Russia is trying to scare people away from the Paris Olympics, report says

According to a report published by Microsoft's Digital Forensic, Threat Intelligence and Response (DFIR) team, Russia has been attempting to undermine public confidence in the upcoming Paris Olympics through a covert influence campaign. The report, titled "Russian Disinformation Campaign Targets Paris 2024 Olympics," was released on March 23, 2023.

The Russian government was banned from participating in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris due to its involvement in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In response, Russian actors have reportedly been spreading disinformation and stoking fear of potential terrorist attacks at the event.

The Microsoft DFIR team discovered several social media accounts that were part of this disinformation campaign. These accounts were created between 2021 and 2023 and were used to spread false information about the Paris Olympics. The accounts posed as various entities, including French news outlets, sports teams, and even fictional characters.

One of the primary tactics used by these accounts was to create fake news articles and then share them across social media platforms. These articles often contained sensationalist headlines about terrorist threats or other security concerns related to the Olympics. In some cases, the articles were designed to create fear and panic by describing imaginary attacks or near-misses.

Another tactic used by the Russian actors was to engage in targeted harassment of individuals and organizations associated with the Olympics. This included threatening messages and personal attacks against athletes, organizers, and sponsors.

The Microsoft report also identified several instances of attempts to hack into the computer systems of organizations involved in the Olympics. These attempts were unsuccessful, but they underscored the seriousness of the Russian threat.

The Russian government has not officially commented on the allegations in the Microsoft report. However, the findings are consistent with previous Russian disinformation campaigns, such as those related to the 2016 US presidential election and the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The Paris Olympics organizers have acknowledged the threat posed by Russian disinformation campaigns and have taken steps to counteract them. This includes working with social media platforms to remove fake accounts and content, as well as increasing security measures around the event.

Despite these efforts, the risk of disinformation and potential terrorist attacks remains a concern for many. The Paris Olympics are set to take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024, and are expected to attract millions of visitors from around the world.

In conclusion, the Microsoft report highlights the ongoing efforts by Russian actors to undermine public confidence in the Paris Olympics through disinformation campaigns and fear-mongering tactics. The banned Russian government's involvement in these activities underscores the seriousness of the threat and the need for increased vigilance and countermeasures by Olympic organizers and security agencies.