On Wednesday, Google reported that Iranian hackers attempted to target both the Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns in May and June, as part of an ongoing phishing operation. This finding supports the Trump campaign’s recent claim of a breach linked to Iranian interference efforts.
Google's Threat Analysis Group, which monitors state-sponsored cyberattacks, disclosed that it thwarted a persistent phishing campaign linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The report noted that the operation targeted personal email accounts of several individuals connected to both Trump and Biden, their presidential campaigns, and current and former U.S. officials. Google blocked numerous login attempts on these accounts.
The report also revealed that the hackers accessed the Gmail account of a prominent political consultant in July. Google secured the account and alerted law enforcement but did not reveal the consultant’s identity or campaign affiliation.
The IRGC hackers, known for their relentless tactics, continue to attempt to breach accounts associated with Biden, Kamala Harris, and Trump, using Google services like Sites, Drive, and Gmail.
Microsoft had previously reported that hackers affiliated with the IRGC breached the email of a former senior adviser to a presidential campaign, though details on the victim were not disclosed. Iranian state media has denied involvement in hacking Trump’s campaign.
Recent reports indicated that Politico, The Washington Post, and The New York Times received emails containing what appeared to be Trump campaign files, suggesting a “hack-and-leak” strategy aimed at embarrassing Trump. The FBI is investigating these hacking attempts but has provided no additional details.
While the Trump campaign has confirmed being hacked, the Biden-Harris campaign has not reported any security breaches. No major cybersecurity firm or government agency has definitively stated that Iran successfully hacked Trump’s campaign. Microsoft has declined to comment further on its findings.
This development follows warnings from a U.S. intelligence official about Iran's potential efforts to undermine Trump, as part of broader foreign influence operations.
