Federal Judge Warns of Cyber Hacking Risks

Iranian cyber actors have been accused of attempting to interfere in the upcoming U.S. presidential election by targeting individuals connected to President Biden's campaign with stolen materials from Donald Trump's campaign, as noted by U.S. intelligence agencies. This interference includes phishing attempts aimed at campaign staff and has been ongoing since June. Concurrently, U.S. Circuit Judge Michael Scudder warned members of the federal judiciary about the heightened risks of cyber breaches during this election season, emphasizing the need for vigilance against potential foreign hacking and misinformation campaigns. Scudder highlighted that foreign adversaries view this election period as an opportunity to undermine confidence in U.S. governance. While no current threats to the judiciary were reported, he stressed the importance of being cautious given past breaches in 2020 that involved hostile foreign actors. The judiciary plans to further disseminate these warnings to all federal judges to ensure preparedness against possible cyber threats.