Guarding the Vote: Unmasking Cyber Threats in Election Season

DISCARDED: Tales From the Threat Research Trenches

Hello to all our cyber citizens! Join host Selena Larson and today’s co-host, Tim Kromphardt, as they chat with Joshua Miller, Senior Threat Researcher and Rob Kinner, Senior Threat Analyst both from Proofpoint.
With election season on the horizon, cyber attackers are sharpening their tactics—impersonating government agencies, emailing journalists, and crafting sophisticated phishing schemes. But how real is the threat? And what can be done to protect our democracy from the digital shadows? Today, we pull back the curtain on the unseen battles being fought in cyberspace and what it means for voters, journalists, and defenders alike.
The discussion covers a range of election threats, from malicious domains, impersonation, and typo-squatting to sophisticated credential phishing campaigns that exploit government and election-related themes.
Also discussed:

• how state-sponsored actors from DPRK, Russia, and China are interested in espionage around election related topics
• the impersonation of various government entities for phishing purposes, revealing the creativity and resourcefulness of threat actors
• while cyber threats are pervasive, the integrity of the voting process remains strong, backed by robust defenses and ongoing efforts by dedicated professionals

Resources mentioned:
https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threat-insight/best-laid-plans-ta453-targets-religious-figure-fake-podcast-invite-delivering
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-disrupts-covert-russian-government-sponsored-foreign-malign-influence
https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threat-insight/above-fold-and-your-inbox-tracing-state-aligned-activity-targeting-journalists
https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threat-insight/media-coverage-doesnt-deter-actor-threatening-democratic-voters
For more information about Proofpoint, check out our website.
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