In a joint statement released on October 25, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) assessed that Russian influence operations had manufactured and amplified a video falsely depicting ballots being destroyed in Pennsylvania. Local election officials have since proven the video to be fraudulent. Additionally, open-source reporting in late October revealed a related disinformation campaign involving the circulation of an AI-generated deepfake video. This video falsely accused Minnesota Governor and Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Walz of sexually abusing former students.

These events are attributed to the Russian-based groups Storm-1516 and Storm-1679. These groups employ sophisticated tactics, including AI-generated audio, disinformation campaigns, and fraudulent fact-checking websites. Their objectives are multifaceted and include website monitoring, overwhelming investigative efforts, inciting public distrust, targeting key political leaders, pushing Kremlin narratives, undermining election integrity, and instilling fear of political violence. To achieve these goals, they engage in coordinated inauthentic behavior (CIB) across a large network of bot accounts.

A National Intelligence Council (NIC) Memorandum , declassified on October 16, assesses with high confidence that Moscow will likely leverage information gathered through its cyber and information operations to support future espionage efforts. The memorandum also indicates that Russia is expected to employ cyberattacks on election-related websites while avoiding direct interference with mechanisms that affect federal vote counts. These operations are assessed to continue throughout the election period and subsequent events.

Recommendations

• Implement reputable fact-checking processes and resources for election-related information.
• Enhance public awareness of nation state-backed information operations and their implications for public safety.
• Employ DDOS protection solutions and closely monitor websites associated with the election and election processes.