Foreign hackers may have targeted Democratic Party websites in Northeast Wisconsin after November's election, party leaders said.
Democrats first noticed a problem in November with the Winnebago County Democratic Party's website, according to Brown County and 8th Congressional District Democrats chair Mary Ginnebaugh.
After a consultant looked into the problem, she told Ginnebaugh the hacking actually affected seven county websites and the 8th Congressional District's page. The consultant said the hackers left behind a "calling card" with a Russian e-mail, Ginnebaugh said.
However, they haven't confirmed it was definitely a Russian hacker.
"The concerning part is that they've tried and I think that's what we have to keep our attention on," Ginnebaugh said.
The hackers were trying to get into the website's administrative side, but couldn't get through a new security system, Ginnebaugh explained.
"Anyone trying to become an administrator within a party website is concerning," she said.
Even though the focus has been on this happening to the Democratic Party, Ginnebaugh said she doesn't think Democrats are the only ones who should be worried.
"The mere fact that it seems to be just the Democrats I think is a very naive approach, that it's only Democrats," said Ginnebaugh. "I am certain that Republicans should be just as careful."
Whoever hacked the page could have been trying to get to the state Democratic Party website, Ginnebaugh said, but they don't know for sure.
The investigation is now in the hands of the FBI.
