Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has frozen all its electoral security efforts and is reviewing everything it has done Helping state and local officials ensure elections Wired has learned about it over the past eight years. The move is the first major example of the country’s cyber defense agency that houses President Donald Trump’s false claims about election fraud and online censorship.
Wired was obtained by Bridget Bean, acting director of CISA, in a memo sent to all CISA employees on Friday, said she was ordering “review and evaluation” for each position in an agency related to election security. Oppose errors and false information“and every election security and [mis-, dis-, and malinformation] Products, activities, services and programs that have been implemented since the federal government Specified The electoral system is a key infrastructure in 2017.
“CISA will suspend all election security activities until this review is completed,” added Bean. The agency is also funding these activities. Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Centeris a group funded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has served as the coordinator for the electoral community.
Bean confirms in her memo that CISA has First reported by Politicoto “initially identified as associated with election security activities and MDM programs”, on February 7 on administrative holidays.
“It is necessary to correct the agency’s election security activities to ensure that CISA is focused on performing its cyber and physical security tasks,” she told employees in the memorandum.
Bean is temporarily leading CISA, but she is formally the executive director of the agency, the highest career position. CISA’s first director Created the role of the executive director Provide continuity during political transition. Previously, Bean was Trump’s appointment In the Federal Emergency Management Agency In his first semester.
During an internal review for CISA (which will end on March 6), Bean pointed out Trump’s January 20 executive order About “End Federal Censorship”. Conservatives argue CISA reviewed their speeches by coordinating with tech companies to determine online misinformation in the final year of Trump’s first semester. CISA denies any censorship system, U.S. Supreme Court The lawsuit was dismissed Government work. But after the rebound, CISA Stopped most conversations A technical platform with online errors and false information.
CISA and DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Since 2017, state and local election officials have relied on CISA’s expertise and resources, as well as partnerships with other agencies to improve their physical and digital security. Through on-site consultation and online coaching, CISA helped election administrators secure voting infrastructure targeting hackers, making voting venues more difficult for existing shooters’ voting venues, and developed backup plans for polling to cope with voting shortages or power outages.
Election supervisors have been working to overcome serious funding challenges, but in recent years their work has become more stressful as strong voter scrutiny has given way Harassment even Death threat. Election officials on both sides repeatedly praised CISA’s unpolitical support for its work, saying the agency’s advice and free security services are crucial to promoting their own efforts.
