There’s no question that a lot of people have been paying close attention to the presidential election this year. Reports of Russian hackers and accusations of a a rigged election have put election security under more scrutiny than usual.
The US government has several departments on high alert, including the FBI, the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Security experts from the government and the private sector are holed up looking out for any cyberthreats.
Russia has been accused by the United States of leaking information to tip the scales of the election already, but there is concern that Russian hackers may also try to interfere with the actual election itself. Others worry about a cyberattack on America’s infrastructure, such as the power grid.
A NATO representative has said there is a possibility of that happening, but thinks it is remote. However, famed hacker Guccifer 2.0, thought tot be a figurehead for state-sponsored Russian hackers, threatened on Twitter to monitor the election from the inside. The US has issued warnings to Russia behind the scenes to not interfere in the electoral process.
Given the patchwork of privately-owned networks that make up the internet in the United States, it’s unclear how much protection can be provided. If the US suffers an infrastructure attack, however, the Pentagon does have the ability to retaliate.
With emotions running high in what’s expected to be a close and fractious election, citizens of the United States need to feel secure that their voices will be represented.