Cybersecurity threats loom over 2024 US election, what will the impact be? - opinion

With the 2024 US election just a week away, cybersecurity is becoming an even bigger concern. 

While people often worry about cyber risks related to the actual voting process, the real risk is in the broader ecosystem surrounding the election: Disinformation, influence campaigns, data leaks, hacks targeting key individuals, and attempts to stir up chaos are all serious threats that could damage the democratic process.

Much of the voting in the US still happens through manual or non-digital systems, which limits the direct risks associated with the process. 

However, misinformation campaigns, fake candidate profiles, and breaches of politicians and parties accounts pose real problems. 

These tactics don’t just aim to change votes; they’re designed to disrupt the entire process by swaying public perception and undermining confidence in democratic institutions.

While this is now a worldwide phenomenon, the stakes are extremely high due to the global impact of US elections. 

Hackers and other bad actors have had plenty of time to plan, and have access to central systems and databases with huge amounts of data. 

These are the real weak spots where a breach could have far-reaching consequences.

How to combat the threats

To combat these threats, it’s crucial for parties, candidates, and everyone involved to step up their defenses and awareness. 

As we head into the final stretch, focus should be placed around monitoring potential threats and having solid response plans in place. 

It’s not just about protecting votes and individuals - it’s about securing the entire ecosystem and maintaining trust in the election process and democracy.

As in any case of cyber threat, balance must be maintained – ensure protection while operating a smooth process, understanding concerns and being aware, but without creating unnecessary fear.

As advanced technology like AI develops, it is expected that setting the balance, which is not easy now, will become even more difficult in the future. 

The writer is CEO of Sygnia, a global cyber technology and services company.