The FBI and other USA law enforcement agencies are examining the breaches, United States officials told CNN, and investigators believe Russian intelligence is likely to be behind the hacks. Investigators say the attacks could be related to the recent high-profile hack of the Democratic National Committee, which resulted in the resignation of party chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
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The FBI declined to comment and a spokesperson for The New York Times would not confirm the attacks or the investigation.
“Like most news organizations we are vigilant about guarding against attempts to hack into our systems”, New York Times Co. spokeswoman Eileen Murphy told CNN.
The Times is also working with private security investigators who are working with national security officials regarding the breach, USA officials told CNN.
The Times and other news organizations are targets because breaches can reveal reporters’ government sources as well as unfinished works that may contain sensitive information.
The reported hacking comes as serious questions has been raised about possible Russian influence in this year’s US presidential elections.
But the release of the hacked Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails on the eve of the party’s national convention in Philadelphia led many to believe that Russian Federation is using information warfare as a way to influence the outcome of the election.
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Russian hackers in June breached the Democratic National Committee, making public some of the party’s opposition research on Donald Trump.
