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| Russian Twitter political protests 'swamped by spam' | Russian Twitter political protests 'swamped by spam' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Hijacked PCs may have helped drown out online chat about Russian election protests, say security experts. | Hijacked PCs may have helped drown out online chat about Russian election protests, say security experts. |
| The computers were used to disrupt Twitter as Russians chatted about ongoing protests in Moscow's Triumphal Square, said security firm Trend Micro. | The computers were used to disrupt Twitter as Russians chatted about ongoing protests in Moscow's Triumphal Square, said security firm Trend Micro. |
| Analysis of the many pro-Kremlin messages posted to some discussions suggested they were sent by machines. | Analysis of the many pro-Kremlin messages posted to some discussions suggested they were sent by machines. |
| Russian activists said thousands of Twitter accounts were being used to drown out genuine dissent. | Russian activists said thousands of Twitter accounts were being used to drown out genuine dissent. |
| Fake chatter | Fake chatter |
| Maxim Goncharov, a senior researcher at security firm Trend Micro, said the attack on Twitter had all the hallmarks of being co-ordinated by a botnet. | Maxim Goncharov, a senior researcher at security firm Trend Micro, said the attack on Twitter had all the hallmarks of being co-ordinated by a botnet. |
| This is a network of PCs, usually running Windows, that have been infected by a virus putting them under the control of a cyber criminal. | This is a network of PCs, usually running Windows, that have been infected by a virus putting them under the control of a cyber criminal. |
| Mr Goncharov said the machines, or bots, in this network had targeted chatter about the protests in Moscow's Triumphal Square. | Mr Goncharov said the machines, or bots, in this network had targeted chatter about the protests in Moscow's Triumphal Square. |
| The protests followed accusations about irregularities during Russia's recent parliamentary elections. Results showed a significant dip in support for Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. | The protests followed accusations about irregularities during Russia's recent parliamentary elections. Results showed a significant dip in support for Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. |
| Some of the chatter on Twitter was organised around the topic name, or hashtag, of #triumphalnaya. | Some of the chatter on Twitter was organised around the topic name, or hashtag, of #triumphalnaya. |
| "These bots succeeded in blocking the actual message feed with that hashtag," he wrote. | "These bots succeeded in blocking the actual message feed with that hashtag," he wrote. |
| The rate at which pro-government messages were posted, about 10 per second, suggests they were being done automatically rather than by individuals, said Mr Goncharov. | The rate at which pro-government messages were posted, about 10 per second, suggests they were being done automatically rather than by individuals, said Mr Goncharov. |
| He posted a list of accounts being used to send the messages and suggested many could be compromised accounts. | He posted a list of accounts being used to send the messages and suggested many could be compromised accounts. |
| "Whether the attack was supported officially or not is not relevant," he wrote, "but we can now see how social media has become the battlefield of a new war for freedom of speech." | "Whether the attack was supported officially or not is not relevant," he wrote, "but we can now see how social media has become the battlefield of a new war for freedom of speech." |
| Security researcher Brian Krebs said activists inside Russia followed Mr Goncharov's work with analysis of their own. | Security researcher Brian Krebs said activists inside Russia followed Mr Goncharov's work with analysis of their own. |
| They discovered that thousands of Twitter accounts had been used aggressively to drown out chat based around hashtags used by protesters, he said. | They discovered that thousands of Twitter accounts had been used aggressively to drown out chat based around hashtags used by protesters, he said. |
| The pattern of activity in these accounts and the users they followed suggested many were created to "pollute the news stream for the protester hashtags", said Mr Krebs. | The pattern of activity in these accounts and the users they followed suggested many were created to "pollute the news stream for the protester hashtags", said Mr Krebs. |
| Social network | |
| The Russian government has also taken steps to tackle the protests by asking the VKontakte social network to block chatter among activists. | The Russian government has also taken steps to tackle the protests by asking the VKontakte social network to block chatter among activists. |
| VKontakte was contacted by Russia's Federal Security Service and was asked to shut down groups discussing violent protests. | VKontakte was contacted by Russia's Federal Security Service and was asked to shut down groups discussing violent protests. |
| The site said it would be unfair to block the groups but said it would block individual members who incited violence. | The site said it would be unfair to block the groups but said it would block individual members who incited violence. |
| Pavel Durov, founder of VKontakte, said the site was "100% apolitical" and did not support those in power or the opposition. | Pavel Durov, founder of VKontakte, said the site was "100% apolitical" and did not support those in power or the opposition. |