Russian state-backed efforts to interfere in the U.S. presidential elections have begun to focus on targeting the campaigns of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, according to a new report by Microsoft.
The Sep. 17 report details an uptick in Russia-backed influence operations aimed at discrediting the Democrat presidential ticket by spreading fabricated stories and images online.
The shift is notable, according to the report, as up until now Russian cyber actors had appeared slow to shift their efforts away from targeting President Joe Biden.
“The shift to focusing on the Harris-Walz campaign reflects a strategic move by Russian actors aimed at exploiting any perceived vulnerabilities in the new candidates,” the report reads….