When it comes to online election risks, leaders of Georgia’s Republican and Democratic parties agreed that candidates need to be on high alert against the dangers of hacks and misinformation.
Candidates should protect themselves from cybersecurity threats and viral falsehoods, party officials told a crowd of industry experts Tuesday at an Atlanta event sponsored by Google and a nonprofit it supports called Defending Digital Campaigns.
Go passwordless and stop attacks with the best-in-class security keys that can store up to 250 unique passkeys, and learn about our 2024 commitment of 100,000 keys to global high risk users.
During today’s Aspen Cyber Summit in New York City, we rolled out the latest version of our Titan Security Key — now available on the Google Store. Throughout 2024, we’ll also begin distributing 100,000 of these new security keys at no cost to global high risk users alongside our industry partners.
Google is distributing another 100,000 free pieces of security hardware to protect people involved in high-risk industries.
Google’s Titan Security Keys work as a “second factor” that can be used after passwords are entered. They can also store passkeys — which let users sign in to apps and sites the same way they unlock their devices: with a fingerprint, a face scan or a screen lock PIN.
With Titan Security Keys, users can store passkeys for accounts beyond Google, including Microsoft. It uses FIDO2 technology, a security standard for authentication on the web.
Political campaigns are ramping up their protections, worrying the next in a rising number of ransomware attacks could target them.
Cyber criminals have gone after an ever-increasing number of targets, from Colonial Pipeline to JBS USA. And political campaigns are painfully familiar with risks after the 2016 attacks on the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
“I think we have already seen Armageddon in what happened in 2016 at the DNC,” said Jesse Thomas, senior director of impact and mobilization of the Democratic firm Bully Pulpit Interactive.
Google announced Tuesday it is expanding its efforts around election security by providing free training to state and federal campaigns in all 50 states.
The company detailed the effort in a blog post, saying it will involve supporting nonpartisan virtual cybersecurity trainings for state and federal campaigns across the country and deploying a digital “help desk” to answer security-related questions for campaigns.
The new effort marks an expansion of Google’s work with the nonprofit group Defending Digital Campaigns (DDC), which provides free or low-cost security services to campaigns to help defend against malicious hackers.
Last year at the start of the U.S. 2020 election season, we announced our collaboration with Defending Digital Campaigns (DDC), a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, to give any eligible Federal campaign access to free Titan Security Keys—the strongest form of two-factor authentication. This collaboration is a part of our Advanced Protection Program, which protects high-risk individuals who have access to high visibility and sensitive information, such as election officials, campaigns, activists and journalists. In the lead up to the 2020 elections, DDC distributed more than 10,000 Titan Security key bundles to more than 140 U.S. Federal campaigns.
Google is expanding its election security efforts to include support for state-level campaigns ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, FOX Business has learned.
Google, as part of the worldwide annual Safer Internet Day, also announced it is partnering with the National Cybersecurity Center to provide training for state leaders.
Google noted that it made it “a priority to equip campaigns with tools they need to strengthen their own security, protect themselves against digital attacks and reach voters” during the 2020 election cycle.
It appears that this year’s presidential election campaigns avoided the sorts of cyberattacks that played out in 2016. No emails leaked this time — not yet, anyway.
The outcome could highlight an opportunity in the already-lively security market. CrowdStrike and Zscaler have seen their stocks appreciate more than 200% this year.
One thing that changed in the past four years: Politicians, campaign workers and their friends and family members started counting on little USB sticks to securely log in to email accounts and other online services. Google sells these widgets, known as physical security keys, as do smaller companies such as GoTrust, TrustKey and Yubico.
Google worked with a nonprofit called Defending Digital Campaigns to give out more than 10,500 kits containing physical security keys, the company said in a blog post on Dec. 9. The Federal Election Commission authorized the nonprofit to distribute cybersecurity products to campaigns for free or discounted prices, meaning campaigns wouldn’t have to worry about money if they wanted to boost security. Microsoft also works with the nonprofit.
As the 2020 presidential election nears, the U.S. populace is as divided as it has been in a long time – and the tempestuous climate could lead to a surge in activity among hacktivists seeking to make a statement.
Just this week, Reuters reported that hackers are testing the defenses of President Donald Trump’s campaign and business websites, possibly as a precursor to a future attack intended to take the sites offline. Access to several sites was reportedly already disrupted for short bursts of time from March 15 through June 6.
But this could just be the start of a wave of new hacktivism incidents that sabotage the websites or networks of political bodies, and perhaps businesses that take a controversial political stance.
