Meta has recently taken action against potential election interference by blocking several WhatsApp groups linked to Iranian hackers. These groups, connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were reportedly targeting the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The hackers, posing as technical support from major companies like AOL, Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft, attempted to trick individuals associated with both President Joe Biden’s and former President Donald Trump’s campaigns into revealing sensitive information. Meta discovered the threat when users reported suspicious messages, but there’s no evidence yet that any accounts were successfully compromised. The company has shared its findings with law enforcement and other tech companies to bolster security.
U.S. officials have noted that Iran views this election as crucial to its national interests, leading to these aggressive tactics. The Trump campaign has accused Iranian hackers of leaking internal documents, a situation currently under FBI investigation. The Harris campaign has been warned about potential foreign influence but has not reported any breaches.
