North Carolina - North Carolina State Board of Elections
Program Title
Attack Response Kits (ARKs)
Program Summary
A county government cyberattack during early voting in February 2020 sparked the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) to invent Attack Response Kits (ARKs). Initially assembled by NCSBE in 2021 through HAVA funds, ARKs are elections offices in a box. During an event that requires network isolation, ARKs allow counties to securely continue operations while not relying on infrastructure that may be impacted by a cyber incident. In 2023, ARKs were deployed in response to cyber-related events affecting two county governments. ARKs kept one county election office operational through municipal canvass and another during candidate filing and ballot preparation. ARKs have also been deployed in 2024. Each ARK includes laptops, accessories, and security software to allow county board employees to access the State Election Information Management System. A Tactical Rapid Communications Kit (TRaCK) provides reliable data and voice network services, even in remote areas. Batteries last up to two days. ARKs are staged at eight strategic locations across the state, allowing deployment within 90 minutes. NCSBE houses two spare kits. The ARKs are an important capability for the state and counties in their continuity of operations plans.