Hackers target presidential candidates, U.S. spy chief says

(by Dustin Volz and Mark Hosenball, Reuters) – U.S. presidential campaigns face threats from hackers bent on espionage and other activity more nefarious than mere political mischief, the office of the U.S. National Intelligence Director James Clapper said on Wednesday, but did not provide details on specific intrusions.

“We’re aware that campaigns and related organizations and individuals are targeted by actors with a variety of motivations— from philosophical differences to espionage — and capabilities— from defacements to intrusions,” Clapper’s spokesman Brian Hale said in a statement, deferring to the FBI for details on specific incidents.

Earlier, Clapper said the U.S. intelligence community had “already had some indications” of hacking attempts against presidential campaigns.

“As the campaign intensifies we’ll probably have more” attacks, Clapper said at a [talk] in Washington.

The hacking efforts against the campaigns are considered so serious that some congressional committees have been briefed on the activity, a government source said.

“Given the intense scrutiny paid to the 2016 campaign, and the broad implications for U.S. foreign policy, it’s no surprise that actors are launching cyber-attacks against presidential campaigns,” Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement.

Cyber attacks against political candidates occur in countries around the world. The last two U.S. presidential cycles in 2008 and 2012 witnessed a barrage of cyber attacks from a range of adversaries targeting [the top candidates in both parties].

U.S. intelligence officials have said many previous assaults were linked to Chinese hackers. …

Clapper said the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are working to educate “both campaigns” about cyber threats, likely referring to the campaigns of presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

A U.S. security official said foreign hackers would likely seek information about a candidates’ foreign policy intentions and team and about the campaign’s internal operations.

The Republican and Democratic candidates for president will begin receiving intelligence briefings after being officially nominated at party conventions this summer.

Clapper said the two candidates would receive “exactly the same” briefings. …“We’ve been doing this for many years….” Clapper said.

Because the candidates are briefed in person, U.S. intelligence officials said they are not concerned about hackers eavesdropping on the sessions. But they are worried Trump or Clinton might share information with aides, advisors or supporters using email systems that are less secure than those the government uses for classified information.

One official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, cited Clinton’s previous use of a private email server when she was Secretary of State.

(Additional reporting by John Walcott)

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