Ransomware Feared as Possible Saboteur for November Election

Ransomware Feared as Possible Saboteur for November Election
People wait in line to vote in Georgia's Primary Election in Atlanta, on June 9, 2020. Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images
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WASHINGTON—Federal authorities say one of the gravest threats to the November election is a well-timed ransomware attack that could paralyze voting operations. The threat isn’t just from foreign governments, but any fortune-seeking criminal.

Ransomware attacks that target state and local governments have been on the rise, with cybercriminals seeking quick money by seizing data and holding it hostage until they get paid. The fear is that such attacks could affect voting systems directly or even indirectly, by infecting broader government networks that include electoral databases.