The election sees former Republican President Donald Trump take on Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris, with polls due to close on Tuesday evening — some votes have already been cast.

Amidst the tension, the technology sector braces itself for policies that could reshape its future.

A recent EY survey highlights that 74% of tech industry leaders believe the election results will significantly impact the industry’s ability to compete globally, with AI, cybersecurity, trade policies, and regulatory frameworks among the areas under scrutiny.

Additionally, concerns over AI-driven disinformation, including deepfakes used for voter manipulation, have escalated, underscoring technology’s critical role in both the campaign and electoral process.

As the world eagerly anticipates the election outcome, TechInformed analyses the candidates’ interests in ten key technology areas:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation

2. Cybersecurity

3. Big Tech and Antitrust Actions

4. Data Privacy and Consumer Protection

5. US-China Tech Relations

6. Semiconductors and Chips

7. Military Technology

8. Telecommunications

9. Blockchain and Cryptocurrency

10. Emerging Technology

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From generative AI (GenAI) creating deepfakes of political figures to suggestions of AI-driven surveillance at ballot boxes, concern about the potential for AI to disrupt the democratic process is deepening.

Election officials, cybersecurity experts, and tech leaders are rigorously raising the alarm about the sophistication of AI’s threats to election integrity, voter privacy, and public trust in democratic institutions.

Evolution of AI: from tool to threat

“We did have AI during the last election, but it wasn’t as sophisticated as it is today. Advances in AI, such as generative AI or deepfakes, have evolved from mere misinformation into sophisticated tools of deception,” says Dr Srinivas Mukkamala, chief product officer at Ivanti.

“AI has made it increasingly challenging to distinguish between genuine and fabricated information,” Mukkamala adds.

A recent study by Ivanti, an IT security and systems management company, revealed that 54% of office workers were unaware that AI can impersonate anyone’s voice.

“This statistic is concerning,” says Mukkamala, “considering these individuals will be participating in the upcoming election. We cannot risk critical decisions being influenced by disinformation.”

Paul Teather, CEO of the AI-powered market intelligence platform Amplyfi, elaborates on this, explaining how GenAI has “democratised” the ability to create fake content, as it has become easier and requires less skill to pull off.

“There have already been numerous examples of this, including some by candidates and their campaigns, e.g. Taylor Swift endorsing Trump.

Read more: Trump and Musk rank as the most deepfaked figures ahead of the 2024 US election

“People no longer need a photography studio to create near-flawless images based just on their ideas,” Teather continues, adding that this has led to a proliferation of AI-generated disinformation.

“This increases both the tolerance of GenAI (it is seen as normal, rather than evil) and better recognition of it (people checking GenAI images’ hands for errors).”

He continues that while voters are improving at recognising telltale signs of AI manipulation, the sheer volume of disinformation has become overwhelming.

AI-driven misinformation and the weaponisation of disinformation

According to Simon Horswell, senior fraud specialist at Onfido, this proliferation of fake content is evidenced by a 3000% increase in deepfake attempts in 2023.

“We’re seeing a real, concerning uptick of fraudsters using deepfakes to trick businesses and mislead consumers,” he says.

This explosion of AI-driven fake content is creating new avenues for voter manipulation; Horswell adds: “Deepfakes have become a vector to produce fraud at scale.”

With AI-generated videos and articles becoming increasingly convincing, fraudsters and political actors alike can use these technologies to spread disinformation at an unprecedented scale.

Dr Ilia Kolochenko, CEO of ImmuniWeb, emphasises that AI can create millions of “malicious brainwashing messages”, which can be disseminated across social media platforms, further amplifying these efforts.

This trend might be particularly concerning in the context of the US election, where small margins can tip swing states.

These AI-generated narratives have the potential to significantly alter voter perceptions, especially in an environment where social media algorithms prioritise engagement over accuracy, according to Amplyfi CEO Paul Teather.

