Menlo Park, California (US): Meta has blocked a small group of WhatsApp accounts linked to Iranian hackers targeting officials associated with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. According to a blog post from Meta, these fraudulent accounts were traced back to APT42, an Iranian state-sponsored cyber espionage group.
With less than 75 days until the November election, Meta is under increased scrutiny due to past instances where its platforms were exploited during presidential campaigns. The company emphasized that while it detected the hacking attempts, there is no evidence that any WhatsApp accounts were compromised. Meta is sharing its findings with law enforcement and other tech companies to strengthen collective security efforts.
The hackers, posing as technical support for companies like AOL, Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft, attempted to deceive targets into revealing sensitive information. Some individuals targeted by APT42 reported the suspicious messages to WhatsApp using the platform’s in-app tools, allowing Meta’s security team to identify and block the threat.
The Trump campaign recently reported that a foreign actor compromised its network, and Microsoft identified Iranian hacking groups, including APT42, attempting to influence the U.S. election. In 2019, Microsoft had also identified Iranian hackers targeting a U.S. presidential campaign and other officials.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, highlights the ongoing threats posed by state-sponsored cyber groups and the importance of vigilant security measures as the U.S. election approaches.
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