CISA Releases Election Infrastructure Security Plan Ahead of Midterms

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a security plan for election infrastructure on Thursday, just 40 days before the November midterm elections. The document details potential threats facing election systems and lists the services the agency will provide to election officials to safeguard the vote.

The plan's release follows previous efforts to bolster election system defenses in states. However, some election officials have argued these measures are insufficient and arrived too late, especially after prior reductions in the agency's election security work.

Established in 2018 and part of the Department of Homeland Security, CISA has historically assisted state and local election officials in identifying potential foreign threats. The agency's role in election security had previously been diminished, with cuts to both its staff and budget.

The 13-page document states that the Department of Homeland Security has "consistently supported CISA’s delivery of cybersecurity and physical security services to election officials," and that these services are provided at no cost upon request. Despite this, multiple local election officials have told the Associated Press that certain services previously available, such as tabletop exercises and penetration tests, were not accessible in the lead-up to this year's midterms.