“Given the current climate in the U.S. and the amount of activism going on, I think it’s fair to assume that hacktivism activity would parallel community-level activities, since the web is just an extension of activities in real life,” said Michael Kaiser, president and CEO of Defending Digital Campaigns, and former executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance. “I fully expect disrupting a campaign, person or organization viewed as an opponent — in order to convey a message or do greater harm — would be part of the hacktivism playbook.”
[excerpt] President Trump signed an executive order to protect the power grid from hackers last week, but experts warn that the 2020 campaign cycle has already suffered cyberattacks.
Elections large and small are looming in an increasingly work-from-home and social-distancing environment, one that has forced many campaigns (like most Americans) to conduct their day-to-day operations remotely. That has created a perfect opportunity for bad actors online, experts warn, and it could pose an unprecedented threat to the integrity of the U.S. elections…(continue)
WRITTEN BY TONYA RILEY
[excerpt] As the coronavirus forces political campaigns to shift their operations online, they are bracing for increased cyberattacks, disinformation and pranks designed to undermine the 2020 election.
Experts say campaigns need to pay more attention to the digital risks posed by increased document-sharing and video conferencing — and the onslaught of coronavirus-themed email and phone scams that could also try to trick voters.
“Voter contact has shifted to digital and phones — and it's just primed for digital hackers and their shenanigans,” says Matt Rhoades, co-founder of Defending Digital Campaigns, a nonprofit group that connects political campaigns with free or reduced-price cybersecurity tools… (cont.)
Written By Daniel Dobrygowski
[excerpt]: This is where private companies can play a bigger role. If civic responsibility isn’t enough of a reason, economic incentives also demand that companies act as proactive democratic citizens. Democracy is good for economic growth. More directly, supporting elections in a non-partisan way (like encouraging people to vote or securing polling stations) can also help a company’s bottom line — “being pro-democracy and pro-voter” has been shown to be good for companies.
There are two broad areas where companies can help: They can offer technology, and they can share knowledge.
We’re already seeing examples of technological assistance from the private sector. The most high-profile effort, Microsoft’s Defending Democracy Program, has offered an array of solutions for security and combating disinformation. Google just announced a partnership with the nonpartisan, nonprofit Defending Digital Campaigns to consult on digital security and help campaigns protect their email accounts. Smaller companies and organizations are also offering security help, from Cloudflare’s Project Galileo, which protects civil rights and democratic institutions’ websites, to Security Scorecard’s Project Escher, which helps such organizations monitor their own security. The Department of Homeland Security maintains a library of resources aimed at safeguarding electoral systems. More companies can step up and offer such resources for free or at low cost — and work on developing more offerings for election infrastructure, not just for campaigns.
Elastic, the company behind Elasticsearch and the Elastic Stack, is excited to announce that it will offer free monitored Elastic Endpoint Security to 2020 presidential and congressional campaigns in partnership with Defending Digital Campaigns.
Elastic has partnered with Defending Digital Campaigns (DDC), a non-partisan organization that provides low- and no-cost security products and services to federal campaigns to help defend them from cyberattacks and election interference.
Elastic is proud to deliver a monitored Elastic Endpoint Security solution, supported by members of the Elastic Security team.
“Campaigns have faced two significant barriers as they seek to better secure themselves from cyber threats: the high cost of quality cybersecurity products and the experience to organize an effective security strategy. (cont.)…
By Devon Kerr
We are excited to announce that Elastic will offer free, monitored Elastic Endpoint Security to the 2020 US presidential and congressional campaigns in partnership with Defending Digital Campaigns.
Defending Digital Campaigns (DDC) is a non-partisan organization that provides low- and no-cost security products and services to federal campaigns to help defend them from cyberattacks and election interference. We are proud to deliver a monitored Elastic Endpoint Security solution, supported by members of the Elastic Security team.
Campaigns have faced two significant barriers as they seek to better secure themselves from cyber threats: The high cost of quality cybersecurity products and the experience to organize an effective security strategy. The DDC helps campaigns quickly overcome these barriers of cost and expertise, allowing campaign staff to focus on what they do best. (cont..)
Written By MICHAEL HICKEY
Google teamed up with a nonprofit to keep political campaigns safe from cyberattacks. The effort shows a growing need for security for those who discuss sensitive topics. Also: The data that supports employee onboarding.
