Advancing Cybersecurity in Elections

As Election Management Bodies (EMBs) adapt to new technologies and as electoral processes become more integrated with information technology, cybersecurity has become a critical component to ensure that elections are carried out securely and are able to withstand a growing array of increasingly sophisticated threat actors. IFES works to equip electoral stakeholders with the necessary skills and knowledge to promote security and address vulnerabilities across the cyber landscape. IFES engages with electoral institutions, public oversight bodies, civil society organizations, and technology companies to counter malign online influence in elections.  

To meet the needs of electoral stakeholders to address and counter cybersecurity challenges on an institutional level, IFES REO and Cybersecurity Experts, in partnership with key technology stakeholders, launched the Election Cyber Readiness Network (ECRN) in 2023 with support from Microsoft. The ECRN builds EMB’s capacity to prepare ahead of electoral events to build threat intelligence channels that ensure EMBs are aware of rapidly shifting cybersecurity threats and can coordinate with their regional peers. ECRN will build regional resilience and coordination by bringing EMBs together to connect and share knowledge about best practices in cybersecurity, promoting information integrity, and the commonalities in their threat environments. 

IFES REO also provides practical cybersecurity and cyber-hygiene trainings for electoral officials and civil society organizations. These trainings have provided electoral officials with an understanding of the cybersecurity challenges inherent in the use of technology in all aspects of the electoral processes and trained them in strategies to mitigate these risks.