S03 E06: ShadowDragon OSINT Geopolitics Podcast - Unveiling Meliorator: Russian AI's Role in Global Disinformation

OSINT with ShadowDragon & Digital Tools For Modern Investigations

ShadowDragon OSINT Geopolitics and More Podcast Summary

Host: Nico Dekens, “The Dutch OSINT Guy” (follow Nico on X: @dutch_osintguy)

Episode Focus: Critical cybersecurity advisory on state-sponsored Russian media using advanced software for foreign malign influence activities.

Key Points Covered:

1. Introduction:

   • The episode delves into a joint cybersecurity advisory by prominent intelligence and security agencies from the United States, Netherlands, and Canada.

2. Meliorator AI Software:

   • Russian actors are using covert artificial intelligence software called Meliorator to manipulate social media.
   • The software, employed by Russian state-sponsored media RT, creates fake personas to disseminate disinformation on platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter).

3. Capabilities of Meliorator:

   • The software can generate numerous realistic social media profiles, mimicking typical user behavior by posting, liking, and sharing content.
   • It amplifies pre-existing false narratives with sophisticated, tailored messages.

4. Technical Details:

   • Meliorator comprises various components, including Brigadir (administrative panel for managing bots), Taras (back-end software for handling bot identities and actions), and a Mongo database for storing bot identities and automated actions.
   • It avoids detection by using AI-generated profiles, proxy IPs, and alternative user-agent strings to bypass platform verification.

5. Obfuscation Techniques:

   • Meliorator uses IP obfuscation, authentication bypass, and user-agent manipulation to hide bot activities.

6. Advisory Recommendations:

   • Social media platforms, especially X, are urged to validate human operation behind accounts, enhance authentication and verification processes, and monitor suspicious user-agent strings.
   • Implement Secure-by-Default settings, including multi-factor authentication (MFA) and other privacy-focused features.

7. Conclusion:

   • Staying vigilant and informed is crucial to protect against disinformation campaigns.
   • Previous podcasts discussed the abuse of commercially or freely available AI for spreading false narratives, but Meliorator represents a more advanced threat.

Closing Remarks:

• Nico encourages listeners to stay safe and informed.
• Listeners are invited to suggest topics for future episodes.

Thank you for tuning in to the ShadowDragon OSINT Geopolitics and More Podcast. See you in the next episode!

Show Notes:
State-Sponsored Russian Media Leverages Meliorator Software for Foreign Malign Influence Activity, found here:
https://www.ic3.gov/Media/News/2024/240709.pdf

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