Multiple threats to election systems prompt US cybersecurity agency to boost cooperation with states
1 year, 1 month ago

Multiple threats to election systems prompt US cybersecurity agency to boost cooperation with states

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The nation’s cybersecurity agency on Thursday launched a program aimed at boosting election security in the states, shoring up support for local offices and hoping to provide reassurance to voters that this year’s presidential elections will be safe and accurate. Eric Goldstein, CISA’s executive assistant director for cybersecurity, described “a really difficult cybersecurity environment” that includes “extraordinary advances by nation-state adversaries China, Russia, Iran, North Korea.” CISA was formed in the aftermath of the 2016 election, when Russia sought to interfere with a multipronged effort that included accessing and releasing campaign emails and scanning state voter registration systems for vulnerabilities. The new team will be entirely focused on elections, which is critical because of the complexities surrounding voting that vary by jurisdiction, said CISA Senior Advisor Cait Conley, who leads the agency’s election security efforts. “Understanding the complexity of each state’s election operating environment and their security needs is critical to us being effective partners in helping them mitigate those needs and ensuring the infrastructure security and resilience,” Conley said. “The resiliency of our election system depends on this network of support.” Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, said she has already spoken with the new CISA election security adviser for her region and shared some of her needs.

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History of this topic

Top US Election Security Watchdog Forced to Stop Election Security Work
Trending News
55 years, 3 months ago

Top US Election Security Watchdog Forced to Stop Election Security Work

Wired  

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has frozen all of its election security work and is reviewing everything it has done to help state and local officials secure their elections for the past eight years, WIRED has learned. In a memo sent Friday to all CISA employees and obtained by WIRED, CISA’s acting director, Bridget Bean, said she was ordering …

US cyber agency CISA benches election security staffers amid Donald Trump's criticism
1 month, 3 weeks ago

US cyber agency CISA benches election security staffers amid Donald Trump's criticism

India Today  

Staffers at the nation’s cybersecurity agency whose job is to ensure the security of US elections have been placed on administrative leave, jeopardizing critical support provided to state and local election offices across the country. “They’re teaching them and helping them check their physical security and their cyber hygiene, and that’s been extremely popular.” Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, …

US cyber agency puts election security staffers who worked with the states on leave
1 month, 3 weeks ago

US cyber agency puts election security staffers who worked with the states on leave

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — Staffers at the nation’s cybersecurity agency whose job is to ensure the security of U.S. elections have been placed on administrative leave, jeopardizing critical support provided to state and local election offices across the country. “They’re teaching them and helping them check their physical security and their cyber hygiene, and that’s been extremely popular.” Michigan Secretary of State …

Combatting Persistent Election Interference Fears
4 months, 4 weeks ago

Combatting Persistent Election Interference Fears

Bloomberg  

00:00 We rely and go to your sister in cyber readiness expertise here because we understand the misinformation concerns. And our election officials, our election infrastructure stakeholders have never been more prepared to administer a safe, secure and resilient election. What's important to note is that after the 2016 election, elections themselves became critical infrastructure, which means that we determined …

Cybercriminals Pose a Greater Threat of Disruptive US Election Hacks Than Russia or China
5 months ago

Cybercriminals Pose a Greater Threat of Disruptive US Election Hacks Than Russia or China

Wired  

Russian, Chinese, and Iranian state-backed hackers have been active throughout the 2024 United States campaign season, compromising digital accounts associated with political campaigns, spreading disinformation, and probing election systems. But in a report from early October, the threat-sharing and coordination group known as the Election Infrastructure ISAC warned that cybercriminals like ransomware attackers pose a far greater risk of launching …

‘Firehose’ of election conspiracy theories floods final days of campaign
5 months, 1 week ago

‘Firehose’ of election conspiracy theories floods final days of campaign

Raw Story  

In the final days of the presidential election, lies about noncitizens voting, the vulnerability of mail-in ballots and the security of voting machines are spreading widely over social media. Fanned by former President Donald Trump and notable allies such as tech tycoon Elon Musk, election disinformation is warping voters’ faith in the integrity of the democratic process, polls show, and …

DHS Warns Law Enforcement Election Deniers May Attempt to Bomb Drop Boxes
55 years, 3 months ago

DHS Warns Law Enforcement Election Deniers May Attempt to Bomb Drop Boxes

Wired  

United States intelligence officials have been quietly issuing warnings to government agencies all summer about a rising threat of extremist violence tied to the 2024 presidential election, including plots to destroy bins full of paper ballots and promote "lone wolf" attacks against election facilities throughout the country. The documents show that DHS alerted dozens of agencies this summer to online …

