Addressing Cybersecurity Threats to U.S. Elections with Seclore's Zero Trust Data-Centric Security Solution

It's imperative to acknowledge and address the cybersecurity threats to our election infrastructure given the unprecedented time we're living in. Electronic voting machines have become widely adopted across the country as an alternative or supplement to paper ballots. To date, the examples of insider threat activity related to the election process have been domestic in nature, both in terms of the actor and the motivations. However, since at least 2016, a growing number of foreign adversaries have continued to monitor election networks and attempted to influence or interfere in U.S. elections. If an adversary gained access through an insider to election systems in a particular jurisdiction, such activity could expose voters’ personal information, hinder voters' ability to access accurate information on election day, or render these systems temporarily inaccessible to the public or election workers.

How real is this Risk?

It's an important question to ask given ~ 30% of Americans question the legitimacy of votes and how they're counted. In 2003, a former UC Davis graduate student at RABA Technologies tested the security of voting machines and it was clear there were significant problems. In summary he was quoted as saying,

“It took one of us five minutes to get complete control of the machine you voted on and 30 minutes to get complete control of the machine that had the databases where the ballots were stored. The only reason it took that long was that it took us 25 minutes to get the program we wanted to use."

In the Summer of 2017, a group at DEF CON showed just how easy it was to breach voter systems despite having no prior knowledge of voting machines. In January of 2024, a letter was sent by nearly two dozen computer scientists, election security experts and voter advocacy organizations requesting for a federal probe and a risk assessment of voting machines used throughout the country, saying the software breaches have “urgent implications for the 2024 election and beyond.” The breaches affected voting equipment made by two companies that together count over 70 percent of the votes cast across the country, according to the letter.

So how real is the risk? In short, "They're significant"

As the election season approaches, the fragility of U.S. infrastructure, particularly cybersecurity, has become a pressing concern. Hackers continuously evolve their strategies, posing significant threats to critical systems, including voting infrastructure. Experts (including the FBI and DHS) are analyzing these threats to design robust defenses for a cybersecure future in voting practices. Seclore’s Zero Trust Data-Centric Security solution is at the forefront of these efforts, offering advanced protection to ensure the integrity of our elections.

In the following article, we'll outline the risks and how Seclore might go about securing sensitive data along the way.

Evolving Threat Landscape

The complexity and sophistication of cyber threats have significantly increased. Malicious actors, ranging from state-sponsored groups to independent hackers, are persistently probing and exploiting vulnerabilities within our systems. The primary threats include:

1. Phishing and Social Engineering: Attackers often target election officials and workers through phishing emails and social engineering tactics, attempting to steal credentials or install malware. These tactics can compromise election systems or manipulate individuals to gain unauthorized access.

2. Ransomware Attacks: Ransomware poses a significant threat by encrypting critical data and demanding payment for its release. An attack on election infrastructure could disrupt the voting process, delay results, or even render voter data inaccessible.

3. Supply Chain Attacks: Cybercriminals target software and hardware vendors that supply election technologies. By compromising these vendors, attackers can introduce malicious code into the election systems, potentially affecting the integrity and availability of the voting process.

4. DDoS Attacks: Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks overwhelm election websites and services, rendering them inaccessible. Such attacks can disrupt voter registration, information dissemination, and result reporting, causing confusion and undermining public trust.

5. Disinformation Campaigns: Cyber actors engage in disinformation campaigns to spread false information, manipulate public opinion, and erode confidence in the electoral process. These campaigns are often amplified through social media platforms, reaching a wide audience rapidly.

Seclore's Data-Centric Security Solution

To mitigate these threats and ensure the integrity of our elections, Seclore’s Zero Trust Data-Centric Security solution offers a comprehensive approach focused on protecting the most critical asset: data. Key features of Seclore’s solution include:

1. Data Protection at All Stages: Seclore ensures that data is protected at rest, in transit, and in use. By embedding security directly into the data, we can prevent unauthorized access, even if the perimeter defenses are breached. "All Stages" is worth defining as "zero-trust" requires this approach. Seclore’s approach to data security is thorough and multi-faceted, ensuring that data remains protected no matter where it resides or how it is used. Here’s how Seclore addresses data security at all stages:???????

Data at Rest:?

