The Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe has announced in a press meeting that Iran and Russia have obtained the voter registration information. Although the data is publicly available, agencies have warned voters to remain vigilant about misinformation spread using them. It’s also reported that threatening emails were being sent to voters and some videos to perform cast fraudulent votes.
Iran and Russia Obtain Voters Data
With US presidential election nearing, attacks against US infrastructure have increased. Many cybersecurity firms and federal agencies have warned US companies and citizens to be aware of potential cyberattacks, about hack any sensitive data or manipulate opinions.
While everyone is being vigilant, John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence has revealed in a press conference that, Iran and Russia have obtained the voter registration information. While this data is publicly available from respective state government portals, it’s still hard to get the complete dataset at once. He further assured that no data breach has happened.
Thus, John Ratcliffe said, “Iran and Russia have taken specific actions to influence public opinion relating to our election. Some voter registration information has been obtained by Iran and separately by Russia.” Further, “This data can be used by foreign actors to attempt to convey misinformation.”
Ratcliffe, along with the FBI Director, Christopher Wray, has confirmed some threatening emails being sent to citizens, to intimidate them. A report from The Washington Post and CBS News tells that citizens received emails from far-right groups, threatening them to vote for Donald Trump. They further claim to come after if not complied.
Also, Ratcliffe said that Iran is distributing some videos, directing “that individuals could cast fraudulent ballots.” He finally said “We ask every American to do their part to defend against those who wish us harm. Do not allow these efforts to have their intended effect.”