Voting Machines: A Secure and Accurate System Despite Conspiracy Theories
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Voting Machines: A Secure and Accurate System Despite Conspiracy Theories

Associated Press  

The article discusses the accuracy and security of voting machines and the conspiracy theories surrounding them. It highlights that there was no evidence of widespread fraud or rigged voting machines in the 2020 election, and that multiple reviews confirmed the results as accurate. The article also addresses the concerns of election officials and computer security experts about the security of …

Cybersecurity head says there’s no chance a foreign adversary can change U.S. election results
6 months ago

Cybersecurity head says there’s no chance a foreign adversary can change U.S. election results

LA Times  

Foreign adversaries are ramping up disinformation campaigns to undermine confidence in U.S. election security as voters decide between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump, a top cybersecurity official says. Security for U.S. election systems has become so robust that Russia, Iran or any other foreign adversary will not be able to alter the outcome of this year’s presidential …

A Senate Bill Would Radically Improve Voting Machine Security
55 years, 3 months ago

A Senate Bill Would Radically Improve Voting Machine Security

Wired  

Congress is moving closer to putting US election technology under a stricter cybersecurity microscope. Embedded inside this year’s Intelligence Authorization Act, which funds intelligence agencies like the CIA, is the Strengthening Election Cybersecurity to Uphold Respect for Elections through Independent Testing Act, which would require penetration testing of federally certified voting machines and ballot scanners, and create a pilot program …

Now armed with AI, America’s adversaries will try to influence election, security officials warn
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Now armed with AI, America’s adversaries will try to influence election, security officials warn

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — America’s foreign adversaries will again seek to influence the upcoming U.S. elections, top security officials warned members of the Senate Wednesday, harnessing the latest innovations in artificial intelligence to spread online disinformation, mislead voters and undermine trust in democracy. But the U.S. has greatly improved its ability to safeguard election security and identify and combat foreign disinformation campaigns …

Election officials in the US face daunting challenges in 2024. And Congress isn’t coming to help
1 year, 1 month ago

Election officials in the US face daunting challenges in 2024. And Congress isn’t coming to help

Associated Press  

Follow live: Updates from AP’s coverage of the presidential election. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said it was “demoralizing and disappointing” that the federal government hasn’t committed to investing in this year’s presidential election. “Administering free and fair elections is year-round work that takes planning and resources, and election officials on the front lines of our democracy need a …

Federal cybersecurity agency launches program to boost support for state, local election offices
1 year, 1 month ago

Federal cybersecurity agency launches program to boost support for state, local election offices

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Officials with the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency …

Election Officials See A Range Of Threats In 2024, From Hostile Countries To Conspiracy Theorists
1 year, 3 months ago

Election Officials See A Range Of Threats In 2024, From Hostile Countries To Conspiracy Theorists

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING ATLANTA — For election officials preparing for the 2024 presidential election, the list of security challenges just keeps growing. The company said it was unlikely that Russia, China and Iran would sit out next year’s contest because the “stakes are simply too high.” The report said Russia remains “the most committed and capable threat to the 2024 …

2022 federal elections in the US not tainted by foreign interference, officials say
1 year, 3 months ago

2022 federal elections in the US not tainted by foreign interference, officials say

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Foreign hackers did not change vote totals or otherwise compromise the integrity of federal elections last year in the United States, according to a declassified U.S. government report made public Monday. “We have no evidence that any detected activity prevented voting, changed votes, or disrupted the ability to tally votes or to transmit election results in a timely …

2022 federal elections in the US not tainted by foreign interference, officials say
1 year, 3 months ago

2022 federal elections in the US not tainted by foreign interference, officials say

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Foreign hackers did not change …

Voting experts warn of ‘serious threats’ for 2024 from election equipment software breaches
1 year, 3 months ago

Voting experts warn of ‘serious threats’ for 2024 from election equipment software breaches

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — An effort to access voting system software in several states and provide it to allies of former President Donald Trump as they sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election has raised “serious threats” ahead of next year’s presidential contest, according to a group of experts who urged federal agencies to investigate. The letter sent by nearly …

Head of US cybersecurity agency sees progress on election security, with more work needed for 2024
1 year, 8 months ago

Head of US cybersecurity agency sees progress on election security, with more work needed for 2024

Associated Press  

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Efforts to protect the nation’s election systems have grown exponentially since the 2016 presidential election, but more is needed to defend the integrity and resiliency of the election process ahead of next year’s vote, the head of the nation’s cybersecurity agency said Tuesday. That’s on top of financially motivated, criminal ransomware groups and the potential for sophisticated …

