Fake Tom Cruise warns of violence at Paris Olympics in pro-Russian info op | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The influence campaign includes a phony Netflix documentary and seeks to undermine France and the International Olympic Committee.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/russia-tom-cruise-ai-paris-olympics\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Fake Tom Cruise warns of violence at Paris Olympics in pro-Russian info op\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The influence campaign includes a phony Netflix documentary and seeks to undermine France and the International Olympic Committee.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/russia-tom-cruise-ai-paris-olympics\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-06-03T04:00:00+00:00\"> 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class=\"post-template-default single single-post postid-80630 single-format-standard\" id=\"readabilityBody\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/russia-tom-cruise-ai-paris-olympics\/#main\" class=\"skip-to-content-link visually-hidden-focusable\">Skip to main content<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.03937007874\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"30.159836065574\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/news\/geopolitics\/\"> <span>Geopolitics<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> The influence campaign includes a phony Netflix documentary and seeks to undermine France and the International Olympic Committee. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"363\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op.png?resize=640%2C363&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op-1.png 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op-1.png?resize=300,170 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op-1.png?resize=768,436 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op-1.png?resize=1024,581 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op-1.png?resize=1536,872 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op-1.png?resize=600,341 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op-1.png?resize=296,168 296w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op-1.png?resize=594,337 594w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op-1.png?resize=1189,675 1189w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op-1.png?resize=1485,843 1485w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1189px) 100vw, 1189px\"><figcaption> A screenshot of a documentary featuring a fake Tom Cruise promoted as part of a Pro-Russian information operation. (Image via Microsoft) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"34.934622467772\"><body readability=\"72.890578413834\"><\/p>\n<p>Pro-Russian influence groups are fomenting fears of physical threats at the 2024 Paris Olympics, promoting possible terrorist attacks and violence stemming from the Israel-Gaza conflict, according to research from Microsoft published Monday.<\/p>\n<p>The online campaign \u2014 which also seeks to denigrate France, French President Emmanuel Macron and the International Olympics Committee (IOC) \u2014 blends traditional influence techniques with artificial intelligence, complete with a fake Netflix documentary featuring a fugazi Tom Cruise voiceover.<\/p>\n<p>It dovetails with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/olympics\/story\/_\/id\/40092599\/paris-olympic-organizers-gearing-cybersecurity-threats\">warnings from France<\/a> that the Olympic Games face an \u201cunprecedented level of threat\u201d this year in cyberspace and decades of Russian cyber aggression against the Olympics amid conflict with the IOC.<\/p>\n<p>And the network of Russians seeking to deter potential spectators might just be getting started, Microsoft\u2019s Threat Analysis Center said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThese campaigns may forewarn coming online threats to this summer\u2019s international competition,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/aka.ms\/OlympicsReport-June2024\">the report said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Microsoft first identified traces of the campaign in 2023, when a group the company dubbed Storm-1679 released a video on Telegram called \u201cOlympics Has Fallen,\u201d a play on the movie from 10 years earlier, \u201cOlympus Has Fallen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It portrays itself as a Netflix documentary with the AI-generated Cruise narration, accompanied by fake endorsements from Western news outlets.<\/p>\n<p>Another group, which Microsoft calls Storm-1099 but is commonly known as Doppelganger, also has since joined the campaign.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe most worrisome disinformation advanced by pro-Russian actors has sought to impersonate militant organizations and fabricate threats to the Games amidst the Israel Hamas conflict,\u201d Microsoft said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The prolific Doppelganger group recently made news for <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/russian-influence-op-keeps-trying-but-struggles-to-win-hearts-and-minds\/\">other influence efforts in Europe<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Russia has long had beef with the IOC. In December, the committee declared that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2023\/12\/09\/1218406353\/russian-belarus-athletes-ioc-2024-olympic-games\">Russian athletes could only participate<\/a> as \u201cIndividual Neutral Athletes,\u201d angering the Russian government. In 2020, the U.S. Justice Department <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/russian-hackers-notpetya-charges-gru\/\">filed charges<\/a> against six alleged Russian intelligence agents for cyberattacks that, among other things, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/six-russian-gru-officers-charged-connection-worldwide-deployment-destructive-malware-and\">sought to disrupt the 2018 Winter Olympics<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s happened thus far is likely only the beginning, Microsoft warned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPredominantly French-language activities will likely expand to English, German and other languages to maximize visibility and traction online and the use of Generative AI will also likely increase,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.microsoft.com\/on-the-issues\/?p=66260\">wrote Clint Watts<\/a>, general manager of the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center. \u201cWhile video has traditionally been a powerful tool for Russian IO campaigns and will remain so, we are likely to see a tactical shift towards online bots and automated social media accounts. These can offer the illusion of widespread support by quickly flooding social media channels and give the Russians a level of plausible deniability.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn the ground, Russian actors may look to exploit the focus on stringent security by creating the illusions of protests or real-world provocations, thus undermining confidence in the IOC and French security force,\u201d Watts continued. \u201cIn-person staging of events \u2014 whether real or orchestrated \u2014 near or around Olympic venues could be used to manipulate public perceptions and generate a sense of fear and uncertainty.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7.7216117216117\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Tim Starks\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-card__details\" readability=\"10.901098901099\">\n<h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Tim Starks<\/h4>\n<p> Tim Starks is senior reporter at CyberScoop. His previous stops include working at The Washington Post, POLITICO and Congressional Quarterly. An Evansville, Ind. native, he’s covered cybersecurity since 2003. Email Tim here: <a href=\"mailto:tim.starks@cyberscoop.com\">tim.starks@cyberscoop.com<\/a>. <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<section class=\"latest-podcasts\">\n<h2 class=\"latest-podcasts__title\"> Latest 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{"id":3846,"date":"2024-06-02T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-03T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=80630"},"modified":"2024-06-02T23:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-06-03T04:00:00","slug":"fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2024\/06\/02\/fake-tom-cruise-warns-of-violence-at-paris-olympics-in-pro-russian-info-op\/","title":{"rendered":"Fake Tom Cruise warns of violence at Paris Olympics in pro-Russian info op"},"content":{"rendered":"