US offers up to $10 million reward for info on foreign hackers interfering in upcoming election

With the 2020 election only a few months away, the US State Department is ramping up its efforts to prevent any interference through “certain illegal cyber activities.”

The department’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program is offering up to a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification or location of anyone working with or for a foreign government. The program is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, a news release said.

The Senate Intelligence Committee released a report in April that found that Russia engaged in efforts to influence the outcome of the 2016 election with the goal of helping President Trump win.

Anyone with information on foreign interference in the US election can contact the RFJ office through its website, the regional security officer at the nearest US embassy or consulate, or by email via info@rewardsforjustice.net.

Since its creation in 1984, the RFJ program has paid in excess of $150 million to more than 100 people across the globe for “actionable intelligence” leading to the prevention of terrorism, bringing terrorist leaders to justice and resolving threats to US national security, the release said.