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The CIA is reportedly planning a "clandestine" cyber-attack on Russia, in retaliation for its alleged efforts to influence the US elections against Hillary Clinton. The "wide-ranging operation" is meant to "embarrass" Russia's leadership, NBC News reported.

"Current and former officials," who the report claims have direct knowledge of the situation, said the CIA has been tasked with providing options to the White House.

Sources told the channel that US intelligence has started preparations for the operation and has even obtained "reams of documents" to target Russian President Vladimir Putin and his "unsavory tactics."

Earlier this week, the White House said President Barack Obama was weighing a "proportional response" to Moscow. Spokesman John Earnest told reporters that the president was still deciding on "response options" that would probably not be announced in advance and may never be disclosed.

As sources have told NBC News, there is "a division" at the Obama administration on whether or not Capitol Hill should retaliate.

The same source also revealed that it was not an unusual practice for the White House to ask the CIA to pitch options for anti-Russia measures, including cyber-attacks. However, it never went further than just requests.

Another former officer confirmed the words of his colleague to NBC News. As the one who helped run intelligence operations against Russia, he said that over the years he was asked several times to work on action plans, but "none of the options were particularly good, nor did we think that any of them would be particularly effective."

The CIA's cyber operation is being prepared by a team within, the documents indicate.

According to officials, the CIA's Center for Cyber Intelligence has a team of "hundreds and a budget in the hundreds of millions."

On Friday, Vice President Joe Biden told NBC's "Meet the Press" that the US is "sending a message" to Putin and that "it will be at the time of our choosing, and under the circumstances that will have the greatest impact."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team