Wargame Exercise Demonstrates How Social Media Manipulation Works
Summary
A wargame exercise named "Capture the Narrative" simulated social media manipulation by having students create bots to influence a fictional election. This exercise aimed to educate participants on how influence operations can be carried out in real-world political contexts.
IFF Assessment
This article highlights a method used to spread disinformation and manipulate public opinion, which can be leveraged by threat actors to destabilize systems and sow discord.
Defender Context
This exercise demonstrates a common tactic used by threat actors to undermine trust and manipulate public discourse, which can have downstream effects on cybersecurity by creating societal instability or diverting resources. Defenders should be aware of the potential for coordinated disinformation campaigns to be used as part of larger hybrid warfare or cyber-attack strategies.