Computer experts are attempting to hack into the Maricopa County election system at the invitation of Recorder Adrian Fontes as he seeks to boost security in the wake of cyberattacks on national political groups in the 2016 election. Fontes, who took office Jan. 1, said one of his first actions was to hire a “white hat” hacker team from a leading system supplier to partner with the Maricopa County Office of Enterprise Technology to test for internal and external security weaknesses. “My first priority is to provide my fellow citizens with reliable, efficient, safe and secure elections,” Fontes said in a written statement announcing the operation.
Fontes, who had never served in elected office or run an election, defeated longtime Recorder Helen Purcell last fall on a platform that questioned the safety of the county’s election systems. He cited breaches of personal information at the Recorder’s Office years before, and his own experience protecting classified materials in the U.S. Marine Corps.
But on Friday, Fontes praised the strides in security the Recorder’s Office has made and promised to do more. “A leader in elections technology, Maricopa County has made an extensive investment in providing for secure voting systems. Currently Maricopa County provides for several tiers of security for infrastructure,” he said, adding that he aims to “move the Elections Department up a tier.”
Full Article: Maricopa County hires team to hack into election system.