With elections incoming, deepfakes are just the tip of the iceberg

AI-driven surveillance and the erosion of privacy

Beyond disinformation, True the Vote, a group known for election denialism, is threatening the use of AI-driven cameras to monitor ballot drop boxes across various states.

This initiative, which has been dubbed a ballot box “surveillance reality show,” aims to live-stream footage of voters in the name of transparency.

However, local officials warn that this type of surveillance could lead to voter intimidation, particularly among marginalised communities, and raise serious privacy concerns.

Paul Bischoff, consumer privacy advocate at Comparitech, argues that “the problem with the conspiracy group monitoring ballot boxes is not the use of AI, but the camera surveillance itself.”

He notes that some voters might choose not to vote if they know they’re being watched.

The ethical implications of AI surveillance go beyond privacy concerns; they also call into question the fairness and integrity of the electoral process.

Chris Hauk, consumer privacy advocate at Pixel Privacy, expresses concern over conspiracy groups’ potential use of AI.

“While AI will certainly be used as a weapon during the election season, I believe it will likely be limited to using deepfake videos, photos, and audio to push voters in the direction the fakers are promoting. We’ve already seen AI-generated videos on the internet that paint both US presidential candidates in an unfavourable light.

Evidence that deepfakes can swing the vote is still lacking

“It’s unclear what ‘AI-driven’ video monitoring will involve, but statements like these from groups like True the Vote could simply be an attempt to scare some voters from voting,” Hauk explains. “We may see similar attempts by both sides as they work to tailor the vote total to their needs.”

Is AI also the solution?

While using AI for nefarious ends is problematic, it may also be part of the solution. Simon Horswell describes an “AI vs AI” battle, where advanced AI systems are trained to detect and combat deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation.

AI’s ability to learn and adapt continuously is one of its key strengths. That’s why training on large datasets of both real and fake media is needed to provide advanced protection without impacting the user experience, Horswell argues.

“Companies can train AI algorithms to recognise the subtle differences between authentic and synthetic images or videos, which are often imperceptible to the human eye,” he explains.

Biometric AI-powered tools are already being used to verify the authenticity of images, voices, and fingerprints, offering a defence against the surge in AI-generated fraud.

“AI can automate the verification process and run comprehensive checks based on an individual’s unique physical characteristics, such as facial features, voice or fingerprints.

“AI powers liveness checks, whereby the algorithm checks for facial movements, skin textures and micro-movements, and seeks to identify abnormalities such as unnatural blinking patterns or lip movements found in deepfakes,” Horswell outlines.

Similarly, Lewis Duke from Trend Micro advocates using AI-powered detection tools to combat deepfakes and misinformation.

“Detecting and combating AI-generated disinformation presents several challenges, but automated detection tools can identify discrepancies in content that humans often miss,” he says.

Duke notes that combined with public education efforts to promote critical thinking and fact-checking, these tools could provide a robust defence against AI-driven disinformation in the election cycle.

AI innovation vs voter privacy

Rob Shavell, co-founder and CEO of DeleteMe, points out that the availability of personal data online makes voters, particularly those in marginalised communities, more vulnerable to targeted disinformation campaigns.

Shavell explains that the primary methods by which personal information is utilised to disrupt voting processes can be categorised into two groups.

“Targeted misinformation, such as “spoofed official statements changing location or date of voter’s specific polling places,” which we have seen examples of in both current and previous election cycles.”

These deceptive tactics could be distributed through robocalls, text messages, and viral social media campaigns.

“And using elections as an opportunity for fraud: these tend to be similar spoofed campaigns claiming to be either aiding in voter registration efforts or soliciting donations on behalf of some local candidate.”

These fraudulent activities are directed at specific groups, such as seniors, immigrants, and minority communities with limited knowledge of formal voter registration procedures.

“What has changed in the era of widely available personal data is the ability to micro-target specific audiences — particularly minorities and other at-risk groups — in a way that was previously more labour-intensive,” he adds.

