Cybersecurity
First Line of Defense in U.S. Elections Has Critical Weaknesses
- Homeland Security says ‘Albert sensors’ are in 29 states
- But device can be fooled and most localities don’t have them
Cyberwar Is More Common Than You Think
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A software sensor with a knack for detecting intrusions like those from Russian hackers is being embraced by U.S. states determined to protect their election systems, though cybersecurity experts warn of the tool’s limits.
The Department of Homeland Security is working with a growing number of state election officials to install “Albert sensors,” which detect traffic coming into and out of a computer network. The system can’t block a suspected attack, but it funnels suspicious information to a federal-state information-sharing center near Albany, New York, that’s intended to help identify malign behavior and alert states quickly.