Uptick In Russian Online Interference In US Elections: Microsoft

India-West News Desk

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — In an alarming note, Microsoft on April 17 said Russian online campaigns to influence the U.S. presidential election has kicked into gear. This has been going on over the past 45 days, but at a slower pace than in past elections.

In a report, the company said, Russia-linked accounts are disseminating divisive content aimed at U.S. audiences, including criticizing American support of Ukraine in its war with Russia.

While the Russian activity Microsoft observed is not as intense as around the previous elections, it could increase in the coming months, the researchers said.

A notable uptick has been seen in hacking by a Russian group Star Blizzard, or Cold River, which is focused on targeting western think tanks, the company said. “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.”

Russia in the past has dismissed U.S. allegations that it orchestrated campaigns to sway the 2016 and 2020 U.S. presidential elections.

China meanwhile is using a multi-tiered approach in its election-focused activity. It capitalizes on existing socio-political divides and aligns its attacks with partisan interests to encourage organic circulation, the company said.  Microsoft said, “China’s increasing use of AI in election-related influence campaigns is where it diverges from Russia. While Russia’s use of AI continues to evolve in impact, People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-linked actors leverage generative AI technologies to effectively create and enhance images, memes, and videos.