In response to alleged interference during the 2016 presidential election, sources say the United States is considering launching a cyber attack against Russia, NBC News reports.
The report, which cites “current and former officials,” says that the Obama administration has asked the CIA for options to initiate a cyber attack that would “embarrass” Russian leadership.
Though the sources did not speculate what kind of attack the United States would initiate, they say processes have already begin to initiate some sort of hack.
It has been widely speculated that Russian hackers have been hacking the email accounts of top Democratic Party officials and providing them to WikiLeaks in an effort to sway the American public in the upcoming election.
In July, emails sent by former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz were posted on WikiLeaks that appeared to show her preference for Hillary Clinton over Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary. Wasserman Schultz resigned her post shortly after.
In the past few weeks, Clinton campaign chair John Podesta has also seen his emails leaked and posted on WikiLeaks.
Though Russia maintains it is not involved in the leaks, CNN reports that there is “mounting evidence” that "suggest Moscow is at least providing the information or is possibly directly responsible for the leaks.”
Alex Hider is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @alexhider.
