Cybersecurity Roundup: Tightening Up Election Security

What better time to discuss election security, or the lack thereof, than President’s Day?

Problems with the Iowa Democratic Caucus and a bipartisan Senate Intelligence report confirming Russian interference in the 2016 election are raising concerns about the security and accuracy of upcoming primary and general elections.

So what needs to be done by who to secure upcoming elections? To find out more, we spoke with David Mason, director of channel partner success at SiteLock.

Channel Futures: What aren’t those holding elections doing what they should be doing to ensure optimum cybersecurity? And what aren’t candidates doing that they should be doing?

David Mason: Those who are holding elections are running on a tight budget, which limits the amount of resources they can allocate toward increasing cybersecurity measures. Hackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, so those holding elections need to do more to ensure optimum cybersecurity to protect voter information and guarantee accurate election results. This can be achieved by choosing an MSSP that offers a wide range of security solutions and the right level of expertise to help build out a package tailored to the customers budget and specific security needs.

SiteLock’s David Mason

When it comes to candidates, they should not only partner with security experts to ensure their campaign is protected from hackers, but also ensure that cybersecurity is a part of their platform. Once in office, these elected officials can make sure we implement the necessary policies to increase innovation and funding to guarantee future elections are not affected by malicious actors. One of the best ways a candidate can achieve this is by partnering with a trusted MSSP that can not only audit existing security practices, but also provide clear guidance on how to build a comprehensive and bulletproof security strategy.

CF: How can MSSPs and other cybersecurity providers help ensure secure elections?

DM: To ensure elections remain safe, MSSPs and other cybersecurity providers must first ensure they have a … comprehensive portfolio of security solutions to meet the specific security needs of these clients including endpoint, website and email security solutions at a variety of price points. If they have these solutions available, they could consider volunteering these services or offering them at a discounted rate that election organizers can afford. By expanding these offerings to election officials and polling places, MSSPs and cybersecurity providers can ensure safe elections while further reinforcing their reputation in the community as a trusted security advisor and resource.

CF: Is the shortage of cybersecurity talent impacting elections? If so, what can be done about that?

DM: The shortage of cybersecurity talent is impacting the entire industry and is sure to affect elections. Because cybersecurity professionals are high in demand, they can be selective about what companies and projects they work for. If elections are unable to offer these professionals the compensation they require, it will be difficult to …