PARIS -- French electoral authorities took a hard line Saturday on a hacking attack targeting presidential frontrunner Emmanuel Macron's campaign, saying anyone who circulates the leaked information could be committing a "criminal offense." party had their personal and work emails hacked — one of "an intense and repeated" series of cyberattacks against Macron since the launch of the campaign. The centrist candidate's furious staff said the release was an attempt at "democratic destabilization, like that seen during the last presidential campaign in the United States." "Clearly, the documents arising from the hacking are all lawful and show the normal functioning of a presidential campaign," aides said in a statement. Last month cybersecurity research group Trend Micro said Russian hackers called Pawn Storm had targeted Macron's campaign, using "phishing" techniques to try to steal personal data.

Source: The China Post May 06, 2017 16:07 UTC