2/13/2018

CYBERWAR/POLITICS/RUSSIA/VOTING: “As the midterm elections approach, Russia is likely to throw more propaganda at Americans, using people sympathetic to their messages and fake personalities on social media — many of them run by bots — to sow further political and social divisions in the United States, American intelligence chiefs said on Tuesday [2-13-18].
The intelligence officials offered their caution during testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee’s annual hearing on worldwide threats, and said that Russia believes its interference in the 2016 presidential election largely achieved its chief aim — weakening faith in the American democracy. Moscow now sees the coming Congressional elections as a chance to build on its gains, they said…
The warnings were striking in their contrast to President Trump’s views on Russia… American intelligence agencies sharply disagree, and their darker view of Russia’s actions was clear on Tuesday. Mr. Coats was joined at the hearing by the leaders of the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the F.B.I. and other intelligence agencies.
Russian hackers are already scanning American electoral systems, intelligence officials have said, and using bot armies to promote partisan causes on social media. Russia also appears eager to spread information — real and fake — that deepens political divisions, including purported evidence that ties Mr. Trump to Russia, and its efforts to influence the 2016 election.”

-Matthew Rosenberg, “Russia Sees Midterm Elections as Chance to Sow Fresh Discord, Intelligence Chiefs Warn,” The New York Times online, Feb. 13, 2018