• Encryption: Seclore employs robust encryption techniques to secure data stored on devices, servers, and cloud environments. This encryption ensures that even if physical access to the storage medium is obtained, the data remains inaccessible without the proper decryption keys.
• Access Controls: Strict access controls are enforced to ensure that only authorized users and applications can access the stored data. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access from within or outside the organization.
• Data Masking: Sensitive data can be masked or anonymized when not in use, adding an additional layer of protection against unauthorized viewing.

Data in Transit:?

• Secure Protocols: Seclore ensures that data transmitted over networks is protected using secure protocols like TLS (Transport Layer Security) and VPNs (Virtual Private Networks). This prevents interception and eavesdropping during data transmission.
• Endpoint Security: By securing endpoints such as mobile devices and laptops, Seclore prevents data leaks and ensures that data in transit remains protected from malware and other threats.

Data in Use:

• Granular Usage Controls: Seclore’s solution allows for granular control over data usage, specifying what actions can be performed on the data, such as viewing, editing, printing, or sharing. This ensures that data is only used in ways that are consistent with organizational policies.
• Continuous Authentication: Continuous authentication mechanisms verify the identity of users accessing the data in real-time, ensuring that only legitimate users can interact with the data.
• Real-Time Monitoring: Active monitoring of data usage detects and responds to any unauthorized or suspicious activities immediately, preventing data breaches during usage.???????

Lifecycle Management:

• Data Expiry: Seclore can enforce data expiry policies, ensuring that sensitive data is only accessible for a defined period. Once the period lapses, access to the data is automatically revoked, reducing the risk of long-term data exposure.
• Automated Classification: Automated Classification: Data is automatically classified based on its sensitivity and usage requirements. This classification drives the security policies applied to the data, ensuring consistent protection across its lifecycle.
• Chain of Custody: Seclore can track the movement and control of digital assets by documenting each time an asset is handled or transferred and who is responsible for it. This can help prevent unauthorized access to sensitive systems, detect the presence of an insider threat, provide evidence, and improve remediation time if an incident occurs. It produces an auditable record of an asset’s transfers and transactions, enabling detection of a potential threat if there is a gap in the chain.

2. Dynamic Access Controls: Seclore’s solution employs dynamic and granular access controls, allowing precise management of who can access data, under what conditions, and for how long. This is crucial for preventing unauthorized data access in the event of credential theft through phishing or social engineering. This means these permissions can be set and modified (add/remove/revoke). This can be done at the group/user/etc. level. Permissions can be configured and modified at any time - dynamically as the situation dictates.? Add, Delete or edit that access.? It doesn’t matter where that file has traveled – your customers have complete control.

3. Real-Time Monitoring and Response: Continuous monitoring and real-time alerts enable rapid detection and response to suspicious activities. This proactive approach minimizes the impact of ransomware attacks and ensures swift recovery and continuity of operations.

4. Secure Collaboration: Seclore facilitates secure collaboration among election officials, vendors, and partners by ensuring that shared data remains protected, and access is tightly controlled, reducing the risk of supply chain attacks. This secure collaboration would including the ability to dynamically adjust what each person can do with these sensitive votes/files. Being intentional about if someone can share, edit, print, or even the time that they’re allowed to have access.? “Active” means I can modify this at any time as well. Data can be shared intentionally … and again the user can change their mind at any time

5. Data-Centric Audit Trails: Comprehensive audit trails provide visibility into data usage and access patterns. This transparency helps identify potential DDoS attacks and other anomalies, ensuring timely interventions.

6. Integrated Disinformation Defense: By securing data with Seclore’s solution, we can ensure the integrity of information disseminated to the public. This is essential for countering disinformation campaigns and maintaining public trust in the electoral process.

Establishing and maintaining necessary standard operating procedures, access controls, zero trust security, and chain of custody procedures are necessary facets of election administration. Further, they must be reviewed, tested, and audited before, during, and after elections. Altogether, these measures support the integrity, reliability, and security of an election, providing the evidence to build public confidence in the process.

Securing the U.S. election infrastructure is a paramount responsibility that requires constant vigilance, innovation, and collaboration. By leveraging Seclore’s Zero Trust Data-Centric Security platform, we can protect the integrity of our electoral process and uphold the principles of democracy. Seclore’s advanced data protection capabilities ensure that even as threats evolve, our defenses remain robust, guaranteeing that every vote counts and every voice is heard. As we move forward, the commitment to a cyber-secure future in voting practices will be unwavering, with Seclore at the helm of safeguarding our democracy.

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