US Election 2024: US federal agencies warn about Russian disinformation campaigns, Iran’s role in election interference

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a joint statement on November 4 on the eve of elections, alerting the public to ongoing foreign influence operations, particularly by Russian actors, aimed at undermining confidence in the US electoral process.

Since the agencies' last update on Friday, intelligence officials said they have noted an increase in attempts to manipulate public perception and incite divisions among Americans as Election Day approaches. They anticipate these activities will escalate in the days leading up to the election and continue thereafter, with a specific focus on swing states.

"Russia is the most active threat," the statement asserted, detailing how influence actors connected to the country are fabricating videos and articles to delegitimize the election. These actions aim to instill fear in voters and suggest that Americans are resorting to violence based on political affiliations. The statement warns that such tactics could provoke violence against election officials.

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Among the disinformation campaigns, intelligence assessments revealed that Russian actors recently disseminated a false article alleging that U.S. officials in swing states were coordinating efforts to commit election fraud through various means, including ballot stuffing and cyberattacks. Additionally, a fabricated video portraying an interview with an alleged whistleblower claiming election fraud in Arizona was amplified, falsely alleging that overseas ballots were created and voter rolls manipulated to benefit Vice President Kamala Harris. The claims made in this video have been categorically refuted by the Arizona Secretary of State.

The report also emphasized that Iran poses a significant foreign influence threat to U.S. elections. Previous assessments indicated that Iran has engaged in malicious cyber activities targeting former President Trump’s campaign. Iranian influence actors may attempt to create fake media content to suppress voter turnout or incite violence, echoing strategies used in past elections. Furthermore, Iran continues to seek retribution against former U.S. officials associated with the killing of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in January 2020, with Trump being a prominent target.

In response to these ongoing threats, CISA has urged voters to rely on information from trusted, official sources, particularly local and state election officials. The FBI and CISA also called on election campaigns and infrastructure stakeholders to report any suspicious or criminal activities to local Election Crime Coordinators or through designated hotlines.

For additional support regarding cyber and physical threats to election infrastructure, stakeholders and the public are directed to CISA's #PROTECT2024 initiative, which provides resources to enhance election security as the nation prepares for this crucial election.