4.6M Voter and Election Documents Exposed Online by Technology Contractor

A cybersecurity researcher discovered that 4.6 million voter and election documents were exposed online due to misconfigured databases managed by Platinum Technology Resource, a contractor for several Illinois counties. The databases, which were not password-protected, contained sensitive information such as voter records, ballots, and personal details including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and voting history. The researcher identified 13 publicly accessible databases and 15 additional ones that were not publicly accessible. After notifying Platinum Technology Resource and its technical support partner, Magenium, the databases were secured. The exposure raises concerns about the integrity of the electoral process, especially in light of past allegations of election tampering. While the researcher found no evidence of fraudulent activity in the exposed documents, the incident highlights the critical need for robust data protection measures to maintain public trust in elections. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security classifies election infrastructure as critical, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding voter data against cyber threats and misinformation campaigns.

- 4.6 million voter documents were exposed online due to misconfigured databases.

- The databases contained sensitive personal information, including Social Security numbers and voting records.

- The contractor responsible for the databases is Platinum Technology Resource, which serves multiple Illinois counties.

- The databases were secured after responsible disclosure to the managing companies.

- The incident underscores the importance of protecting election data to maintain public trust in the electoral process.