Chertoff Group Co-Founder and CEO Chad Sweet discussed the nuances of cyber attacks and misinformation in the context of election interference with NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas on Friday September 13.
The interview stemmed from news reports that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) is close to announcing criminal charges against Iranian-related entities in connection with attacks against presidential campaigns. Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center said Iran’s activity mirrors what they did in 2020.
Further, DOJ filed indictments against RT last week, the state-owned Russian media outlet for putting forth misinformation designed to influence US elections on sites that looked similar to the Washington Post and FOX News.
What does this mean?
In the modern world, the Internet and social media are domains of conflict. Our adversaries have used false information to attempt to manipulate us for many years. While it is nothing new, it is easier now in our high-tech world where nation states aim to undermine public confidence and exacerbate political polarization.
US officials have said that Iran wants to accomplish three things: damage the US reputation globally; cause internal strife domestically in the US; and influence the outcome of the election.
Interestingly, Iran and Russia collaborate because their interests are aligned. For example, Iran is actively assisting the Russians with their suicide drone technology for Russian use in the Ukrainian war. The Iranians like that they are being paid for their drone technology that is in turn inflicting damage on a US ally. The Russians need the drone technology as a lower cost asymmetric way to advance their objectives in Ukraine.
In the case of the US elections, however, Iran’s desired outcome is clashing with Russia’s desired objective. The Iranians want a Harris Administration who they view as sympathetic to the Palestinians in Gaza, marginally more willing to differ with Israel and potentially open to restarting nuclear talks. The Russians likely want a Trump Administration whom they view as willing to split with Ukraine or to pressure them to reach an agreement with Russia to end hostilities.
What do we do?
The US Government is on high alert and has the whole of government focused on this threat. Like we saw in the DOJ’s indictment against the Russian election interference operation named “Doppleganger,” DOJ will only be one of multiple agencies involved across the whole of the US government in detecting, disrupting and countering the wave of foreign election interference operations against the United States.
DOJ is likely to unseal an indictment against the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp or IRGC for backing a group named Mint Sandstorm for conducting these illegal attacks.
What to watch for: look for more details on the tactics, techniques and procedures or TTP’s to be unveiled in the indictment.
Part of the purpose of revealing these TTP’s is to help share with US State & Local government officials as well as private sector business and political campaigns on what to watch for and guard against.
What Citizens Can do: Remain Vigilant
This is a reminder of basic safety measures everyone should take: don’t click on suspicious links or attachments from unknow sources. Use an internet hotspot on your phone, rather than connecting to open networks at hotels, airports or other public locations.
Protecting yourself from foreign election interference is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the democratic process. Here are some effective ways US citizens can safeguard themselves:
Stay Informed: Follow reliable news sources and fact-check information before sharing it. Be wary of misinformation and disinformation campaigns designed to influence your opinions.
Report Suspicious Activities: If you encounter any suspicious activities or information that seems aimed at influencing the election unfairly, report it to the appropriate authorities – DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) electionsecurity@cisa.dhs.gov or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) https://tips.fbi.gov/home.
Get Smart on Election Security: Understand the measures in place to protect elections, such as post-election audits and secure voting machines.
Civic Engagement & Critical Thinking Skills: Participate in community discussions and educational programs about election security. This helps build citizen confidence in our elections and develop a more informed and resilient electorate. Citizens, including kids, must learn how to become careful consumers of digital information including critical thinking techniques to identify the signs of misinformation or AI deep fakes.
Watch the NewsNation interview here.
