New CISA program seeks to shore up state election security

Escalating cybersecurity threats against election systems ahead of November's presidential polls have prompted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to introduce a new program aimed at improving state and local governments' defenses against such threats, according to The Associated Press. As part of the program, CISA has enlisted former Texas State Election Director Keith Ingram, former Escambia County, Florida, Elections Supervisor David Strafford, former Ohio Secretary of State Chief Information Officer Spencer Wood and others to assist in cyber and physical security reviews for requesting election offices. "Understanding the complexity of each states election operating environment and their security needs is critical to us being effective partners in helping them mitigate those needs and ensuring the infrastructure security and resilience," said CISA Senior Advisor Cait Conley. Such assistance from CISA has been lauded by state election officials. "For CISA to be able to be more on the front lines assisting us is really the right step forward," said North Carolina State Board of Elections Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell.