Cyberwar Against Trump: Iranian Hackers Target Kash Patel, FBI Director Nominee

Washington (Daily Pakistan Online) Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director, has been targeted by an Iranian cyberattack, according to two senior law enforcement officials. The FBI informed Patel of the attack, which occurred before Trump announced him as his pick for the bureau’s top job. The hackers reportedly accessed some of Patel’s communications, although it’s unclear how much data was compromised.

The cyberattack is the latest in a series of hacking attempts by Iran targeting Trump’s associates. In September, three Iranian operatives were charged with hacking Trump’s presidential campaign in an effort to undermine the US election. The operatives, allegedly employed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stole emails and documents and shared them with media outlets.

The FBI has declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, but Trump’s transition team has acknowledged the attack. Spokesman Alex Pfeiffer said Patel was a key part of the first Trump administration’s efforts against Iran and will implement Trump’s policies to protect America from adversaries as FBI director.