by The U.S. election polls predict a tight race, with experts predicting three outcomes: results may not be announced on November 5, a week-long political and legal battle, and the spread of misinformation and false narratives during the count.
Americans are advised to use official government sites, but new research warns that nearly 60% of U.S. countries can be easily impersonated by fake sites, and their government emails are not secure. U.S. County election sites are also insecure, making it crucial for Americans to be cautious about their information.
41% of county election sites lack email security, and 57% are not.
Comparitech’s analysis of U.S. county election websites revealed that 41% lack basic email authentication procedures, and 57% are non-.gov domains. The system needs updating, as noted by Rebecca Moody, Head of Data Research at Comparitech, who discussed the dangers of U.S. County website security with Techopedia.
Because anyone may register a.com,.org,.net, etc. address, malicious actors could create a county website that seems authentic but contains false information, Moody’s explained. Additionally, phishing efforts may exploit these websites to obtain important personal information that could be used, for instance, to perpetrate voting fraud. This risk is further increased by using unauthenticated emails.
Is Modernization Necessary for the Already Decentralized U.S. Election System?
A NPR/PBS News/Marist poll shows that many Americans, particularly Republicans, are concerned about voter fraud, despite top officials securing the U.S. election infrastructure and stating that elections are safer than ever. U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director Jen Easterly stated that election infrastructure has never been more secure since 2016.
Richard Bird, CSO of Enterprise Solution’s Traceable AI API security, defended the fairness, safety, democracy, and legality of the upcoming U.S. elections, arguing that most criticisms are a misunderstanding of the system’s inefficiencies, and described the operation of the decentralized election system in the U.S.
A Disinformation Campaign for the Election One Match Starts a Wildfire
Misinformation operations often begin with a single bogus news source and spread widely on social media before being reported by the media. In 2020, the Department of Homeland Security discovered around 50 dubious websites that mimic state and federal election domains and may be used for influence or phishing campaigns, highlighting the potential damage that phony websites can cause in swing states.
The FBI warned on October 18 that misinformation and narratives aimed at undermining American trust in the electoral process might surface in the days leading up to and following the election. Americans are advised to exercise extra vigilance when responding to emails from county sources.
Comparitech researchers found that 41% of voter contact emails from county websites in the US lack the Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) authentication mechanism, and generic emails like @gmail.com, @outlook.com, and @hotmail.com are displayed on around 100 websites, enabling easy phishing attacks and impersonation campaigns.
Sow doubt, fear, and lies if you can’t hack it.
Bird of Traceable AI argues that the American voting system’s decentralization and hackability make it difficult for threat actors to spread disinformation. He calls for modernization and argues that elected officials’ suggestions of the system’s safety are reckless and anti-democratic.
Bird asserts that it is the responsibility of every individual to make an informed decision before casting their ballot, stating that the current electoral system is not responsible for citizens consuming lies or self-confirming fears. He also notes that attempts to tamper with vote integrity are rare, insignificant, and do not affect election results.
Comparitech’s Head of Data Research, Moody, suggests that eliminating potential problems in counties with.gov websites and emails would be straightforward and significant. Voters would only need to refer to.gov websites, but currently, they may rely on search engines to locate information, which could lead to fraudulent websites.
The Bottom Line
It is difficult to forecast what will occur on November 5 and in the days that follow. Undoubtedly, experts and studies caution that modernization is still required even if the American decentralized electoral system should ensure that elections are democratic, fair, and lawful.
Email policy and technology should be protected, and U.S. counties should use.gov domains. However, Americans’ information sources are often compromised by disinformation from local social media and foreign threat actors, undermining confidence in their decision-making process.
