Ahead of the 2024 U.S. elections, the intelligence community and law enforcement agencies heightened their vigilance, quickly sharing details of foreign influence campaigns as they emerged. This collaborative approach extended to tech giants like Microsoft, which actively worked with the government to address election-related disinformation efforts. The rapid identification of threat actors from nations such as Russia, China, and Iran marked a notable shift from previous elections.
During a recent presentation at Cyberwarcon in Arlington, Virginia, researchers from the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab discussed their findings on the significance of properly attributing foreign influence operations in the 2024 elections. They compared the effectiveness of timely naming and shaming these actors to earlier elections where government attributions were rarely seen.
Emerson Brooking, the director of strategy at DFRLab, noted the contrast to 2020, when the Trump administration had been criticized for its transparency regarding foreign threats. In that election, only 39 percent of influence operation attributions came from governmental sources. In 2024, however, the number jumped to 50 percent, reflecting a more proactive stance from the U.S. government. Yet, researchers emphasized the need for quality information in these attributions, as vague warnings often diminished credibility and could inadvertently amplify malicious campaigns.
The 2016 election was a pivotal moment, illustrating the dangers of foreign interference. The U.S. government was slow to attribute Russia’s extensive cyber operations, including the hack of the Democratic National Committee, which was identified only months later. This lack of urgency laid the groundwork for heightened awareness and collaboration among state, federal, and local agencies in the following years.
In analyzing this progress, DFRLabs’ fellow Dina Sadek underscored the importance of the information’s substance. Concrete examples, such as the identification of a fabricated video about ballot destruction in Pennsylvania, were deemed more helpful than vague assessments that lacked detail.
Even with the advancements observed in 2024, there were concerns about potential setbacks, especially with the prospect of a new Trump administration. Brooking reflected on the ongoing challenges of maintaining transparency in light of changing political landscapes, expressing hope that the progress made in disclosure would not regress.
As the landscape of foreign influence campaigns continues to evolve, experts argue that consistent and detailed communication from the government will be crucial in combating misinformation and maintaining the integrity of elections.
