Basic
Type of Adversary: Pro-government propaganda media outlet.
Size: 10 to 20 people.
Structure: The internal structure of this organization is like that of a traditional digital media outlet (editors, copywriters, social media managers, and so on).
Targets
- Civilians (to sell them on gov propaganda)
- Investigative journalists.
- Human rights defenders.
- Social activists.
- Opposition political leaders.
Motivation
Political and financial motivations. They seek to drive traffic to their website with fake and sensational news to make money and also strengthen of pro-government opinion.
Intent
- Damaging the reputation and credibility of those who oppose the regime.
- Create misinformation promoting the government on social media.
- Defend and generate a favorable opinion among the public of the regime.
Technical Capabilities
- They are technically proficient/have employees who are.
- They have their own website.
- They have access to and are able to run Botnets.
- High reach social media accounts (many followers/frequently shared).
- Journalistic team.
Favored Means of Attack
- Posting fake news on their website that is spread by bots and trolls on social media.
- Direct harassment through their “official” accounts.
- Deceiving the public by manipulating real situations to generate favorable opinion for the regime.
Resources
- Legal immunity provided by the regime.
- Financial support from allies and government organizations.
- Privileged information of the victims provided by the state security agencies.
Constraints & Limitations
For now, they limit all their attacks to the digital world.
