US spy chiefs tell 21 states they WERE targeted by Russian hackers before 2016 election
Wisconsin, Ohio and several other states said on Friday they were among the 21 states identified
US spy chiefs have told 21 states they WERE targeted by Putin's hackers before the 2016 US Presidential election.
Wisconsin, Ohio and several other states said on Friday they were among the 21 states that the federal government notified were targeted by Russian government hackers.
The states confirmed that although they were targeted, no votes were changed
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed it had notified the 21 states but refused to identify them.
Alabama, Colorado, Minnesota, Connecticut and Washington State also confirmed they were targeted by Russian hackers but said they were not successful.
"There remains no evidence that the Russians altered one vote or changed one registration," said Judd Choate, president of the U.S. National Association of State Election Directors.
Russia has denied election meddling, and President Trump has denied any collusion with Russia.
Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Michael Haas said Homeland Security told the states that "Russian government cyber actors" targeted state voter registration systems.
Department of Homeland Security officials have said that in most of the 21 states only preliminary activity was observed from hackers and that only a small number of networks were compromised.
Only Illinois reported that hackers had succeeded in breaching its voter systems.
The news comes as a special counsel launches its investigation into whether there was any coordination during the 2016 presidential campaign between Russia and Donald Trump and his associates.
Trump has called the Russia story a hoax and says Russian President Vladimir Putin "vehemently denied" the conclusions of American intelligence agencies.
In January a US intelligence report concluded Vladimir Putin “ordered” a campaign of hacking to influence the US presidential election and boost Donald Trump’s chances.
Intelligence officials stated Russia directed the "hacking and media manipulation" to undermine Hillary Clinton after Putin developed a "preference" for Trump.
"We assess Russian President Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election," said the report from the Director of National Intelligence.
"Russia's goals were to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency."
It has even been claimed that Russia hired 1,000 trolls to create fake news sites spreading lies about Hillary Clinton during the US presidential election.
Trump has repeatedly dismissed the US intelligence community's conclusions that Russia was responsible for the hacking - or that it aimed to help his campaign.
Trump was briefed on the report and while he said he had "a constructive meeting," he declined to agree with their conclusions.
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