U.S. government officially accuses Russia of hacking campaign to interfere with elections

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October 7, 2016

The Obama administration on Friday officially accused Russia of carrying out a wide-ranging campaign to interfere with the 2016 elections, including by hacking the computers of the Democratic National Committee and other political officials.

October 7, 2016

The Obama administration on Friday officially accused Russia of carrying out a wide-ranging campaign to interfere with the 2016 elections, including by hacking the computers of the Democratic National Committee and other political officials.

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016.

The denunciation, made by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Homeland Security, came as pressure was growing from within the administration and some lawmakers to hold Moscow accountable for a set of actions apparently aimed at sowing discord around the election.

The DNC publicly disclosed the intrusions in June, saying their investigation determined Russian government hackers were behind it. That was followed shortly afterwards by a major leak of DNC emails, some so embarrassing that they forced the resignation of the DNC chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, on the eve of the Democratic national convention.

The administration also blamed Moscow for the hack of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the subsequent leak of private email addresses and cell phone numbers of Democratic lawmakers.

A series of other leaks of hacked material followed, all of which are suspected of being conducted by Russia-sponsored hackers.

Russian president Vladi­mir Putin has denied any connection to the hacks.


Courtesy: Washington Post