{"id":256694,"date":"2024-08-24T00:51:08","date_gmt":"2024-08-24T00:51:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/08\/24\/meta-blocked-an-iranian-hacking-network-posing-as-tech-support-from-microsoft-and-google\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:11:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:11:51","slug":"meta-blocked-an-iranian-hacking-network-posing-as-tech-support-from-microsoft-and-google","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/08\/24\/meta-blocked-an-iranian-hacking-network-posing-as-tech-support-from-microsoft-and-google\/","title":{"rendered":"Meta blocked an Iranian hacking network posing as tech support from Microsoft and Google"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The same Iranian hacking group believed to have targeted both the\u00a0Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns<\/a>\u00a0tried to go after the WhatsApp accounts of staffers in the administrations of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, Meta Platforms<\/a> said Friday.<\/p>\n

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Meta said\u00a0it discovered the network of hackers<\/a>, who posed as tech support agents for companies including Microsoft<\/a> and Google<\/a>, after individuals who received the suspicious WhatsApp messages reported them. Meta\u2019s investigators linked the activity to the same network blamed for the hacking incident reported by Trump\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n

The FBI this week<\/a>\u00a0said a hack by Iran of the Trump campaign and an attempted breach of the Biden-Harris campaign was part of a broader Iranian effort to interfere with the U.S. presidential election.<\/p>\n

A statement Friday from Meta, the parent of Facebook and Instagram, said that the hackers had tried to target the WhatsApp account of individuals in the Middle East, the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as political and diplomatic officials \u2014 including unidentified officials associated with the Trump and Biden administrations. A \u201csmall cluster\u201d of accounts was blocked by Meta, the company said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have not seen evidence of the targeted WhatsApp accounts being compromised, but out of an abundance of caution, we\u2019re sharing our findings publicly, in addition to sharing information with law enforcement and our industry peers,\u201d Meta said in a statement.<\/p>\n

U.S. intelligence officials say Iran\u2019s\u00a0increasingly aggressive<\/a>\u00a0use of cyberattacks and disinformation has several motives: to confuse and polarize voters in an effort to undermine confidence in U.S. democracy, to erode support for Israel, and to oppose candidates that it believes will increase tension between Washington and Iran.<\/p>\n

Iran has vowed revenge against Trump, whose administration\u00a0ended a nuclear deal with Iran<\/a>, reimposed sanctions and ordered the\u00a0killing<\/a>\u00a0of an Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.<\/p>\n

In July, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said Iran\u2019s government gave covert support to\u00a0American protests<\/a>\u00a0against Israel\u2019s war against Hamas in Gaza. Groups linked to Iran posed as online activists, encouraged\u00a0campus protests<\/a>\u00a0and provided financial support to some protest groups, Haines said.<\/p>\n

Messages left with the Trump and Harris campaigns were not immediately returned Friday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Recommended Newsletter: <\/strong>High-level insights for high-powered executives. Subscribe to the CEO Daily newsletter for free today. Subscribe now<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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