Report: Cyberattack On Dem Groups Much Broader Than First Appeared

Two ‘sophisticated adversaries’ linked to the Russian government broke in to the Democratic National Committee’s computer networks and gained access to confidential emails, chats and opposition research on presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, Tuesday, June 14, 2016, in Washington. The DNC said financial and personal information does not appear to have been accessed by the hackers. (AP Photo/Paul Holston) — People stand outside the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in Washington, Tuesday, June 14, 2016. Two “sophisticated adversaries” linked to Russian intelligence services broke into the Democratic N... People stand outside the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in Washington, Tuesday, June 14, 2016. Two “sophisticated adversaries” linked to Russian intelligence services broke into the Democratic National Committee’s computer networks and gained access to confidential emails, chats and opposition research on presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, the party and an outside analyst said Tuesday, June 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Paul Holston) MORE LESS

August 11, 2016 7:56 a.m.

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The cyberattack targeting Democratic politicians and organizations, including presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, was far broader than investigators initially anticipated, according to a New York Times report out Wednesday.

Officials familiar with the case told the Times that the FBI has broadened its probe from the main targets, which include the private email accounts of Clinton’s campaign staffers, the Democratic National Committee, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which raises funds for House Democrats.

According to the officials, it now appears that other Democratic organizations, including the Democratic Governors’ Association, may also have been caught up in the hack. FBI agents have begun notifying individual Democratic politicians whose accounts may have been accessed.

The unnamed officials in the Times report attributed the hacks to Russian intelligence agencies.

Information obtained by cyberattack has already hurt the party. Former DNC chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (R-FL) stepped down last month after WikiLeaks released internal emails that showed party officials mocking the campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). American intelligence agencies said they have “high confidence” that Russian government employees were the source for the hack of those emails, as the Times reported.

The widening scope of the FBI’s investigation and WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange’s announcement that he planned to release more information about Clinton’s campaign suggests more troubling news for Democrats ahead of the November election.

The agency has briefed members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees on the breach of the DNC’s servers, according to the Times.

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Allegra Kirkland (@allegrakirkland) Allegra Kirkland is a New York-based reporter for Talking Points Memo. She previously worked on The Nation’s web team and as the associate managing editor for AlterNet. Follow her on Twitter @allegrakirkland.

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