WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (UPI) — Hackers linked to Russia attempted to hack Hillary Clinton’s private email server at least five times while she was Secretary of State, according to emails released Wednesday.
Clinton received infected emails on Aug. 3, 2011, which were disguised as speeding tickets and instructed her to print out the “tickets” — which would have given the hackers control of her computer.
There is no indication that Clinton or any member of her staff opened the emails, which security experts say originated from Russia.
This new revelation is the latest in ongoing concerns over Clinton’s use of a private email server during her time running the State Department. Critics have said for months that using a private server potentially compromised classified information.
Clinton has released scores of emails in recent months, in response to the criticism, but there has been nothing to indicate any classified data was contained on the Democratic candidate’s private server.
The Democratic frontrunner has apologized for using her private server during her time as State chief.
Clinton’s campaign spokesman, Nick Merrill, said there is no indication the infected emails succeeded in gaining access to the computers. He said all the new emails prove is that Clinton, like millions of other Americans, received “spam.”
About 6,300 pages of new emails were released Wednesday, including the spam messages from Russia.
Wednesday also marked the first time the State Department has said messages in Clinton’s private account warranted protection at the SECRET level — the middle level of the national security classification system, POLITICO reported.
Two of those messages contained discussion of talks by the U.S. government and five ally nations, known as the P5+1, about Iran’s nuclear program from January 2011. The emails were reportedly forwarded to Clinton’s private server by former Deputy Chief of Staff Jake Sullivan, who is now the policy director for Clinton’s presidential campaign.
Highlighting the sensitive nature of the emails, the State Department redacted the messages’ contents for public release.
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