Iran accelerating cyber activity to influence US election, Microsoft says

Microsoft has outlined various attempts to manipulate the US election (Tim Goode/PA)

Iran is ramping up online activity that appears intended to influence the upcoming US election – in one case, targeting a presidential campaign with an email phishing attack, Microsoft has said.

Iranian actors also have spent recent months creating fake news sites and impersonating activists, laying the groundwork to stoke division and potentially sway American voters this autumn, especially in swing states, the technology giant found.