Digital Forensic Research Lab

Wed, Sep 4, 2024

Mythical Beasts and Where to Find Them: Mapping the Global Spyware Market and its Threats to National Security and Human Rights

The Mythical Beasts project pulls back the curtain on the connections between 435 entities across forty-two countries in the global spyware market.

by Jen Roberts, Trey Herr, Nitansha Bansal, and Nancy Messieh, with Emma Taylor, Jean Le Roux, and Sopo Gelava

Cybersecurity Proliferation of Offensive Cyber Capabilities

Wed, Sep 4, 2024

Mythical Beasts and Where to Find Them: Data and Methodology

Learn more about the methodology and dataset behind Mythical Beasts and Where to Find Them: Mapping the Global Spyware Market and its Threats to National Security and Human Rights

by Jen Roberts, Trey Herr, Nitansha Bansal, and Nancy Messieh, with Emma Taylor, Jean Le Roux, and Sopo Gelava

Cybersecurity Proliferation of Offensive Cyber Capabilities

Fri, Aug 30, 2024

Pro-Russia, pro-Wagner activity surges following Mali and Wagner forces’ defeat in battle

An inauthentic network of YouTube channels pushed pro-AES and anti-Ukraine narratives after the Tinzaouaten confrontation

by Valentin Châtelet

Africa Artificial Intelligence

Fri, Aug 30, 2024

TikTok accounts target West Africa with AI-generated content promoting Putin and regional leaders

TikTok accounts with thousands of followers spread pro-Russia and anti-France narratives

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Africa Artificial Intelligence

Fri, Aug 23, 2024

How AI tools fueled online conspiracy theories after Trump assassination attempt

Deepfakes, cheapfakes, and AI-fueled scams spread online following the shooting; in other instances, real footage was dismissed as fake

by Beatriz Farrugia

Artificial Intelligence Elections

Mon, Aug 19, 2024

AI in Cyber and Software Security:  What’s Driving Opportunities and Risks?

This issue brief discusses the drivers of evolving risks and opportunities presented by generative artificial intelligence (GAI), particularly in cybersecurity, while acknowledging the broader implications for policymakers and for national security.

by Maia Hamin, Jennifer Lin, Trey Herr

Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity

Mon, Aug 12, 2024

Russia uses video games in Africa to spread anti-Western propaganda

A Hearts of Iron IV mod exemplifies how video games can become propaganda tools

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Africa France

Tue, Aug 6, 2024

Pro-Russian Facebook pages spread anti-French, anti-UN content in West Africa

Network of inauthentic pro-Russian pages spread false claims targeting elections, France, and the UN peacekeeping mission in CAR

by Valentin Châtelet

Advertising Africa

Tue, Jul 30, 2024

Inauthentic Chinese X accounts amplifying Trump shooting and Biden withdrawal conspiracy theories

Spreading false and misleading anti-US narratives, the network highly resembles operation known as Spamouflage Dragon

China Disinformation
CSI Russian Tech Isolation

Mon, Jul 29, 2024

Russia’s Digital Tech Isolationism: Domestic Innovation, Digital Fragmentation, and the Kremlin’s Push to Replace Western Digital Technology 

Russia’s technological isolation is both a reality and a desired goal for Moscow. This piece explores the impacts of this phenomenon and offers recommendations for how to deal with that evolving digital ecosystem.

by Justin Sherman

Cybersecurity Internet

Wed, Jul 24, 2024

OT Cyber Policy: The Titanic or the Iceberg

Current policy does not address the issue of cyber-physical security with a systemic approach, instead focusing with tunnel vision on specific events. This analysis uses the iceberg model for systems thinking to address policy gaps in the OT ecosystem, detailing recommendations for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

by Danielle Jablanski

Critical Infrastructure Policy Operational Technology
Illustration of the earth in the form of a computer chip, generated using Adobe Firefly

Wed, Jul 17, 2024

The sovereignty trap

How the promise of sovereign AI obscures its pitfalls

by Konstantinos Komaitis, Esteban Ponce de León, Kenton Thibaut, Trisha Ray, Kevin Klyman

Artificial Intelligence Digital Policy