2020 Political Campaign Data Security At Risk

If nothing else, the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election showed us just how vulnerable our campaigns are to hacking. However, these campaigns are far from alone when it comes to needing a high level of data security. We’re painfully aware the countless organizations who have experienced cyberattacks that expose our sensitive data. But with American politics, the stakes are incredibly high when vulnerable security puts free and fair elections at risk. A deep dive into election security in the 2016 race showed hackers linked to the Russian government targeted election systems in all 50 states.

A joint report from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) showed Russian hackers attempted to find security flaws in every state’s election infrastructure. Whether they were successful or not remains a mystery. One thing we know is campaign and election-tampering attempts are going on at this very moment. That fact alone is enough to ring alarm bells for the 2020 Presidential Election. Elections for House and Senate seats as well as local governments may also be in harm’s way.

We can only hope those in charge provide the cybersecurity necessary to keep our elections safe. Our cyber history shows the need for bolstered systems security for political endeavors as well as for the business sector at large. Our adversaries in Russia, China, and North Korea have all displayed their abilities to hack their way into our government agencies, critical infrastructure, and financial and consumer sectors. Those responsible for cybersecurity for public or private, for local or global businesses, need to be vigilant about protecting their data. Also, much of that exposed data belongs to their customers who experience identity theft and other significant losses from ineffective cybersecurity.

With 60% of small-to-medium sized companies going out of business within six months of a hack, protecting our democracy as well as other organizations and businesses grow more critical with every passing day.

• Employee education is needed to combat ongoing threats to security. A cyber-smart staff that knows hacking tricks provides an important force against everyday threats. Email phishing is responsible for 90% of data breaches, with business email compromise costing U.S. companies over $12 billion in losses annually. Education should be ongoing as hackers continually improve email phishing tactics and hacking methods trend over time.

• Protect those at higher risk of hacking. Employees in charge of critical assets like security, finances, and human resources run the risk of being targeted more than other staff. Hackers already know where the most vulnerable and valuable information is kept, and who’s keeping it. Bad actors easily pose as legitimate sources who request payments, payroll, and other sensitive data. Keep critical departments and those who work in them protected with bolstered cybersecurity and cyber-smart education.

• Integrate cybersecurity into all data systems. Businesses who start cybersecurity at their inception are ahead of the game. However, any time is a good time to start. Hackers love to enter systems where and when it’s least expected. They use vendors, friends, and relatives of employees and others surrounding a company as a sneaky but effective way to enter data systems. Providing security for these opportunities can help stop a hack before it starts.