CSA Advises Public To Look Out For Cyber Threats During Election Season

Fraudsters may set up fake social media accounts and political party websites, and send phishing e-mails to solicit donations to defraud Singaporeans ahead of Polling Day on May 3, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) warned.

- Aqil Hamzah

In an advisory issued on April 15 cautioning Singaporeans against these threats, the CSA said: "Through impersonation, threat actors can spread false or misleading information to manipulate voter behaviour or influence opinions."

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to craft highly personalised and convincing phishing e-mails, messages or voice clones, CSA said, noting how campaigning activities are increasingly being conducted online.

Phishing is a type of threat where cyber criminals impersonate trustworthy entities to trick people into giving up sensitive information or carrying out malicious activities.

AI can also be used to analyse a person's background for fraudsters to develop targeted scam tactics that align with the person's political ideology, said CSA.

This, in turn, could lead the victim to make financial transactions at the scammer's behest.