Election officers: Using these new resources from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) can help you improve both the cyber security of your elections and the physical security of your polling place(s). These resource are among many that CISA offers to assist election infrastructure stakeholders with physical security preparedness, located on a dedicated web presence, which can be found here.
Securing Election Infrastructure Against the Tactics of Foreign Malign Influence Operations
This guidance helps election infrastructure stakeholders, particularly election officials and election vendors, understand and mitigate the risk posed by the tactics of foreign malign influence operations. The product covers 11 tactics, provides documented examples of use, and recommends potential mitigations. While many of these tactics are not new, recent advances to generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology have made it much easier and cheaper to generate and spread convincing foreign malign influence content.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) produced this guide to highlight tactics used by foreign malign influence operations that seek to disrupt American life and the critical infrastructure that underlies it. The publication of informational materials about this issue are intended for public awareness, and are not intended to restrict, diminish, or demean any person’s right to hold, express, or publish any opinion or belief, including opinions or beliefs that align with those of a foreign malign influence actor, are expressed by a foreign influence malign influence actor, or dissent from the majority. CISA, FBI, and ODNI respect the First Amendment rights of all U.S. persons and publications.
Physical Security Checklist for Polling Locations
This checklist and its user guide help you review your polling place's current security practices and find areas for improvement. The easy-to-use questionnaire walks you through the process to assess potential security vulnerabilities and identify additional actions that may be required in advance of the election. This process requires no prior security experience and broadly addresses several overarching security principles, including:
- Identifying an individual or group responsible for security and safety
- Utilizing risk assessments to inform security
- Developing plans to inform processes and procedures
- Refining security measures before election day
- Implementing mitigations and “day of” security measures