Attacks from Russia

Free elections in danger – also in Austria

The number of cyberattacks also rose in our country before the election.

(Bild: APA/picturedesk.com/Barbara Gindl)

In Romania, Russia apparently intervened massively in the presidential election campaign. "There were also more than 100 attacks in Austria before the national elections," warns a cyber professional.

The radical right-wing winner of Romania's presidential election, Călin Georgescu, had rejoiced too soon. Last Friday, the constitutional court of the EU member state ruled that the presidential election must be repeated. The reason was revelations by the Romanian domestic intelligence service.

Social media manipulated
The country had become the target of what was described as an "aggressive Russian hybrid attack". Specifically, accounts were coordinated on a large scale via the TikTok platform in the run-up to the election, recommendation algorithms were manipulated and advertising for the candidate was massively promoted.

The result is well known: The pro-Russian candidate Georgescu won with 23 percent, although the supposed outsider had previously only been predicted to achieve single-digit results.

Domestic elections got off lightly
One person who is not surprised by the events in Romania is "Krone" cyber expert Cornelius Granig. After the Austrian national elections in the fall, he spoke to Romania's national cyber intelligence director. He too had already warned of imminent Russian attacks. In the recent past, Romania, as well as Austria, has frequently been the target of the hacker group "NoName", which - as reported - repeatedly attempts to paralyze the operating systems of Austrian authorities and companies.

The Russians' aim is to call our electoral system into question and to seriously unsettle the population with disinformation and cyberattacks.

„Krone“-Cyberexperte Dr. Cornelius Granig zu Angriffen auf Wahlen

Bild: OTS/Manfred Weis

Austrian institutions as a target
"We got off relatively lightly," says Granig, pointing out how Russian disinformation campaigns and hacker attacks could also have had an impact on our elections. The fact is that there were more than 100 attacks on Austrian institutions, companies and parties between June and the National Council elections on September 29. The aim of the Russians was to weaken democracy.

"They didn't succeed here, but in Romania the election of a candidate digitally conjured up by the Russians was prevented at the last moment," says the cyber expert with relief. But now it is up to the media to come clean with the population. Regardless of the outcome of the election rerun - a stale aftertaste remains.