Election interference and disinformation incidents, 09 September 2024

• US, 20 August 2024 the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a joint statement that Iran carried out cyber attacks to access sensitive information related to US elections. The statement links the attempted attacks with aiming to inform disinformation campaigns primarily directed at reducing voter confidence in voting systems.
  
  Implications for elections: cyber attacks designed to enable disinformation campaigns are common and often include the leak of official or party documents to fuel effective disinformation posts. A range of state actors use these techniques including those with an intent to target the Brazilian election. 
• US, 27 August 2024 a network of fake social media accounts are posing as young American women with pro-Trump and right-wing posts. However, the images used are stolen from legitimate accounts and edited to promote the right-wing content (see Figure 1).
  
  Implications for elections: As access to AI and other open-source photo editing platforms become more available and convincing, Brazil could also experience an uptick in fake social media accounts that focus on spreading disinformation. Equally, politicians and government officials are frequently targeted by fake accounts purportedly belonging to young women for social engineering and information gathering. Officials should have a strong awareness of accounts owned by young people who they haven’t previously met, reaching out to them through direct messages on WhatsApp or social media platforms. 

• Brazil, 30 August 2024 Brazil has banned X (formerly Twitter) after the social platform failed to comply with Brazil’s requests to block various accounts that spread disinformation.
  
  Implications for elections: X users may turn to other social media platforms to receive election information, and these platforms will likely also have accounts spreading disinformation about Brazil’s election. 
• Brazil, May 2024 Commander of the U.S 4th Naval Fleet Rear Admiral Jim Aiken visited Brazil for the South Seas 2024 joint exercise. Brazilian Army delegates also visited China during this time to discuss weapon procurement, which the U.S government opposes.
  
  Implications for elections: Brazilian government officials will have increased political pressures from both the U.S and China governments relating to economic and defence issues as they are Brazil’s largest trading partners.
• Brazil, 25 July 2024 Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira stated that Brazil’s government could impose tougher sanctions on Brazilian Mining company Vale over the company's failure to pay reparations after a previous incident where 19 people were killed. Board members of the company have resigned with one citing allegations of government influence within the firm.
  
  Implications for elections: If the sanctions are imposed the company will further reduce its investment in Brazil leading to the country relying more on China for minerals and strategic metals.  Company officials leaving will also make it more difficult for the government to effectively manage and oversee the company’s activity and reparation payments.

Social engineering awareness

• Use social media in a way that protects your most sensitive information through risk-based decisions. Maintain maximum situational awareness and keep a healthy level of scepticism particularly when reviewing received messages and requests. If in doubt, make your profile private. 
• Ransomware group Volcano Demon has been using phone calls to intimidate victims and negotiate payments with victim organisations. The group has been targeting victims in Brazil.

Social media monitoring

• Several users on X have expressed negative sentiment regarding Brazil’s X ban. Many users have also assessed that there will be an increase of VPN use in Brazil to bypass the government ban. Officials and opinion makers should be conscious of disinformation campaigns targeting the incumbent government and political party. Monitoring X, despite the ban, will aid understanding of the ongoing sentiment by the Brazilian and international X community towards the ban and election.