Microsoft has reported that Iran is intensifying online efforts to influence the upcoming US election. According to the company’s latest threat intelligence report, Iranian actors have spent months creating fake news sites and impersonating activists, aiming to sow division and potentially sway voters.
The report highlights Iran’s evolving tactics, which include phishing attempts targeting high-ranking US presidential campaign officials and creating websites that pose as legitimate US news outlets. One such fake site disparaged US presidential candidate Donald Trump, accusing him of erratic behavior.
Microsoft’s findings go beyond recent US intelligence disclosures, offering specific examples of Iranian actions but not detailing their ultimate goals. The report also noted similar efforts by Russia and China to exploit US political polarization.
In response, Iran’s UN mission denied any plans to interfere in the US election, stating that its cyber capabilities are defensive and proportionate to the threats it faces. Microsoft’s report aligns with recent warnings from US intelligence, which cautions that foreign actors are spreading false claims ahead of November’s vote.
