Volume 8
Oct / Nov 2016 Edition
Phishing attempts also spike around campaigns , especially highly polarizing ones . Since phishing attacks are a common entry point for breaking into networks , sending out clickbait emails about candidates is a great way to trick a user into clicking a link . fully trusted reality anywhere , not just in the US . Elections have several stages , and each of them carries risks . And few elections don ’ t include interested parties with a vested interest in the outcome , whether it is a local election or a large national election with sweeping international implications , and the motivation to circumvent the law to achieve their objective . The challenge with campaigns is sometimes referred to as the “ weakest link ” model During the campaign season , candidates build huge databases of voters , run internal polls , vet and process policies , messaging , and positions , analyze potential voter feedback , and solicit and manage contributions . Election campaigns are a goldmine of information for opposing candidates , nation states with a vested interest in election outcomes , hacktivists , and cybercriminals looking to access the personal information of financial supporters . The challenge with campaigns is sometimes referred to as the “ weakest link ” model . While a national campaign may have secured their headquarters ( though news of breaches this US election cycle suggest that may not always be the case ), local offices that share data with the national organization often do not have the IT staff or skills to ensure they don ’ t become a point of compromise . Hackers don ’ t need to break in through the hardened front door when there are so many potentially soft back doors to choose from , as the hacks that have plagued the Democratic National Committee this year demonstrate .
Voter systems are ideal sources for this sort of nefarious data collection initiative
Hacking Voting Machines For many countries , the election process itself is subject to a high degree of risk , whether it involves tampering with voting machines , unscrupulous vote counters , or simply hiding the vote tabulation process from oversight and public scrutiny . But even in the most democratically advanced countries , many electronic voting systems are very outdated and lack even basic security controls . Of course , this isn ’ t a new problem . We were talking about this in the US during last election , calling for a technology overhaul . But even though researchers demonstrated that tampering with the software used by some voting machines is actually quite trivial , four years later nothing has been done . One ( fortunate ) problem is that we didn ’ t see many breaches in the last elections . So like many companies , until there is a major breach or impact on the service , we will likely continue to do the bare minimum . Of course , 75 percent of votes in the US are cast using paper ballots . In addition , many electronic machines print a ballot so that there ’ s a paper trail to compare results against .
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