DOJ Election Threats Task Force Unseals Russian Election Interference Indictment and Seizes Cybersquatting Domains

In our recent Global Situational Awareness and Threat Vector Survey, we endeavored to send out an early warning signal regarding this unique time period  – marked by a saturation of information warfare, social engineering, and ransomware activity, arguably propelled by the threat surface that is the information ecosystem driving the U.S. presidential election.  One item in the survey pointed to Iranian and Russian outlets paying U.S. individuals to contribute content creation and distribution efforts to government-directed foreign malign influence campaigns, underscoring “concern that the spread of falsehoods and propaganda online is entering a more complicated stage as the November election draws closer” and  “a sign of how widening geopolitical alliances are making it harder to identify and trace foreign influence operations.” 

The Department of Justice (DOJ) does not appear to be struggling, however, as the DOJ Election Threats Task Force, along with the State and Treasury Departments, yesterday announced sweeping sanctions, indictments, and the seizure of web domains “to push back on Russian influence campaigns in the 2024 election.”