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Lessons Learned

Securing the Vote

Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned

Securing the Vote

Federal election security officials spent the past several years learning lessons from the 2016 election and strengthening cybersecurity defenses. Nov. 3 was when all of the preparations were put to the test. The evidence largely suggests that cybersecurity and election officials passed with flying colors.

How was the election secured?
Deepfakes

Measuring Deepfakes' Impact

Deepfakes

Deepfakes

Measuring Deepfakes' Impact

Earlier this year, experts were concerned about “deepfake” videos, which are completely fabricated videos of politicians or other prominent figures saying and doing things that never happened. However, deepfakes were not as prevalent as feared, in part because simple edits and shameless falsehoods were easier to create — and worked just as well.

How did election misinformation spread?
Election Security

Partner to Confront Threats

Election Security

Election Security

Partner to Confront Threats

While voting systems and election security rest squarely with state and local officials, federal authorities are here to help. Election systems are critical infrastructure in the eyes of the Department of Homeland Security, which is leading the federal charge on cybersecurity ahead of November.

Find out how the feds are working with states

The Department of Homeland Security plays a key role in advising state and local governments on election cybersecurity threats. DHS also provides technical support and is a critical partner for the officials who actually carry out elections. Through Nov. 3 and beyond, we’ll be keeping track of key developments in election cybersecurity and speaking with top experts in the field.

Protecting Voter Data

How is election data, especially voter registration information, transmitted and protected?
Election Security

It’s collected by 3,141 counties/county-equivalents, it lives in 116,990 polling places (including 8,616 early voting stations) and is seen by 917,614 poll workers

Find out how federal authorities are working with states on election security

The data doesn't stay in one place. It moves between:

> A vote registration and the board of elections

> Local jurisdiction and state agencies

> The master database and the internet

> The polling place and the board of elections

Learn why coordination is key to election cybersecurity 

These are among the best ways to protect voting information:

> Cybersecurity training for workers

> Multifactor authentication

> Intrusion and malware detection

> Encrypted transmission and/or use of protected LANs.

Find out how DHS can provide technological assistance on election security 

Malicious actors can employ these methods to attack the voting system:

> Ransomware: Locks a county out of its own network

Protective measures:

> Cybersecurity training for workers

> Intrusion and malware detection

Discover why voter registration databases are top targets for attacks

Denial of service:

> Slows or prevents access to a site and causes delays that can disrupt and discourage voting

Protective measures:

> Intrusion and malware detection

> Penetration testing

> Firewalls and access control lists

Altering an official website:

> Introduces inconsistencies and inaccuracies

Protective measures:

> Role-based access security

> Multifactor authentication

> Intrusion and malware detection

> Complete system inventory

Voter information is more vulnerable than a vote, for several reasons:

> Polling booths are not internet-connected

> Scantron machines retain the original paper ballots

> Mail-in votes are closely monitored by election officials

> While electronic voting exists, it is rarely conducted online

Learn how mail-in ballots are being secured

Sources:
U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Geological Survey; U.S. Election Assistance Commission; Center for Democracy and Technology; National Conference of State Legislatures; Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
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Hear from Election Security Experts

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