The Alliance for Securing Democracy’s Director Laura Rosenberger testified before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on August 1 to discuss foreign adversaries’ manipulation of social media platforms. “Social media and online information platforms have provided a powerful means for the Russian government to interfere in our democracy,” she said. Yet, “meaningful efforts to close off those vulnerabilities… remain woefully lacking.” To read Rosenberger’s full testimony submitted for the record, click here. Additionally:

● Watch Rosenberger’s opening statement here, and the full hearing here. For a transcript of Rosenberger’s oral statement, click here.

● Rosenberger on MSNBC’s Morning Joe: “This is about the whole information ecosystem being manipulated through automation, through false personas, to try to weaken us as Americans, polarize us against one another… this activity never stopped after the 2016 election; it’s ongoing.”

● Watch Rosenberger’s segment with MSNBC’s Ali Velshi: “This is what we call a whole-of-society problem. You need the government to play a role, you need social media platforms, the private sector to play a role, and you need civil society, outside researchers to play a role.”

Facebook removes accounts engaged in political influence campaigns: A day before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) held its hearing on foreign manipulation of social media platforms, Facebook announced that it had identified and removed 32 accounts because they were “involved in coordinated inauthentic behavior.” While the tech giant did not attribute the attacks to the Russian government, it noted that the accounts clearly fit the pattern of previous campaigns by the Kremlin-sponsored Internet Research Agency (IRA). However, these accounts used improved techniques to obscure their identity, which may represent an adaptation to circumvent security measures previously enacted by Facebook. The Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Lab, which has partnered with Facebook to “identify, expose, and explain disinformation during the election,” wrote that these accounts were attempting “to infiltrate left-wing American communities,” and in some cases “mobilize its audience for a confrontation with the far right.” Some of the accounts attempted to orchestrate live events via their Facebook pages, and even claimed to be part of the Black Lives Matter movement. Witnesses at the SSCI hearing applauded Facebook’s transparency, with ASD Director Laura Rosenberger testifying that “Facebook’s announcement yesterday is what we need more of.” However, some outlets pointed out that these revelations highlight how much work still remains for social media companies to combat disinformation. Furthermore, they confirm the continued existence of information operations on social media platforms. Others emphasized that the problem extends far beyond Facebook: cybersecurity firm GroupSense released a report on Russian troll accounts that “underscores how disinformation operations… work across multiple platforms to bolster the credibility and prominence of their posts.” (Senate Intelligence Committee, Facebook, DFR Lab, Tech Crunch, Think Progress, The Washington Post)

Senior U.S. officials warn of Russian interference in upcoming midterm elections: During an appearance at the White House press briefing on August 2, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan Coats, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, NSA Director Paul Nakasone and National Security Adviser John Bolton discussed Russia’s ongoing efforts to interfere in the upcoming midterm elections and assured the public that the administration is doing everything it can to address the challenge. According to DNI Coats, “…we continue to see a pervasive messaging campaign by Russia to try to weaken and divide the United States.” He added that Russia is not the only threat: “We know there are others who have the capability and may be considering influence activities.” FBI Director Wray clarified that, “the threat is not going away,” and that we need to take the threat “extremely seriously and to tackle and respond to with fierce determination and focus.” DHS Secretary Nielsen warned that “our democracy itself is in the crosshairs,” and suggested that “we must continue to ensure that our democracy is protected.” ASD Director Laura Rosenberger told The New York Times that DNI Coats’s appearance at the briefing “was important for informing the public” because “building resiliency in the population is really important to inoculate against the effect of some of this [political interference].” On the other hand, Buzzfeed’s Kevin Collier criticized the briefing, saying that, “the news conference made one thing clear: There remains no single, overarching coordinator of U.S. election security.” Meanwhile in Europe, the EU Commission warned that the May 2019 election to the European Parliament is vulnerable to “fake news” and cyberattacks and has called on social media companies and member states to better fight online voter manipulation efforts. (C-Span, The New York Times, Buzfeed News, Deutsche Welle)

Bipartisan group of senators introduce bills aimed at improving election and cybersecurity: On July 31, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced a pair of bipartisan bills aimed at bolstering U.S. election infrastructure. The International Cybercrime Prevention Act would “give federal prosecutors new tools to fight cybercrime, including the ability to shut down networks of compromised computers – known as “botnets” – that Russia and other hostile actors use to spread disinformation and create chaos, including large scale cyber-attacks.” The Defending the Integrity of Voting Systems Act would “make it a federal crime to hack any voting systems used in a federal election.” Sen. Blumenthal explained that, “… Russia is undeterred in its ambition to undermine America’s democracy and critical infrastructure—and that we are woefully unprepared to prevent or stop them.” Sen. Graham urged Congress to pass the bills “quickly” in order to “help protect us from Russian interference in the 2018 election, and from the broad array of other state-enabled cyber threats.” However, despite increased concerns over election security, the Senate voted down a Democrat-sponsored amendment on August 1 that would have provided an additional $250 million in election security grants to states ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. Meanwhile, according to an analysis by the Portland Press Herald, Russian-controlled trolls on Twitter have already targeted several Maine politicians – particularly Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) for her stance on the Affordable Care Act, and her vote on presidential nominations. (Senate.gov, Portland Press Herald)

