Cybersecurity firm Resecurity has exposed a growing trend of cyber threats targeting elections, with the latest incident involving the sale of voter data stolen from Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC). The firm discovered a 21.58GB database containing crucial information such as Iraqi voter cards, names, dates of birth, polling stations, and registration centers. The surge in election cyber threats, escalating from 10% in 2015 to 26% in 2022, according to Resecurity, poses a significant risk to democratic processes worldwide. Resecurity’s CEO, Gene Yoo, emphasized the severity of the breach, stating that the acquired data is valid and contains information validated with law enforcement partners in Iraq.
This breach, confirmed to be authentic, raises concerns about the vulnerability of election infrastructure systems globally. The compromised data could be exploited by malicious actors for targeted propaganda and influence campaigns, posing a long-term threat to electoral integrity. Resecurity suggests that potential suspects in the attack include nation-state actors aiming to destabilize Iraq or domestic actors involved in protest activities. The investigation points to Iran and dissident Kurd nationalists as likely suspects, with evidence suggesting a connection to the Kurdistan region. The incident underscores the need for heightened cybersecurity measures to safeguard election processes from evolving cyber threats.
