Cybersecurity of Voting Machines

PURPOSE:

• To assess the current state of cybersecurity of vote tabulation machines. 
• To identify actions states, the Administration, and Congress can take to ensure voting machines are secure prior to the 2018 midterm elections.

BACKGROUND:

• In September 2016, prior to the 2016 elections, the IT Subcommittee held a hearing entitled “Cybersecurity of Voting Machines”. 
• In January 2017, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson designated election infrastructure as “critical infrastructure” with the intent of offering assistance to state and local election officials. 
• On September 22, 2017, DHS notified 21 states of Russian government hackers’ attempt to breach state systems during the 2016 election. Two weeks later, DHS announced the creation of an election security task force to enhance coordination with state and local election officials.
• On September 8, 2017, the Commonwealth of Virginia’s election supervisors directed counties to end the use of touchscreen voting machines before November’s elections, citing the devices posed unacceptable digital risks.