Iran's Election Interference: A New Kind of Digital Sabotage

The 2024 US presidential election is shaping up to be a digital battleground unlike any other. Iranian hackers have been caught trying to infiltrate President Joe Biden's campaign by sending unsolicited emails with stolen information from rival Donald Trump's campaign. This is a new kind of digital sabotage, designed to undermine voters' faith in the election and stoke discord. The emails, sent in late June and early July, contained excerpts from stolen, non-public material from Trump's campaign. The hackers hoped to catch the Biden campaign's attention and potentially influence the outcome of the election. However, there's no evidence that anyone responded to the emails, and several media organizations approached with leaked stolen information have also said they didn't respond. This is not the first time Iran has attempted to interfere in the US election. In recent months, the country has been linked to a hack-and-leak campaign targeting the Trump campaign. The FBI and other federal agencies have said this is part of a broader effort by Iran to undermine the election and stoke discord. The cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns are just one of the many challenges facing the 2024 election. Tech companies and national security officials are working together to safeguard the election and prevent foreign interference. However, the stakes are high, and the risks are real.