The United States is bracing for another wave of cyberattacks focused on disrupting or undermining the 2018 midterm elections, with some officials warning this is just the beginning of a much deeper and broader threat. Intelligence and security officials, as well as policymakers and other experts talking both on the record and on background say what began with a Russian effort to influence the 2016 presidential election has evolved. They expect the next round of Russian efforts to be more sophisticated and more widespread, likely to include a combination of disinformation campaigns on social media along with the potential hacking of vulnerable targets.
In the near term, many expect the focus to remain on U.S. elections. They also expect it will not be long until countries other than Russia seek to unleash similar influence campaigns and that they may very well expand their targets to private sector companies and other, vital institutions.
“I think all of my colleagues probably are worried or should be worried about it,” said Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr of the near-term threat, during remarks this week at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. “I think every state should be worried about it.”
“To believe that Russia’s not attempting in the United States to do things potentially for the ’18 cycle I think would be ignorant on our part,” Burr said.
Full Article: US Officials, Lawmakers Warn More Cyberattacks Coming.