Brad Smith warns that time is running short to guard against foreign attacks on the 2024 U.S. election process.
At a Glance
- Microsoft Corp. President Brad Smith sounded the alarm on foreign interference in the 2024 U.S. Presidential election.
- Smith pointed out that the threat peaks in the last 48 hours before Election Day.
- Technology giants Microsoft, Meta, and Google emphasize the need for stronger defenses against misinformation.
- Examples from other nations show the possible consequences of failing to act.
Microsoft’s Warning to the Senate
Microsoft’s President, Brad Smith, testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee about the critical need to protect the 2024 U.S. Presidential election from foreign interference. Smith pinpointed the final 48 hours before the election as a particularly vulnerable period. Present in the hearing were also representatives from Meta and Google, who alongside Smith, stressed the importance of counteracting misinformation and maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.
Smith drew parallels to interference in other countries’ elections to underline the need for vigilance. He cited the 2023 Slovakian election, where fake audio of a top candidate circulated just days before voting commenced. Such incidents highlight the ongoing risks posed by foreign adversaries and the critical window leading up to the election.
Microsoft warned the danger of foreign interference in the US election will surge in the final two days of the presidential campaign https://t.co/z5gfaJDS7Y
— Bloomberg (@business) September 18, 2024
Identified Threats to the Upcoming Election
Smith’s testimony highlighted specific foreign operations already detected. Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center (MTAC) has observed cyber-influence activities from Russia, Iran, and China targeting the upcoming election. Russian operatives favor a Trump win, while Iranian actors have shown a preference for Vice President Harris.
Methods employed by these foreign actors include impersonations, staged videos, and fake social media profiles. China, while not favoring any specific candidate, has focused on intelligence-gathering and sowing discord within the electorate. Microsoft’s detection systems have already thwarted some operations, providing a clear example of the efficacy of technological defenses when properly employed.
Steps Taken to Mitigate Election Risks
To counter these threats, Microsoft has developed intricate AI detection models and joined the Tech Accord to Combat Deceptive Use of AI in the 2024 Elections. The company is also implementing content provenance standards to flag AI-generated material. These measures are intended to protect both political campaigns and the electoral process.
Undergirding these technological measures, Microsoft collaborates closely with True Media and other partners to broaden the toolsets available for detecting malicious AI and reporting deceptive election content. Training and resources provided by Microsoft, such as AccountGuard, offer additional layers of security to those involved in the electoral process.
Sources:
- Microsoft Executive Warns of Election Meddling in Final 48 Hours
- Microsoft executive warns of meddling in final days of U.S. election
- Securing US Elections from Nation-State Adversaries
- Iran Targeting 2024 US Election
- ‘Most perilous moment will come before … ‘: Microsoft president’s warning about disinformation in US election
- Microsoft says Russia’s election interference efforts have pivoted to Harris and Walz
- Russian election interference efforts targeting Harris campaign, Microsoft finds
- Russia goes all-out with covert disinformation aimed at Harris, Microsoft report says
- Microsoft president says election has become ‘Iran vs. Trump,’ and ‘Russia vs. Harris’
