Iran-linked Hackers Threaten to Release Trump Aides' Emails
In a shocking development, Iran-linked hackers have threatened to disclose more emails stolen from US President Donald Trump's circle, just ahead of the 2024 US election. The hackers, who go by the pseudonym Robert, have already distributed a prior batch of leaked emails to the media and are now planning to sell the material.
The emails in question come from the accounts of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Trump lawyer Lindsey Halligan, Trump adviser Roger Stone, and adult film star Stormy Daniels. According to Robert, the hackers have roughly 100 gigabytes of emails, which they claim will be sold to the highest bidder.
The hackers did not provide any details about their plans or the content of the emails, but US Attorney General Pam Bondi described the intrusion as "an unconscionable cyber-attack". The White House and the FBI responded with a statement from FBI Director Kash Patel, who vowed to investigate and prosecute anyone associated with the breach.
"This so-called cyber 'attack' is nothing more than digital propaganda, and the targets are no coincidence," said CISA in a post on X. "This is a calculated smear campaign meant to damage President Trump and discredit honourable public servants who serve our country with distinction."
Halligan, Stone, and a representative for Daniels did not respond to requests for comment. Iran's mission to the United Nations did not return a message seeking comment.
A History of Leaks
The hackers materialised in the final months of the 2024 presidential campaign, when they claimed to have breached the email accounts of several Trump allies, including Wiles. The hackers then distributed emails to journalists, which were later authenticated by Reuters as coming from the leaked accounts.
The leaked documents included an email that appeared to document a financial arrangement between Trump and lawyers representing former presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr - now Trump's health secretary. Other material included Trump campaign communication about Republican office-seekers and discussion of settlement negotiations with Daniels.
Although the leaked documents garnered some coverage last year, they did not fundamentally alter the presidential race, which Trump won. However, the latest threat from the hackers has raised concerns about the potential impact on the 2024 election.
The Alleged Masterminds Behind the Hack
The US Justice Department in a September 2024 indictment alleged that Iran's Revolutionary Guards ran the Robert hacking operation. In conversations with Reuters, the hackers declined to address this allegation.
However, American Enterprise Institute scholar Frederick Kagan suggested that Tehran suffered serious damage in the conflict between Israel and Iran, which was capped by US bombing of Iran's nuclear sites. "A default explanation is that everyone's been ordered to use all the asymmetric stuff that they can that's not likely to trigger a resumption of major Israeli/US military activity," he said.
"Leaking a bunch more emails is not likely to do that." Despite worries that Tehran could unleash digital havoc, Iran's hackers took a low profile during the conflict.
Consequences for American Companies
US cyber officials warned on Monday that American companies and critical infrastructure operators might still be in Tehran's crosshairs. The threat of digital attacks from Iran remains a concern, particularly as the 2024 election approaches.
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