DOJ Charges Iranian Hackers for Attempted Election Interference in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Race

According to Bleeping Computer, on September 18, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed an indictment charging three Iranian hackers with orchestrating a “hack-and-leak” campaign aimed at influencing the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The trio—Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, and Yaser Balaghi—are accused of working on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to steal sensitive information from American officials and political figures, with the intent of disrupting the electoral process.

According to the DOJ, the hackers primarily targeted current and former U.S. officials, individuals associated with U.S. political campaigns, and members of the media. Their efforts were part of a larger campaign allegedly sponsored by Iran to gather intelligence and manipulate public opinion during the election cycle.

In May 2024, the group shifted its focus to the Trump campaign, successfully infiltrating personal accounts of campaign officials and stealing internal documents and emails. By late June, they had launched a “hack-and-leak” operation, attempting to distribute the stolen materials to U.S. media outlets and individuals linked to the Biden campaign. The aim, the indictment suggests, was to undermine former President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential bid.

The FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a joint statement explaining that the Iranian actors sent unsolicited emails to individuals connected to President Joe Biden’s campaign, containing excerpts from the stolen Trump campaign materials. While there is no evidence to suggest the recipients responded to the emails, the hackers continued their efforts, sending the stolen information to U.S. media outlets as well.

The indictment further alleges that the hackers’ campaign began as early as 2020 and relied on spearphishing and social engineering tactics to gain access to accounts. By 2022, the group expanded its efforts, targeting a former U.S. government official in an attempt to identify future victims and gather intelligence.

The U.S. State Department has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi. Additionally, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) has designated Jalili for his involvement with the IRGC, imposing sanctions to limit foreign interference in U.S. elections.

“These hack-and-leak efforts by Iran are a direct assault on the integrity of our democratic processes,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen. “This indictment alleges a serious and sustained effort by a state-sponsored terrorist organization to harm Americans and corruptly influence our election.”

U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the seriousness of the Iranian group’s actions, which sought to undermine trust in the U.S. electoral system. The FBI continues to urge anyone with information on the whereabouts of the accused to come forward.?