Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
    • Career Intelligence
    • Leader to Leader
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • The Security Leadership Issue
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Photo Galleries
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Continuing Education
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
CybersecurityManagementSecurity NewswireTechnologies & SolutionsCybersecurity News

63% of government workers are worried that cyberattacks will impact the integrity of the upcoming US election

voting election
October 15, 2020

Sixty-three percent of government workers say they are worried that cyberattacks on candidates, political parties, and voting infrastructure will impact the integrity of the upcoming U.S. election, according to the Government & Election Cybersecurity Threat Index released by Morphisec, provider of Advanced Threat Prevention. In addition, more than 3-in-4 government workers (77%) believe that states and local governments need more federal funding to protect voting infrastructure better.

As Morphisec works with DHS to protect critical infrastructure and supports local governments with improving their cyber defenses against advanced threats, it surveyed 500 federal and local government employees across the U.S. in September 2020 to explore how government employees perceive current cyber threats. These government employees included law enforcement, administrative workers, librarians, and even postal workers. Of those surveyed, 31% worked within the federal government, and 69% worked within local governments.

morphisec

With the U.S. presidential election just weeks away, the entire country is on high alert for cyberattacks, particularly those carried out by sophisticated nation-states or state-sponsored attackers determined to spread disinformation, disrupt national voting systems, or disable critical infrastructures. While it’s rare for voting equipment to be connected to the internet, government employees are concerned that both cyberattacks and the spread of information could undermine the election's integrity.

Furthermore, with COVID-19 creating the need for mail-in voting, there is the worry that attackers could utilize advanced malware attacks, such as the recently discovered Trickbot/Emotet variant, to undermine or disable mail-in ballot processing. That recent global campaign was successful in breaching France’s court system. The pandemic is also forcing 42% of government employees to continue working remotely, further complicating cybersecurity defenses and increasing attack surfaces during this critical period.

Additional highlights from Morphisec’s Government & Election Cybersecurity Threat Index:

  • Nearly 1-in-4 (23%) government employees believe federal and local governments are “not at all prepared” to secure voting infrastructure.
  • Despite the worry of voting infrastructure being breached, 62% of government workers say the more significant threat to the upcoming U.S. election is nation-states spreading disinformation online.
  • When it comes to which nation-states government workers are worried about orchestrating cyber threats from during the election, Russia leads the list (50%).
  • Of government employees currently working from home during the pandemic, 66% say they are using antivirus protection, 60% say they are using a VPN, and 55% utilize encryption methods.
  • Almost a quarter (24%) of government workers say their department has previously experienced a cyber attack.

“Federal and especially local government employees are right to be worried about cyberattacks as we head towards election day,” said Andrew Homer, VP of Security Strategy at Morphisec. “Local municipalities are often underfunded, short-staffed and lack even the most basic cybersecurity protocols, meaning they’re readily vulnerable and will be in attackers crosshairs as we approach November 3. Furthermore, while it's encouraging to see many government workers — forced remote by COVID — using antivirus and VPNs, they remain targets for attacks that bypass traditional detection solutions. Proactive solutions, such as moving target defense, which is designed to automatically block and lock down evasive threats, is needed to guard against these sophisticated global threats.”

Download the full Morphisec Government & Election Cybersecurity Threat Index here.

KEYWORDS: cyber security election security infrastructure security risk management

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security magazine's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024 award...
    Security Enterprise Services
    By: Security Staff
  • cyber brain

    The intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable cybersecurity...
    Cybersecurity
    By: Pam Nigro
  • artificial intelligence AI graphic

    Assessing the pros and cons of AI for cybersecurity

    Artificial intelligence (AI) has significant implications...
    Cybersecurity
    By: Charles Denyer
Manage My Account
  • Security eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • eMagazine Subscriptions
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Security audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Security or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Crisis Response Team
    Sponsored byEverbridge

    Automate or Fall Behind – Crisis Response at the Speed of Risk

  • Perimeter security
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Why Property Security is the New Competitive Advantage

  • Duty of Care
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Integrating Technology and Physical Security to Advance Duty of Care

Popular Stories

Coding

AI Emerges as the Top Concern for Security Leaders

Half open laptop

“Luigi Was Right”: A Look at the Website Sharing Data on More Than 1,000 Executives

Shopping mall

Victoria’s Secret Security Incident Shuts Down Website

Laptop with coding on ground

Stepping Into the Light: Why CISOs Are Replacing Black-Box Security With Open-Source XDR

Gift cards and credit cards

Why Are Cyberattacks Targeting Retail? Experts Share Their Thoughts

2025 Security Benchmark banner

Events

June 24, 2025

Inside a Modern GSOC: How Anthropic Benchmarks Risk Detection Tools for Speed and Accuracy

For today's security teams, making informed decisions in the first moments of a crisis is critical.

July 17, 2025

Tech in the Jungle: Leveraging Surveillance, Access Control, and Technology in Unique Environments

From animal habitats to bustling crowds of visitors, a zoo is a one-of-a-kind environment for deploying modern security technologies.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

See More Products

Related Articles

  • employee support during pandemic can really help mental health, burnout

    The impact of COVID-19 has devastated workers’ mental wellbeing; which types of jobs are most affected and what can employers do?

    See More
  • voting - election

    Election security study: More than half of tech pros are less confident now than before the pandemic

    See More
  • internet security

    3 ways to keep ahead of the physical impact of cyberattacks

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • databasehacker

    The Database Hacker's Handboo

See More Products
×

Sign-up to receive top management & result-driven techniques in the industry.

Join over 20,000+ industry leaders who receive our premium content.

SIGN UP TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing