Microsoft Corporation MSFT has reported that Russian cyber-influence operations are now targeting the Kamala Harris–Tim Walz campaign in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
What Happened: In a blog post on Tuesday, Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center, or MTAC stated that it has noticed a change in Russian tactics.
Two Russian actors that Microsoft tracks as Storm-1516 and Storm-1679, have been under MTAC’s close watch.
Storm-1516, identified as a Kremlin-aligned troll farm, produced and disseminated two inauthentic videos, each generating millions of views.
Storm-1679, reportedly aligned with the Kremlin, shifted its focus from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games to publishing false videos discrediting the Democratic nominee Harris.
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Microsoft also highlighted that Russia and Iran are not the only countries using influence operations to affect the election.
A Chinese-linked influence actor, which Microsoft calls Storm-1852, has successfully pivoted to short-form video content criticizing the Biden administration and Harris campaign.
“Collectively, these three nation states — Iran, China and Russia — demonstrate the complexities of foreign interference that the US faces, and the need for the public to remain vigilant against these evolving threats,” the tech giant stated.
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Why It Matters: The recent cyber attacks on the Harris-Walz campaign come in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s public support for Vice President Harris in the 2024 presidential election, although he probably meant that in a sarcastic manner.
U.S. intelligence officials have noted that Russia is attempting to influence voters toward Donald Trump and away from Harris.
“Russia, Iran, and China are trying by some measure to exacerbate divisions in U.S. society for their own benefit, and see election periods as moments of vulnerability,” stated the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in September.
Russia has also been reportedly using American social media influencers to sway the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
In August, Trump’s presidential campaign confirmed a security breach in its internal communications, suspecting the attack was carried out by “foreign sources hostile to the U.S.”
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