COVID-19 disinfo post Signed-off-by: Anirudh Oppiliappan <x@icyphox.sh>
Anirudh Oppiliappan x@icyphox.sh
Sun, 15 Mar 2020 11:18:32 +0530
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@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ # latest posts ([see all](/blog))
| | | | :-- | --: | +| [COVID-19 disinformation](/blog/covid19-disinfo) | 2020-03-15 | | [Nullcon 2020](/blog/nullcon-2020) | 2020-03-09 | | [Setting up Prosody for XMPP](/blog/prosody) | 2020-02-18 | | [Status update](/blog/2020-01-18) | 2020-01-18 | | [Vimb: my Firefox replacement](/blog/mnml-browsing) | 2020-01-16 | -| [Five days in a TTY](/blog/five-days-tty) | 2020-01-13 |
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@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ ## Computers, security & computer security.
| | | | :-- | --: | +| [COVID-19 disinformation](/blog/covid19-disinfo) | 2020-03-15 | | [Nullcon 2020](/blog/nullcon-2020) | 2020-03-09 | | [Setting up Prosody for XMPP](/blog/prosody) | 2020-02-18 | | [Status update](/blog/2020-01-18) | 2020-01-18 |
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+--- +template: +url: covid19-disinfo +title: COVID-19 disinformation +subtitle: A lot of actors cashing in on the epidemic +date: 2020-03-15 +--- + +The virus spreads around the world, along with a bunch of disinformation +and potential malware / phishing campaigns. There are many actors, +pushing many narratives---some similar, some different. + +Interestingly, the three big players in the information warfare +space---Russia, Iran and China seem to be running similar stories on +their state-backed media outlets. While they all tend to lean towards +the same, fairly anti-U.S. sentiments---that is, blaming the US for +weaponizing the crisis for political gain---Iran and Russia's content +come off as more...conspiratorial. +In essence, they claim that the COVID-19 virus is a "bioweapon" +developed by the U.S. + +Russian news agency +[RT tweeted](https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1233187558793924608): + +> Show of hands, who isn't going to be surprised if it ever gets +> revealed that #coronavirus is a bioweapon? + +RT also published +[an article](https://www.rt.com/usa/481485-coronavirus-russia-state-department/) +mocking the U.S. for concerns over Russian disinformation. +Another article by RT, +[an op-ed](https://www.rt.com/op-ed/481831-coronavirus-kill-bill-capitalism-communism/) +suggests the virus' impact on financial markets might bring about the +reinvention of communism and the end of the global capitalist system. +Russian state-sponsored media can also be seen amplifying Iranian +conspiracy theories---including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' +(IRGC) suggestion that COVID-19 +[is a U.S. bioweapon](https://www.rt.com/news/482405-iran-coronavirus-us-biological-weapon/). + +Iranian media outlets appear to be running stories having similar +themese, as well. Here's one +[by PressTV](https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/03/05/620217/US-coronavirus-James-Henry-Fetzer), +where they very boldly claim that the virus was developed by +the U.S. and/or Isreal, to use as a bioweapon against Iran. Another +[nonsensical piece](https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/03/05/620213/Coronavirus-was-produced-in-a-laboratory) +by PressTV suggests that +"there are components of the virus that are related to HIV that could not have occurred naturally". +The same article pushes another theory: + +> There has been some speculation that as the Trump Administration has +> been constantly raising the issue of growing Chinese global +> competitiveness as a direct threat to American national security and +> economic dominance, it might be possible that Washington has created +> and unleashed the virus in a bid to bring Beijing’s growing economy +> and military might down a few notches. It is, to be sure, hard to +> believe that even the Trump White House would do something so +> reckless, but there are precedents for that type of behavior + +These "theories", as is evident, are getting wilder and wilder. + +Unsurprisingly, China produces the most amount of content related to the +coronavirus, but they're quite distinct in comparison to Russian and +Iranian media. The general theme behind Chinese narratives is +critisizing the West for...a lot of things. + +Global Times claims that +[democracy is an insufficient system](http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1178494.shtml) +to battle the coronavirus. They [blame the U.S.](http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1178494.shtml) +for unfair media coverage against China, and other [anti-China +narratives](http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1180630.shtml). +There are a ton other articles that play the racism/discrimination +card---I wouldn't blame them though. [Here's one](http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1178465.shtml). + +In the case of India, most disinfo (actually, misinfo) is mostly just +pseudoscientific / alternative medicine / cures in the form of WhatsApp +forwards---"Eat foo! Eat bar!".[^cowpiss] + +[^cowpiss]: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-group-hosts-cow-urine-party-says-covid-19-due-to-meat-eaters/article31070516.ece + +I've also been noticing a _ton_ of COVID-19 / coronavirus related domain +registrations happening. Expect phishing and malware campaigns using the +virus as a theme. In the past 24 hrs, ~450 `.com` domains alone were +registered. + + + +Anywho, there are bigger problems at hand---like the fact that my uni +still hasn't suspended classes!
