Israeli Firm BlackCore Suspected of Global Election Interference

France's disinformation detection service, Viginum, has identified the Israeli firm BlackCore as a primary suspect in a series of global digital interference operations. These operations allegedly targeted elections in France, New York City, and Scotland, as well as political environments in Angola and Togo.

Global Scope of BlackCore's Alleged Interference

BlackCore is suspected of utilizing a consistent modus operandi to conduct foreign digital interference across multiple continents. According to Marc-Antoine Brillant, chief of Viginum, the firm's activities were not limited to a single region but spanned several high-profile political contests:

  • France: BlackCore is suspected of orchestrating an online smear campaign against three mayoral candidates from the hard-left, pro-Palestine France Unbowed party (LFI) during local elections in March.
  • New York City: Viginum flagged interference during the 2025 municipal election, which was won by Zohran Mamdani, a candidate known for his outspoken support for the Palestinian cause.
  • Scotland: The service detected BlackCore-linked accounts targeting John Swinney, the First Minister of Scotland, who has described the situation in Gaza as a "man-made humanitarian catastrophe."
  • Africa: Operations were also flagged in Angola and Togo.

Technical Tactics and Company Profile

Evidence from the Scottish National Party (SNP) suggests the use of AI-generated bot networks to manipulate public perception. Ross Colquhoun, the SNP's head of digital, reported that social media platforms faced an "unprecedented level of negative reactions and comments from accounts which appeared to be AI-generated bots" during the May elections.

Before removing its online presence following media inquiries, BlackCore marketed itself as an "elite influence, cyber, and technology company built for the modern era of information warfare." The firm claimed to provide governments and political campaigns with "cutting-edge strategies, advanced tools, and robust security to shape narratives."

Diplomatic and Official Responses

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has formally requested explanations from the Israeli government and asked for assistance in identifying the sponsors who commissioned BlackCore's activities. While Viginum has linked the technical work to BlackCore, it has not yet been able to identify the specific individuals or entities that paid for the interference.

In response, the Israeli embassy in Paris stated:

"Israel has of course no intention to interfere in the French political process, be it at the national or municipal level."

Israel has indicated it is waiting for detailed findings from the French probe to conduct its own investigation.

Industry Context and Counterpoints

Discussion surrounding the BlackCore allegations highlights a broader trend of "influence-for-hire" firms. While some observers point to a disproportionate number of Israeli firms specializing in subversion and malware—often attributed to expertise gained through military service in the IDF—others argue that such tactics are common globally.

Examples of similar coordinated inauthentic behavior (CIB) include:

  • U.S.-linked firms: Meta has previously removed accounts tied to firms like CLS Strategies (targeting Latin America) and Rally Forge (domestic U.S. operations).
  • French-linked firms: Avisa Partners/iStrat has faced accusations of manipulating Wikipedia and using fake profiles for business elites.
  • Military operations: Meta and Graphika have previously identified covert influence operations linked to both the U.S. and French militaries targeting audiences in Africa and Central Asia.

Critics of the BlackCore report argue that the evidence provided is currently light on technical detail and that the impact of such campaigns on election outcomes remains unproven, noting that targeted candidates, such as Zohran Mamdani, still won their respective races.

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