Iran's Covert Cyber Campaigns Target U.S. Elections

Iran is ramping up its efforts to interfere in the upcoming U.S. elections, say American officials and cybersecurity firms, marking a concerning escalation. The suspected hacking of Donald Trump's campaign is the latest instance of Tehran's digital interference.

Characterized as a 'chaos agent,' Iran has a history of cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. Recent months have seen Tehran-backed groups encouraging protests over Israel's conflict in Gaza, impersonating American activists, and creating networks of fake news websites aimed at sowing discord in the U.S.

While Russia and China pose larger cyber threats, experts note Iran's aggressive tactics signify a shift, leveraging the internet and artificial intelligence to confuse and frighten U.S. voters ahead of the election. The FBI is investigating the Trump campaign hack and similar efforts aimed at the Biden campaign.

(With inputs from agencies.)