P R E S S   R E L E A S E

Secretary of State BEV CLARNO The State of Oregon

CONTACT: Rich Vial | 503-986-2209 | rich.vial@oregon.gov

DATE: October 1, 2019

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

SALEM, OR — October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Marking the occasion, the Secretary of State’s office has added a new Elections Security page to its website, at oregonvotes.gov/security, where Oregonians can learn more about the office’s security activities. The Secretary of State’s office has also published a podcast in which Deputy Secretary of State Rich Vial discusses elections security with Elections Director Steve Trout. That podcast can be accessed on Youtube or on apps such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify, as part of the Oregon Matters of State series.

“The elections division has implemented multiple layers of defense controls, including hardware and software designed to prevent cybercriminals from gaining access to or misusing our systems. We closely monitor those systems for suspicious activity and frequently test them for vulnerabilities. We also routinely train and remind all staff of how to appropriately handle email and other threats in order to prevent unauthorized access or tampering,” said Elections Director Steve Trout. “We successfully blocked attacks on our elections system in 2016 and we have added many new tools and protections leading up to 2020. Simply put, elections in Oregon have never been more accurate or secure.”

“Cybersecurity is one of my office’s top concerns, and our staff works diligently to protect the state’s information and systems from attack,” said Secretary of State Bev Clarno. “In July, our office released an audit assessing the Department of Administrative Services’ cybersecurity controls and recommending that the Department take immediate action to address the findings outlined in the report. I’m pleased that our Elections Division is proactively taking similar steps. By implementing and utilizing cybersecurity best practices, we are well positioned to ensure the integrity of the state’s elections and other systems.”

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