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Volunteer Hacker Army Boosts U.S. Election Cybersecurity
Networks remain "absolutely ripe for a disruptive or destructive attack by a capable adversary," one cybersecurity official said.https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/volunteer-hacker-army-boosts-u-s-election-cybersecurity-n1235324
As election officials across the country prepare for November without knowing if they'll receive additional federal funds, a new volunteer group hopes to ease their cybersecurity concerns for free.
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...a University of Chicago initiative called the Election Cyber Surge aims to act as matchmaker between local election officials who may not have access to cybersecurity services and qualified experts who want to help. Officials will be able to choose an area of concern, then pick from a list of professionals willing to help via phone or video chat, a necessity during the pandemic.
"The need is obvious, but the help exists," said Maya Worman, a former longtime government cybersecurity strategist who is leading the project.
The program will begin with about 50 vetted volunteers, she said, with that number likely to double. Most were identified through a university database of trusted cybersecurity professionals, and have at least a decade of experience in the field.
Since last fall, the Department of Homeland Security has warned that voter registration systems and county governments are at particular risk from ransomware, which hackers use to encrypt a network and demand a ransom for a key to unlock it. Criminal gangs regularly target local government networks in the U.S. with ransomware by searching for networks with unpatched vulnerabilities.The Department of Homeland Security's top cybersecurity official, Chris Krebs, said at a panel earlier this month that despite strides the U.S. has made since 2016 to bolster its baseline security, election-adjacent networks remain "absolutely ripe for a disruptive or destructive attack by a capable adversary" in the lead-up to or the aftermath of Election Day.
SNIP
SNIP
...a University of Chicago initiative called the Election Cyber Surge aims to act as matchmaker between local election officials who may not have access to cybersecurity services and qualified experts who want to help. Officials will be able to choose an area of concern, then pick from a list of professionals willing to help via phone or video chat, a necessity during the pandemic.
"The need is obvious, but the help exists," said Maya Worman, a former longtime government cybersecurity strategist who is leading the project.
The program will begin with about 50 vetted volunteers, she said, with that number likely to double. Most were identified through a university database of trusted cybersecurity professionals, and have at least a decade of experience in the field.
Since last fall, the Department of Homeland Security has warned that voter registration systems and county governments are at particular risk from ransomware, which hackers use to encrypt a network and demand a ransom for a key to unlock it. Criminal gangs regularly target local government networks in the U.S. with ransomware by searching for networks with unpatched vulnerabilities.The Department of Homeland Security's top cybersecurity official, Chris Krebs, said at a panel earlier this month that despite strides the U.S. has made since 2016 to bolster its baseline security, election-adjacent networks remain "absolutely ripe for a disruptive or destructive attack by a capable adversary" in the lead-up to or the aftermath of Election Day.
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We need waaaay more than 50 volunteers! I wonder what the vetting process consists of...
4 replies
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