Boosting election support, federal cybersecurity agency launches program for local offices

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has launched a program to enhance election security at the state and local levels. The program, called the election security adviser program, aims to provide support to local election offices and reassure voters that the upcoming presidential elections will be safe and accurate. The program includes 10 new hires with extensive election experience who will be based throughout the country. They will join existing staff in conducting cyber and physical security reviews for election offices. The creation of the program comes in response to increasing security challenges faced by state and local election officials, including cyberattacks, misinformation campaigns, and harassment of election officials. The CISA was established after the 2016 election to protect critical infrastructure, including election systems, from external threats.