Microsoft has revealed that Iran is ramping up its online activities to influence the US presidential election, including a phishing attack targeting a presidential campaign.
Iranian actors have been creating fake news sites and impersonating activists to sow division and potentially sway voters, especially in swing states, according to Microsoft's latest threat intelligence report.
This report gives a detailed account of Iranian groups' activities, going beyond what U.S. intelligence has disclosed. Iran's UN mission, however, denied any plans to interfere in the US elections or launch cyberattacks.
Microsoft's report does not specify Iran's intentions but suggests that their activities aim to create chaos in the US.
US officials have previously hinted that Iran particularly opposes former President Donald Trump, especially after a 2020 strike on an Iranian general ordered by Trump.
This week, a Pakistani man with ties to Iran faced criminal charges for allegedly plotting to assassinate multiple officials, including Trump.
In its report, Microsoft identified four recent Iranian activities that are expected to increase as the November election approaches.
One example involved a group linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard targeting a high-ranking U.S. presidential campaign official with a phishing email in June.
This email was sent from the hacked account of a former senior adviser. Days later, the same group attempted to log into a former presidential candidate's account but failed. Microsoft has notified those targeted.
Additionally, Iranian groups have been creating fake news websites aimed at US voters on both sides of the political spectrum.
One site attacking Trump calls him “raving mad” and suggests he uses drugs, while another site focused on LGBTQ issues targets Republican readers.
Iranian groups are also impersonating US activists, potentially preparing for influence operations closer to the election.
In May, an Iranian group compromised an account owned by a government employee in a swing state, though it is unclear if this was related to election interference.
Iran's UN mission sent an email to The Associated Press stating, “Iran has neither the intention nor plans to launch cyber attacks. The US Presidential election is an internal matter in which Iran does not interfere.”
Microsoft also noted that Russia and China are exploiting US political polarisation. While many countries have experimented with AI in their influence operations, these efforts have not had much impact.
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