“But there are few federal laws protecting people’s personal information in the United States. Passing a National Privacy Law, like the ADDPA proposed in previous years, would go a long way to ensuring that the US can mitigate personal information risks associated with AI,” Shavell concludes.

Securing elections in the age of AI

According to Amplyfi’s Teather, misinformation has always been indistinguishable from facts, but GenAI could tip the scales in ways we haven’t yet fully grasped.

To combat this, experts like Chris Black, AI evangelist at Vizrt, suggest using technologies like C2PA standards, which track the authenticity of media content through encrypted metadata, ensuring content credibility and transparency in election reporting.

“Governments and tech developers are taking greater steps to combat emerging threats and safeguard democratic integrity,” he says.

“However, at the same time, some governments have deployed facial recognition technology to profile individuals based on ethnicity, enabling tracking and detention. On a smaller scale, individuals equipped with consumer AI tools are exposing privacy vulnerabilities,” he adds.

Read more: United fakes of America

“Harvard students have shown how smart glasses (like Meta Raybans) can access personal information with just a glance, exemplifying how these tools can be misused.”

However, some steps can be taken to improve democracy in the future.

Dave Merkel, CEO of Expel, stresses that no company or government entity should consider itself immune to attack and that cybersecurity and vigilance are essential to protecting democratic institutions.

“Adversaries are already looking for ways to orchestrate attacks that shift opinions,” Merkel says, emphasising the need for robust cyber defences to safeguard election infrastructure.

Moving forward, Teather envisions a future where voters can rely on AI advisors to help them navigate the overwhelming flood of information they receive daily.

He explains that these AI systems would act as personal assistants, helping individuals filter out disinformation and make more informed decisions.

But this vision requires a combination of technology, regulation, and education. AI tools must be integrated with blockchain and decentralised platforms to ensure content authenticity.

At the same time, he adds, governments and tech companies must invest in media literacy programs to help voters become more critical of the information they consume.

So, what is the fate of the US election?

Dr Ilia Kolochenko summarises: “Social networks and other online platforms will probably play a huge role in the upcoming US elections.

“If cybercriminals manage to outsmart moderation and content filtering mechanisms, we can expect a real and serious interference with the US elections and unprecedented threat to the democracy.”

Rob Shavell predicts: “Everyone is concerned about protecting voters on election day, and many localities are setting up barbed wire and bulletproof glass to enhance security. Unfortunately, most of the real damage will occur before voters even get to the polls.”

Dr Srinivas Mukkamala concludes: “When all is said and done, though, scepticism is the best defence against deepfakes. It is essential to avoid taking information at face value and critically evaluate its authenticity.”

The post AI’s influence on the 2024 US election: a threat to democracy? appeared first on TechInformed.

The study tracked deepfake video requests using a popular text-to-video AI tool. It found that 64% of the deepfaked videos of the top ten most deepfaked figures were of politicians and business leaders.

Donald Trump, the former president and current Republican candidate, topped the list with 12,384 deepfake videos. He was followed closely by CEO of Tesla and X (formerly Twitter) Elon Musk, with over 9500 deepfakes.

Current US President Joe Biden and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also made the top ten.

The threat of deepfakes to democracy

The prominence of Musk and Trump as deepfake targets underscores the growing risk this technology poses to business leaders and politicians alike, particularly with the 2024 US election just around the corner.

Eric Lu, co-founder of Kapwing, who conducted the study, says: “Our goal with this study is to bring hard data to the conversation about the potential dangers surrounding deepfake technology.”

According to Lu, deepfakes could be weaponised to spread misinformation, influence public opinion, or even deceive voters.

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Iranian agents were behind the recent hack of the Donald Trump for President Campaign, according to the FBI.

US officials said in a joint statement that Iran had hacked internal Trump campaign messages to “stoke discord and undermine confidence” in US democratic institutions.

