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Election Security 2024: Threats & Preparedness Revealed
Nov 7, 2024
Discover how the FBI's 24/7 Election Command Center is tackling threats to our democracy. Experts Sam Veningrad and Andrew Boyd discuss physical and cyber dangers, disinformation campaigns, and the heightened state of vigilance required as we approach Election Day. Learn what to expect and how to stay informed. #ElectionSecurity #FBI #CyberThreats #VoterSafety #Disinformation #NationalSecurity #Election2024 #ThreatsToDemocracy #CivicsEducation #Preparedness
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0:00
the FBI says its election Command Center
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is staffed 247 to deal with any election
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related security issues that pop up in
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the coming days the purpose of the
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command post is to ensure the FBI is
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well positioned to responds to threats
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that would come in or information that
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would come in that would affect our
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election security those threats include
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criminal threats such as threats to
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election workers foreign malign
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influence cyber threat threats and acts
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of domestic violence for more on what we
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should know about possible threats to
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the election I am now joined by Sam
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vinegrad and Andrew Boyd Sam is a CBS
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News National Security contributor and a
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former assistant secretary for
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counterterrorism in the Department of
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Homeland Security Andrew is a CBS News
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contributor and former director of the
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cia's center for cyber intelligence
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thank you for both of you for being here
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Sam can you give us the landscape of any
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physical threats to election day that
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the intelligence Community is monitoring
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for or warning may happen well there are
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a range of potential sources of physical
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threats Lindsay we have terrorism
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related threats that could materialize
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there was an individual arrested just a
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few weeks ago from for plotting a
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terrorist attack on Election Day that
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was an individual affiliated with the
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foreign terrorist organization at the
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same time we have the risk of threats
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from domestic violent extremists
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motivated by an animist towards a
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particular candidate or just general
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anti-government Cent sentiment those
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physical security threats can
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materialize in the form of Acts of
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sabotage against election infrastructure
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threats against individuals and or um
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other forms of voter intimidation at the
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same time we also have potential
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criminal threats that are not terrorist
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related in nature further we have
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various nation states like Russia China
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and Iran who are actively trying to
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stoke divisions in the United States
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understanding that that could lead to
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actual threats of physical violence and
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that is why the federal government has
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invested an unprecedented amount of
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resources to share best practices with
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their state and local Partners who are
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in the lead in communities to conduct
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physical security assessments do
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tabletop exercises and more to really
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encourage law enforcement officials all
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around the country to be as prepared as
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possible for any form of physical
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violence on Election Day and all the way
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through the inauguration Andrew what are
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the biggest cyber threats this election
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so as Jen easterly the head of dhss has
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has said we have secure elections across
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all all 50 states the gravest Cyber
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threat I I believe is uh China Russia
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Iran principally Russia uh using cyber
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means to continue to sew disinformation
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as we experienced today and was
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discussed earlier in your show um
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hijacking websites on CBS CNN uh other
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uh news sources to prevent to to
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disseminate disinformation but I do
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think we we've done a great job both in
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the government and in the media
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debunking these disinformation campaigns
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but as far as actual cyber threats or
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ransomware attacks I think there's a
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minimal threat on that but the
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disinformation attacks will continue
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past the election day and we do have to
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continue to be vigilant to defend
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against uh sewing of disinformation by
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Russia China Iran and some domestic
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actors as well we hear a lot Andrew
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about warnings of disinformation
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campaigns and foreign influence but do
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we know if these influence campaigns
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really
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work so the measures of Effectiveness
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would argue that they they don't but
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it's just the sewing to disinformation
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and the Discord and amplifying uh
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conflicts that we may have over ideas uh
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in this country so Americans should
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should if if it looks suspicious 99% of
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the time it is going to be
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disinformation but it's really
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amplifying um it's not actually fake
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information that's created out of a
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whole cloth but Americans could should
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continue to be vigilant throughout this
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election cycle and in the period after
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the election Sam what about after
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election day we've already seen some
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storefronts and DC boarded up in 2020
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there were protests at some of the
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locations where votes were being counted
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you'll recall in Arizona there were
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armed protesters outside of a processing
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center in Maricopa County how much are
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postelection protests a concern law
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enforcement officials are very concerned
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about the potential for violence during
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what will likely be a period of
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uncertainty after polls close that's why
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they have extensive operational planning
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for any physical security threats it
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could materialize we of course has have
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First Amendment protected activity in
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this country but unauthorized activity
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that has a potential for violence or is
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intimidating or threatening will most
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certainly be met with a swift response
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by law enforcement uh at the state and
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local level and as necessary if State
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and locals requested support from the
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federal government as well s vrad and
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Andrew Boyd thank you
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