A hacking group linked to Iran is threatening to release emails from the accounts of several top aides to President Trump, according to Reuters.
The hackers told the news agency they had about 100 gigabytes of emails from Trump officials, including White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. Emails from Trump lawyer Lindsey Halligan, adviser Roger Stone and adult film star Stormy Daniels, who was a key figure in the Manhattan hush money trial against Trump, were also reportedly accessed.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Monday slammed the hackers’ threats as a “calculated smear campaign.”
“A hostile foreign adversary is threatening to illegally exploit purportedly stolen and unverified material in an effort to distract, discredit, and divide,” Marci McCarthy, CISA’s director of public affairs, said in a statement shared on X.
“This so-called cyber ‘attack’ is nothing more than digital propaganda, and the targets are no coincidence,” she continued. “This is a calculated smear campaign meant to damage President Trump and discredit honorable public servants who serve our country with distinction. These criminals will be found and they will be brought to justice. Let this be a warning to others, there will be no refuge, tolerance, or leniency for these actions.”
The same hacking group sought to share stolen information from the Trump campaign with various media outlets and the Biden campaign during the 2024 election.
The group resurfaced as several U.S. agencies warned Monday that hackers affiliated with Iran may still target U.S. entities and networks despite the ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
CISA, alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center and National Security Agency, emphasized that defense companies tied to Israeli research and defense firms face an “increased risk” of cyber incidents.
The Department of Homeland Security previously warned about the potential for “low-level” cyberattacks against U.S. networks after Trump ordered strikes on several Iranian nuclear sites last month.
Shortly after the strikes, Trump’s Truth Social platform saw a surge in reports of problems. Iranian-affiliated hackers later claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on the site.
