Over 20 US States Urge Congress to Protect Mid-Term Elections From Cyber Attacks

18:39 GMT, 23 July 2018

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NEW YORK (Sputnik) - A 21-state bipartisan coalition wants US Congress to act to prevent hackers from violating the integrity of the 2018 mid-term elections, New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood’s office said in a press release on Monday.

Sputnik

"It's high time that Congress act to prevent the next attack — because our democracy depends on it," Underwood was quoted as saying in the release. "Our bipartisan coalition of Attorneys General has outlined basic steps Congress can take right now to protect election integrity, before it's too late."

The boost in cybersecurity infrastructure, the release added, must come immediately to protect the integrity of the 2018 mid-term elections against Russia and other foreign actors.

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The coalition outlined steps in the release Congress must take including prioritizing election-security legislation, supporting the development of cybersecurity standards for voting systems, and increasing funding for the election assistance commission.

The US Attorneys General also accused Russia of interfering in the 2016 US presidential elections, including through cyber attacks on voting systems. Russia has repeatedly denied the accusations, dismissing them as absurd.