Israel Thwarts Russian Attempt to Influence Knesset Elections
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
Israel's Shin Bet thwarted a Russian attempt to interfere in the Knesset elections using fake social media accounts. A private cybersecurity firm aided Shin Bet in taking action against around 80 suspected accounts. The election is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, with Israeli services also preparing for other potential threats.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Shin Bet uncovered Russian plans to interfere in the Knesset elections via fake social media accounts.
- A private cybersecurity firm reportedly helped thwart the Russian interference attempt.
- Approximately 80 social media accounts suspected of involvement were targeted.
- The Knesset elections are scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 27.
- Israeli security services were also preparing for other threats like terror attacks and disinformation.
Israel's internal security agency, Shin Bet, received intelligence days ago regarding Russia's intention to interfere in the upcoming Knesset elections, scheduled for Tuesday, October 27. The alleged attempt to influence the election's outcome was reportedly thwarted in the final days by a private cybersecurity firm collaborating with Shin Bet, according to Channel 12. Sources indicate the plan involved using fake social media accounts to disseminate provocative and divisive messages aimed at altering election results. The private company reportedly took action against approximately 80 accounts suspected of participating in the Russian campaign, though the company's name and the source of this information were not disclosed. Shin Bet had previously announced the removal of numerous social media profiles from the internet that were involved in foreign interference efforts ahead of the Knesset elections. Earlier, Israeli services were preparing for various threats, including terror attacks, violence, disinformation, and challenges to voting results. Police, the Central Elections Committee, and public organizations were practicing emergency responses, with unpredictable scenarios identified as the main concern. Separately, it was reported that approximately 810,000 out of 7.3 million eligible Israeli voters reside abroad, with the number of eligible voters within Israel having steadily increased over decades.
