Cybercriminals view U.S. presidential elections as a prime opportunity for notoriety and profit, using tactics like ransomware attacks, website take-downs, and software vulnerabilities. Security experts say these threats—already seen in the current election cycle—will likely persist beyond Election Day on November 5. According to Mike Kosak, a senior analyst at LastPass, the election’s high profile makes it akin to a “Super Bowl” for cybercriminals, allowing them to gain instant recognition and sell stolen data to the highest bidder on the dark web.
The appeal of hacking for fame isn’t new, and some hackers are motivated by more than money. While nation-state hackers generally focus on espionage, cybercriminals are often driven by a blend of financial gain, ideology, and status. Their goal is not to alter votes—voting machines aren’t connected to the internet, and paper ballots offer a safeguard—but to disrupt election processes and erode confidence in their security.
Ransomware remains the top threat, with financially motivated hackers targeting local election offices, which often lack advanced cybersecurity defenses. Unlike distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, ransomware holds critical systems hostage, sometimes forcing election officials to pay to restore services. Recent advances in generative AI also enable hackers to craft sophisticated phishing schemes, making ransomware attacks more effective.
The threat landscape is further complicated by potential ties between cybercriminals and foreign adversaries, as seen with suspected Russian cybercriminal links to Russian intelligence. Some hacker groups operate with impunity in countries that provide “safe havens,” making international law enforcement efforts challenging. As Election Day nears, experts brace for this “perfect storm” of motivations and tactics, focusing on robust safeguards to secure election integrity despite ongoing cyber threats.
Read more of our commentary here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-presidential-election-could-be-a-super-bowl-for-hackers-f8cfd0b2.
