Cyber Command Operation Took Down Russian Troll Farm for Midterm Elections Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, February 26th, 2019 The American military took down a Russian troll farm last Election Day in a cyberattack that continued for several days after the vote, part of what United States officials have said is a persistent campaign […]Read More

Our Take ASD Co-Directors Laura Rosenberger and Jamie Fly published an op-ed in The Dallas Morning News arguing that “political divisions, which Russia’s efforts exploit, are hindering our ability to respond forcefully to this threat [of foreign interference].” Rosenberger and Fly will speak at the George W. Bush Institute at Southern Methodist University on February […]Read More

A Newsletter of Political Warfare, Influence, and Information Campaigns from the Pell Center at Salve Regina University Sign up for the Active Measures Newsletter here.  Top stories for this week:  Viktor Orban’s Government has Become an Enthusiastic Partner in Russia’s Financial Expansion | Szabo Andras | Direkt36 Countering Russia’s Aggression in Ukraine | U.S. Department of StateAustralia’s Major […]Read More

A quick round-up of several ongoing cognitive security highlights in Denmark: (1) highlights of the government’s annual risk assessment, (2) the Danish Institute for International Studies, Russian Influence Operations brief, and (3) The University of Copenhagen’s Department of Political Science and their Digital Disinformation effort. 1. The Danish Defence Intelligence Service’s 2018 Intelligence Risk Assessment highlights Russia’s […]Read More

The Czech think tank, European Values, put forth a Kremlin Watch Report recently titled, Influence of Russian Disinformation Operations:  Specific Examples in Data and Numbers. In conclusion, the ways in which the Kremlin leads the hybrid war on a global scale are increasingly sophisticated. The development of social networks has greatly expanded the range of tools that can be used in hybrid warfare without the user […]Read More

The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee just published its final report on Disinformation and ‘fake news’ on February 18th, 2019. Calls for:•  Compulsory Code of Ethics for tech companies overseen by independent regulator •  Regulator given powers to launch legal action against companies breaching code •  Government to reform current electoral communications laws and […]Read More

Over the past few days, multiple reporting suggests that cyber attacks are being directed at European institutions – government, think tanks, and non-profits. Microsoft’s blogpost is here. Worth a read. Why is this notable? Soon, millions of Europeans will head to the polls to cast their ballots in the European Parliament elections along with several […]Read More

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute put forth a report titled, Stemming the Virus: Understanding and Responding to the Threat of Russian Disinformation. The report highlights the current information environment, political aspects, Russia’s activities in the environment, impact to civil society and business, election manipulation and ends with recommendations. A main recommendation – establish a dedicated office to […]Read More

An opinion piece from Marcus Kolga, Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute’s Centre for Advancing Canada’s Interests Abroad. Posted in The Star. As the scope and impact of Russian disinformation targeting Canada become clearer, new research suggests it is not only a growing national security issue but one that can actually threaten our public health. […]Read More

Set up to monitor and combat disinformation, the UK’s Rapid Response Unit was established last April to monitor online trends, identify issues, and figure out the best way to response, quickly. They secured continuing funding. Read the government’s announcement here and below. The team monitors digital trends to spot emerging issues, including misinformation and disinformation, […]Read More