France Links Israeli Firm BlackCore to 4 Election Meddling Cases, Seeks Israel's Help
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Jun 11
France Links Israeli Firm BlackCore to 4 Election Meddling Cases, Seeks Israel's Help
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jun 11
Summary
Viginum said technical analysis tied Israeli firm BlackCore to suspected digital interference not only in France but also in elections in New York City, Scotland, Angola and Togo.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Paris has asked Israel for explanations and for help identifying whoever may have commissioned BlackCore, a point Viginum said its investigation has not resolved.
Viginum's report said BlackCore-linked accounts targeted Scottish First Minister John Swinney; Brillant did not specify who was targeted in New York's 2025 municipal election.
Israel's embassy in Paris said it was awaiting details from the French probe to conduct its own review, while BlackCore—an influence and cyber firm that scrubbed its online presence—did not respond to comment requests.
With states using private firms for plausible deniability, who can be held accountable for digital election interference?
Who is funding the global information warfare waged by private firms against democratically elected officials?
As private firms sell 'information warfare,' are democratic elections indefensible against a new breed of cyber mercenary?
BlackCore Exposed: France Accuses Israeli Firm of Global Election Interference Across Five Countries in 2026
Overview
In June 2026, France formally accused Israel's BlackCore of meddling in elections worldwide, following a probe sparked by growing concerns over French election security. Despite Viginum, France's digital interference watchdog, investigating these foreign operations, it could not definitively identify who sponsored them. Still, the French government directly named BlackCore, an Israeli company that had described itself as an elite influence and cyber firm focused on shaping narratives for governments and political campaigns. After the accusations, BlackCore quickly erased its online presence, highlighting the sophisticated and secretive nature of modern digital interference.