Hackers attack before the US elections. “China uses fake accounts”

Microsoft Threat Analysis Center (MTAC), the Redmond giant’s cell responsible for cybersecurity activities, shows that China is taking steps to disrupt elections in the US, as well as in South Korea and India. Hackers from North Korea are also said to be involved in these campaigns.

Does China have a plan for the US elections? Microsoft warns

China is using fake social media accounts to poll voters on what divides them most, then create division and possibly influence the outcome of the US presidential election

– we read in the document. As Microsoft explains, the authorities of the Middle Kingdom will use, among others: content created by artificial intelligence (so-called deepfakes) to pursue its political agenda around the world.

As voters in India, South Korea and the United States head to the polls, we will likely see Chinese and North Korean hackers try to influence the outcome of these elections

– emphasize the authors of the report.

As Microsoft points out, China has already attempted to implement a disinformation campaign using AI during the January presidential elections in Taiwan. According to the company, this was an unprecedented event because for the first time in history, a state-backed entity used content created by artificial intelligence to influence foreign elections.

While the impact of such content on audiences remains low, China is increasingly experimenting with AI-generated memes, videos and audio files and will continue to do so in the future

– explains Microsoft.

Storm 1376 in action. China is manipulating Taiwan and the US

One of the groups involved in attempting to manipulate Taiwan’s January elections is Storm 1376, also known as Spamouflage or Dragonbridge. Her connections with the government in Beijing have been an open secret for years.

This group was to be responsible, among others, for: for creating a fake recording of election candidate Terry Gou, which was posted on YouTube (fortunately, it was quickly deleted). Last November, Gou withdrew from the election race to support another candidate.

Memes targeting Taiwanese politicians photo: Microsoft

Storm 1376 is also responsible for AI-generated memes targeting Lai Ching-te, who ultimately won the presidential election. Lai Ching-te, also known as William Lai, is a great advocate of Taiwan’s independence and a tough policy towards the People’s Republic of China.

China’s manipulation during the elections in Taiwan photo: Microsoft

Hacking groups linked to Beijing are also conducting disinformation campaigns in the US, and with the upcoming presidential elections, their activities will be even more intensified. As Microsoft explains, China wants to introduce even greater divisions in American society. The means for this purpose are, among others, manipulation in social media.

Fake news about fires on Maui Microsoft

Activities carried out by Storm 1376 against the US also include:

• the claim that the August 2023 Maui fires were intentionally set by the U.S. government to test military “weather weapon” technology;
• Suggesting that the derailment of a train carrying molten sulfur in Kentucky in November 2023 was intentionally caused by the US government “hiding something”;
• accusing the US of deliberately poisoning other countries’ water resources in order to maintain “water hegemony”.

by a company from Redmond enabled hackers supported by the Chinese government to break into the e-mail accounts of high-ranking American officials.

In March, the US and British governments accused China of conducting a large cyber campaign targeting politicians, journalists and entrepreneurs, and even the British election supervisory authority.