States and Congress scramble to secure water systems against cyberattacks
PBS NewsHourJan 09
US Cybersecurity Head: 'Malicious Actors' Won't Affect US Elections
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Above: Jen Easterly, Director of the Homeland Security Department's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, testifies during a Congressional hearing on Jan. 31, 2024 in Washington, DC. Image copyright: Kevin Dietsch/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
On Wednesday, Jen Easterly, Director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), said that American voters can be confident that the election infrastructure system is strong, and that Russia, Iran, and other nations won't be able to alter the election results.
According to Easterly, "Malicious actors, even if they tried, could not have an impact at scale such that there would be a material effect on the outcome of the election."
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
It should raise alarm bells regarding the ever-expanding role of CISA, and how the federal government is using the guise of foreign interference to exert more control over social media and the speech of American citizens. Easterly is clearly trying to walk back from those allegations in these recent statements, but is also creating an atmosphere of fear in fighting so-called "misinformation."
Pro-establishment narrative
US authorities have warned against Russian and Iranian malign influence operations targeting the 2024 presidential election, as with previous US elections. Foreign agents have faced criminal charges, sanctions, and public warnings for their attempts to influence voters in the White House race through internet misinformation and hacking. Regardless, US voters must stay alert.
