June 3, 2024 at 05:01PM
Russian state-aligned threat actors Storm-1679 and Storm-1099 have conducted a year-long online influence campaign against the upcoming Paris Olympic Games. Using fake news, doctored images, and AI-aided videos, their goal seems to undermine the International Olympic Committee’s reputation and stoke fears of violence at the Summer Games. Concerns about potential cyberattacks impacting the Games persist.
The meeting notes indicate that two Russian state-aligned threat actors, Storm-1679 and the recently disrupted Storm-1099 (aka “Doppelganger”), have been carrying out online influence operations designed to undermine the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. These operations involve spreading fake news, doctored images, and AI-aided videos about the Olympics on social media, with the goal of harming the reputation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and stoking fears around potential violence at the Summer Games.
The notes also highlight Russia’s history of cyberattacks during past Olympics, such as the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang. This history raises concerns about physical attacks on the Paris Olympics, with a particular emphasis on the vulnerability of Olympic IT infrastructure and the need for extensive international coordination and planning to secure the games.
In summary, the meeting notes emphasize the ongoing influence operations targeting the Paris Olympics and the need to address both the cyber and physical security threats posed by these actions.