Hackers 'Linked to Iran' Attempt to Access Accounts of FBI Director Nominee

Two security sources have revealed that the nominee selected by Donald Trump for the head of the FBI has been targeted by cyber attacks, likely from Iran. According to their statements, which were made in a conversation with CNN on the condition of anonymity, Kash Patel has recently been made aware of this issue. These security sources indicated that hackers targeted Patel's communication devices and social media pages; however, the extent of the success of these attacks and what information, if any, was compromised remains under investigation. The FBI declined to comment directly on the matter; however, a spokesperson for the agency referred to a statement made four months ago by the FBI and two other U.S. security agencies, which discussed 'Iran-related activities aimed at cyber infiltration into Donald Trump's election campaign.' The news of the potential Iranian cyber attack on Kash Patel was first published by the Semafor news website. Since the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the Quds Force of the IRGC, on Donald Trump's orders, Iran has identified him and his supporters, including members of his first administration like then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as 'legitimate targets.' These individuals have regularly been the focus of cyber attacks believed to be largely orchestrated by the Islamic Republic of Iran. In recent months, including in an August statement, the FBI and several other federal security agencies have warned about Iranian cyber activities targeting staff of Donald Trump's election campaign. In September, the U.S. Department of Justice charged three members of the IRGC, named Masoud Jalili, Yaser Balaghi, and Ali Aghamiri, with launching a widespread campaign to hack the accounts of U.S. officials, including associates of Donald Trump. At the same time, Microsoft also accused Iran of 'intensifying its efforts to interfere in the U.S. presidential elections, including sending phishing emails.' Kash Patel, 44, served in senior security and defense positions during Donald Trump's first term, including as chief of staff to Defense Secretary Christopher Miller and senior advisor to acting National Security Agency head Ric Grenell. Trump also considered him for his representative at the National Archives. Patel later received a subpoena to testify before a grand jury in the case known as the 'Mar-a-Lago classified documents' case, but he refused to do so; an action deemed as a demonstration of his complete loyalty to Donald Trump. Kash Patel, a lawyer and unwavering ally of the elected President of the United States, first gained fame when he worked as an assistant to Devin Nunes, a former Republican representative from California, in efforts to prevent investigations into 'possible Russian interference' in the 2016 presidential election.