Bipartisan group of senators unveil new sanctions bill to counter “Kremlin Aggression”: On August 2, Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Ben Cardin (D-MD), John McCain (R-AZ), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) unveiled The Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression Act of 2018 (DASKA). The legislation calls for imposing sanctions on high-level Russians involved in “illicit and corrupt activities;” sanctions on Russian state energy projects and sovereign debt; and would instruct the Secretary of State to evaluate whether Russia should be listed as a state sponsor of terrorism. DASKA also would enhance powers for federal authorities to disable “botnets and other digital infrastructure that can be used for a wide range of illegal activity,” and designate the hacking of critical infrastructure and federal election voting systems as crimes. Moreover, the bill would establish an Office of Cyberspace and the Digital Economy in the State Department, and a National Fusion Center to Respond to Hybrid Threats. “Our goal is to change the status quo and impose crushing sanctions and other measures against Putin’s Russia,” said Sen. Graham. Sen. Cardin declared, “It is once again up to Congress to strengthen America’s resolve against Vladimir Putin’s pattern of corroding democratic institutions and values around the world.” Meanwhile, the United States plans to warn Moscow that Russia has violated UN sanctions by working with North Korean firms and employing North Korean laborers, who send most of their wages home. (Lindsey Graham, The New York Times, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, The Wall Street Journal)

Google announces plans to open censored search engine in China, causing an outcry: Google has come under scrutiny as sources revealed that the tech giant is working on a “censored search engine for China that will filter websites and search terms that are blacklisted by the Chinese government.” Li Yuan and Daisuke Wakabayashi write that news of Google’s censored search engine for China has already produced criticism from human rights activists over concerns that the company would block websites including credible news sources, as well as “Chinese search queries including the 1989 Tiananmen massacre and information about the Chinese leadership.” Amnesty International warned that the move would be a “dark day for internet freedom” and would constitute “a gross attack on freedom of information and internet freedom.” Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Gardner (R-CO), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ), issued a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai seeking details about the plan to develop the censored search engine. According to the letter, the project is “deeply troubling and risks making Google complicit in human rights abuses” in China. (The New York Times, Fortune Magazine)

Estonia takes a step forward in addressing money laundering, as Moldova takes a step back: Estonia’s general prosecutor, Lavly Perling, announced on July 31 that authorities had begun investigating Danske Bank, following allegations that the bank’s Estonian branch had laundered money between 2007 and 2015. A spokesman for the Prosecutor General said that the case showed “clear indications of possible money laundering,” and promised further investigation. The inquiry was triggered by Putin critic and financier Bill Browder’s July 25 criminal complaint. According to Browder, Danske Bank’s Estonian branch may have laundered $8.3 billion dollars, “more than double previous estimates.” Browder also alleged that the bank funneled Russian money linked to the Sergei Magnitsky case; some of the funds reportedly surfaced in the Swiss bank account of Kremlin insider Sergey Roldugin. Danske Bank was reportedly informed by a whistleblower of the money laundering allegations in 2013, and was fined $2 million in December by Danish regulators for violating anti-money laundering requirements. Meanwhile, in Moldova, opposition leaders have criticized recent legislation that establishes an amnesty for the registration of assets, allowing Moldovans to declare and register assets without proving how they acquired them (as long as they pay a three-percent tax). According to Andrei Nastase, a leader of the Moldovan opposition, the law “amounts to the legalization of fraudulently acquired money,” an argument echoed by the IMF, World Bank, EU, and the U.S. government. (Reuters, The Financial Times, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Bloomberg News, BBC News, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

U.S. government takes steps to improve cybersecurity: As concerns over cyber vulnerabilities mount in Washington D.C., DHS Secretary Nielsen warned on July 31 that, “the next major attack is more likely to reach us online than on an airplane.” In recognition of this threat, DHS is creating a “National Risk Management Center,” focused on protecting critical infrastructure from large-scale cyberattacks by looking at entire sectors and how they interact with society to assess vulnerabilities. Other parts of government are also working to mitigate the risk of cyberattacks. The U.S. Army is improving the security of its networks, while the Senate Rules and Administration Committee is working to implement mandatory cybersecurity training for Senate staff. On August 1, the Senate passed the conferenced Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, which creates a “Cyberspace Solarium Commission” that would bring experts together to devise a way to defend U.S. interests in the cyber dimension. The bill would also expand America’s ability to conduct its own cyber operations to deter and defend against other cyberattacks, as well as allow the president to employ U.S. Cyber Command to combat U.S. adversaries in cyberspace, namely Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. One notable provision would compel tech companies to disclose foreign actors’ probes of software sold to the U.S. military. In addition to improving protection from cyberattacks, U.S. officials are looking at ways to raise the cost of carrying out these operations. In response to revelations that Russia breached the U.S. electric grid last year, U.S officials are devising new ways to deter future attacks in what State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cyber and International Communications and Information Policy Robert Strayer described as “an evolution in the U.S. government’s thinking about how to deter malicious cyberactors.” These tactics would include indictments, Red Notices from Interpol, sanctions, asset seizures, and other measures designed to target governments without negatively affecting the population. (The Wall Street Journal, Fedscoop, U.S. Department of State, Politico, Reuters) 

