Sept 28, V7N- The U.S. Justice Department recently unsealed criminal charges against three members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) — Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, and Yasar Balaghi — for allegedly hacking Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign and attempting to disrupt the November 5 election. This indictment is part of broader efforts by the Biden administration to combat foreign interference in the U.S. election process.

Attorney General Merrick Garland revealed that the three individuals were involved in cyberattacks aimed at undermining Trump's campaign. Using phishing tactics, the hackers tricked campaign officials into divulging sensitive information, including debate preparation materials and profiles of potential vice-presidential candidates. This information was then leaked to media outlets and the Biden campaign, although Biden's team did not respond to the illicit materials offered to them. Notably, this restraint by the media and Biden's campaign contrasts with the widespread dissemination of hacked communications during the 2016 election, which significantly impacted Hillary Clinton's campaign.

The Justice Department has charged the Iranian hackers with wire fraud, identity theft, and computer fraud. Concurrently, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the three hackers, along with other IRGC members. Although these individuals are currently beyond U.S. law enforcement's reach, Garland emphasized the government's commitment to pursuing them, citing successful apprehensions of other international suspects in the past.

The hacking group involved, known as APT42 or "Charming Kitten," has a reputation for using advanced cyber techniques, including placing surveillance software on mobile devices to monitor communications and gather intelligence. This latest indictment is one of many actions taken by the U.S. government against foreign election interference, including efforts from Russia, where sanctions and criminal charges have also been levied.

This case is part of a wider U.S. initiative to confront cyber and non-digital threats from countries like Iran, as well as other foreign actors attempting to undermine the integrity of American elections.

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