Hackers were able to alter voter information in at least one U.S. county during the 2016 election and investigators are looking into whether private voter information was distributed to the Trump campaign after thousands of voter records were stolen, Time reported Thursday.
The information modified in a county database was spotted and fixed, Time said, citing anonymous sources. The stolen voter records in Illinois contained information such as drivers license numbers and partial Social Security numbers, Ken Menzel, general counsel at the Illinois State Board of Elections, told Time.
And sources reportedly indicated that the investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election would likely include a probe of whether the information was shared with the Trump campaign or others.
“If any campaign, Trump or otherwise, used inappropriate data the questions are, How did they get it? From whom? And with what level of knowledge?” Michael Bahar, a Democratic former staffer on the House Intelligence Committee, one of the groups investigating Russian meddling, told Time. “That is a crux of the investigation."
Authorities haven't confirmed whether the county database was hacked by Russians.