Jakarta. As Indonesia prepares for its general election on Feb. 14, concerns about cybersecurity threats, such as the use of artificial intelligence to spread disinformation, loom large. Michael Sentonas, the President of the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, advises Indonesia to prioritize cybersecurity measures, encompassing the adoption of modern solutions, utilization of threat intelligence, and implementation of threat-hunting practices.

This year, there will be more than 40 democratic elections around the globe including Indonesia. Sentonas underscores the cybersecurity challenges faced by Indonesia, encompassing disinformation attempting to shift perception, subvert voting preferences, and destabilize democracy is a significant concern.

"Recent developments in AI puts a tremendously powerful tool in the hands of the average person and sophisticated adversary alike. AI is being used to create very realistic images and videos (deepfake) to spread disinformation," Sentonas told the Jakarta Globe on Monday. 

Sentonas said AI, like other technologies, can be used in positive and negative ways. For example, it allows for efficiency and automation in sharing information during the election cycle, but there are more sinister examples of AI used to create deepfakes and spread disinformation. 

A couple of recent examples include China-nexus actors accused of leveraging AI to manipulate the video content of Taiwan’s presidential candidates two days before the election. Also, ahead of the New Hampshire primary in January 2024, potential voters received deepfake robocalls with a voice spoofing United States President Biden. In October, a video circulated featuring President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo delivering a manipulated speech using deepfake AI technology. In the video, Jokowi spoke fluently in Mandarin.

"The technology and tools are becoming much more widely available, so it just needs someone motivated to initiate something. When we think about deepfakes, they will be much more visible and credible in 2024 and this will change the election landscape," he said.

Politics can be very emotive and when people see content that plays on those emotions it starts to eradicate doubt. CrowdStrike provides tips for identifying hoaxes. First, rely only on trusted sources and verify the authenticity of the information. Second, understand the potential motives behind the content to evaluate its credibility. Finally, cross-verifying information through multiple trusted sources is recommended to ensure accuracy and reliability.

To effectively counter the spread of disinformation and misinformation during emotionally charged events such as elections, Sentonas said Indonesia can draw insights from the United States, where governmental entities are vigilant about election interference. 

"The US has dedicated attention and resources to election security matters, particularly in the lead-up to the 2024 elections. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are expected to launch programs and initiatives providing threat briefings and cybersecurity resources to election infrastructure operators," he said.

According to Sentonas, Indonesia should prioritize cybersecurity measures, including modern solutions, threat intelligence, and threat hunting. Collaboration among organizations involved in elections, law enforcement, and continuous cybersecurity education is essential to build readiness.

"Organizations, particularly those involved in the election ecosystem, should prioritize cybersecurity measures such as conducting employee awareness training on security risks, implementing modern endpoint solutions like next-generation anti-virus software, utilizing anti-spam filters for enhanced email security, keeping software and solutions up to date through regular patching, and implementing multi-factor authentication for enhanced security," he said.

Crowdstrike has partnered with the United States' Center for Internet Security (CIS) to provide security services to targeted entities. Crowdstrike also partnered with private entities such as Amazon Web Services, Google, and IBM.