FBI – CISA PSA: Foreign Actors Likely to Use Information Manipulation Tactics for 2022 Midterm Elections

The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have published a Public Service Announcement (PSA) to raise awareness of the potential threat posed by foreign cyber actors attempting to manipulate information or spread disinformation in the lead up to and after the 2022 midterm elections.

According to the PSA, “Foreign actors may intensify efforts to influence outcomes of the 2022 midterm elections by circulating or amplifying reports of real or alleged malicious cyber activity on election infrastructure. Additionally, these foreign actors may create and knowingly disseminate false claims and narratives regarding voter suppression, voter or ballot fraud, and other false information intended to undermine confidence in the election processes and influence public opinion of the elections’ legitimacy.” Similar to past election cycles, foreign threat actors continue to deliberately spread false narratives about election infrastructure to promote social strife and distrust in U.S. democratic processes and institutions and could attempt to incite violence.

In addition, last ast week, the FBI and CISA released a PSA on malicious cyber activity against election infrastructure, which can be accessed here. The FBI and CISA urge the American public to critically evaluate the sources of the information they consume and to seek out reliable and verified information from trusted sources, such as state and local election officials and reputable news media. In addition, the FBI and CISA encourages the public to report information concerning suspicious or criminal activity to their local FBI field office. Read the full PSA here.