Iran also attempted to hack the campaign of Trump’s presidential rival, Kamala Harris, according to reports in the US.

The attack took place on 10^th August and was believed to be carried out through a spear-phishing email, though it remains unclear what information, if any, was stolen from the Trump campaign.

US publications, including the New York Times and Washington Post, said they had been sent confidential information from inside the Trump campaign but did not offer specifics.

“The [intelligence community] is confident that the Iranians have, through social engineering and other efforts, sought access to individuals with direct access to the Presidential campaigns of both political parties,” US intelligence officials said in the statement.

Read more…

CMA halts Apple and Google probes: New powers to tackle App Store monopoly

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has said it will close a pair of investigations into Apple and Google’s mobile app ecosystems but warned it still had concerns over app distribution.

The CMA said it was shutting down the probes into iOS and Android, which had run since March 2021 and June 2022, respectively, citing administrative priorities.

The competition watchdog first began investigating Apple’s conduct in distributing apps across its ecosystem, focusing on the terms and conditions that govern developer access to the platforms.

It followed this up with a probe into the Google Play Store rules for its own billing system, warning that the T&Cs may limit developers’ choice and thus reduce competition.

In an announcement, the CMA said it would close the probes and instead focus on using new competition powers granted in the Digital Markets Act 2024 to “resolve app store concerns”.

Read more…

Elon Musk shuts X office in Brazil amid court censorship clash 

Elon Musk-owned social media platform X has closed its office in Brazil after a row over Brazil censorship laws in a Brazilian court.

The platform formerly known as Twitter accused Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes of threatening its legal representative with arrest for failing to comply with his orders.

Judge Moraes had ruled that X accounts accused of spreading disinformation would be blocked while the court investigated them. Reports from the country claim several of the accounts support former Brazilian President Jair Bolsanaro.

The ruling prompted Musk, who bought X in 2022, to criticise the judge. The judge said the company should be fined almost $20,000 a day for any account it reactivated.

In a statement, X said its Brazilian staff had no control over blocking content.

“As a result, to protect the safety of our staff, we have made the decision to close our operation in Brazil, effective immediately,” X said.

“The responsibility lies solely with Alexandre de Moraes. His actions are incompatible with democratic government.”

Read more…

Condé Nast strikes AI content deal with OpenAI

OpenAI has struck a deal with publishing giant Condé Nast to allow ChatGPT and its search engine to display content from Vogue, the New Yorker, GQ and other publications.

The multi-year deal is one of several AI content partnerships struck by the generative AI firm to add content to train ChatGPT, following similar deals with the Financial Times and Time Magazine.

Other publishers, such as the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune, have expressed opposition to this model.

“We’re committed to working with Condé Nast and other news publishers to ensure that as AI plays a larger role in news discovery and delivery, it maintains accuracy, integrity, and respect for quality reporting,” said Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer.

Read more…

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At the time of writing, the results indicate that Labour will secure at least 412 seats in the new Parliament, while Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives have lost hundreds. Sunak has already conceded defeat in the election.

With Starmer set to take the reins of power today, TechInformed looks at the tech policies promised by the winning Labour Party in its manifesto, released in the run-up to the election.

To read the manifesto pledges from all of the major parties in the run-up to the 2024 UK election, see our 10 Tech Commitments breakdown.

Almost half of Brits would have voted for an AI over Rishi Sunak, according to a survey by AIPRM.

Read more TechInformed coverage of elections around the world pertaining to technology here.

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AIPRM surveyed 2,000 UK adults and presented them with two sets of political promises: one from the current Conservative Party and another generated by ChatGPT.

The AI-generated manifesto included expanded NHS services, high-speed internet access, and increased public access to government data.

In contrast, the Tory manifesto focuses on the return of the help-to-buy housing scheme, tougher sentences for criminals, and immigration control.

Public response and preferences

The results showed that 46% of respondents favoured the AI-generated manifesto, while only 23% preferred the Conservative one.

