Iranian operatives have intensified their efforts to influence and monitor the 2024 US presidential election, according to research published by Microsoft on Thursday. The campaign includes creating fake news outlets targeting both liberal and conservative voters, as well as attempting to hack an unnamed presidential campaign.
Microsoft researchers uncovered phony news sites allegedly created by Iranian operatives, one of which referred to former President Donald Trump as an "opioid-pilled elephant in the MAGA china shop" and a "raving mad litigiosaur." Another fake Iran-backed outlet, posing as a "trusted source for conservative news" in Savannah, Georgia, focuses on LGBTQ issues and gender reassignment.
While these sites have not gained significant traction on social media, Microsoft warns that their influence could grow as the election approaches. The report, compiled from open-source materials and Microsoft's internal data, provides clear examples of what US intelligence officials described last month as an ongoing covert social media campaign by Iran to undermine Trump's candidacy and increase social discord in the US.
US Offering $10 Million Reward for Iranian #ICS Hackers https://t.co/KSXzF4NFCg
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Clint Watts, general manager of the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center, stated in a blog post, "The Iranians have laid the groundwork for influence campaigns on trending election-related topics and begun to activate these campaigns in an apparent effort to stir up controversy or sway voters – especially in swing states."
The report also revealed that a hacking group linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attempted to breach the email account of a high-ranking official on a US presidential campaign in June. Microsoft said it notified the campaign of the hacking attempt but declined to specify which campaign was targeted.
When contacted by CNN, an official from Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign stated, "Microsoft has not notified us of any campaign accounts having been targeted in this manner." CNN has requested comment from the Trump campaign.
The Microsoft report also highlighted activities by Russian and Chinese operatives. Russian actors have allegedly tried to "drive headlines with fake scandals" since April, including false claims about CIA involvement in Ukrainian troll farms and FBI wiretapping of Trump's residence. Chinese online personas have attempted to amplify outrage around pro-Palestinian protests at US universities this spring.
US officials are preparing for various foreign intelligence services to attempt to influence or undermine confidence in the 2024 US elections. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence recently assessed that Russia "remains the predominant threat to US elections," while China "probably does not plan to influence the outcome" but may denigrate down-ballot candidates.
