Iran, Russia Ramp Up US Election Influence Campaigns on Social Media

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Hackers and state-affiliated actors in Iran, Russia, and China have continued their respective efforts to influence the upcoming US federal election, according to a new report from Microsoft.

Iranian influence campaigners posed as Americans on X and Telegram under the name "Bushnell's Men," condemning Israel. It called upon Americans to sit out voting in the election in protest against Israel, and suggested university protests against Israel weren't over yet. Iranian hackers known as Cotton Sandstorm also spied on some swing-state election websites, according to the report, and Iran-based "Mint Sandstorm" breached the social media accounts of a "notable Republican politician."

In Russia, propagandists have continued to sow controversy around the US Democratic party's candidates online. Last month, a Russian working with the state-funded outlet RT posted a deepfake video of Kamala Harris designed to incite anger toward her. In the video, the fake Harris insults former president Donald Trump in the wake of the assassination attempt against him, saying that he "can't even die with dignity." The Russian propagandist group known as Storm-1516 also posted a deepfake video on YouTube where a man accuses Harris of illegal poaching in Africa and another deepfake on X where a man accuses Harris's VP running-mate Tim Walz of having sexually assaulted him as a child.

Microsoft notes that Russian propagandists are (still) using X, formerly known as Twitter, to misinform Americans in an effort to influence the US election, primarily by sharing content that criticizes or deepfakes the Democratic party. These Russian-made fake posts are getting higher engagement on X than on Telegram, and the comments sections under some of the X deepfake videos suggest some X users have been tricked into thinking they're real. Russian propagandists have also impersonated US media outlets like Fox News and Wired, as well as the FBI online.

Unlike Russia, which is targeting top-level US politicians, China-backed influence campaigns are now targeting down-ballot Republican candidates, specifically those in the Senate and House who have criticized China's regime.

But all three have one thing in common: a desire to destabilize the US by criticizing the election results' legitimacy. It's possible one or all of these nations may conduct attacks in which they pose as Americans on social media and claim the election was rigged, just like some did in the previous cycle.

"Foreign adversaries will amplify claims of election rigging, voter fraud, or other election integrity issues to sow chaos among the US electorate and undermine international confidence in US political stability," Microsoft said.