Microsoft researchers have revealed that Iranian government-linked hackers attempted to breach the account of a “high ranking official” on a U.S. presidential campaign in June.

This breach came just weeks after the hackers compromised the account of a county-level U.S. official.

The report suggests these attacks are part of a broader effort by Iranian groups to gather intelligence on U.S. political campaigns and target swing states.

The hackers reportedly used a “password spray operation” to gain access to the county employee’s account, though they were unable to access any other accounts through this breach.

Notably, the researchers also identified two “covert” news sites, Nio Thinker and Savannah Time, that they believe are linked to Iran. These sites are accused of using artificial intelligence to lift content from legitimate news outlets and target U.S. voters on opposite ends of the political spectrum.

In response to the allegations, Iran’s mission to the United Nations stated that its cyber capabilities are “defensive and proportionate to the threats it faces” and that Iran has no plans to launch cyber attacks. The mission also reiterated that the U.S. presidential election is an “internal matter” in which Iran does not interfere.

The disclosure of these hacking attempts comes amid growing concerns about foreign interference in the upcoming U.S. election. The Microsoft report serves as a stark reminder of the persistent threats facing the integrity of the democratic process.

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