Russian government officials hacked the computer network of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to find information the DNC used against Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump.
According to reports, Russian hackers also read all of the emails and chat communications. They did not gain access to any financial, donor, or personal information of those working for the DNC, only communication and info researched to use against Trump were compromised.
The hackers had access to the DNC’s network for a year and have now been kicked out of the system, said committee officials and security experts who responded to the breach:
“It’s the job of every foreign intelligence service to collect intelligence against their adversaries,” said Shawn Henry, president of CrowdStrike, the cyber firm, who handled the breach.
“We’re perceived as an adversary of Russia,” he said. “Their job when they wake up every day is to gather intelligence against the policies, practices and strategies of the U.S. government. There are a variety of ways. [Hacking] is one of the more valuable because it gives you a treasure trove of information.”
The Russian embassy said they had no knowledge of the hack. According to the Washington Post, Russia has long had an interest in the American political system. The purpose of the hack was to understand the strengths and weaknesses of a potential future president. This method is also used by American spies to gather similar information on foreign candidates and leaders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken favorably about Trump in the past, says the Post, as Trump has called for better relations with Russia and spoke against the NATO.
