France probes if shadowy Israeli firm BlackCore meddled in municipal elections

French authorities are scrutinizing the activities of a little-known Israeli firm, BlackCore, suspecting its involvement in a foreign interference campaign aimed at discrediting candidates from a hard-left party during the March municipal elections. This investigation, involving French intelligence agencies, seeks to uncover who commissioned the alleged smear campaign, which reportedly utilized deceptive online tactics, including fake websites and social media accounts, to spread allegations of criminal behavior.

“

an elite influence, cyber, and technology company built for the modern era of information warfare.

The nature of BlackCore itself remains elusive. Reuters' attempts to verify the company's base of operations or find it in Israeli corporate records were unsuccessful. BlackCore, which described itself as an "elite influence, cyber, and technology company" on its now-offline website and LinkedIn page, claimed to provide "cutting-edge strategies" for shaping narratives. The company did not respond to repeated attempts to contact them. This lack of transparency raises significant concerns about the methods and actors involved in modern information warfare.

“

cutting-edge strategies, advanced tools and robust security to shape narratives.

From the perspective of The Times of Israel, this situation highlights the complex and often opaque world of cybersecurity and influence operations. While the French investigation focuses on potential election meddling, the involvement of an Israeli firm, even one with unclear affiliations, inevitably draws attention. The article notes that Meta Platforms, Facebook's parent company, identified a network of accounts and pages linked to this disinformation campaign, stating the activity originated in Israel and primarily targeted France. This connection, however, does not necessarily implicate the Israeli state or mainstream Israeli tech industry, but rather points to the activities of specific, potentially clandestine, entities operating within the cybersecurity sphere.

“

network

The investigation is ongoing, with French prosecutors and Viginum, a government disinformation detection service, declining to comment. The situation underscores the growing challenge posed by sophisticated disinformation campaigns, often orchestrated by shadowy entities, that can operate across borders and exploit digital platforms to influence political outcomes. The French authorities' diligence in examining these potential threats is crucial for safeguarding democratic processes.

“

primarily targeted France.