A disinformation campaign is a coordinated effort to spread false or misleading information in order to influence beliefs, emotions, or behavior. In cyber security, it is treated as a threat because it can shape decisions without breaking into systems. Attackers may use fake accounts, copied messages, timed posts, or manipulated media to make a claim appear widespread and credible.
Disinformation matters because it can damage trust, disrupt operations, and force defenders to spend time and resources on verification and response. It often appears alongside influence operations, phishing, or other hybrid tactics, where the goal is to confuse users and pressure organizations rather than steal data directly. Defenses focus on attribution support, monitoring account behavior, preserving timestamps and metadata, and rapidly correcting false narratives before they spread further.