Critics blast Georgia’s plan to delay software updates on its voting machines
1 year, 9 months ago

Critics blast Georgia’s plan to delay software updates on its voting machines

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — Critics of Georgia’s plan to wait until after next year’s presidential election to install a software update to address security flaws on the state’s voting equipment called that irresponsible, saying the machines would be left open to attack. Even if no attack happens, Halderman wrote, the existence of vulnerabilities “is all but certain to be exploited by partisan …

US cyberwarriors thwarted 2020 Iran election hacking attempt
1 year, 11 months ago

US cyberwarriors thwarted 2020 Iran election hacking attempt

Associated Press  

Iranian hackers broke into to a system used by a U.S. municipal government to publish election results in 2020 but were discovered by cyber soldiers operating abroad and kicked out before an attack could be launched, according to U.S. military and cybersecurity officials. “This was not a system used in the conduct of the election, but we are of course …

Security experts warn of foreign cyber threat to 2024 voting
2 years, 1 month ago

Security experts warn of foreign cyber threat to 2024 voting

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Top state election and cybersecurity officials on Thursday warned about threats posed by Russia and other foreign adversaries ahead of the 2024 elections, noting that America’s decentralized system of thousands of local voting jurisdictions creates a particular vulnerability. Distracted by war and protests, neither country appeared to disrupt last year’s midterm elections, but security officials said they expect …

Officials Say US Vote Counting Unaffected By Cyberattacks In Midterms
2 years, 4 months ago

Officials Say US Vote Counting Unaffected By Cyberattacks In Midterms

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING WASHINGTON — No instances of digital interference are known to have affected the counting of the midterm vote after a tense Election Day in which officials were closely monitoring domestic and foreign threats. Analyst Alexander Leslie of the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future called the attacks “negligible, a minor nuisance at most.” The pro-Russia group that claimed responsibility …

EXPLAINER: Threats to US election security grow more complex
2 years, 4 months ago

EXPLAINER: Threats to US election security grow more complex

Associated Press  

BOSTON — Top U.S. election security officials say protecting the nation’s voting systems has become increasingly challenging. With the midterm elections just days away, the director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Jen Easterly, and other officials say they have no evidence that election infrastructure has been altered by hostile actors to prevent voting or vote counting, compromise …

U.S. Security Agencies Warn Of 'Heightened Threat' To Officials At Midterms: Reports
2 years, 5 months ago

U.S. Security Agencies Warn Of 'Heightened Threat' To Officials At Midterms: Reports

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Several government agencies are warning that political extremists pose a “heightened threat” around the midterm elections as political candidates and election officials could become targets, according to multiple reports. “Following the 2022 midterm election, perceptions of election-related fraud and dissatisfaction with electoral outcomes likely will result in heightened threats of violence against a broad range of targets …

Voting Wars: Unprecedented efforts by pro-Trump Republicans and election officials are targeting the 2022 election
2 years, 5 months ago

Voting Wars: Unprecedented efforts by pro-Trump Republicans and election officials are targeting the 2022 election

Raw Story  

There is little doubt that pro-Trump Republicans are going to challenge voters and contest results that they do not like in 2022’s general election. “We will soon find out if American democracy is robust enough,” concluded the New Yorker’s Sue Halpern, in an October 4 report that detailed how “Republican-led legislatures and right-wing activists alike are making things more difficult …

EXPLAINER: Voting systems reliable, despite conspiracies
2 years, 5 months ago

EXPLAINER: Voting systems reliable, despite conspiracies

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — Former President Donald Trump and his allies have whipped up a relentless campaign of attacks against voting equipment since his loss in the 2020 election. Over the last decade, state and local governments began replacing their paperless machines, a process that accelerated after the 2016 election and revelations that Russia had scanned U.S. voting systems looking for vulnerabilities. …

Breaches of voting machine system raise worries for midterm election
2 years, 6 months ago

Breaches of voting machine system raise worries for midterm election

LA Times  

Sensitive voting system passwords posted online. After the Georgia breach, a group of election security experts said the unauthorized copying and sharing of election data from rural Coffee County presented “serious threats” to the November election. “You can start creating very compelling imaginary evidence.” There is no evidence to date that voting machines have been manipulated, either during the 2020 …

Election officials can’t access federal funding for security as violent threats mount
2 years, 7 months ago

Election officials can’t access federal funding for security as violent threats mount