Support for the AI manifesto was notably strong in Labour-held Nottingham and SNP stronghold Edinburgh, with 51% of people backing the AI candidate.

Age also played a crucial role, with the 35-44 age group showing the highest support at 53%, closely followed by the 16-24 age group at 52%.

Interestingly, the 25-34 age group showed the highest level of support for the Conservative manifesto at 29%, but a larger majority (51%) still preferred the AI candidate for Prime Minister in the upcoming UK election.

Christopher C Cemper, founder and CEO of AIPRM, said, “The fact that only 23% of people preferred Rishi Sunak’s Conservative manifesto over the AI-generated one, without knowing it was crafted by AI, suggests a growing discontent with traditional political rhetoric.

“It shows that voters are looking for fresh, data-driven solutions that may resonate more effectively with their concerns and aspirations,” he added.

The full results of the survey can be found here.

Innovative solutions

The AI-generated manifesto’s popularity could be attributed to its focus on progressive and practical solutions to common issues, some of which were hotly discussed during the UK election debates.

“With respondents being unaware that the manifesto they preferred was generated by AI, it signifies a shift in how people evaluate political platforms — favouring content and ideas over the source or personality behind them,” said Cemper.

Promises like affordable housing, comprehensive NHS services, and renewable energy investments address significant gaps in current policies and align with the public’s evolving expectations.

Another potentially appealing aspect of the AI manifesto is its emphasis on transparency and accessibility, promising to increase public access to government data and enhance accountability.

What are the potential benefits of integrating AI into politics?

The survey results suggest a shift in voter expectations, where content and ideas are valued over the personalities behind them. Could this indicate a potential for AI to play a more significant role in shaping political discourse and policymaking in the future?

While the idea of an AI politician is fascinating — if not a little unnerving — it also raises important ethical and practical considerations. Is the world ready for AI involvement in politics, given the current climate of trust in the technology?

Integrating AI into politics could lead to more data-driven and efficient policymaking. AI can analyse vast amounts of data to identify trends, which could, in turn, help develop policies that better address the public’s needs and concerns.

However, ethical considerations, such as bias in AI algorithms and the potential loss of human empathy in decision-making, need to be addressed to ensure that AI technologies enhance rather than hinder democratic processes.

Cemper concluded, “As AI becomes more integrated into political processes, it will be essential to ensure that these technologies are used responsibly and ethically, maintaining the human element that is vital for genuine engagement.”

Whilst there isn’t an AI on the ballot this time, TechInformed recently reported on each of the main parties’ tech pledges based on their manifestos; read it here to see who you would vote for in the UK election.

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Amidst the buzz of campaign slogans and policy pledges, TechInformed delves into the digital DNA of the main parties’ manifestos, unravelling how the Conservative, Green, Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Reform parties plan to code the future of Britain.

From AI investment to 5G rollouts, here’s a byte-sized breakdown of ten key areas where the major parties have promised to act and what each has pledged.

1. Digital Infrastructure

According to the Digital Catapult Digital Futures Index, the UK is one of the most advanced digital economies in the world, ranking first in Europe for advanced digital technologies. In fact, only the US and China are viewed as ahead of the UK. Key pledges span investments in mobile technology, data centres, and planning reform.

2. Broadband & 5G

According to regulator Ofcom, the UK ranks highly on the GSMA Mobile Connectivity Index, with almost 100% of the population covered by mobile broadband and 76% of the population covered by 5G. 24 million homes have access to gigabit broadband.

3. Tech Innovation & Regulation

All the major parties claim they want to position the UK as a leader in tech by creating an investment-friendly regulatory structure and backing research and development.

4. Tax

Tax has been a topic of significant debate during the election run-in. Rishi Sunak has pledged to cut taxes, although the UK tax burden is higher now than ever before, Labour claims. The PM has also accused rival Starmer of planning to raise taxes – though Labour has insisted it will not increase the tax burden on “working people”.

