The FBI is investigating evidence that hackers have attacked two state election databases in recent weeks, according to a Reuters report.
The warning came in an Aug. 18 flash alert from the FBI’s Cyber Division, according to Reuters. The bureau is urging US election officials to increase computer security as a result of the apparent hacks.
Citing anonymous officials, Yahoo News reported that it is believed that foreign hackers were responsible for the intrusion. And US intelligence officials are seeing indications that hackers sponsored by Russia may try to disrupt the presidential election in November, according to Reuters.
There have been recent cyber attacks on the Democratic National Committee and other Democratic Party organizations. US intelligence officials say the attacks were most likely carried out at the behest of the Russian government, but Moscow has denied involvement, Reuters reported.
But officials are concerned enough about the security of the upcoming election that Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson has offered state officials his department’s help in securing their voting systems.
While the FBI did not identify the two states targeted, Yahoo News reported that the targets were Arizona and Illinois, whose voter registration systems were attacked. According to Yahoo news, a state election board official said hackers downloaded personal data of up to 200,000 Illinois voters. Another official said that the Arizona attack involved uploading malicious software into the state’s voter registration system.
