This essential guide aims to enhance the security of election operations by providing a thorough overview of operational security (OPSEC) within the election context, highlighting potential risks and offering practical mitigation strategies.
Operational security is a systematic approach to identifying and protecting sensitive information, data, or capabilities within an organization. In the realm of election security, OPSEC is paramount. Without robust safeguards, sensitive information can be inadvertently or deliberately exposed and exploited by threat actors, jeopardizing the ability of election workers to fulfill their duties, compromising voters’ personally identifiable information (PII) and enabling unauthorized access to election systems and facilities.
By incorporating OPSEC principles into daily election operations and fostering a culture of security awareness, election workers can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized disclosures while maintaining the necessary transparency for legitimate inquiries and examination of election processes. The guide emphases the importance of viewing data from an adversary’s perspective to holistically assess and mitigate potential threats.