Tracking a Chinese Influence Campaign, DRAGONBRIDGE

Category: Threat Actor Activity | Industry: Media | Level: Strategic | Source: Mandiant

An influence campaign named, DRAGONBRIDGE has been tracked by researchers at Mandiant since mid-2019, to control narratives in favor of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The campaign has targeted the United States, "by seeking to sow division both between the U.S. and its allies and within the U.S. political system itself." Specific false narratives being spread include framing the US as the operator of threat group APT41 and blaming the US for the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions. The campaign also attempts to discredit the democratic process to dissuade voters in the U.S. midterm elections. Acts to carry the campaign have involved impersonating members of the targeted audience and cyber threat actors often against China. News articles have been altered and plagiarized to spread false information, such as substituting China for the US in article sections aligning APT41 with China. The campaign doesn't appear to be effective as assessed by Mandiant, “As with DRAGONBRIDGE activity we have previously observed, the campaign continues to fail to garner significant engagement by seemingly real individuals, and its effectiveness remains encumbered by poor execution, “As with DRAGONBRIDGE activity we have previously observed, the campaign continues to fail to garner significant engagement by seemingly real individuals, and its effectiveness remains encumbered by poor execution.”

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