Raw Story  

Federal authorities are prosecuting a man who pled guilty to threatening a Colorado election official on Instagram, where he wrote: “Do you feel safe? You shouldn’t.” And Colorado police arrested a man accused of calling Secretary of State Jena Griswold and saying that “the angel of death is coming for her.” So when the Colorado secretary of state’s office learned …

Election officials face security challenges before midterms
2 years, 8 months ago

Election officials face security challenges before midterms

Associated Press  

— Election officials preparing for the upcoming midterms face a myriad of threats, both foreign and domestic, as they look to protect voting systems and run a smooth election while fighting a wave of misinformation that has been undermining public confidence in U.S. elections. The nation’s top state election officials gathered Thursday for the start of their annual summer conference, …

Cyber agency: Voting software vulnerable in some states
2 years, 10 months ago

Cyber agency: Voting software vulnerable in some states

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — Electronic voting machines from a leading vendor used in at least 16 states have software vulnerabilities that leave them susceptible to hacking if unaddressed, the nation’s leading cybersecurity agency says in an advisory sent to state election officials. CISA Executive Director Brandon Wales said in a statement that “states’ standard election security procedures would detect exploitation of these …

Hackers targeted US election officials with phishing email campaign, according to FBI
3 years ago

Hackers targeted US election officials with phishing email campaign, according to FBI

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hackers likely targeted US election officials with an invoice-themed phishing …

Experts warn of dangers from breach of voter system software
3 years, 7 months ago

Experts warn of dangers from breach of voter system software

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — Republican efforts questioning the outcome of the 2020 presidential race have led to voting system breaches that election security experts say pose a heightened risk to future elections. Copies of the Dominion Voting Systems software used to manage elections — from designing ballots to configuring voting machines and tallying results — were distributed at an event this month …

US cyber experts conducted operations to safeguard election
4 years ago

US cyber experts conducted operations to safeguard election

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The U.S. Cyber Command conducted more than two dozen operations …

US govt issues urgent warning against recent cyberattacks, says it's 'a grave risk to the federal government'
4 years, 3 months ago

US govt issues urgent warning against recent cyberattacks, says it's 'a grave risk to the federal government'

Firstpost  

A Microsoft “heat map” of infections shows that 80 percent of the hacks are in the United States, while Russia shows no infections at all. Federal officials issued an urgent warning on Thursday that hackers, who US intelligence agencies believed were working for the Kremlin, used a far wider variety of tools than previously known to penetrate government systems, and …

As Trump Pushes Election Falsehoods, His Cybersecurity Agency Pushes Back
4 years, 4 months ago

As Trump Pushes Election Falsehoods, His Cybersecurity Agency Pushes Back

NPR  

As Trump Pushes Election Falsehoods, His Cybersecurity Agency Pushes Back Enlarge this image toggle caption Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images Efforts to protect U.S. elections from disinformation are proceeding amid reports that the head of the agency in the Department of Homeland Security that oversees election security expects to be fired soon by the White House. According to one …

US election 2020 most secure in American history: Top officials
4 years, 4 months ago

US election 2020 most secure in American history: Top officials

India TV News  

A coalition of federal and state officials found no evidence that votes were compromised or altered in last week’s presidential election, rejecting unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud advanced by President Donald Trump and many of his supporters. The statement late Thursday, by government and industry officials who coordinate election cybersecurity, trumpeted the Nov. 3 election as the most secure in …

Russian hackers targeting state, local networks, says U.S.
4 years, 5 months ago

Russian hackers targeting state, local networks, says U.S.

The Hindu  

U.S. officials said on Thursday that Russian hackers have targeted the networks of dozens of state and local governments in the United States in recent days, stealing data from at least two servers. The alert describes an onslaught of recent activity from Russian state- The advisory from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s cybersecurity agency functions as a …

Global democracy at risk from cyberattack 'onslaught' - Microsoft president
4 years, 5 months ago

Global democracy at risk from cyberattack 'onslaught' - Microsoft president

The Hindu  

Democracies around the world are under a constant barrage of cyberattacks that must be identified, called out and stopped, Microsoft President Brad Smith told a gathering of security and defence officials on Wednesday. Speaking at the Atlantic Future Forum, Smith named Russia, China, Iran and North Korea as the states most frequently engaged in malicious cyberattacks targeting elections and the …

Russian Hackers Break Into 2 County Systems, Stoking Election Security Fears
4 years, 5 months ago

Russian Hackers Break Into 2 County Systems, Stoking Election Security Fears

NPR  

Russian Hackers Break Into 2 County Systems, Stoking Election Security Fears Enlarge this image toggle caption Joe Raedle/Getty Images Joe Raedle/Getty Images Updated on Oct. 23 at 5:47 a.m. The focus of the effort, from the notable Russian hacking group sometimes known as Energetic Bear or FireFly, includes "U.S. state, local, territorial, and tribal government networks, as well as aviation …