5. AI (Regulation / Investment)

AI is a hot topic, and Sunak seeks to position the UK at the forefront of the GenAI revolution. Last year, the PM held the world’s first AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park.

6. Data

The manifestos focus on data safety, age verification, and promoting the use of data to boost growth.

7. Cybersecurity

Cyber threats to businesses are growing in both the number and complexity of attacks. Keeping the UK safe is no longer just a military consideration, with all major parties pledging to invest in cyber security.

8. Public Sector

The UK has a massive public sector that employs more than 500,000 full-time equivalent civil servants. Training in AI and other digital tools is seen as vital to improving efficiency within the sector.

9. NHS

The National Health Service is in crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic left waiting lists for NHS appointments at an all-time high, while an ageing population is increasing pressure on longer-term care. Recent cyber attacks against NHS partners has also sharpened focus. Can tech play a role in fixing the NHS?

10. Energy & Climate Change

The UK has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050, but balancing the cost of adopting net zero policies with the recent cost of living crisis has led to a divide between the major parties.

The Green Party & Reform UK

While neither the Green Party nor the Reform Party are as detailed about tech policies in their manifestos, they each highlighted a few key areas relevant to technology and innovation. The SNP is also a major party, but we opted to focus on the major contenders because it and Plaid Cymru are not UK-wide parties.

Here’s a summary of the Green and Reform positions:

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The advocacy group for London’s private tech sector, which boasts more than 18,000 members, together with the tech campus Here East, claims that the eight policy focus areas will drive growth and prosperity of the capital’s tech ecosystem.

Announced at a TLA event today at Here East’s campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, areas of focus included upskilling Londoners with AI and LLM skills, the funding of more locally-based green tech ventures as well as pushing more initiatives that will make the London Stock market a more attractive listing location for scale-ups.

The tech association also recommended making 5G more of a London-wide rather than a Central London-only feature, as well as improving diversity and inclusion throughout the sector with skills bootcamps and other programmes.

Tech London Advocates & Global Tech Advocates founder Russ Shaw said that the recommendations were designed “to strengthen London’s vibrant tech ecosystem as a launchpad for the future, ensuring the city retains its place as a world-leading tech hub”.

He added: “Improvements to diversity of talent in the sector and the need to build ultra-fast fibre networks are not wishful thinking, but basic requirements to fuel the continued growth of London tech.”

Incumbent Mayor of London, Labour’s Sadiq Khan, is the favourite to win a third, four-year term as London Mayor. Khan’s green pledges include a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2030, along with 40,000 electric vehicle charging points in the capital.

Khan also recently called for a crackdown on disinformation leading up to the mayoral elections, following a deepfake audio of his voice which was widely distributed on social media.

Other candidates include the Conservative’s Susan Hall, who is focussed on female safety in the city, and independent candidates such as Natalie Campbell – the co-CEO of bottled water social enterprise Belu.

The eight recommendations – in full

According to TLA and Here East the following policy areas should be considered over the next four-year term:

Develop and revitalise London’s digital talent Expand the Mayor’s pledge to equip Londoners with the skills necessary to take full advantage of a new AI and LLM-driven tech environment by investing in upskilling and reskilling programmes, as well as London’s world-leading universities, ensuring the capital has access to the world’s most digitally literate workforce.

Support a balanced and effective regulatory landscape Support the CMA and CFA in creating an agile regulatory environment that encourages innovation but protects against the dangers of untested emerging technologies; support the building of regulatory sandboxes and create a regulatory framework that can quickly adjust to a rapidly changing tech ecosystem.

Bolster London’s ‘world-leading’ cleantech sector Position the cleantech sector as one of the first lines of defence against the climate emergency. Create educational programmes that inspire the next generation of cleantech enthusiasts, while demonstrating its real-world potential by supporting green technology and clean air initiatives throughout the city, building on the mayor’s pledge for a greener London.

