Security News > 2020 > August > Security of Post-Election Vote Count Top Worry: US Official
A top US official for election security said his biggest worry is the possibility of outside interference in a likely slow count of the votes the day after the November 3 presidential contest.
Bill Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, said that external actors could use hacks like ransomware and other cyberattacks against the infrastructure for delivering, counting and transmitting the votes, which includes the overburdened and understaffed post office and polling stations.
"I'm worried about election day on," Evanina told the US Chamber of Commerce in a video briefing Wednesday.
"I'm worried about ransomware attacks. I'm worried about cyberattacks. I'm worried about the inability of people to vote because of cyber penetrations and ransomware."
"So for me I worry about not up to the election, from the influence perspective, I'm worried about the interference perspective come November 3, 4 and all the way through November," he said.
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