The General Prosecutor of Romania, Alex Florenţa, stated on Tuesday that Romania has been the preferred target of extensive hybrid campaigns in the context of the 2024 elections.
He added that these campaigns have manifested through cyber attacks, measures to destabilize public order, as well as through micro-targeted campaigns towards the population, disinformation, and influencing the electorate.
Alex Florenţa explained what hybrid warfare is and made a comparison with traditional warfare.
"Hybrid warfare, compared to traditional warfare, which is much more evident, transparent, in terms of the material results it produces, is much more insidious, but with broader results in influencing the way of conducting the socio-economic life of a state.
Because it involves the parallel use, together or separately, but clearly coordinated, of various types of instruments targeting a state, whether we are talking about different economic, administrative instruments, cyber attacks, secret actions destabilizing the public order of that state, political subversion, and, of course, disinformation and propaganda," explained Alex Florenţa.
He also conveyed that cyber attacks are not random or isolated events, but part of a hybrid attack with links to Russia.
"Regarding cyber attacks, we must understand that news such as those that have been circulated in the public space, regarding attacks on Romanian airports a few years ago, on an entire surveillance camera system, especially in the border area with Ukraine, or the attacks during the year 2024 against many public institutions and government agencies in Romania are not random events, not isolated events, but once again are part of a coordinated widespread hybrid attack with certain actors currently behind all these actions having clear links to Russia, especially known hacker groups," further transmitted Alex Florenţa.
He added that the reports transmitted weekly by the National Cyber Security Directorate on its website highlight precisely the frequency, amplitude, and especially the way these attacks unfold.
Russian cyber attacks intensified in 2024
Alex Florenţa recalls that Russian cyber attacks intensified against Romanian institutions and companies in 2024.
"The most dangerous attacks, especially ransomware attacks, have been entirely associated with pro-Russian groups, such as Lockbit, Lynx, Akira, or Ransom Hub, and have been noted for their particularly intense activity during the past year. These attacks targeted more than 13 institutions in public administration, 12 national interest transportation companies, 17 banking institutions, and so on.
Moreover, with specific reference to the electoral process conducted last year, we must consider that more than 85,000 cyber attacks were launched on the electoral infrastructure aiming to obtain and exfiltrate credentials, especially from the Central Electoral Authority and the Central Electoral Bureau, around that period, many of which were subsequently disseminated in Telegram groups within the Russian infrastructure," stated the General Prosecutor.
Aggressive promotion on TikTok by Călin Georgescu
The General Prosecutor also mentioned that ahead of the elections, there was "an inflation" of messages online created with artificial intelligence, generating a general state of tension within Romanian society.
The General Prosecutor warns that there was an aggressive promotion on TikTok by Călin Georgescu, through a network of accounts created three years ago.
"There was a virulent intensification of promotion on TikTok through a network of over 20,000 bots created between 2022 - 2023 and activated a day before the vote. The accounts were created with email addresses registered in Russia.
Even TikTok company conducted a comprehensive analysis, and according to a public report that can be accessed, two networks operating in Romania were identified. The result of the campaign was an artificial promotion of content in support of the independent candidate," specified Alex Florența.
Asked about the beneficiary of the campaign, the General Prosecutor confirmed that Georgescu was the main beneficiary: "His connections to this network are pieces of evidence that I cannot disclose."
Intensification of inciting messages to hatred and violence
He also explained that in November 2024, within extremist communities, there was an intensification of inciting messages to hatred and violence.
"We must consider the fact that, starting in November 2024, within extremist communities, there was an intensification of narratives and inciting messages to hatred and violence, associated with the campaign promoting an independent candidate, creating a climate of panic within society.
This increase in the volume of instigating content to violent actions was initiated since the first round of elections, but the evolution occurred systematically through the promotion of elements of content inciting hatred, generated through artificial intelligence," further transmitted the General Prosecutor.
He specified that this narrative corresponds to the pattern in which the Russian Federation operates.
"This type of narratives and the way the online content is produced correspond to the operational pattern of the Russian Federation, being also reported in other states, such as Moldova or Georgia. Additionally, pro-Russian propaganda channels were used, as we will see the promotion of these content elements," explained Alex Florenţa.
Last week, President Nicuşor Dan stated that Romania has been under Russia's hybrid attack for 10 years.
"Yes, that is my assessment. At some point, we will provide an overall picture, not very far from that moment, and where we will present elements. There has been a gradual increase, on one hand of cyber attacks on infrastructures, on the other hand of propaganda tools that slowly, slowly progressed and influenced areas of society," said the head of state.