Securing Hackers and Researchers: DEF CON’s Focus on Physical Protection Amid Growing Threats to Election Security
Year after year, the DEF CON conference in Las Vegas sees a gathering of computer hackers, armed with USB sticks, screwdrivers, and even their own resourceful wits. Their goal? To challenge and enhance the security of election equipment in an effort to identify vulnerabilities and safeguard against potential threats.
This year, however, the “Voting Village” hacking event at DEF CON took on an additional dimension, with organizers placing significant emphasis on the physical safety of the security researchers involved. These efforts stem from the mounting threats and harassment that election security researchers have encountered, particularly since the aftermath of former President Donald Trump’s attempts to challenge the 2020 election results.
The meticulous attention to physical security at the Voting Village underscores a larger trend in the realm of American voting security. As disinformation-driven threats proliferate, election administrators, poll workers, and security researchers are grappling with the imperative to prioritize personal safety alongside their duties.
The preceding year’s DEF CON brought about troubling incidents involving election conspiracy theorists, alerting Catherine Terranova, one of the Voting Village’s organizers, to the need for enhanced security measures. In response, she dedicated considerable efforts to devising strategies that would better protect participants in the future.
The DEF CON conference, which annually attracts nearly 30,000 hackers, initiated the Voting Village as a response to the hacking and disinformation threats witnessed during the 2016 election. Subsequently, the threats facing the country’s election systems have escalated significantly. Trump’s allegations of widespread fraud after the 2020 election fueled an influx of conspiracy theories and an accompanying surge in targeted harassment against election workers.
To address these concerns, the Voting Village implemented various precautionary measures. These include enlisting undercover security consultants, relocating the event to a more controlled environment, and imparting guidance to the nearly two dozen volunteers on handling potential disruptors. The concerns have also resonated within government election security circles.
The experiences of election workers further underscore the necessity of safety considerations. According to a study by NYU’s Brennan Center for Justice, one in six election workers has encountered threats due to their roles, with 77 percent of respondents reporting an increase in threats in recent years.
Organizers Terranova and election security researcher Harri Hursti personally understand the challenges associated with ensuring safety. Hursti, who has been receiving death threats since 2016 due to his work, faced escalated threats following his disproval of fraud allegations in a New Hampshire recount.
The events of the previous DEF CON also saw confrontations by right-wing media outlet One American News and harassment by election denialists against speakers at the Voting Village. These occurrences have prompted significant security enhancements.
Terranova’s decision to relocate the Voting Village to a separate, monitored room and engage pro-bono consultants to design security strategies underscores the critical role of physical security measures. These measures address the misconception that physical access necessarily guarantees security in voting systems.
As the challenges of balancing physical and digital security continue to mount for election workers, their resolute commitment to their tasks remains unwavering. The intensification of violence, threats, and harassment serves as a stark reminder of the urgency to address safety concerns within the context of America’s voting landscape.
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