- Title: Russian hackers targeted 21 U.S. states during election
- Date: 21st June 2017
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (JUNE 21, 2017) (UNRESTRICTED POOL) WIDESHOT CYBER SECURITY EXPERTS SEATED AT A HEARING OF THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITEE, INCLUDING, LEFT TO RIGHT: SAMUEL LILES, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF THE CYBER DIVISION AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY OFFICE OF INTELLIGENCE AND ANALYSIS; JEANETTE MANFRA, THE ACTING UNDERSECRETARY AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS DIRECTORATE; AND BILL PRIESTAP, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE COUNTERINTELLIGENCE DIVISION AT THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION JEANETTE MANFRA, THE ACTING UNDERSECRETARY AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS DIRECTORATE, LOOKING ON SENATORS KAMALA HARRIS AND JOE MANCHIN LOOKING ON WIDESHOT HEARING OF THE U.S. SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMMITTEE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN RICHARD BURR IN AN EXCHANGE WITH JEANETTE MANFRA, THE ACTING UNDERSECRETARY AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS DIRECTORATE: BURR: "Are we prepared today to say publicly how many states were targeted?" MANRFRA: "We--, as of right now, we have evidence of 21 states, election related systems in 21 states, that were targeted." BURR: "But in no case were actual vote tallies altered in any way shape or form?" MANFRA: "That is correct." WIDESHOT HEARING OF THE U.S. SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMMITTEE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE RANKING MEMBER MARK WARNER IN AN EXCHANGE WITH JEANETTE MANFRA, THE ACTING UNDERSECRETARY AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS DIRECTORATE: WARNER (Speaking over video of Manfra): "Are all 21 of the states that were attacked, are they aware they were attacked?" MANFRA: "All of these system owners within those states are aware of the targeting. Yes, sir. Not--." WARNER: "So, at the state level, you could have local registrars and other local officials that there may have been an attempt to penetrate at the state level, and you may have local registrars in the respective state that would not even know that their state had been the subject of Russian activities?" MANFRA: "We are currently working with state election officials to ensure communication between the local and the--, and the state--." WARNER: "But, at this moment in time, there may be a number of state, local--, state, local election officials that don't know their state were targeted in 2016. Is that right?" MANFRA: "The owners of the systems that were targeted do know that they were targeted." WARNER: "But the owners may know, but because we have a decentralized system, many local elected officials--. I just fundamentally disagree. MANFRA: "I cannot comment--." WARNER: "I understand the notion of victimization (MANFRA: 'Yes, sir') but I do not believe our country is made safer by holding this information back from the American public." WIDESHOT HEARING OF THE U.S. SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMMITTEE
- Embargoed: 5th July 2017 18:04
- Keywords: Russia hackers election states Senate Intelligence Committee Richard Burr Mark Warner Janette Manfra
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA0016M83GW7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Russian hackers targeted 21 U.S. states' election systems in last year's presidential race, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security official told Congress on Wednesday (June 21).
Jeanette Manfra, the department's acting deputy undersecretary of cyber security, would not identify which states had been targeted, citing confidentiality agreements. She reiterated to the Senate Intelligence Committee that there was no evidence that any actual vote ballots were manipulated.
Department officials had previously said about 20 states had been probed by hackers working on behalf of the Russian government, but recent media reports had suggested the number could have been far higher.
Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate panel, expressed frustration at Manfra's refusal to identify which states had been targeted.
"I just fundamentally disagree," he said.
Arizona and Illinois last year confirmed that hackers had targeted their voter registration systems.
Russia has repeatedly denied responsibility for any cyber attacks during the U.S. presidential election. - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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