In this episode of the Security Swarm Podcast, host Andy is joined by Umut Alemdar, Head of Security Lab at Hornetsecurity, to explore the escalating threat of election interference by cyber threat actors across the globe. They talk about motivations driving these actors and the various tactics used to infiltrate political parties, target election equipment, and spread misinformation, including the use of deepfakes.  

The episode also revisits significant cases of election meddling, from the 2015 German Bundestag hack to the 2020 Iranian hack of U.S. city election websites, highlighting the ongoing risks. Andy and Umut conclude with strategies to combat these threats, emphasizing the importance of policy changes, enhanced public communication, and rigorous cybersecurity training for election officials. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Threat actors use various tactics to meddle in elections, including infiltrating political parties, targeting election equipment, and spreading misinformation/disinformation to sow chaos and mistrust in the democratic process.
• These attacks have led to significant data breaches, leaks of sensitive information, and an erosion of public trust in the integrity of elections. 

Timestamps: 

(01:00) Introduction and Categorizing Threat Actors 

(08:00) Infiltrating Political Parties and Targeting Election Equipment 

(09:44) Consequences of Spreading Misinformation  

(14:00) Past Attacks: Germany, France, and Ukraine 

(21:32) US-Based Attacks: 2016 Presidential Election and Breaching City Websites   

(28:30) What Can Be Done? Policies, Communication, and Monitoring 

Episode Resources: 

EU Sanctions Russian Hackers for German Bundestag Hack 

Webinar containing deep fake materials  

Washington Post Article about Local Election Website Hacks