Bucharest, December 6, 2024 –Romania’s election systems were breached in 85,000 cyberattacks, with TikTok influence campaigns targeting voters. Democracy faces a digital-era battle.
Romania’s democratic process is under siege as the nation’s election systems faced an unprecedented 85,000 cyberattacks during its recent presidential elections. These attacks, originating from 33 countries, targeted critical election infrastructure, with leaked credentials and influence campaigns sowing chaos.
The Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) revealed that attackers compromised a server linked to voter registration, leaking sensitive login credentials on Russian cybercrime forums. This breach allowed access to websites like the Central Election Bureau and voter databases. SRI warned:
These coordinated attacks sought to manipulate public perception, alter election data, and disrupt access to crucial systems.
The attackers exploited vulnerabilities like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) to breach security, posing as legitimate users to gain access. Simultaneously, a massive influence campaign used over 25,000 TikTok accounts, including manipulated influencers, to promote controversial candidate Calin Georgescu.
Videos supporting Georgescu amassed millions of views, with narratives echoing pro-Russian sentiments.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) observed, “These accounts became active mere weeks before the election, demonstrating deliberate planning to influence public opinion.
Though the SRI did not directly blame Russia, Romania’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE) linked the operation to Moscow’s history of election interference, highlighting Romania’s strategic position as a NATO ally.
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