Washington — Jen Easterly, head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Safety Company (CISA), mentioned Sunday that her company has not seen "particular or credible threats" to compromise election infrastructure earlier than Election Day, now simply over every week away.
"We've got no details about particular or credible threats to disrupt or compromise election infrastructure. I need that to be very clear," Easterly mentioned in an interview with "Face the Nation." "We're placing out data, just like the warnings that you simply talked about, to guarantee that state and native election officers have the data that they should defend their voting programs and their election infrastructure."
Early voting for the midterm elections is already underway in lots of states, and greater than 20 million folks have already solid their ballots. Final week, the federal authorities issued a joint intelligence bulletin warning home violence extremists throughout the ideological spectrum pose a "heightened menace" to the midterm contests.
The bulletin from a gaggle of federal businesses and distributed to legislation enforcement companions throughout the nation said potential targets of violence by home violent extremists embrace candidates searching for public workplace, election officers and staff, political rallies and occasion representatives, amongst others.
Whereas Easterly mentioned she is assured the November elections will likely be "protected and safe," and believes People ought to really feel the identical means concerning the integrity of elections of their states, the CISA chief acknowledged there's nonetheless concern about voter intimidation and threats to election staff.
"It's a very advanced menace surroundings," she mentioned. "You've cyber threats, you may have insider threats, you may have rampant disinformation. And sure, very worryingly, you may have threats of harassment, intimidation and violence in opposition to election officers, polling locations and voters. Let's be actually clear. That has to cease."
Easterly mentioned the habits is "unacceptable" and "undemocratic," and she or he inspired cooperation and coordination throughout all ranges of presidency to make sure the midterm elections are protected and safe.
"These elections, election officers, these usually are not faceless backroom bureaucrats," she mentioned. "These are our family, our pals, our neighbors. They're in our neighborhood. They're devoted public servants which might be working day in and time out to make sure the safety of elections, and so they deserve not simply our help, however our admiration and respect, and so they need to be protected. And all of us should be accountable about guaranteeing that is a protected and safe surroundings."
Along with the threats from home violent extremists forward of Election Day, Easterly additionally warned of cyber threats from nation states and cyber criminals, in addition to disinformation campaigns from overseas actors to sow discord, undermine confidence within the elections programs and exploit vulnerabilities to incite violence.
Like with Russia in 2016, China and Iran have additionally been behind affect operations, and Easterly mentioned that underscores the significance of voters turning to "trusted voices" like native and state elections officers to grasp who elections of their states work.
"If you happen to see data that is on the web, you are unsure whether or not it is true, be important about it, ask questions, have a look at the supply, examine it and do not unfold that data any extra broadly and principally give overseas adversaries an opportunity to govern People and to sow discord and to create insecurity in our election," Easterly mentioned.