Cowbell Chronicles: Summer 2024

Cowbell Chronicles features monthly updates from across the cybersecurity industry, insights from our experts, and news about our latest products and features for policyholders and partners.

This month, we’re focused on a critical topic that is particularly important this year with the upcoming elections in the U.S. and geopolitical uncertainty around the world – cyber vigilance. 

Celebrating Freedom and Staying Secure: The Importance of Cyber Vigilance 

Last week, in the U.S., we celebrated the 4th of July; a day to reflect on the importance of democracy and freedom. In a critical election year, these reflections hold deeper significance, particularly in the face of increasing threats from state-run cyber operators who aim to interfere with democratic processes.

The Rise of Cyber Threats in Elections

Cybersecurity has become a central concern for governments, particularly as foreign entities attempt to manipulate public opinion and election outcomes. 

As Matthieu Chan Tsin, Cowbell's Vice President of Cybersecurity Services, explained at a recent conference, many cyber campaigns tend to follow geopolitical tensions and wars. ‘Hacktivism’ collectives have conducted defacement, espionage, and availability-based attacks against entities operating in countries deemed unfriendly. To gain a competitive advantage and better understand the motivations and weaknesses of their global competitors, nation-state operators have conducted espionage-based operations on behalf of their governments.

In a recent report, Recorded Future’s Insikt Group highlighted the activities of CopyCop, a network believed to be aligned with the Russian government. This network uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) to create and spread political content on inauthentic websites. Though much of the group’s recent focus was the war on Ukraine, it has now shifted to spreading misinformation about the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The group has also been disseminating videos using YouTube to target political leaders across the European Union. 

From May 10 to May 12, 2024, CopyCop registered 120 new websites, employing tactics and techniques aimed at influencing political discourse in the U.S. This network not only focuses on plagiarizing content from a broad array of news sources—including mainstream U.S. and UK outlets, conservative-leaning media, and Russian state-affiliated media—but also modifies and disseminates this content through over 1,000 fake journalist personas. 

Additionally, these attacks are increasingly targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to wreak havoc on the economy. 

During the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Hearing in June, Jack Kudale, Founder and CEO of Cowbell, presented his testimony on the topic: “Sector Down: Ensuring Resilience of Critical Infrastructure.” He discussed how cyber insurance can be crucial if a catastrophic cyberattack damages critical infrastructure in the United States, as highlighted in the Wall Street Journal. The crucial role of SMEs within the ecosystem was the key focus of the hearing.

SMEs in the U.S. employ approx. 60 million people, which represent 47.1% of the private workforce, and play a pivotal role in supply chains – they can serve as entry points affecting larger ecosystems. SMEs often don’t have the technology and resources to effectively combat these cyber threats.

And AI is making it even easier for bad actors.

The Role of AI in Cyber Influence

The use of AI-generated faces and voices in videos targeting political leaders highlights the sophistication of these influence campaigns. AI technologies enable actors to rapidly produce and spread narratives that can be difficult to authenticate, complicating efforts to attribute these influence operations to foreign adversaries.

Strategies for Enhancing Election Security

In response to these evolving threats, several measures can be taken to safeguard the integrity of elections:

1. Public Awareness and Education: Educating the public about inauthentic content and the importance of verifying information through trusted sources can diminish the impact of false narratives.
2. Enhanced Cybersecurity Measures: Fortifying election systems with advanced cybersecurity protocols, regular audits, and the implementation of end-to-end encryption for voting data.
3. Collaboration Between Entities: Governments, cybersecurity firms, insurers, and international organizations must collaborate more closely to detect and counteract cyber threats. Sharing intelligence and best practices can help in preempting attacks.

Remaining Vigilant

As we look to the Fall, it is imperative for all stakeholders, including businesses, municipalities, election officials, and cybersecurity experts, to remain vigilant. The continuous evolution of cyber threats, exemplified by operations like CopyCop, requires a robust response. Through collective vigilance and proactive measures, we can protect the economy, secure electoral processes, and help ensure that democracy remains free from external influence.

Our goal is to build a cyber-resilient economy - protecting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and mid-market businesses from advanced cyber threats. Staying informed and understanding emerging trends is essential.

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