US intelligence fears INSIDER attack on the election is ‘likely’

A new memo from the US intelligence community warns that insider threats are “likely to be an issue” at the November 5 election centers and could “derail or jeopardize a fair and transparent election process.”

It comes as some Donald Trump supporters are already flagging potential problems with the voting process, reviving fears of legal challenges and violence if the former president loses.

And Trump allies have tried to install election deniers throughout the electoral system.

The new bulletin cites the Department of Homeland Security’s definition of an insider threat as someone who “will use his or her authorized access, knowingly or unknowingly, to harm an entity.”

It was produced by the Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC), which compiles intelligence from a range of agencies into threat reports for law enforcement partners.

And it was posted online by Property of the peoplea group that focuses on transparency and national security.

The CIAC bulletin outlines how the sheer size of the electoral process could be the source of problems.

“Due to the nature of the electoral process in the United States, many people are involved in administering or carrying out responsibilities that support elections, any of which could pose insider threats,” the report says.

And it identifies warning signs to look out for, such as individuals accessing systems they don’t need access to, remotely accessing computer networks at odd hours, disabling security cameras, and ignoring agency policies regarding installing software or accessing restricted websites.

“The entire threat picture has been elevated for this election,” Kevin Klein, director of Colorado’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergencies Management, told me. Wired.

“I think it’s fair to say that insider threats are a bigger concern than in previous elections.”

Authorities working to extinguish a fire at a polling place in Vancouver, WA, began early Monday morning. It was one of two fires set early Monday at two polling places in two separate states

With a week left until Election Day, the race couldn’t be more exciting.

And reports of mail-in ballots being destroyed are already emerging.

Police and FBI in two states are investigating ballot box fires.

In Portland, Oregon, police are investigating after a ballot box in Southeast Portland was set on fire early Monday morning and hundreds of votes were destroyed.

Meanwhile, early Monday morning, flames and smoke were spotted coming from a ballot box in Vancouver, Washington.

Harris and Trump are engaged in an election race that will go to the wire

The bulletin also warns of the risk of violence or material damage at a time of international wars and two attempts on the life of Donald Trump.

“Targeted violence and terrorism associated with ideologically motivated individuals will remain a threat throughout the 2024 election cycle,” the report says.

“There is an ongoing dialogue among individuals in extremist discussion groups and forums that the results of the 2020 election were inaccurate, including calls to infiltrate the election system.

“Additionally, extremist groups continue to question the results of current 2024 primary election wins and losses in several states, increasing the likelihood that the general public will lose confidence in the election system.