Federal investigators are actively pursuing email addresses from Russian internet domains that were used to send a series of non-credible bomb threats in swing states on Election Day. This ongoing effort highlights the continued challenges faced by US intelligence and law enforcement agencies in combating disinformation and online threats aimed at creating discord among voters.
In the lead-up to and aftermath of Election Day, FBI officials and other agencies dedicated significant resources to tracking videos and social media posts, some of which were attributed to Russian operatives. This marked a heightened level of activity in countering foreign influence in the digital age.
While the origin of the bomb threats remains unclear, the emails prompted temporary evacuations at polling centers and added tension to an already chaotic election environment. The investigations are being conducted at an unprecedented pace, reflecting the increased ease and speed at which fake content can be generated and disseminated online.
In addition to Russia, Iran and China were also identified as engaging in online influence operations targeting the election. The 2024 election cycle witnessed a surge in disinformation, with foreign adversaries amplifying falsehoods on a larger scale than ever before.
Efforts to combat foreign interference were notably swift compared to previous elections, with intelligence agencies debunking fake content in record time. The fight against disinformation moved rapidly, with coordinated intelligence disclosures and swift verification by independent researchers.
Despite these advancements, cybersecurity experts noted that election offices faced various threats, including attempted network breaches and swatting calls made to schools in Maine. The bomb threats sent to polling locations in battleground states represented a new tactic aimed at disrupting the election process.
The FBI shared Russian email addresses linked to the bomb threats with the intelligence community for further analysis. Clues from previous incidents, such as bomb threats at LGBTQ+ events, provided additional context for the ongoing investigations.
Experts from Graphika and SentinelOne confirmed that the Russian email domains were part of a broader hoax campaign targeting organizations in the US and abroad since at least 2022. The fake bomb threats on Election Day were just one facet of a larger pattern of hoax threats sent to various institutions globally.
