Cybersecurity company Fortinet has released its FortiGuard Labs Threat Intelligence Report: Threat Actors Targeting the 2024 US Presidential Election. The report provides an in-depth analysis of threats observed from January 2024 to August 2024. It examines the diverse array of cyberthreats that may affect US-based entities and the electoral process.
Key findings from the report include:
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Phishing scams targeting voters leading up to the 2024 US presidential election: Threat actors are selling affordable phishing kits on the darknet designed to target voters and donors by impersonating the presidential candidates and their campaigns.
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Malicious domain registrations on the rise: More than 1,000 new potentially malicious domains have also been registered since the beginning of 2024 that follow particular patterns and incorporate election-related content and candidates, suggesting that threat actors are leveraging the heightened interest surrounding the election to lure unsuspecting targets and potentially conduct malicious activities.
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Darknet landscape: Billions of records from the US are for sale on darknet forums, including Social Security numbers (SSNs), personally identifiable information (PII), and credentials that could be used in misinformation campaigns and lead to fraudulent activity, phishing scams, and account takeover; approximately three per cent of the posts on darknet forums involve databases related to business and government entities.
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Ransomware landscape: FortiGuard Labs researchers noted a 28% increase in ransomware attacks against the US government year-over-year based on observed leak sites.
Scams targeting the US 2024 presidential election flood the darknet
Cyber adversaries, including state-sponsored actors and hacktivist groups, are increasingly active in the lead-up to elections.
The FortiGuard Labs research team observed threat actors selling distinct phishing kits for USD1,260 each, created to impersonate US presidential candidates. These kits are designed to harvest personal information, including names, addresses, and credit card (donation) details.
Since January 2024, FortiGuard Labs researchers have also identified over 1,000 newly registered domain names that incorporate election-related terms and references to prominent political figures. Fraudulent fundraising websites, including secure[.]actsblues[.]com, meant to imitate the legitimate site for ActBlue (secure[.]actblue[.]com), a nonprofit American fundraising platform and political action committee.
The top two most-used hosting providers for these election-themed websites are AMAZON-02 and CLOUDFLARENET. The reliance on major hosting platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Cloudflare suggests that threat actors are leveraging these reputable services to enhance the legitimacy and resilience of their malicious domains.
A notable concentration of domains is associated with a limited number of IP addresses, indicating a centralised approach by threat actors to efficiently manage multiple malicious domains to execute large-scale cyber campaigns.
No shortage of personal data being sold aimed at the US
FortiGuard Labs analysis continues to show a significant number of diverse databases available on darknet forums targeting the US, including SSNs, usernames, email addresses, passwords, credit card data, date of birth, and other PII that could be used to challenge the integrity of the 2024 US election. Specific highlights include:
Over 1.3 billion rows of combo lists, which include usernames, email addresses, and passwords, signify a considerable risk for credential-stuffing attacks. In such attacks, cybercriminals use these stolen credentials to gain unauthorised access to accounts, making it a valid and substantial security concern.
The discovery of 300,000 rows of credit card data, which include CVV, name, card number, expiration date, and date of birth, highlights potential financial fraud risks targeting voters and election officials.
Over two billion rows of user databases on the darknet indicate a heightened exposure to identity theft and targeted phishing attacks.
10% of the posts on darknet forums are associated with SSN databases, which poses a significant threat by increasing the risk of personal data breaches.
The US Government is an increasingly attractive target
Ransomware attacks targeting government agencies before an election can impact the electoral process and public trust in government institutions. Compared to 2023, the FortiGuard Labs research team observed a 28% spike in ransomware attacks against the US government in 2024.
The darknet has become a hub for US-specific threats, where malicious actors trade sensitive information and can potentially develop strategies to exploit vulnerabilities. Approximately three per cent of the posts on these forums involve databases related to business and government entities. These databases hold critical organisational data that is vulnerable to cyber exploits and are a prime target for threat actors as the elections come and go.
Recommendations to prevent and mitigate cyberattacks this election season
Cybersecurity measures played a critical role safeguarding the integrity of the US 2024 presidential election. Following fundamental best practices can help prevent and mitigate the effects of cyber incidents. The full list of recommendations and best practices can be found in the report, but some key takeaways for citizens, business leaders, and election officials include:
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Always remain vigilant for suspicious behaviour or activity leading up to major events and prioritise good cyber hygiene.
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Prioritise employee training and awareness.
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Enforce multi-factor authentication and a strong-password policy.
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Install endpoint protection solutions.
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Patch operating systems and web servers and update software regularly.
“It’s critical to recognise and understand the cyberthreats that may impact the integrity and trustworthiness of the election process and the welfare of the participating citizens,” said Fortinet’s Derek Manky. “Cyber adversaries, including state-sponsored actors and hacktivist groups, are increasingly active leading up to major events like elections. Remaining vigilant and identifying and analysing potential cyberthreats and vulnerabilities is crucial for preparing and safeguarding against the lures and targeted cyberattacks that could take advantage of a heightened moment in time and even disrupt or influence electoral outcomes.”
You can read the full report here.
