Shaheen says office has been targeted by hackers
Phishing emails sent to senator's staff members
Phishing emails sent to senator's staff members
Phishing emails sent to senator's staff members
U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, said her staff has been targeted by hackers.
Shaheen said her office has received a number of phishing attacks sent by hackers. While touring a Nashua manufacturing company Monday, Shaheen said efforts to ward off hackers need to be increased.
"There was one particular request for a meeting that we turned over to authorities because we thought they were more than suspicious," Shaheen said.
Hackers linked to Russia have also reportedly targeted the computers of U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, who is up for election in 2018. Despite the focus on Democratic targets of hackers, Shaheen said it's not a partisan issue.
"We have seen very serious efforts to attack our electric grid and other infrastructure in the country," she said.
U.S. intelligence agencies have agreed that Russian hackers attacked the 2016 election and are planning to do so in the 2018 midterm elections. Shaheen said the lack of clarity from President Donald Trump's closed-door meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin sends a mixed message as to how serious the White House takes the situation.
"I think it undercuts the effort to address the problem," she said. "This is not about the 2016 election. This is about an ongoing threat to our democracy."
Shaheen said her office has ramped up its computer protection protocol and has provided training for her staff.