World News – US – Iran behind threatening emails sent to influence elections, US officials say

Both Iran and Russia have obtained voter information, officials have warned, but there is no indication that the votes themselves have been changed

WASHINGTON – Iran and Russia both obtained US voter registration data, and Tehran used it to send threatening and bogus emails to voters who aimed to influence the presidential election, said on Wednesday evening of senior national security officials

There was no indication that the tally of election results had changed or that the information on who registered to vote had changed, both of which would threaten to change the actual votes, said John Ratcliffe, the director of National Intelligence, and Christopher A Wray, the FBje director, in an appearance at office headquarters

And it was not clear that either country hacked voter registration systems Some voter information, including party registration, is public, and the names of voters voters may have been merged with other identifying elements such as email addresses available in other databases, according to intelligence officials, including some sold by criminal hacking networks on the « dark web « 

Yet the news that a foreign opponent Iran had tried to influence the election by sending intimidating emails was a stark warning Some of the spoofed emails, sent to Democratic voters, claimed to come from groups of pro-Trump far right, including the Proud Boys

Iran’s intentions were unclear Mr Ratcliffe said the effort was aimed at injuring President Trump, and intelligence officials said Iran opposed the president’s re-election But if the emails had the effect of intimidating Democrats, they could also have hurt Joseph R Biden Jr, the Democratic candidate

« This data can be used by foreign actors in an attempt to communicate false information to registered voters which they hope will confuse, wreak havoc and undermine your confidence in American democracy, » Mr. Ratcliffe said

He also said Iran was releasing video that encouraged misinformation about fraudulent ballots cast overseas

Iran, Russia, Donald Trump, United States Presidential Election, 2020, Federal Bureau of Investigation, John Ratcliffe