ES&S Bolsters Security For 2018 Mid-Term Elections
OMAHA, Neb., Oct. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Election Systems & Software (ES&S) is pleased to announce it has taken multiple steps, including the installation of advanced threat monitoring via Albert network security sensors, to bolster security for America's 2018 mid-term elections on Nov. 6.
"As the nation prepares for a critical election, ES&S has taken additional steps to strengthen security, building on our decades of expertise ensuring fair and accurate elections," said Chris Wlaschin, ES&S vice president of Systems Security. "There is a new reality of increased security threats, and it is incumbent upon ES&S to continue to lead in elections security on technical, operational and personnel fronts to keep U.S. elections secure."
- ES&S announced in August initiation of installation of Albert network security sensors to scan voter registration environments. The first of these installations is now in production for the voter registration environment hosted by ES&S for the State of Nebraska. Albert is a unique network security monitoring solution provided by the Center for Internet Security (CIS) that continuously monitors both traditional and advanced network threats for state and local jurisdictions, delivering automated alerts about threats to allow election jurisdictions and ES&S to respond quickly when data may be at risk. Combined with an in-depth review conducted by expert analysts through CIS' 24/7 Security Operations Center, Albert is a fully monitored and managed service which will compliment ES&S' existing, robust suite of cybersecurity controls.
- ES&S has joined new partnerships to conduct cyber hygiene scans of ES&S' public-facing internet presence, monitor and share cyber threat information, and detect and report indicators of compromise. These partnerships are with multiple Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Critical Infrastructure Program offices including the National Protection and Programs Directorate and the National Cybersecurity Assessment and Technical Services. Through this program, DHS regularly provides reports to ES&S. No issues have been reported to date.
- To assist local and state elections offices, ES&S conducted its Secure the Vote seminars for nearly 400 elections officials across 10 states. These 4-hour seminars cover best practices in physical and operational security for polling places, elections management offices, voting system hardware and software, and other elements of the voting ecosystem.
- To further its readiness in the case of election-related threats or incidents, ES&S hosted a National Cyber Exercise and Planning Program with DHS and FBI officials. The exercise, co-facilitated by DHS and ES&S officials, covered a variety of election-related hypothetical scenarios to ensure preparedness for immediate and effective communication with appropriate authorities, to evaluate multi-functional resources, and to analyze plans for responding to various election-day issues.
- On Election Day, ES&S will have representation across the nation, deploying more than 600 site support personnel to assist local elections offices and polling places, as well as representation in Washington D.C. with federal officials in an elections-focused situational awareness and response center. The ES&S customer service center and help desk will be available around the clock until all votes are reported.
- Throughout 2018, ES&S has participated in federal information sharing platforms to deepen understanding of elections threats. ES&S has taken part in a DHS classified briefing, and routinely receives information as a member of the nation's Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (EI-ISAC) and the Information Technology Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (IT-ISAC). This includes ES&S' participatory role as founding member of the newly formed Elections Industry Special Interest Group, part of the IT-ISAC. An ISAC is a nonprofit organization that provides a central resource for gathering information on cyber threats to critical infrastructure and two-way sharing of information between the private and public sector.
"This multi-layer, comprehensive approach enables ES&S, together with state and local elections officials and the federal government, to bring a new level of protection to U.S. elections," said Tom Burt, ES&S president and CEO. "We recognize the focus on America's elections is unprecedented, and we are committed to ensuring each and every vote is counted securely and accurately."
ABOUT ES&S
Election Systems & Software has been dedicated to secure, accurate elections throughout North America for nearly 40 years. The ES&S team is committed to developing integrated voting solutions that improve the voting experience, are secure, accurate and flexible, meeting a variety of jurisdictions' needs and voter preferences. Learn more about ES&S at essvote.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @essvote
SOURCE Election Systems & Software
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