In a stunning revelation, Meta Platforms announced that the same Iranian hacking group that targeted the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns had attempted to infiltrate the WhatsApp accounts of staffers in the administrations of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

Meta discovered the hackers posing as tech support agents for major companies like AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google. The suspicious WhatsApp messages were reported by individuals, leading Meta’s investigators to link the activity to the same network responsible for hacking Trump’s campaign.

Recent FBI reports suggest that Iran’s hacking attempts on the Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns were part of a broader effort to interfere with the U.S. presidential election.

Meta revealed that the hackers targeted WhatsApp accounts in the Middle East, United States, and United Kingdom, including political and diplomatic officials associated with the Trump and Biden administrations. Some accounts were blocked by Meta as a precautionary measure.

Although there is no evidence of compromised accounts, Meta decided to share its findings publicly, collaborate with law enforcement, and inform industry peers about the cyber threat posed by the Iranian group.

Google’s threat intelligence arm also reported similar attempts by the Iranian group to breach the personal email accounts of individuals linked to Biden and Trump. This highlights the escalating cybersecurity challenges facing the U.S. government.

Iranian cyberattacks serve various purposes, including undermining U.S. democracy, opposing candidates favoring tensions with Iran, and eroding support for Israel. The retaliation threats against Trump and covert support for various protests illustrate Iran’s disruptive tactics on the international stage.

As the U.S. faces increasing cyber threats from state-sponsored actors like Iran, cybersecurity measures and vigilance are crucial to safeguarding national interests and democratic values.

The implications of these cyber threats are far-reaching and demand a coordinated response to mitigate risks and protect critical infrastructure from malicious actors.