A month out from the 2018 midterms, all eyes are on the Department of Homeland Security as it approaches its first real test since being given a broader election security mandate in the wake of the 2016 presidential elections. Speaking at a cybersecurity event hosted by the Washington Post, DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen highlighted improvements in information sharing across the federal government and with state and local officials as well as closer relationships with stakeholders that will lead to faster coordination in the wake of an emerging threat. “First of all, the information sharing is much stronger than it even has been before,” said Nielsen when asked what had changed in the department’s approach since 2016. “So [we’re] working very closely with the intel community, and the moment that we see something significant we are — in conjunction with the IC — sharing with our state and local partners. The sharing is quicker, faster, more tailored.”
Nielsen said that increased deployment of Albert sensors, technology designed to detect suspicious IP addresses and malware signatures, will give DHS and election officials increased visibility into ongoing attacks. By election day, she said 90 percent of voters will cast a ballot in a jurisdiction monitored by such sensors. During the 2016 election, just 14 states had deployed such monitoring, according to Reuters.
In addition to more robust information-sharing protocols, Nielsen also cited better communication and coordination among federal, state and local stakeholders that should bear fruit in the face of an ongoing attack.
Full Article: DHS says teamwork is improving election security — FCW.