In the grand, chaotic spectacle of global politics, election meddling has become the hit show that no one asked for but everyone is watching. Imagine it: a world where manipulating an election is as easy as hacking your friend's Netflix account (not that I'm suggesting you should). Gone are the days when meddling in foreign elections required the subtle art of bribery, backroom deals, or -- if you were particularly ambitious -- staging a coup. No, in this glorious cyber age, all you need is a Wi-Fi connection, a basement, and a healthy disregard for international law.

Let’s start with a bit of history. Meddling in elections isn’t new; it’s practically a geopolitical tradition, as old as the phrase "I didn’t do it, but if I did, I had a good reason." Take the United States' involvement in the 2015 Israeli elections. A Senate probe found that under former President Barack Obama, U.S. funds were used to support a campaign aimed at unseating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Just a bit of digital democracy promotion, right? Fast forward a bit, and we have the 2016 U.S. elections, where the all the headlines noted Russia’s mix of fake news, social media manipulation to the tune of about 100k worth of ad buys, and email hacking to marginally, if at all, affect results. 

More recently, in the plot twist of all plot twists, the U.S. concluded that Iran had tried its hand at hacking into the emails of key figures in the Trump-Biden-Harris trifecta. The goal here? To create chaos, sow discord, and watch from afar as their enemies turn on each other in a frenzy of conspiracy theories and mistrust. It’s the geopolitical equivalent of tossing a stink bomb into a crowded room and locking the door -- except this room is the global political arena, and the bomb is digital disinformation.

Now, you might wonder why countries bother to interfere in elections halfway around the world. The reasons are as varied as the methods. For some, it’s about power and influence: control the narrative, and you can control the world. It’s no longer about who has the biggest army but rather who has the best hackers. Others have strategic interests; supporting a candidate or party that aligns with your nation’s goals could mean favorable trade deals, military alliances, or just a less hostile international atmosphere.

Then there's the tactic of disruption and destabilization -- why go to war when you can just make your enemies fight each other? It’s cheaper, easier, and honestly, far more entertaining. And let’s not forget revenge. Sometimes, meddling is personal, a tit-for-tat game with the stakes being nothing less than global stability.

The cyber age has made all this meddling not only possible but practically irresistible. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, election hacking has become the weapon of choice for those looking to meddle in foreign affairs. Why? Because it’s anonymous, cost-effective, and, best of all, it has global reach. You can launch an attack from anywhere, and attribution is notoriously difficult. It’s the ultimate “Wasn’t me!” defense.

I mean, why send troops or launch missiles when a few well-placed phishing emails and some manipulated social media campaigns can do the trick? But let's not get too comfortable with this digital dystopia. The dangers are real and growing. When every election could potentially be tampered with, and according to Microsoft this election cycle already has been, confidence in democratic processes starts to crumble. Trust in institutions erodes, and who needs democracy when you can have autocracy-lite? By manipulating social media, foreign entities can turn people against each other faster than you can say “fake news.”

Hacking campaigns often involve breaching private communications, and today, it might be a politician’s emails; tomorrow, it could be a smishing attack on your cellphone. Let’s not even get started on the broader national security implications -- cyber meddling is often just the precursor to larger, more sinister plots. It’s not merely about influencing voters but about gathering intelligence, weakening defenses, and preparing for whatever comes next.

So, what can be done to prevent this new-age meddling? Spoiler alert: it’s not as easy as just unplugging the internet, though I’m sure some of you are tempted. Governments need to prioritize cybersecurity as if it were a matter of national security -- because it is. Especially as Iranian infostealers like AnvilEcho are being distributed on Windows computers via DLL side-loading through malware like UULoader. It's time to stop treating these matters like they are simply an IT problem and more like a core pillar of national defense.

An informed citizenry is harder to manipulate, so media literacy programs and fact-checking initiatives are more critical than ever. International cooperation is also vital; cyberthreats are a global problem that requires a coordinated global response. And, of course, updating our laws to address these modern threats is essential to holding perpetrators accountable, whether they're state actors or a bunch of bored teenagers with a grudge.

For Americans, the issue of election meddling should be more than just a passing news story -- it’s a wake-up call. The recent revelation that Kamala Harris’s campaign is using Google ads to mimic news publishers is a subtle reminder that the line between information and manipulation is becoming increasingly blurred. The tactics used to sway opinions and alter perceptions are evolving and becoming harder to detect. Today it’s Google ads; tomorrow, it could be unregulated AI-generated deepfakes of candidates doing unspeakable things (or maybe just slightly embarrassing things, which might actually be worse).

In the end, if you’re not paying attention, you’re part of the problem. The age of digital democracy is upon us, and it's here to stay. It’s time we keep our eyes open, our passwords strong, and our skepticism at an all-time high. After all, the future of democracy might just depend on it.

Julio Rivera is a business and political strategist, cybersecurity researcher, founder of ItFunk.Org, and a political commentator and columnist. His writing, which is focused on cybersecurity and politics, is regularly published by many of the largest news organizations in the world.

Image: Pixabay