Security News > 2020 > August > When it comes to hacking societies, Russia remains the master at sowing discord and disinformation online
2020-08-06 21:49
While China is the bête noire du jour of the US government, Russia is the master of spreading disinformation, fostering conflict, and derailing discourse online, the Black Hat security conference was told today.
The basic methods of hacking public opinion are fairly simple, DiResta explained.
In China's case, it tried to make people like China.
While China was trying to polish up its national image on the world stage and push political points, Russia simply wants to divide people along existing social fissures, so they only have to reaffirm what their targets already believe.
"If you can turn people into unwitting content amplifiers, or people who will go out in the streets, that is a very powerful tool," said DiResta.