Welcome to the Future!
The Democratic National Committee this week announced a new cybersecurity advisory board.
The intel to keep you informed about the future of campaigns and data security:
Why are voting machines an easy target for hackers? Most voting machines operate on Windows XP, which has not had a security patch from Microsoft since 2014
A hack isn’t the only way to cause voting chaos? Slowing the machines down can be enough to turn people away from the polls
Is this a real, existing problem? Yes, it is. “Virginia decertified thousands of insecure WinVote machines”
The best way to control for electronic voting machine intereference? Auditing the vote.
What campaign related voter information was hacked? Voter files compiled by L2, a political data brokerage, but hacked from a client (campaign) that left the voter information unprotected on a cloud
What type of voter information was exposed? names, addresses, political preferences and opinions on social issues
Where were the hackers? Serbia or routed through Serbia
What do the feds want to stop the state legislatures from doing? barring the manufacture and sale of unbreakably encrypted smartphones
Why does this matter? California and New York have pending legislation to bar the manufacturing and sale of unbreakably encrypted smartphones.
Why would the state want to prevent unbreakably encrypted smnartphones? Law enforcement wants access to smart phone data.
What groups are involved in this policy fight? tech companies v. law enforcement
4 Key points to know now:
The Hill | Critics urge lawmakers to repeal recently passed cyber law
…California.
The Hill reports that Congressinaction is by default allowing California’s data breach laws to precedence as a national standard.
California data security laws tackle business notification requirements; education data breaches; and health care data breaches.
10 States that strengthened daa security laws in 2015:
Congress is working to secure the nation’s power grid because the power grid is facing a major cyberattack because:
When did the Inspector General testify that U.S. Department of Education data is not safe? While testifying at a November 17, 2015 hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Why is federal education data vulnerable to hackers?
What type of student data does USED keep?
A push in the UK is campaigning to move forward with expedited data security legislation to secure networks in light of the November 13, 2015 terrorism in Paris.
Why is this relevant?
Press Association | Lord Carlile wants communications data legislation ‘expedited’