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</image> <language>en-us</language> <copyright>Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0</copyright> - <item><title>Nullcon 2020</title><description><![CDATA[<p><strong>Disclaimer</strong>: Political.</p> + <item><title>COVID-19 disinformation</title><description><![CDATA[<p>The virus spreads around the world, along with a bunch of disinformation +and potential malware / phishing campaigns. There are many actors, +pushing many narratives—some similar, some different. </p> + +<p>Interestingly, the three big players in the information warfare +space—Russia, Iran and China seem to be running similar stories on +their state-backed media outlets. While they all tend to lean towards +the same, fairly anti-U.S. sentiments—that is, blaming the US for +weaponizing the crisis for political gain—Iran and Russia’s content +come off as more…conspiratorial. +In essence, they claim that the COVID-19 virus is a “bioweapon” +developed by the U.S.</p> + +<p>Russian news agency +<a href="https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1233187558793924608">RT tweeted</a>:</p> + +<blockquote> + <p>Show of hands, who isn’t going to be surprised if it ever gets + revealed that #coronavirus is a bioweapon?</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>RT also published +<a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/481485-coronavirus-russia-state-department/">an article</a> +mocking the U.S. for concerns over Russian disinformation. +Another article by RT, +<a href="https://www.rt.com/op-ed/481831-coronavirus-kill-bill-capitalism-communism/">an op-ed</a> +suggests the virus’ impact on financial markets might bring about the +reinvention of communism and the end of the global capitalist system. +Russian state-sponsored media can also be seen amplifying Iranian +conspiracy theories—including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ +(IRGC) suggestion that COVID-19 +<a href="https://www.rt.com/news/482405-iran-coronavirus-us-biological-weapon/">is a U.S. bioweapon</a>.</p> + +<p>Iranian media outlets appear to be running stories having similar +themese, as well. Here’s one +<a href="https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/03/05/620217/US-coronavirus-James-Henry-Fetzer">by PressTV</a>, +where they very boldly claim that the virus was developed by +the U.S. and/or Isreal, to use as a bioweapon against Iran. Another +<a href="https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/03/05/620213/Coronavirus-was-produced-in-a-laboratory">nonsensical piece</a> +by PressTV suggests that +“there are components of the virus that are related to HIV that could not have occurred naturally”. +The same article pushes another theory:</p> + +<blockquote> + <p>There has been some speculation that as the Trump Administration has + been constantly raising the issue of growing Chinese global + competitiveness as a direct threat to American national security and + economic dominance, it might be possible that Washington has created + and unleashed the virus in a bid to bring Beijing’s growing economy + and military might down a few notches. It is, to be sure, hard to + believe that even the Trump White House would do something so + reckless, but there are precedents for that type of behavior</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>These “theories”, as is evident, are getting wilder and wilder.</p> + +<p>Unsurprisingly, China produces the most amount of content related to the +coronavirus, but they’re quite distinct in comparison to Russian and +Iranian media. The general theme behind Chinese narratives is +critisizing the West for…a lot of things.</p> + +<p>Global Times claims that +<a href="http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1178494.shtml">democracy is an insufficient system</a> +to battle the coronavirus. They <a href="http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1178494.shtml">blame the U.S.</a> +for unfair media coverage against China, and other <a href="http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1180630.shtml">anti-China +narratives</a>. +There are a ton other articles that play the racism/discrimination +card—I wouldn’t blame them though. <a href="http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1178465.shtml">Here’s one</a>.</p> + +<p>In the case of India, most disinfo (actually, misinfo) is mostly just +pseudoscientific / alternative medicine / cures in the form of WhatsApp +forwards—"Eat foo! Eat bar!”.