A Japanese cybersecurity firm has found links to a possible attempted hacking of the Macron campaign in the 2017 French Presidential election, drawing comparison with the suspected cyber attacks during the US Presidential election last year.
Trend Micro claims to have uncovered four Web domain names that are suspiciously similar to those used by the Macron campaign. The goal of replicating these domains would be to create a pitfall for campaign workers to have their email accounts breached.
It is yet to be determined whether the potential traps have been successful in snaring any email accounts associated with the Macron campaign.
Fears of hacking attempts on campaigns were heightened upon entering 2017 by the controversy surrounding the cyber-attacks during the US Presidential race, and all eyes fell upon the election in the Netherlands, and the current French election process in particular.
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The mainstream narrative surrounding this possible instance is likely to to be centred on whether Russia had any influence on the implementation of the hacking attempt.
This would be in light of the storm of controversy regarding the question of Russian intervention in the race between Trump and Clinton in 2016.
Centrist, Emmanuel Macron is currently holding a lead with 23.8% over the 21.5% held by far-right Marine Le Pen, a position thought to be crucial to maintain momentum to be victorious within the French election system.
Current French President Francois Hollande and other parties knocked out of the race have closed ranks around Macron, urging their supporters to block Marine Le Pen and the Front Nationale from victory.
Like other recent elections and referendums, motivations behind voting in the French Presidential election have been extremely passionate, culminating in a high turnout in the first round of nearly 79%.
