Top US Intel Officials Double Down On Russian Hacking Allegations

In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today on foreign cyberthreats that had a rare air of bipartisanship, senior US intelligence officials confirmed and reiterated their conclusions that Russia was behind the cyberattacks and leaks of information during the US presidential election.

The Obama administration late last month issued sanctions against Russia in retaliation for the breach and leaks of emails from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and of Clinton campaign manager John Podesta in what officials say was an effort to interfere with the US presidential election.

Russia not only hacked systems but also employed its signature propoganda strategy as part of its operation, according to James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, who along with Michael Rogers, director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and commander of the US Cyber Command, and Marcel Lettre, Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, testified before the committee today.

Clapper said there was "more than one motive" for the hacks, and they came from the highest levels of government in Russia, and the details will be revealed next week in an unclassified report for the public.