Voter beware: US tells public how to avoid election mischief
4 years, 5 months ago

Voter beware: US tells public how to avoid election mischief

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s cybersecurity agency have issued a series of advisories in recent weeks aimed at warning voters about problems that could surface in the election — as well as steps Americans can take to counter the foreign interference threat. That could include promoting claims of voter suppression and ballot fraud, denigrating individual …

Voter beware: US tells public how to avoid election mischief
4 years, 5 months ago

Voter beware: US tells public how to avoid election mischief

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. That could include promoting claims of voter suppression and ballot fraud, denigrating individual political …

Defending the 2020 election against hacking: 5 questions answered
4 years, 6 months ago

Defending the 2020 election against hacking: 5 questions answered

Salon  

Editor's note: Journalist Bob Woodward reports in his new book, "Rage," that the NSA and CIA have classified evidence that the Russian intelligence services placed malware in the election registration systems of at least two Florida counties in 2016, and that the malware was sophisticated and could erase voters. Four years ago, Russia managed to penetrate systems in several states …

With November Approaching, Election Officials Still Face Safety, Security Fears
4 years, 8 months ago

With November Approaching, Election Officials Still Face Safety, Security Fears

NPR  

With November Approaching, Election Officials Still Face Safety, Security Fears Enlarge this image toggle caption Spencer Platt/Getty Images Spencer Platt/Getty Images Updated at 11:56 a.m. "Doubt is our enemy," U.S. Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine, said at a Senate hearing Wednesday on what Congress can do to ensure public confidence in this year's election results. "Our adversaries Sponsor …

What To Know About The Election Security Situation After Super Tuesday
5 years ago

What To Know About The Election Security Situation After Super Tuesday

NPR  

What To Know About The Election Security Situation After Super Tuesday Enlarge this image toggle caption John Edelson/AFP via Getty Images John Edelson/AFP via Getty Images The big picture on election security in the 2020 campaign after Super Tuesday: could be worse — but also could be better. And, as national security officials acknowledged before and during the vote on …

Super Tuesday voting so far free of meddling, U.S. officials say
5 years ago

Super Tuesday voting so far free of meddling, U.S. officials say

The Hindu  

The Super Tuesday primary elections were so far free of any signs of interference, said national security professionals who gathered in Northern Virginia in an unprecedented monitoring effort to counter cyberattacks and foreign disinformation. “On the specifics of today, we have not seen any acute increase in any misinformation,” said Christopher Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency …

Key Florida Elections Office Endured Cyberattack Ahead Of 2016 Election
5 years, 1 month ago

Key Florida Elections Office Endured Cyberattack Ahead Of 2016 Election

NPR  

Key Florida Elections Office Endured Cyberattack Ahead Of 2016 Election Enlarge this image toggle caption Wilfredo Lee/AP Wilfredo Lee/AP The elections office of Florida's third-most populous county was breached by a crippling cyberattack in the weeks leading up to the 2016 election, NPR confirmed on Thursday. Link, the elections supervisor, only learned of the attack after a change of leadership …

Lessons learned from 2016, but US faces new election threats
5 years, 2 months ago

Lessons learned from 2016, but US faces new election threats

Associated Press  

It’s been more than three years since Russia’s sweeping and systematic effort to interfere in U.S. elections through disinformation on social media, stolen campaign emails and attacks on voting systems. When federal officials began to suspect election systems were being targeted in 2016, they communicated with some state officials but not necessarily those overseeing elections. When Russia breached Illinois’ voter …

FBI plans to notify states about local election breaches
5 years, 2 months ago

FBI plans to notify states about local election breaches

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The FBI, in a change of policy, is committing to inform state officials if local election systems have been breached, federal officials said Thursday. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla told The Associated Press that state election officials play an important role in supporting local election officials. “It’s us at the state level that can connect dots if …

FBI Vows To Warn More Election Officials If Discovering A Cyberattack
5 years, 2 months ago

FBI Vows To Warn More Election Officials If Discovering A Cyberattack

NPR  

FBI Vows To Warn More Election Officials If Discovering A Cyberattack Enlarge this image toggle caption J. David Ake/AP J. David Ake/AP Updated at 6:15 p.m. ET The FBI says it plans to warn state and local election officials if it discovers cyberattacks this year. If the FBI discovered that a cyberattack had successfully breached a local election system, the …

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