WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th July, 2020) The United States is concerned that Russia, China and Iran may undermine the upcoming US elections, National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) Director William Evanina said in a statement on Friday.
"At this time, we're primarily concerned with China, Russia and Iran - although other nation states and non-state actors could also do harm to our electoral process," Evanina said.
Evanina also said the United States sees that its adversaries want to compromise the private communications of the political campaigns and candidates and the country's election infrastructure.
While China is boosting its influence efforts to form the policy environment, pressure political actors opposed to its interests as well as fight criticism, Russia's persistent objective is to weaken the United States and diminish our global role, Evanina said.
"Using a range of efforts, including internet trolls and other proxies, Russia continues to spread disinformation in the US that is designed to undermine confidence in our democratic process and denigrate what it sees as an anti-Russia 'establishment' in America," Evanina said.
In addition, Evanina said Iran aims to compromise US democratic institutions and divide the country ahead of the vote.
"Iran's efforts center around online influence, such as spreading disinformation on social media and recirculating anti-US content," he said.
Evanina encouraged Americans to be vigilant and consume information with a critical eye, check out sources before reposting or spreading messages, practice good cyber hygiene and media literacy, and report suspicious election-related activity to authorities.
Russia has repeatedly said that it does not interfere in the US political system as doing so would be contrary to the principles and conduct of its foreign policy.
