Oregon's dedicated to besting any hacker or conspiracy theorist come November. State elections officials, teaming up with the feds, have conducted a major training exercise to armor up against potential cybersecurity threats and misinformation campaigns for the 2024 elections.
In a pow-wow that gathered the brainpower of county, state, and federal officials, the bipartisan gabfest aimed to shore up defenses for what's being billed as "the most secure election in Oregon’s history." Tracie Krevanko, honcho of the Oregon Association of County Clerks, recounted the experience, saying "Our partnership with local, state, and federal partners is vital in helping us continue that tradition this election and beyond," according to an announcement by Oregon.gov.
The war game, entertaining potential disaster scenarios, was chock-full of county clerks and elections officers from Oregon’s counties, alongside heavy hitters from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and other federal squads including the FBI. They grappled with how to fortify election offices, counter disinformation, and stave off cyber assaults.
In a clear all-hands-on-deck moment, Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade was bullish about the upcoming electoral showdown. "I am grateful for the support and partnerships we’ve built at all levels of government. With their help, we continue to improve our systems and we are better prepared than ever before," she hailed. Lori Augino from CISA echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the boon of federal and state camaraderie in ensuring a smooth democratic process.
