DHS Must Expand Efforts To Protect Election Infrastructure, Improve Information Sharing, IG Says

摘要

The Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)has improved the cyber security of the nation's voting systems but could improve in this regard through better and more timely information sharing, and the agency needs to expand its election security efforts to better address physical security risks, an internal department overseer says in a new report.The inspector general (IG) also says that election security efforts have been hampered by turnover at the top of DHS leadership, an undefined organizational structure for CISA, and staffing shortages within the agency."Amid the leadership vacancies and repeated turnover, within DHS, CISA has not sufficiently prioritized key activities or established effective performance measures to monitor its progress in accomplishing its mission and goals of securing the Nation's election infrastructure," says the report, DHS Has Secured the Nation's Election Systems, but Work Remains to Protect the Infrastructure (OIG-21-01). "Without DHS senior leadership guidance as a foundation, CISA cannot work successfully with sector representative to develop the plans and strategies needed to secure the election infrastructure."