Threats to midterm votes
Group warns, the key attacks target voters’ minds & beliefs
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - With the midterm election just months away, cybersecurity experts are breaking down the possible threats facing voters. The results show a much more subtle way of influencing elections.
When preparing for an election, a few things come to mind, such as reading up on the issues, researching candidates, finding the right polling location.
But for cybersecurity company Check Point, their prep is all about threats - pinpointing possible influences looking to rig an election.
In the age of technology and machines, most would assume any sort of voting-based cyber attack would come for the ballots.
But as the “2026 U.S. Midterm Election Threat Outlook” lays out, it’s not as obvious as most people would think.
Check Point’s Security Architect Aaron Rose says the threat is real, but more subtle, starting with the very decision itself.
“Where they’re focusing is more about hacking the mind. How do we hack the individual voters? How do we spread so much disinformation or misinformation to either sway their vote, or how do we confuse them enough that they’re not necessarily trusting the process.”
Research shows the most likely threats involve very similar tactics deployed daily: phishing, impersonation, and misinformation using artificial intelligence.
While the activity comes from both inside and outside the U.S., most attacks are launched by the typical actors: Russia, China, and Iran - trying to take down one of their greatest adversaries from within.
“However, if you’re attacking the people through disinformation misinformation and just general confusion, then you can actually start to shape the outcome of elections.”
Rose says it’s as simple as voters taking a breath and a step back and looking at everything with a critical eye. He advises checking numerous verified sources to guarantee that impassioned post you saw, isn’t too good to be true.
“Take a moment and analyze it, look at it and say, okay, is this from a reputable source? Is this coming from the actual media outlet that I think it is?”
Another resource on checking the source of information is the News Literacy Project.
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