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A short glossary of key words and acronyms used in the disinformation analysis, articles and reports cited on this site. The definitions are taken from 1st EEAS Report on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference Threats, EEAS - Feb 2023.

D

Disinformation

refers to false or misleading information that is deliberately spread for economic gain or to deceive the public. Disinformation can cause harm to democratic political processes, as well as public...

Disinformation Analysis and Risk Management

An open-source framework designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) and disinformation. The framework outlines best practices for...

Doppelgänger domain

In the context of disinformation strategies, a doppelganger domain refers to a specific tactic employed to spread misleading or false information online. In this case, a doppelganger...

F

Fake news

Fake news is false or misleading information presented as news. It's important to know that “the HLEG (European Commission’s High level Group on fake news and online disinformation) ...

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI)

A pattern of behavior characterized by manipulation and deliberate actions aimed at negatively impacting values, procedures, and political processes. Such activities are often not illegal and can...

I

Incidents

In the context of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), incidents refer to actions carried out by one or more threat actors with the intention of deceiving, and pursuing...

Information Sharing and Analysis Centres (ISACs)

Organizations tasked with promoting the sharing of information and best practices regarding threats and their mitigation. In the context of a Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (...

K

Kill Chain

A model that breaks down the various stages of an attack carried out by a malicious actor. The purpose of the Kill Chain model is to help analysts predict, recognize, disrupt or prevent the attack...

M

Misinformation

refers to false or inaccurate information that is spread unintentionally, without the intention of causing harm. Despite the absence of harmful intent, the effects of misinformation can still be...

O

Observables

In the context of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), observables are concrete elements that provide insight into the nature and course of an incident. These elements can...

S

Strategic Compass

refers to a plan of action adopted by the Council in March 2022 with the aim of enhancing the European Union's (EU) security and defense policy by 2030. The goal of the Strategic Compass is to...

Structured Threat Information Expression (STIX™)

A data format used for encoding and exchanging cyber threat intelligence (CTI). The STIX format can also be utilized to share information about Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (...

T

TTP(s) (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures)

In the context of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), TTPs refer to the patterns of behavior used by threat actors to manipulate the information environment in order to...

Typosquatting

Typosquatting refers to a malicious practice where someone registers domain names that closely resemble popular or legitimate websites, but contain slight typographical errors. The goal of...