Make the London markets a more attractive place to list Strengthen London’s listing environment by adopting pro-business initiatives that encourage UK-based businesses to scale at home. Create an entrepreneur-led environment by removing needless bureaucracy and supporting pro-business reforms such as the Mansion House Compact.

Harness London’s capabilities with emerging technologies Develop world-leading emerging technology capabilities by amplifying the expertise of leading industry groups. Promote existing initiatives such as the London Data Charter and the Smart London Agenda and build knowledge-sharing bridges between academia and industry.

Improve tech sector diversity and inclusion Champion initiatives that teach technical skills throughout London, ensuring that marginalised groups and those from underrepresented areas can access tech opportunities through skills bootcamps and other skills-focused programmes.

Connect London with other tech hubs – both domestic and international Take advantage of London’s global credentials by enhancing engagement with the wider UK and the rest of the world through trade missions and increased support for major tech events such as London Tech Week and London Data Week.

Build world-beating 5G and ultra-fast fast fibre networks Build on the Mayor’s pledge to make London the world’s best-connected city, building 5G-supporting infrastructure, installing citywide, rather than Zone One focused, super-fast broadband and ensuring continued funding for the ‘Connected London’ scheme. 

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The affected MPs however, have claimed the government has not gone far enough, with one of its targets – former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith – declaring yesterday’s actions as the equivalent of “an elephant giving birth to a mouse.”

Industry experts also weighed in, adding that with a UK general election on the horizon, the government needed to send out a clear message to state-backed threat actors and to also ensure that its cyber practices were up to date and fit for purpose.

In a widely pre-briefed speech in the House of Commons yesterday afternoon, deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden reiterated that the attack on the UK’s elections watchdog marked a “clear and persistent pattern of behaviour that signals hostile intent from China”.

FBI director fires critical infrastructure hack warning 

However, Dowden stopped short of officially declaring China as a threat to UK democracy.

As a result of the sanctions, two individuals – Zhao Guangzong and Ni Gaobin – and one business – the Wuhan Xiaoruizhi Science and Technology Company – have been sanctioned by the UK.

All have been accused of working for the China state-affiliated cyber espionage group Advanced Persistent Threat Group 31 (APT31).

The government sanctions will freeze assets, preventing UK citizens and businesses from handling their funds or resources. A travel ban will also prevent individuals or people working for the company from entering or remaining in the UK.

The Chinese embassy in the UK denies the attacks were anything to do with China, adding that the claims amounted to “malicious slander”.

2021-22 cyber attacks

The cyber attack on the UK Electoral Commission between August 2021 and October 2022 enabled hackers to access the personal details of about 40m voters and to gain sensitive emails from its “control systems” and between election officials over six by-elections.

The MPs targeted are all members of the Interparliamentary Alliance on China, which scrutinises the activities of Beijing.

They include former Tory leader Duncan Smith, former minister Tim Loughton and the SNP’s Stewart McDonald, who all sustained harassment, failed hacks and impersonations by groups seeking to influence foreign dignitaries.

Too little too late?

However, security experts and the affected MPs claim that the actions amounted to ‘too little, too late’, accusing Dowden of missing an opportunity to designate China as a “threat” and send out a clear message.

Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick joined Duncan Smith in criticising the action, saying the response was “feeble” and would only “embolden China”.

These MPs’ concerns were echoed by many cyber security firms, who not only felt that the UK government has been treading too softly in its dealings with China on this issue, but that it needed to refine its cyber security practices ahead of the next general election.

According to Al Lakhani, CEO of security firm IDEE, while international relations are built on good faith and mutual interests these don’t always correlate with good cybersecurity practices “which must be built on zero trust”.

He added: “The government is blatantly tiptoeing around the issue, evidently paralysed by the fear of alienating global superpowers, but the result is compromised personal data and undermining confidence in electoral processes.”

