Campaign 2020: Security Experts Say Cybercriminals Are Again Trying To Interfere With U.S. Election System
LONG ISLAND (CBSNewYork) -- There are warnings from the FBI about cybercriminals spreading disinformation about the November elections.
Intelligence officials say operatives in certain countries are attempting once again to sow distrust in our system, CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported Wednesday.
On suburban streets voters have some concerns.
"My confidence has been undermined, but my faith is that everything will be OK," Nassau County voter Alton Lawson said.
"You can listen to the other side and make an educated choice," voter Susan Cappiello added.
CAMPAIGN 2020: Tri-State Area Voter Guide For Nov. 3 General Election
The FBI is warning Americans to seek legitimate information from trustworthy sources. Cybercriminals are now attempting to discredit the electoral process.
"Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and their proxies have tremendous resources to hack into the voting systems," security expert Anthony Roman said.
Roman said cybercriminals are working to undermine confidence, hoping to get voters to share unverified material on social media.
"The reality is there are dubious characters out there who are looking to manipulate voters, manipulate the outcome," Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said. "Don't let them play you."
MORE: U.S. Postal Service Launches New Website To Provide Information On Voting By Mail
Homeland security expert Michael Balboni said we are more vulnerable than ever before. COVID-19 has driven the mail-in ballot drive and voters are cocooned inside surrounded by social media, amid a contentious campaign season.
"These different factors provide an opportunity for the bad guys to exploit what America is experiencing right now and for them to destabilize our country," Balboni said.
MORE: Early Voting In New York City Starts Oct. 24
The FBI said foreign actors may try to confuse voters after the polls close, spreading disinformation about election suppression, infrastructure cyberattacks, and ballot fraud.
"We the citizen can also combat it by being aware of these phony websites, being suspicious of these robocalls, and not just buying into just anything we read," Roman said.
A clear winner may not be produced on Election Night, officials caution.
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