As the 2024 US presidential election approaches its conclusion, with Donald Trump appearing on the ballot once more, Russian operatives are disseminating disinformation with an alarming and unprecedented vigor. US authorities indicate that the Kremlin’s attempts to disrupt confidence in the election and incite unrest are expected to persist into January.
Russian disinformation campaigns have been a significant factor in American elections since the Kremlin’s transformative influence operation during the 2016 presidential election between Hillary Clinton and Trump. However, after intense scrutiny and exploration of the operation’s tactics and effects—which included the controversial hack-and-leak strategies employed against the Democratic National Committee, Clinton campaign, and various targets—Russia’s approach in subsequent midterm and 2020 elections became less aggressive technically and more centered on influence operations. This temporary lull appears to be over.
In communications with reporters on Monday and Tuesday, alongside public declarations, US intelligence and law enforcement officials dedicated to election security cautioned repeatedly that foreign influence actors, including Iran but “especially Russia,” are intensifying their efforts, distributing an “increasing volume of inauthentic content online.” While officials claim to have not observed cyberattacks exceeding overwhelming amounts of junk traffic or DDoS attacks aimed at disrupting election-related websites, Russian actions have become notably more sinister.
For instance, on Tuesday morning, Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger linked several bomb threats against two polling locations in Georgia to Russia. Although the threats were deemed non-credible, they did cause temporary disruptions to voting at both sites. The FBI stated later on Tuesday that polling sites in “multiple states” received non-credible bomb threats that seemed to “originate from Russian email domains.”
“We are witnessing a broader and more extensive range of foreign influence operations in 2024 than in previous election cycles, with Russia posing the highest level of capability and sophistication among our adversaries,” stated Cait Conley, senior adviser to the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), during a press call on Tuesday afternoon. “The variety of tactics being utilized and the extent of their sophistication surpass what we have seen in the past.”
In a joint statement released on Monday evening, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, CISA, and the FBI underscored that “Russia is the most active threat” to US elections. The agencies noted that “influence actors connected to Russia are generating fabricated videos and producing misleading articles to undercut the election’s legitimacy, instill fear among voters regarding the election’s integrity, and imply that Americans are resorting to violence against one another based on political opinions.”
The agencies provided specific instances of content originating from Russian influence campaigns. One example was a fake interview featuring an individual claiming to be a former aide to Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, asserting that there was a broad election fraud scheme involving the creation of fictitious overseas ballots. Another notable case involved alleged Russian operators promoting an article that incorrectly suggested election fraud was being committed by US officials in crucial states through various methods, such as ballot stuffing and cyberattacks.
Additionally, a video alleging to provide evidence of fraud in Georgia was associated with “Russian influence actors” in late September. Recently, experts have also attributed to the Russia-aligned propaganda unit Storm-1516 the amplification of unfounded allegations claiming that Minnesota Governor and vice presidential candidate Tim Walz had previously assaulted one of his students.
In a press release issued on Tuesday morning, the FBI issued a warning regarding two videos circulating online that feature false press releases claiming to be from the bureau. While officials did not link the videos to any specific entity, they stated that both are “promoting false narratives surrounding the election.” One of the videos falsely presents itself as a terrorist alert from the FBI, urging Americans to “vote remotely” due to “a high terror threat at polling stations.” The other video contains another fabricated FBI release, alleging that the management of five prisons in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona “rigged inmate voting and colluded with a political party.”
Previously, US government officials have highlighted the influence of Russian operations and other foreign malicious activities concerning elections, but the urgency and frequency of their responses in this election cycle are unprecedented. The FBI has been issuing multiple alerts every week recently, while CISA is conducting four press briefings on Tuesday, along with an Election Threat Updates page designed to centralize relevant information.
“It’s reassuring to see the attribution process move so quickly,” remarked John Hultquist, who heads threat intelligence at Mandiant, a Google-owned cybersecurity firm. “More than anything, the speed suggests a strong familiarity with threat actors who may be struggling to carry out a serious surprise while concealing their involvement in these operations. It’s important to expose these actions without inadvertently promoting them. The primary challenge for these actors is generally their capacity to attract attention.”
According to CISA’s Conley, US foreign adversaries are intent on “undermining American confidence in democracy and creating divisions among Americans. With all the noise and disinformation present, what citizens need to understand is that your state and local election officials are the key to cutting through that noise. They are your reliable source for authoritative information on election security and administration. Therefore, if you have questions, it is these officials to whom the American people should turn for definitive answers.”
Stay updated with all of WIRED’s coverage of the 2024 presidential election here.
