The spokesperson confirmed to the US broadcaster that Google was the source to which US Sen. Ron Wyden was referring in a letter to Senate leadership stating that several email accounts of senators and Senate employees "were targeted by foreign government hackers," but refused to name the targeted lawmakers.
However, according to a Senate aide, both Republicans and Democrats were hacked, the broadcaster said.
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Wyden, in particular, expressed concern that the Senate's security service lacked the authority to protect personal data from cyberattacks and proposed introducing legislation on the matter.
The issue of foreign hacking garnered a lot of media attention after it was revealed that then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton used an unsecured email server while serving as secretary of state in 2009-2013.
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In addition, it generated considerable controversy during Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Clinton’s campaign chairman, John Podesta, were among the several Democratic groups and individuals targeted in a hacking campaign that US intelligence and political leaders have blamed on Russia.