Policy Briefs & Testimonies

This election has already faced threats from cyber adversaries seeking to influence its outcome. The joint CISA-FBI alert confirming Russian state-sponsored activity targeting government networks on October 22 builds on other advisories around potential cyberattacks on election systems ahead of the election, including advisories of DDOS attacks against election infrastructure.

Making unplanned or last-minute changes ahead of election day can introduce serious risks, especially given the short window to test changes. Here are some considerations as you work to address and prepare to counter potential cyber threats.

The top priority in a cyber crisis or in the face of mis and disinformation, will be to maintain public trust. The most effective way to achieve that goal is to respond confidently and quickly. Although response to both types of incidents will differ, there are a number of common best practices you can apply in your preparation ahead of election day.  This summary guide helps detail common and specific responses to each type of incident. 

Especially when teams are unable to rely on physical co-location during a pandemic, it is important to have contingency plans in place. Ahead of election day, make sure you have a back-up plan to keep communications going. Choose reliable communication methods and prioritize them in terms of effectiveness and ease of use.  Doing a “communications check” is something you can do up to election day.

Debora A. Plunkett, Senior Fellow with the Defending Digital Democracy Project, testified before the House Judiciary Committee during a hearing Friday, September 27, 2019, titled "Securing America's Elections." Links are included to a video of the hearing and a PDF of Plunkett's testimony.