<sup class="footnote-ref" id="fnref-cowpiss"><a href="#fn-cowpiss">1</a></sup></p> + +<p>I’ve also been noticing a <em>ton</em> of COVID-19 / coronavirus related domain +registrations happening. Expect phishing and malware campaigns using the +virus as a theme. In the past 24 hrs, ~450 <code>.com</code> domains alone were +registered.</p> + +<p><img src="/static/img/corona_domains.png" alt="corona domains" /></p> + +<p>Anywho, there are bigger problems at hand—like the fact that my uni +still hasn’t suspended classes!</p> + +<div class="footnotes"> +<hr /> +<ol> +<li id="fn-cowpiss"> +<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-group-hosts-cow-urine-party-says-covid-19-due-to-meat-eaters/article31070516.ece">https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-group-hosts-cow-urine-party-says-covid-19-due-to-meat-eaters/article31070516.ece</a> <a href="#fnref-cowpiss" class="footnoteBackLink" title="Jump back to footnote 1 in the text.">↩</a></p> +</li> +</ol> +</div> +]]></description><link>https://icyphox.sh/blog/covid19-disinfo</link><pubDate>Sun, 15 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate><guid>https://icyphox.sh/blog/covid19-disinfo</guid></item><item><title>Nullcon 2020</title><description><: + +> Show of hands, who isn't going to be surprised if it ever gets +> revealed that \#coronavirus is a bioweapon? + +RT also published [an +article](https://www.rt.com/usa/481485-coronavirus-russia-state-department/) +mocking the U.S. for concerns over Russian disinformation. Another +article by RT, [an +op-ed](https://www.rt.com/op-ed/481831-coronavirus-kill-bill-capitalism-communism/) +suggests the virus' impact on financial markets might bring about the +reinvention of communism and the end of the global capitalist system. +Russian state-sponsored media can also be seen amplifying Iranian +conspiracy theories---including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' +(IRGC) suggestion that COVID-19 [is a U.S. +bioweapon](https://www.rt.com/news/482405-iran-coronavirus-us-biological-weapon/). + +Iranian media outlets appear to be running stories having similar +themese, as well. Here's one [by +PressTV](https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/03/05/620217/US-coronavirus-James-Henry-Fetzer), +where they very boldly claim that the virus was developed by the U.S. +and/or Isreal, to use as a bioweapon against Iran. Another [nonsensical +piece](https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/03/05/620213/Coronavirus-was-produced-in-a-laboratory) +by PressTV suggests that "there are components of the virus that are +related to HIV that could not have occurred naturally". The same article +pushes another theory: + +> There has been some speculation that as the Trump Administration has +> been constantly raising the issue of growing Chinese global +> competitiveness as a direct threat to American national security and +> economic dominance, it might be possible that Washington has created +> and unleashed the virus in a bid to bring Beijing's growing economy +> and military might down a few notches. It is, to be sure, hard to +> believe that even the Trump White House would do something so +> reckless, but there are precedents for that type of behavior + +These "theories", as is evident, are getting wilder and wilder. + +Unsurprisingly, China produces the most amount of content related to the +coronavirus, but they're quite distinct in comparison to Russian and +Iranian media. The general theme behind Chinese narratives is +critisizing the West for...a lot of things. + +Global Times claims that [democracy is an insufficient +system](http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1178494.shtml) to battle the +coronavirus. They [blame the +U.S.](http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1178494.shtml) for unfair media +coverage against China, and other [anti-China +narratives](http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1180630.shtml). There are +a ton other articles that play the racism/discrimination card---I +wouldn't blame them though. [Here's +one](http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1178465.shtml). + +In the case of India, most disinfo (actually, misinfo) is mostly just +pseudoscientific / alternative medicine / cures in the form of WhatsApp +forwards---"Eat foo! Eat bar!".[^1] + +I've also been noticing a *ton* of COVID-19 / coronavirus related domain +registrations happening. Expect phishing and malware campaigns using the +virus as a theme. In the past 24 hrs, \~450 `.com` domains alone were +registered. + + + +Anywho, there are bigger problems at hand---like the fact that my uni +still hasn't suspended classes! + +[^1]: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-group-hosts-cow-urine-party-says-covid-19-due-to-meat-eaters/article31070516.ece