Cybersecurity Advisory: Russian State-Sponsored Media Uses Software for Disinformation Campaigns

The joint Cybersecurity Advisory titled “State-Sponsored Russian Media Leverages Meliorator Software for Foreign Malign Influence Activity” highlights a significant threat from Russian state-sponsored actors using covert software to influence foreign public opinion. Co-authored by the U.S. FBI, Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF), and various Dutch and Canadian security agencies, this advisory warns social media companies about the Meliorator software. Meliorator, an AI-enhanced tool, is used to create and manage fictitious social media personas, propagating disinformation across platforms like X (formerly Twitter).

The advisory details how affiliates of RT (formerly Russia Today) employed Meliorator to create realistic online personas that disseminate false narratives targeting several countries, including the United States, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Ukraine, and Israel. The software’s capabilities extend beyond creating fake accounts; it can deploy content mimicking genuine users, perpetuate pre-existing false narratives, and craft messages tailored to specific bot archetypes.

Technical insights reveal that Meliorator includes components like Brigadir and Taras, facilitating user management and content dissemination. Brigadir serves as an administrator panel, while Taras handles the backend operations, controlling the dissemination of disinformation through automated scenarios or “thoughts.” The advisory underscores the sophisticated nature of these bots, designed to evade detection and blend seamlessly into the social media landscape.

To mitigate this threat, the advisory recommends social media companies enhance their account verification processes, employ stronger authentication mechanisms, and monitor for suspicious user agent strings. It also advises implementing default security settings and privacy protections to safeguard against such influence operations. The advisory serves as a crucial resource for social media platforms to combat foreign malign influence and protect the integrity of their networks.