Alaska was among the states targeted by Russian-linked cyber actors ahead of the 2016 elections. The state had previously disclosed that there had been some meddling. But a recent article in the Anchorage Daily News uncovered new details about a second effort targeting the state’s election system. Alaska Public Media’s Zachariah Hughes spoke with ADN reporter Nathaniel Herz, who broke the story, and is in Juneau covering the Legislative Session.
Original story from Associated Press:
Alaska officials say a hacker gained access to a server that hosts the state elections website on the morning of the 2016 general election but did not manipulate any information.
Elections Director Josie Bahnke says the incident did not compromise any election functions and was quickly addressed.
The incident was first disclosed by the Anchorage Daily News, based on a public records request. The records also have been obtained by The Associated Press.
Election officials on Wednesday downplayed the incident, which was reported at the time to the FBI.
The officials say there are frequent hacking attempts but disclosing each one that poses no threat to voter information or election results would be counterproductive and never-ending.
Zachariah Hughes reports on city & state politics, arts & culture, drugs, and military affairs in Anchorage and South Central Alaska.
@ZachHughesAK About Zachariah
