Microsoft discovers start of Russian influence efforts aimed at US elections

Reuters reports this.

Researchers at the tech giant reported that Russia-linked accounts are spreading content that is divisive and targeted at American audiences. It includes criticism of American support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

The researchers noted that although the level of Russian activity Microsoft saw during the last elections was lower, it might pick up in the upcoming months.

"Messaging regarding Ukraine - via traditional media and social media - picked up steam over the last two months with a mix of covert and overt campaigns from at least 70 Russia-affiliated activity sets we track," Microsoft said.

The Russian Presidential Administration is connected to the most successful of these initiatives. Another one aims to post false information online in multiple languages. Posts usually begin with what appears to be a citizen journalist or whistleblower uploading content to a video channel. A network of websites, including DC Weekly, Miami Chronical, and The Intel Drop, then covers that content.

"Ultimately, after the narrative has circulated online for a series of days or weeks, US audiences repeat and repost this disinformation, likely unaware of its original source," Microsoft said.

Microsoft reported that there has been a noticeable increase in hacking by a Russian organization known as Star Blizzard, or Cold River, which specializes in attacking think tanks in the West.

"Star Blizzard's current focus on U.S. political figures and policy circles may be the first in a series of hacking campaigns meant to drive Kremlin outcomes headed into November.”

US political analysts have highlighted the threat posed by foreign competitors using artificial intelligence for malicious purposes in the run-up to the US election. However, Microsoft has reported that their research indicates that shallow fakes are more common than complex ones. According to it, audio modifications have a greater effect than video.

"Rarely have nation-states' employments of generative AI-enabled content achieved much reach across social media, and in only a few cases have we seen any genuine audience deception from such content," the researchers said.

"The simplest manipulations, not the most complex employment of AI, will likely be the pieces of content that have the most impact.”