Microsoft manager warns of influence attacks ahead of US election

WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) – The tech industry is issuing a stark warning about foreign attempts to influence the country just before the US presidential election in November. “I think the most dangerous moment will come 48 hours before the vote,” said Microsoft manager Brad Smith in a hearing in the US Senate on Wednesday. This is the lesson learned from Russian actions before the parliamentary elections in Slovakia last fall and in other countries.

There are “real and serious risks,” Smith stressed. It is a race for the White House between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. “But it is also an election campaign of Iran against Trump and Russia against Harris,” he said. In addition, Iran, Russia and China are united in their efforts to “discredit democracy in the eyes of our voters,” warned the Microsoft manager. The presidential election is on November 5.