To help political campaigns tighten security, Google is partnering with the nonprofit Defending Digital Campaigns to give qualifying political groups free access to Titan Security Keys, The Verge reports. The partnership is a reflection of the growing need for organizations—especially those with a voice in advocacy—to take more cybersecurity measures.
Written By Tonya Riley
[excerpt] PWNED: Google will start offering its top level of cybersecurity protection free to presidential and congressional campaigns, the company announced this morning. Google is offering the service called “advanced protection” through Defending Digital Campaigns, a nonprofit organization that won Federal Election Commission approval to supply campaigns with free and reduced-price cybersecurity tools and services without violating campaign finance laws.
Advanced protection is essentially a super-secure way for users to verify their identities when they log into websites using a physical key that resembles a USB drive. The devices work both with Google-owned services such as Gmail and with many prominent non-Google services, such as tools from Apple and Mozilla.
The company plans to provide enough free keys for campaigns to give them to all the staffers they want – up to several hundred on a presidential campaign, Google head of account security Mark Risher told me. The company also hopes to work with DDC to offer training to ensure campaigns are using the devices correctly and securely, Risher said.
DDC is already offering security tools from the anti-phishing firm Area 1 Security, the encrypted messaging platform Wickr, the email security firm Agari and the software and mobile security firm Lookout, among others. (cont.)
Candidates can also get trained up on how to use Advanced Protection to keep their accounts safe.
Written By LILY HAY NEWMAN
Malign foreign influence operations during the 2016 United States presidential election season raised awareness about the need for tighter security within campaigns. And while the 2020 presidential campaigns have shown some improvement, many are still seriously lagging—and facing real threats—with nine months left before election day. Now Google is trying to help move the needle.
Today the search giant is announcing new efforts to help campaigns secure their GSuite accounts through the Advanced Protection program—complete with free Titan security keys. Google is working with the nonpartisan, nonprofit Defending Digital Campaigns, which will interact with political groups and distribute the free keys. DDC will also take the critical step of offering consultants to help campaigns actually activate the protections. (cont.)
Written By CAT ZAKRZEWSKI with Tonya Riley
[excerpt] That includes multifactor authentication, which requires people to enter not just a password but also a code sent to their smartphone or from a special hardware key. Experts also recommend using password managers and communicating on encrypted messaging apps, like Signal and Wickr.
It is not just candidates and staff who should be tightening up their online security but also the people operating in the periphery who might be helping out the campaign.
"You have a spouse that could be vulnerable; you have children; you have the candidate's best friend who's also the finance chair," said Michael Kaiser, president of Defending Digital Campaigns, another nonprofit that connects campaigns with free and discounted cybersecurity services and training…… (cont.)
Written By CAT ZAKRZEWSKI with Tonya Riley
Political campaigns might not have the time or money to seek out tech talent and services in their busiest season, even as concerns loom about election hacking and interference. A political odd couple is trying to change that.
Defending Digital Campaigns — founded by Robby Mook, Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign manager, and Matt Rhoades, Mitt Romney’s 2012 campaign manager — is offering campaigns a wide range of free and discounted cybersecurity services.
The nonprofit organization, which acts as a clearinghouse between campaigns and the companies, announced yesterday that it broadly expanded its industry partners to include tech heavyweights such as Microsoft and Cloudflare.
DDC is designed to be a one-stop shop for campaigns to get protections against phishing, websites and mobile app security, multi-factor authentication through security keys, and more. (Cont…)
Written By ANNA PALMER and JAKE SHERMAN
VALLEY TALK … WITH A ROBBY MOOK CAMEO! -- “Tech Companies Volunteer to Beef Up Presidential Campaigns’ Cybersecurity,” by WSJ’s Alexa Corse: “Nearly a dozen technology companies said they will provide free or reduced-cost cybersecurity services to presidential campaigns, which experts and intelligence officials have warned are ripe targets for intrusion and disinformation.
“They join a growing number of firms offering protection on a nonpartisan basis, a trend that has gained steam in the past 18 months or so, since federal regulators eased rules to make such offers permissible under campaign-finance laws. The Federal Election Commission made policy changes after urging from nonprofits and technology companies, including Microsoft Corp. ...
“The partnerships between campaigns and cybersecurity companies, which include Microsoft and Cloudflare Inc., are being encouraged by a months-old nonprofit called Defending Digital Campaigns, which is helping the firms comply with campaign-finance regulations. The nonprofit is led in part by [former Mitt Romney campaign manager Matt] Rhoades and Robby Mook, campaign manager for Hillary Clinton in 2016.” WSJ … Defending Digital Campaigns