web of cyber threats, disinformation campaigns, and potential post-election unrest highlights the ongoing challenges that democracies face in the digital era.
Sources:
- Iran will likely try to contact Americans directly in influence campaign, sources say
- Efforts by Russia, Iran and China to sway US voters may escalate, new Microsoft report says
