Iranians tried to hack U.S. presidential candidates in effort that targeted hundreds, Microsoft says
Source: Washington Post
SEATTLE A campaign believed to be tied to the Iranian government attempted to identify, attack and breach email addresses belonging to U.S. presidential campaigns, government officials and journalists, according to new data unveiled by Microsoft, highlighting the continued global security threats that loom over the fast-approaching 2020 election.
The campaign observed by Microsoft, which it dubbed Phosphorus, made more than 2,700 attempts to identify e-mail addresses that belonged to the companys customers over a 30-day period between August and September, 241 of which were then attacked. Four were compromised, but they do not belong to presidential campaigns or government officials, according to the tech giant.
Microsoft said it notified the customers attacked and has worked with those whose accounts were compromised to secure them. It declined to disclose the names of the account holders.
According to Microsoft, Phosphorus hackers tried to figure out how to reset passwords or otherwise trigger account recovery features to take over accounts. In some instances, Microsoft found that the group gathered phone numbers belonging to its targets to try to authenticate password resets.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/10/04/iran-tried-hack-us-presidential-candidates-journalists-effort-that-targeted-hundreds-microsoft-finds/
docgee
(870 posts)They wanted sanctions lifted. He must have made a deal with them to get dirt on his opponents.
ret5hd
(20,491 posts)An inept, clumsy, and obvious attack, in an effort to make everyone "look over there!"
Turbineguy
(37,319 posts)It would be reasonable. They hate the U.S.
BumRushDaShow
(128,844 posts)because one of Iran's biggest supporters was guess who?
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-aramco-attacks-putin/russias-putin-says-no-proof-iran-was-behind-saudi-attacks-idUSKBN1WH196
(of course that puts the whole U.S.-Saudi thing into a bizarre part of the web)
ffr
(22,669 posts)"Microsoft announced."
We can infer that our guard is down and our elections will be attacked again under ethically bankrupt republicans.