ASD’s Laura Rosenberger and Jamie Fly joined former acting CIA Director and member of ASD’s Advisory Council Michael Morell on his Intelligence Matters Podcast to discuss ASD’s work and the future of foreign influence operations. Fly noted that China engages in similar efforts domestically and in its “immediate neighborhood,” and that if it desired, it could target the United States with even greater effectiveness than Russia. Rosenberger added that foreign political interference “is a whole of society problem… [which] requires actions by government… the private sector… [and] by civil society.”

Laura Rosenberger and Jamie Fly also discussed election interference on the Brian Lehrer Show, emphasizing that the United States needs decisive, bipartisan action by politicians to counter the threat. Rosenberger warned against tit-for-tat cyber-retaliation against Russia, cautioning that this would spark a “race to the bottom.”

ASD’s David Salvo discussed Facebook’s removal of bad actors on ABC affiliate WJLA News. “I think the pattern of behavior in the accounts that Facebook released today is very similar to the types of behavior we’ve seen,” Salvo commented. “It’s easy to deduce that the Russian government was likely behind these accounts.” He added that authoritarian governments are using “essentially every social media platform” to manipulate public opinion and foster division.

ASD’s Clint Watts was interviewed by Ari Melber of “The Rachel Maddow Show” on MSNBC, where he discussed the news conference of top U.S. national security officials held at the White House on Thursday. Watts advocated that a response to election interference “should be led by a task force headed by the Commander-in-Chief, it should come from the national security staff, and it should be an integrated strategy.”

ASD’s Bret Schafer was quoted in Mother Jones’ “How to Spot a Russian Bot,” saying that, “Social-media users need to be aware of their role in information laundering. If a user retweets, emails, or posts information taken from a less-than-credible point of origin, they now have become the new ‘source’ of that information for friends, family, [and] followers… This is how false information really spreads.” He also noted that metrics such as follows, likes, and retweets “should not be viewed as a credibility ranking,” due to the potential for bot amplification.

Bret Schafer also appeared on Voice of America’s “Encounter” on August 3 to discuss recent developments in the Russia investigation, focusing on social media disinformation campaigns. “These Russian actors often find… extreme voices and they essentially turn up the volume… it drowns out legitimate conversations in the middle,” Schafer said. He emphasized the need for consistency and credibility in the U.S. government’s efforts to deter Russian interference in the American political system.

Accounts tracked by the Hamilton 68 dashboard focused on an array of topics last week, ranging from the war in Syria to the economic climate in the United States. Most notably, accounts on the dashboard have seized on the hashtag “QAnon,” referring to a far-right conspiracy theory that Special Counsel Mueller is not actually investigating Russian interference, but rather working for Trump to reveal an international criminal conspiracy. QAnon remained in the top hashtags on the dashboard for three days last week, and even occupied the top-shared hashtag spot on August 2. The adoption of the QAnon narrative demonstrates the willingness of pro-Kremlin networks to seize on conspiracy theories in order to undermine public confidence in investigations of Russian interference. 

“Russia’s goal was to sow discord and division and weaken the American people’s faith in our democracy … And while no actual votes were changed, any attempt to interfere in our elections is an affront to our democracy, and it will not be allowed. The United States of America will not tolerate any foreign interference in our elections from any nation-state — not from Russia, China, Iran, North Korea or anyone else …”

– U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, July 31, 2018

An article by the Columbia Journalism Review detailed the author’s experience as the face of a Russian disinformation troll on Twitter in 2016. Tim Samples wrote that he began to receive messages from total strangers on Twitter asking him if he was a person named “Hector Morenco.” After some research, Samples found a Twitter account under Morenco’s name that had stolen his own picture to impersonate an American citizen. Morenco’s fake profile described itself as a U.S. veteran, former boy scout, and “Based Conservative Independent.” According to Samples, the account had over 50,000 followers and regularly shared baseless conspiracy theories and posted attacks on Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and “establishment Republicans.” Samples reached out to Twitter to do something about the impersonation, providing a photo ID and verification of his own identity. Twitter responded four days later with an automated reply stating that, “We were unable to take action on the account given that we could not determine a clear violation of the Twitter rules.”

The views expressed in GMF publications and commentary are the views of the author alone.