In the wake of cyber security breaches of two Democratic committees ahead of national elections in November, two Democrats in Congress are urging Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to determine that the nation’s election systems are critical infrastructure.
“Election security is critical and a cyber attack by foreign actors on our election systems could compromise the integrity of our voting process,” Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), ranking member on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, told Johnson in a letter dated Monday. “Designating election systems as critical infrastructure could improve and expand our nation’s ability to prevent and to respond to potential cyber attacks originating both from inside and outside our borders.”
Carper cited reports alleging that Russian government agencies, the Federal Security Service and military intelligence, may be behind cyber attacks against the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
“If these reports are accurate, such an intrusion raises concerns about the ability of foreign actors to interfere in the American political process during the upcoming election, including through cyber attacks targeting electronic voting machines or the information technology of state and local election officials,” Carper wrote.
He points out that federal and state entities have previously raised concerns about cyber and physical vulnerabilities to certain electronic voting machines.
Last week Johnson said DHS is considering designating the nation’s election systems as critical infrastructure. At an event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor, Johnson said there are short and long-term actions that can be taken to strengthen the cyber security of election systems. Johnson said communicating with election officials about best practices is a short-term measure while longer term investments can be made.
In a separate letter on Monday, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee, also called on DHS to “act swiftly” to protect America’s election systems, saying the department is “the natural partner” to work with state and local governments to “address cyber vulnerabilities in the nation’s electoral system.”
Under a presidential directive, when infrastructure is designated as critical, the federal government works with with owners and operators of the infrastructure as well as state and local agencies to proactively manage risks and strengthen resilience.