CTO of Advanced Cyber Defence Systems Elliott Wilkes added that while the conventional option was to sanction individuals, these actions rarely yield successful results.

“To my knowledge, none of the individuals associated with the OPM breach who were sanctioned by the US government have been arrested.

“A bolder step might include more direct cyber action, but this has the potential to escalate already heightened tensions between the UK (and the West) and China.

“The danger of this attack is that it underscores the ability of a major global power to act in a way designed for intelligence gathering but also intimidation, without fear of significant recourse,” he said.

Business threat

Jamie Akhtar, co-founder and CEO at CyberSmart added that the situation emphasized the need for the UK to “continually refine its holistic cyber security strategy”

He added: “Defence needs to go further than protection for state institutions. As we’ve seen time and again, nation-state actors will also target businesses that provide services to the government too.

“Without a defence strategy that incorporates every aspect of society, from small businesses to schools to state bodies, nation-state actors will keep finding new routes in,” he warned.

The cyber experts also reiterated that while nation-state attacks are often perceived as highly sophisticated, most breaches are successful due to spear-phishing campaigns, and exploitation of software vulnerabilities.

“The government needs to find better ways of protecting its systems and data. When it comes to something as important as national security, relying on outdated cybersecurity solutions that detect attacks, but stop short of preventing them, is nothing short of dangerous,” said Lakhani.

“I hope that lessons have been learned from past breaches, that this marks a turning point in the UK’s cyber security preparedness, and that we move towards a digitally secure future rooted in identity proofing and transitive trust,” he added.

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The numbers of Republican and Democrat voters who expressed concerns about AI-generated content derailing the electoral process was strikingly similar – with 79% of Democrats and 80% Republicans worried about this threat.

A One Poll survey of 2,000 registered US voters also found that citizens believe AI will have a negative effect on this year’s election outcomes: 42% Democrats and 49% Republicans.

The poll – which was commissioned by the Federal Election Commission-approved non profit Defending Digital Campaigns (DDC) and security key vendor Yubico – also found that 85% of people who engaged in political campaigns in the run up to the elections did not have confidence that their personal data was being protected effectively.

The survey found that over half of all respondents said that they had received an email and/or text message from a campaign that they suspected was a phishing attempt.

The survey found that these doubts and phishing attempts were likely to have an impact on future donations, with 42% saying they would be less likely to donate if the campaign was hacked. A further 30% reported that this would even change the likelihood of a candidate receiving their vote.

Campaigns under attack

“Campaigns are the heart of our democracy, and every campaign must adopt basic cybersecurity protections. This year is particularly risky for cyber attacks directed at candidates, staffers, and anyone associated with a campaign,” warned Michael Kaiser, president, and CEO of the DDC.

“Having the right cyber security in place is not an option — it’s essential for anyone running a political operation. Otherwise, campaigns risk not only losing valuable data, but losing voters,” he added.

The DDC’s survey found that 42% of voters would like to see campaigns and candidates take more precautions to prevent their websites from being hacked. A similar number (41%) said they would welcome strong security measures like multi-factor authentication on their accounts.

Having policies in place to protect personal data and offering cyber security training for staffers and key volunteers was also valued by a quarter of all respondents.

“Because campaigns are built on trust, potential hacks like fraudulent emails or messages sent out impersonating them via their social media accounts where they are directly interacting with their audience, could be detrimental to campaigns,” said David Treece, vice president of solutions architecture at Yubico Treece.

“Candidates need to take proper steps to protect their campaign and more importantly, to build trust with voters, by adopting modern cybersecurity practices like multi-factor authentication.”

The poll results follow news in January that voters in the state of New Hampshire received a call with a deepfake audio of Joe Biden advising them not to vote in the presidential primary elections this week.

With over two billion voters heading to the polls in over 50 countries. the World Economic Forum identified misinformation and disinformation as the most dominant short-term threat for this year.

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