The United States has the most advanced cyberwar capabilities in the world and is prepared to use them against Russia should this nation try to influence the results of the Nov. 8 presidential election in favor of the Republican Party candidate Donald Trump.

The admission the U.S. is really better at cyberwarfare than Russia is surprising considering the many times the U.S. has been attacked with seeming impunity by Russian state-sponsored hacking groups such as Guccifer 2.0.

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U.S. media reports the U.S. government is prepared to counter the threat Russia will use its cybercriminal gangs to either disrupt or undermine the U.S. presidential election in a manner that is unprecedented in a presidential election.

For the first time, there are confirmed reports the U.S. military is prepared to use its "secret cyber weapons" if the U.S. elections were to be attacked in a "significant way," said a senior intelligence official.

This same official said that if Russia launched a significant cyber attack against critical U.S. infrastructure, the U.S. will shut down some Russian systems in retaliation.

U.S. military officials point out the U.S. has the world's most advanced cyber capabilities but wouldn't discuss details of highly classified cyber weapons.

Experts confirm the U.S. has been hacking into the computer infrastructure of adversary nations such as Russia, China, Iran and North Korea for many years and has compromised these systems.

Media reports said U.S. military hackers have penetrated Russia's electric grid, telecommunications networks and the Russian military's command systems, rendering them vulnerable to attack by secret American cyber weapons should the U.S. find it necessary to use these weapons.

U.S. intelligence officials, however, don't expect Russia to launch cyberattacks on key U.S. infrastructure -- which is an act of war -- but they do expect Russia to create "cyber mischief," including the release of fake documents and the posting bogus social media comments designed to spread misinformation.

Obama administration officials were said to have sent a back channel warning to Russia and its president Vladimir Putin against any attempt to influence the Nov. 8 election. There is no guarantee Russia will heed this warning.

There are already fears that after the Nov. 8 election, Moscow might attempt to spread doubts about the legitimacy of the electoral process using its cyber criminal gangs.

The U.S. counter-cyber attacks operation is being coordinated by the White House and the Department of Homeland Security, and includes the CIA, the National Security Agency and other elements of the Department of Defense.

TagsUnited States, cyberwar, Russia, donald trump, secret cyber weapons, Vladimir Putin