Roundtable Hosted by the Election Assistance Commission Will Explore Sophistication of Cyber Threats, Prepare Jurisdictions to Combat Attacks
Silver Spring, Md. – The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) will convene a livestream roundtable discussion on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. on how to prevent cyberattacks and resources available for election officials developing incident response plans. The event will bring together cybersecurity experts and local election officials to discuss the unique challenge hackers present, understanding what it means to be the target of a nation-state actor and the collaborative approach needed to update and strengthen jurisdictions’ cyber safeguards.
Since the 2016 election, the EAC has worked to pair local and state election officials with cybersecurity experts in the federal government, private industry and academia who can bolster cyber security education and resources. The agency also provides cybersecurity trainings and resources to election administrators across the nation.
Since the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision to designate election systems as part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, the EAC has focused on creating a final information sharing structure that provides state and local election officials with access to actionable intelligence that can help to better secure elections. As that structure is finalized, the commission continues to monitor potential threats and work with federal entities, such as DHS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to provide information and services to state and local election administrators.
Reporters can watch the live stream online at www.eac.gov or on EAC’s Facebook page. Those wishing to speak with members of the panel should contact Brenda Bowser Soder at bsoder@eac.gov or 301-563-3951.
WHAT:
EAC roundtable discussion on cybersecurity preparedness
WHO:
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Matt Masterson, Chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (Moderator)
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Joseph Lorenzo Hall, Chief Technologist of the Internet Architecture project at the Center for Democracy & Technology
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Ben Spear, Senior Intelligence Analyst for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC)
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Amber McReynolds, Director of Elections in Denver, Colorado
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Thomas Connolly, Director of Operations at the New York State Board of Elections
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Scott Cardenas, Chief Information Officer for the City & County of Denver
WHEN:
Wednesday, October 4, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
WHERE:
Live streamed at www.eac.gov
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The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with ensuring secure, accurate and accessible elections by developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration. EAC also accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems, as well as administers the use of HAVA funds. For more information, visit www.eac.gov.