Iran’s Influence Operations

On this week's episode of The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by Bryan Prior and Nirit Hinkis from the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center. Sherrod, Bryan, and Nirit discuss Iranian influence operations, distinguishing between influence and information operations. The conversation covers examples of cyber-enabled influence operations, focusing on Iran's actions related to the 2020 U.S. presidential elections and the Israel-Hamas war. The discussion covers tactics Iranian actors use, such as impersonation, recruiting locals, and leveraging email and text messages for amplification. The podcast brings context to the intricacies of Iranian cyber activities, their collaborative efforts, propaganda consumption, creative tactics, and challenges in attribution for influence operations. In this episode you’ll learn: The collaboration among Iranian groups in cyber-enabled influence operations Wiper attacks in situations involving both cyber and kinetic operations Unique aspects of Iran's influence operations Some questions we ask: What's the reason behind a spike in Iranian propaganda consumption in Canada? Where does Iran fall compared to other countries like Russia and North Korea? What might be coming up regarding Iranian cyber attacks and influence operations? Resources: View Bryan Prior on LinkedIn View Sherrod DeGrippo on LinkedIn Iran Report Iran Accelerates Cyber Ops Against Israel Related Microsoft Podcasts: Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson The BlueHat Podcast Uncovering Hidden Risks Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.