With the 2020 presidential elections nearly upon us, campaigns are growing, and donations are increasing. With the nation’s collective attention shifting to these political races, we figured it would be a good idea to examine the cyberthreats that these political campaigns are facing.
By drawing on recent history as well as examining new threats, the possibilities of cyberattacks on political campaigns becomes much clearer. Here are a few of the ways cyberthreats can disrupt political campaigns, and what can be done to prevent them.
CyberAttacks & Threats in the 2016 Elections
Russian interference in US elections made national news during the 2016 elections. The Russian government, according to this declassified government report, used social media to spread misinformation and deepen the divide that pits US citizens against one another. They also used computer hackers to infiltrate the Democratic National Committee, in addition to hacking people affiliated with Hilary Clinton’s presidential campaign, and gaining access to private emails and correspondents.
The Hilary Clinton email controversy, which involved the presidential candidate using a private, unsecure email server for classified information, was another cybersecurity based topic during the election. While much of the debate around those emails was focused on what Clinton may have been trying to hide, another area of concern was the fact that national security information was being stored on unsecure servers, making it vulnerable to cyberattacks.
What Threats are Political Campaigns Facing Today?
Political campaigns face many of the same threats that other organizations face. Malware can wreak chaos on their systems, hackers can hold valuable information for ransom, and phishing emails can attempt to entice members of the organizations to click on harmful links.
However, due to the divisive and influential nature of politics, threats are undoubtedly heightened during election times. Hackers from all over the world, and even sometimes from rival governments, view political parties and campaigns as prime targets and access points for vital information. In some cases, hackers also see financial opportunity in these campaigns, as they doubt campaign teams have the time nor resources to effectively fend off attacks.
Keeping political campaigns and elections secure is crucial to the integrity of the political process in the United States, so all these threats pose a significant risk. Be sure to keep an eye this election season on possible cyberthreat based issues, and see just how influential these attacks could be.
Categorised in: data breach, Digital Age, hacking