Microsoft shut down six websites created by the Russian government-linked hacking group Fancy Bear. The group’s latest thwarted attempt to meddle in U.S. elections involved two websites which targeted conservative think tanks the Hudson Institute and the International Republican Institute. Microsofts president and chief legal officer Brad Smith wrote, We have now used this approach 12 times in two years to shut down 84 fake websites associated with this group Microsoft is expanding its Defending Democracy Program with a new initiative called Microsoft AccountGuard.”]