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Electonic Voting
CISA Cyber Security Department of Homeland Security Election Election Security Elections Electonic Voting

CISA Launches Major Effort to Secure the 2024 U.S. Elections

 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in the United States has initiated a comprehensive campaign to secure the 2024 elections. This effort involves deploying specialized advisory teams across the nation and coordinating security exercises with federal, state, and local officials, as well as with private sector partners. Cait Conley, a senior adviser at CISA, emphasized that securing the elections is a priority that involves the entire agency. 

In preparation for the 2024 national elections, CISA created election security adviser positions within its ten regional offices in July 2023 to offer frontline support to local election officials. These advisers are now fully in place and work closely with state election offices to provide guidance and assistance. The agency recently organized a four-day workshop, “Tabletop the Vote,” to enhance readiness against both cyber and physical threats. Conley noted that CISA is investing more resources than ever before to safeguard election infrastructure. 

This builds on the agency’s past successes in securing the 2016 and 2020 elections, which saw the implementation of advanced threat detection and response measures that thwarted interference attempts by foreign adversaries, including Russia. CISA is also preparing for new threats. Recently, the agency warned of increased cyber activity from Iran aimed at disrupting the upcoming election cycle. The Department of Homeland Security has classified election infrastructure as critical to national security, underscoring the importance of protecting voter registration databases, information technology systems, polling places, and voting machines. 

To support this mission, CISA has introduced several tools and resources designed to enhance election security. These include a comprehensive cybersecurity toolkit through the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative and a “Rumor vs. Reality” platform to counter disinformation about elections. Over the past several years, the agency has also rolled out free services like vulnerability scanning and physical security assessments to minimize risks to election systems. 

CISA Director Jen Easterly highlighted the significant improvements in the agency’s capabilities compared to 2016. As the 2024 elections approach, CISA remains committed to deploying its resources and strengthening partnerships to protect the democratic process from evolving threats. The agency’s continued efforts aim to ensure that election infrastructure remains secure against any potential interference. 
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Passwords
Data Breach Department of Homeland Security Elections Illinois Passwords

Massive Exposure of Illinois Voter Data Raises Security Concerns


 

Cybersecurity expert Jeremiah Fowler recently uncovered a concerning data breach involving over 4.6 million voter records and election-related documents. These sensitive files were discovered in 13 unprotected databases managed by a technology contractor based in Illinois.

Company Behind the Exposure

The databases were traced back to Platinum Technology Resource, a firm providing election technology and services to various counties across Illinois. Fowler revealed that by altering county names in the database URLs, he could access additional exposed databases, some of which had minimal security protections.

The exposed records included critical personal information such as voter names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and driver’s licence numbers. Additionally, the databases contained documents with candidate information, including contact details and voter petitions with signatures.

Although Fowler did not find any immediate misuse of the data, the potential risks are substantial. Malicious individuals could exploit this information for identity theft, voter intimidation, or spreading disinformation. Fowler noted that having access to such personal information could allow bad actors to send misleading information about voting procedures or use past voting history to harass voters.

Long-term Service of the Company

Platinum Technology Resource has been providing election services in Illinois for over three decades. Their services include voter registration, election-day support, ballot management, tabulation, and election management software. This long-standing service highlights the importance of ensuring robust security measures to protect sensitive election data.

We need strong cybersecurity protocols to protect the integrity of the electoral process. Since 2017, the Department of Homeland Security has recognised election infrastructure as critical, acknowledging the severe impact that potential attacks could have.

Fowler recommends that organisations managing sensitive election data implement a combination of access controls and encryption to secure their databases. This includes using unique, time-limited access tokens for authorised users instead of relying solely on passwords, which can be easily compromised.

Preserving Public Trust in Elections

With the 2024 election season approaching, safeguarding the electoral process in the United States is more urgent than ever. Fowler emphasised the importance of maintaining public trust in the electoral system, especially in light of the controversies surrounding the 2020 election.

By implementing robust cybersecurity measures, election officials can ensure that voter data remains secure, thereby preserving the integrity of democratic processes. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilant data protection practices in the digital age.

The exposure of millions of voter records highlights pressing vulnerabilities in our election systems. As technology continues to play a crucial role in elections, ensuring the security of sensitive data must be a top priority for all involved parties. Robust cybersecurity measures are essential to protect the integrity of our democratic institutions and maintain public trust in the electoral process.



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Ransomware attack
Cyber Attacks Department of Homeland Security Global Conglomerate attacks Government contractor Johnson Control Ransomware attack

Government Contractor ‘Johnson Controls’ Suffered Cyber Attack


Apparently, a cyberattack has targeted a major building automation systems manufacture. The news came to a highlight following reports that the breach has resulted in compromise of some data of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 

Jonson Controls Suffers Ransomware Attack

Last month, subsidiaries of Johnson Control International suffered a massive ransomware attack that encrypted several of its business devices, including VMware ESXi servers. 

A global conglomerate, Johnson Controls designs and produces industrial control systems, security tools, air conditioners, and fire safety gear. Their customers include international aerospace manufacturers, universities and medical institutions. 

Through its corporate operations and subsidiaries, which include York, Tyco, Luxaire, Coleman, Ruskin, Grinnel, and Simplex, the corporation employs 100,000 people.

On Monday, CNN reported that DHS has now started an investigation on the issue to see whether the rumoured ransomware attack on Johnson Controls International had an impact on sensitive physical security data, such as building floor plans.

However, Johnson is yet to publish a detailed log of the issue. In a statement, the company said that it is continuing "to assess what information was impacted" and is "executing our incident management and protection plan."

According to a report by BleepingComputer, the company has been responding to the ransomware attack for at least a week now. 

Who is Behind the Cyberattack? 

As of yet, no ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the alleged attack. This further indicated that if, as the speculation goes, this is a ransomware incident, then the company may still be negotiating whether to pay a ransom to unlock its systems.

It's also noteworthy that Johnson Controls is not the first among the government contractors to be suffering from a cybersecurity issue. 

One of the high-profile cases of cybersecurity incidents came to light in late 2020, where at least nine federal agencies and 100 companies were affected by Chinese threat actors, who aimed at government-contracted SolarWinds. 

Maximus, also a government contracted firm was affected by a breach this year, where the hackers exploited a vulnerability in the prevalent file-transfer tool MOVEit. 

In regards to the attack, Johnson Control has not shared any details besides its brief statement given to the Securities and Exchange Commission in a public 8-K filing Wednesday.

In the filing, the company stated that it has, "experienced disruptions in portions of its internal information technology infrastructure and applications resulting from a cybersecurity incident."  

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