The scope of the Russian cyber attacks on the U.S. election system has been found to be much wider than previously thought, according to a Bloomberg report that cites three unnamed sources “with direct knowledge” of the federal investigation.
The hackers breached databases and tried (but failed) to alter voter data in 39 states throughout the summer and fall of 2016.
While there is still no evidence that their meddling actually affected the 2016 election outcome, this new finding suggests that cyberattacks could swing elections in the future. Recently fired FBI Director James Comey explicitly warned about the inevitability of future interference from Russia, and security researchers have been saying the American voting system is vulnerable to hackers for years.