China ‘likely’ to try to interfere in U.S. elections: Microsoft

A report from Microsoft says Chinese influence and cyber actors are more active and will 'likely' move towards interfering in upcoming elections in the United States and India.

Chinese and North Korean actors are “likely” to work towards targeting upcoming elections in the United States, India and South Korea, a new report from Microsoft is warning.

The Microsoft Threat Analysis Center (MTAC), the computing giant’s security research group, warns the two countries’ cyber and influence abilities are growing.

“China will, at a minimum, create and amplify AI-generated content that benefits their positions in these high-profile elections,” the report states, while claiming North Korea is poised to engage in “increasingly sophisticated cryptocurrency heists and supply chain attacks at the defence sector” to fund its regime and develop new military capabilities.

The report highlights the growing effectiveness and scope of influence operations by groups allegedly connected to China against rivals and allies in the Asia-Pacific region and the United States.

The groups’ campaigns include artificial intelligence-generated photos “to mislead audiences, stoking conspiratorial content – particularly against the U.S. government,” according to the document.

“Such tactics have been used in campaigns stoking divisions within the United States and exacerbating rifts in the Asia-Pacific region—including Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea.”

The document also references a Canadian report about AI videos falsely showing Chinese dissidents in Canada criticizing the Canadian government.

Microsoft’s report states “sockpuppet” social media accounts, which impersonate U.S. voters by posing as Americans from across the political spectrum, post politically motivated infographics or videos and often ask followers if they agree with a specific topic.