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DHS made a "last ditch effort" to stop Russia from interfering in the actual election process BUT
Last edited Tue Apr 4, 2017, 03:50 AM - Edit history (12)
DHS faced a "backlash" from state and federal governments who viewed that push as Federal overreach, and were reluctant to participate, according to a top Homeland Security advisor.
Also, at least one key state -- Wisconsin -- had voting machines that could have been connected to the internet while voting was taking place -- despite the warnings all states had from the Obama administration.
So how do we know that the Russians did NOT interfere? Are we just taking the word of states who didn't want to accept Federal efforts to help them increase the security of the voting process?
HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISOR EXPLAINS THERE WAS BACKLASH FROM SOME STATES ABOUT SECURING THEIR ELECTION SYSTEMS:
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/04/obama-russia-hacking-trump-214976
But Monaco confirmed in the interview that top White House officials privately objected to a strong statement from Rep. Adam Schiff and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the two top Democrats on the congressional intelligence committees, in September that said Russia was specifically targeting the U.S. elections; they did so, she said, because the statement was “not bipartisan.”
Monaco says that’s because the Obama administration was at the time focused on seeking cooperation for a last-ditch effort by the Department of Homeland Security to avoid Russian tampering in the actual voting process. But the administration, she said, faced a backlash from state and local governments who viewed the DHS cybersecurity election push as “a big federal takeover” and were reluctant to cooperate.
Monaco says that’s because the Obama administration was at the time focused on seeking cooperation for a last-ditch effort by the Department of Homeland Security to avoid Russian tampering in the actual voting process. But the administration, she said, faced a backlash from state and local governments who viewed the DHS cybersecurity election push as “a big federal takeover” and were reluctant to cooperate.
DEC. 16: SOME OF WISCONSIN'S VOTING MACHINES WERE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/new-video-experts-say-wisconsin-voting-machines-can-be-hacked
Our investigative look back at the Wisconsin recount finds that—despite repeated warnings by computer experts that connecting voting machines to the internet puts them at risk of hacking—the voting machines in some counties in Wisconsin are using wireless modems. This hardware creates a connection that in all likelihood has internet capability, even as the chair of the Election Assistance Commission swears to Congress that the machines are not connected this way. Plus, an international computer security expert shows how the voting machines can be hacked even when they're not connected to the web.
Filmmaker Lulu Friesdat was on the ground in Wisconsin during the recount. This is her third report in a three-part series taking advantage of the unique opportunity that the recount offers to look behind the scenes at a process that is often obscured from view.
We’ve added a fourth and final part to the series that includes a fascinating breakdown of just how close the race was and gives an overview of the whole report. Be sure and check back for that.
Filmmaker Lulu Friesdat was on the ground in Wisconsin during the recount. This is her third report in a three-part series taking advantage of the unique opportunity that the recount offers to look behind the scenes at a process that is often obscured from view.
We’ve added a fourth and final part to the series that includes a fascinating breakdown of just how close the race was and gives an overview of the whole report. Be sure and check back for that.
AUGUST 29, 2016, HOMELAND SECURITY OFFERS STATES HELP IN SECURING VOTING SYSTEMS
https://gcn.com/articles/2016/08/29/election-system-hack.aspx
On an Aug. 15 conference call, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson highlighted DHS’ resources that can help states secure their voting systems. He also discussed the possibility that the U.S. election system could be classified as critical infrastructure. This classification would give DHS oversight and security responsibilities for the election system the same way that it works with the power grid or the financial services sector.
Officials think the hacks in Arizona and Illinois could be connected because there was an IP address that appeared in both attacks. On cybersecurity professional told Yahoo that one of the IP addresses listed in the alert has shown up in connection with Russian hacker forums.
To help states harden their systems, the FBI shared a number of security measures via the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC). Recommendations included conducting vulnerability scans, patching software and applications, validating user input before forwarding to a database and using static queries.
Officials think the hacks in Arizona and Illinois could be connected because there was an IP address that appeared in both attacks. On cybersecurity professional told Yahoo that one of the IP addresses listed in the alert has shown up in connection with Russian hacker forums.
To help states harden their systems, the FBI shared a number of security measures via the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC). Recommendations included conducting vulnerability scans, patching software and applications, validating user input before forwarding to a database and using static queries.
AUGUST 17, 2016, HOMELAND SECURITY URGES STATES TO SECURE VOTING SYSTEMS; "MOST STATES" THINK THEY'RE ALREADY IN GOOD SHAPE
https://gcn.com/articles/2016/08/17/dhs-voting-security.aspx
The conference call was a key part of advertising the department's assistance capabilities, a DHS official said.Johnson also reminded state officials that federal agencies are available now to help gird election systems against cyberattack. The DHS National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center will conduct vulnerability scans and provide actionable information as well as access to other tools and resources to help with election system cybersecurity on request.
He also advised state officials to heed recommendations from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission that electronic voting machines not be connected to the internet while voting is underway.
It was the first time DHS has convened a discussion on election security, state officials who were on the call told FCW, a sister site to GCN. They said the call was productive, with the agency not only providing its advice to states for voting system cybersecurity, but with states telling DHS about their precautions in a contentious election cycle.
"The states feel, for the most part, that they're in good shape" cybersecurity-wise, as most have made sure their systems are self-contained and not internet-facing, said one representative who agreed to speak on background.
He also advised state officials to heed recommendations from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission that electronic voting machines not be connected to the internet while voting is underway.
It was the first time DHS has convened a discussion on election security, state officials who were on the call told FCW, a sister site to GCN. They said the call was productive, with the agency not only providing its advice to states for voting system cybersecurity, but with states telling DHS about their precautions in a contentious election cycle.
"The states feel, for the most part, that they're in good shape" cybersecurity-wise, as most have made sure their systems are self-contained and not internet-facing, said one representative who agreed to speak on background.
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Plus, turnout's good, and people don't have to take 4 hours off of work to wait in line to vote.
Q: Would Scott "Koch" Walker do something that evil?
A: Of course he would.
