US Cybersecurity Head: 'Malicious Actors' Won't Affect US Elections
On Wednesday, Jen Easterly, Director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), said that American voters can be confident that the election infrastructure system is strong, and that Russia, Iran, and other nations won't be able to alter the election results....
Facts
- On Wednesday, Jen Easterly, Director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), said that American voters can be confident that the election infrastructure system is strong, and that Russia, Iran, and other nations won't be able to alter the election results.[1]
- According to Easterly, 'Malicious actors, even if they tried, could not have an impact at scale such that there would be a material effect on the outcome of the election.'[2]
- Easterly's confidence in the voting process comes as officials in the US intelligence community have expressed concerns about greater attempts by foreign entities to influence voters, widen divisions, and undermine faith in US elections.[1]
- US intelligence agencies and tech firms have accused Russian and Iranian actors of using fake websites and social media profiles to spread misinformation, stoke division, and potentially influence voting.[3]
- The Dept. of Justice (DOJ) charged three Iranian operatives with hacking Trump's campaign last week as part of a larger plot to discredit the former president and disrupt the US election system.[4]
Sources: [1]Associated Press, [2]Voice of America, [3]Fox59 and [4]NBC.
Narratives
- Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by FOX News. It should raise alarm bells regarding the ever-expanding role of CISA, and how the federal government is using the guise of foreign interference to exert more control over social media and the speech of American citizens. Easterly is clearly trying to walk back from those allegations in these recent statements, but is also creating an atmosphere of fear in fighting so-called 'misinformation.'
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Atlantic Council. US authorities have warned against Russian and Iranian malign influence operations targeting the 2024 presidential election, as with previous US elections. Foreign agents have faced criminal charges, sanctions, and public warnings for their attempts to influence voters in the White House race through internet misinformation and hacking. Regardless, US voters must stay alert.
