FIGHTING BACK

U.S. Launches First Cyberoperation Against Russia to Protect Elections

NSA warned individual Russian hackers that U.S. is watching them.

In advance of the November midterms, the United States has in recent days launched its first known overseas cyberoperation targeting individual Russian operatives in an effort to protect American elections. The operatives were reportedly identified and given a warning that officials at United States Cyber Command at the National Security Agency are tracking their work. Senior defense officials reportedly told The New York Times that U.S. agents did not directly threaten Russian operatives but that they would nonetheless be aware of the risk of indictment or sanctions based on the consequences suffered by others. Just last week, the Department of Justice outlined Russia’s “information warfare” campaign to influence the midterm elections.