Election Cybersecurity Progress Report
J. Alex Halderman
Recent attacks against elections in the U.S. and Europe demonstrate that nation-state attackers are becoming more aggressive, even as campaigning and voting are becoming increasingly reliant on computers. How much has changed since 2016, when the U.S. experienced unprecedented attacks on its election infrastructure? What has to happen to ensure that the 2020 presidential election is secure? In this talk, I'll give a progress report on election security in the U.S. and around the world, informed by results from my own research and my work with legislators and election officials over the past two years. I'll also hold a mock election with a current U.S. voting machine to demonstrate how cyberattacks on election infrastructure could potentially change the results of national elections. Finally, I'll explain what everyone can do to get involved and help safeguard the foundations of democracy.