Johnson discusses election systems cybersecurity efforts with state election officials

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson hosted a conference call on Monday with members of the National Association of Secretaries of State, along with other election officials, to discuss cybersecurity in election systems infrastructure.

Officials within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently said the agency is exploring how they might classify the nation’s election systems as “critical infrastructure” and afford those systems the same level of cyber protection as the nation’s financial sector and power grids.

Johnson said that his agency would offer assistance in helping state officials in managing risks to voting systems in each state’s jurisdiction. Johnson added that the Election Assistance Commission, the National Institute for Standards and Technology, and the Department of Justice are available to offer support and assistance in protecting against cyber attacks.

Johnson said that the DHS is convening a voting infrastructure cybersecurity action campaign with experts from all levels of government and the private sector to raise awareness of cybersecurity risks potentially affecting voting infrastructure and promote the security and resilience of the electoral process. Representatives from NASS said that the group would also offer its expertise and input in raising cybersecurity awareness.

Representatives from the DHS National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center said that their agency would conduct vulnerability scans and provide actionable information and access to other cybersecurity tools and resources.