State election and cybersecurity experts have warned that Russia and other foreign adversaries could pose a significant threat ahead of the 2024 elections.
According to Security Week, the experts claimed that America’s decentralised system of thousands of local voting jurisdictions creates a particular vulnerability.
Russia and Iran have meddled in previous US elections, including attempts to tap into internet-connected electronic voter databases.
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director Jen Easterly referenced Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the US-led effort to supply weapons and other aid to Ukraine as a possible motivator.
She added that China could be a possible source of election interference, especially as the relationship between the two countries has deteriorated following the recent suspected spy balloon that floated across the country before being shot down by a US fighter jet.
Security Week noted a particular concern is the decentralised nature of the US election system. There are 10,000 local voting jurisdictions throughout the US. Not all of those have funding for new equipment, proper staffing or updated training of election workers.
Easterly said it was a priority of her agency to get money and expertise to what she termed ‘target-rich, cyber-poor’ entities.
Stephen Spaulding, policy director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules & Administration, remarked that the committee’s chairwoman, Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), is trying to secure more election funding after an attempt late last year fizzled.
He added, “More than $75 million from last year’s omnibus is clearly needed in our view. We have repeatedly heard about how sustainable funding ensures our elections continue to run smoothly, facilitate predictability and planning, and we’re striving to work on a bipartisan basis to get that done.”
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