Georgia's Secretary of State's office says it has averted a cyberattack believed to be from a foreign country aimed at paralyzing absentee voting websites in the battleground state.
The Secretary of State's Cyber Team was alerted on October 14 to a dramatic spike in attempts to access Georgia's absentee voting portal. The portal, which slowed down but did not go down, is the website where voters request absentee ballots.
The state's voting systems are not connected to the internet and were not affected, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
”[The event] “It had the characteristics of a foreign power or a foreign entity acting at the behest of a foreign power,” said Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer of the Secretary of State's Office.
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A man fills out a ballot at a polling place in Mount Gilead, North Carolina, on May 17, 2022. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
A department spokesperson said the attack was thwarted “thanks to the robust security measures in place.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Cloudflare, a technology company that supports states' cyber defense capabilities, and the FBI.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) referred questions to Georgia authorities.
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Gabriel Sterling, Chief Operating Officer of the Georgia Secretary of State's Office, speaks during a press conference at the State Capitol in Atlanta on October 23, 2024. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
The incident comes as authorities warn of election-related cyberattacks targeting political activities and election offices.
Microsoft said in a report released Wednesday that U.S. adversaries such as Russia, China and Iran seek to undermine the democratic process through a variety of cyber tactics.
Report says Russia remains focused on the Harris-Waltz campaign, while Iran is spying on election-related websites and media outlets and will exercise more direct influence as Election Day approaches It suggests that they are preparing.
Election workers in Chester County, Pennsylvania, process mail-in and absentee ballots at West Chester University on November 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
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“The threat actor's history of election interference and pattern of cyber influence operations highlight the persistent threat they pose,” the report said.
