Did Hacking Really Take Place at Both National Conventions?

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Technology


In the 2016 presidential election, campaign teams not only have to think about their political strategies, but also protect their candidates from the possibility and altogether likelihood of cyberattacks. Reports claim that hackers targeted both national conventions, putting private information at risk and preventing presidential candidates from getting their messages out effectively.

Experts on cyberattacks claim that Russian hackers may have breached the security systems at the Democratic National Convention, or DNC. The breach involved highly sophisticated malware previously used by two Russian hacking groups, suggesting that Russia is behind this latest cyber attack, which succeeded in stealing confidential documents from the Democratic team.

Republican Party nominee Donald Trump has attracted criticism from across the political spectrum for his Twitter comments on the cyberattacks. He encouraged Russian hackers or any other hackers to attack Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton's private email server and find the 33,000 emails missing from her records. Clinton claims to have deleted these emails, leading many people to accuse her of trying to cover up corruption.

Despite the nation's lack of trust in Clinton, it is Donald Trump who has received the most damning criticism from the situation. Justin Harvey, chief security officer of a major cybersecurity company, said the presidential candidate's invitation to hackers crossed a line. Trump later took back the comments claiming he was only being sarcastic, but many people think any invitation to foreign hackers, sarcastic or otherwise, shows a serious lack of respect for the national security of the United States.

Meanwhile, Republican security experts were also hard at work fending off cyberattacks during the party's National Convention. According to the Republican team, the National Convention was attracting cyberattacks even before the first speaker stepped up to the podium. However, they claim no vital information was stolen.

The 2016 presidential election is not the first time the United States has been targeted by foreign hackers. Over the last few years, experts have warned about an increase of cyberattacks originating from China. Many of these hackers use a technique called spear-phishing, which was used in the attacks against the Republican National Convention, or RNC. In this method, hackers disguise emails to trick victims into thinking they come from a legitimate source. If the victim clicks a link in the email or opens an attachment, it can allow malware to infect the network and steal sensitive information.

Whether they are Chinese-, Russian- or U.S.-based, hackers can create serious problems for political parties. With evidence that hacking affected both National Conventions, Democrats and Republicans need to strengthen their security systems against cyberattacks. Security experts should rapidly take measures to block sophisticated methods of attack, such as spear-phishing, and therefore keep vital campaign information safe.


Photo courtesy of vectorolie at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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  • BARBARA-ANN ROTINO
    BARBARA-ANN ROTINO

    So Trump voters. He will only serve one term and destroy America. There will be no foreign relationships. And we depend in their products, services and oil since sadly we are not self-sufficient. NOW WHAT AMERICA? FOUR LONG YEARS OF STUPIDITY. HILLARY CLINTON WIN THE POPULAR VOTE BY A LANDSLIDE. WHO CONTROLS THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE BESIDES REPUBLICANS? WHO ELECTS THOSE IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE??? ANSWER: THE REPUBLICAN STATES DID!!!!! 4 MORE YEARS OF SUFFERING UNDER THE TRUMP REGIME. 4 LONG MISERABLE YEARS. YOU WATCH AND SEE!!!!!!

  • BARBARA-ANN ROTINO
    BARBARA-ANN ROTINO

    Just watch and wait the day after Inauguration, Jan. 21st. His daughter Ivana is running for a NY Senate seat. Not qualified. Melania not born in the US but a citizen will also be part of his Cabinet. Woe is the US as we knew it.

  • BARBARA-ANN ROTINO
    BARBARA-ANN ROTINO

    What is wrong with you Sad Trump Voters???? He's going to run the country as his Business. Only the rich will benefit. He's doing away with all Social Service programs for the poor like Medicare and Medicaid!!! Now what will he do for them? Yes he cannot make stupid decisions without Congress approval, which by the way has a majority of Republicans. So now what? Offer to ship millions of poor families to Mexico? Just

  • BARBARA-ANN ROTINO
    BARBARA-ANN ROTINO

    What is wrong about Trump's mission statement that he'll "make America great again"????? Which country does he think he lives in? And before he was surprisingly elected, not winning the popular vote, he was blantantly staying over and over that the "Election was rigged" since Hillary won the populat vote?

  • BARBARA-ANN ROTINO
    BARBARA-ANN ROTINO

    Hackers had nothing to do with the outcome of the disgusting election of Trump who has no experience in politics or foreign affairs as Sec'y of State Hillary Clinton did and built relationships with those governments. They do not trust Trump and will not support him, his VP or questionable Sec'y of State, also with no gov't experience. His choices are fiduciary in nature: they all are billionaires, again with no government experience. Those who voted for Trump and his cronies are in deep trouble and will see our America crumble. Why is Trump saying he'll make "America great again", when our America us already the greatest country in the world?!!

  • Jess N.
    Jess N.

    Many of the biggest hacks are inside jobs, from workers unhappy or upset about something. I'd take into account the content that was leaked. It fits the profile.

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