Hacking the U.S. Election

How can we secure U.S. elections? Join lawmakers, officials, researchers, members of the IC & media working to combat U.S. election threats

Sponsors:

Event Description:

Free and fair elections are essential to a thriving democracy. But as we approach the pivotal 2020 election, we see the integrity of U.S. elections facing multi-pronged threats. What are the main threats, and what can be done?

Sponsored by Penn State Dickinson Law, The Center for Democracy & Technology, Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, and the Brennan Center for Justice, and with assistance from The Honorable Thomas Ridge, First Secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland Security and 43rd Governor, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Congressman Fred Keller, this Symposium brings together leading federal lawmakers, state election officials, Congressional staffers, researchers, members of the intelligence communities, academics, and media to address the two primary threats to the U.S. elections:

1. Election Security—vulnerabilities in our election system infrastructure that enable susceptibility to cyber hacking.
2. Social engineering—intentional efforts to effect U.S. election results, erode confidence in the electoral process, and undermine the stability of our democracy through targeted propaganda, disinformation, and online manipulation.

This Symposium is aimed at promoting bipartisan legislative efforts and supporting the work of state election officials, researchers, and the intelligence community to detect and combat these attacks on our electoral process. Join us as we work to find real solutions to stop the hacking of U.S. elections.

Light breakfast, coffee, and lunch are being provided.

This event may be live streamed or televised.

Confirmed Panelists, Speakers, and Moderators:

The Honorable Thomas J. Ridge, First Secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, First Director of the Office of Homeland Security, 43rd Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pam Fessler, Correspondent, National Desk, NPRKristi Lane Scott, Privacy and Civil Liberties Officer (PCLO), Central Intelligence Agency (pending clearance) David K. Porter, Assistant Section Chief, Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF), Counterintelligence Division, FBI Headquarters Carrie Cordero, General Counsel & Senior Fellow, Center for a New American Security, CNN Legal & National Security Analyst, Co-Founder, Checks and Balances, Adjunct Professor of Law, Georgetown Law Lawrence Norden, Director, Election Reform Program, Brennan Center for JusticeJared Dearing, Executive Director, State Board of Elections, Commonwealth of KentuckyMaurice Turner, Deputy Director, Internet Architecture Project, Center for Democracy & TechnologyJoshua A. Geltzer, Executive Director and Professor of Law, Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, Georgetown Law Emma Llansó, Director, Free Expression Project, Center for Democracy & TechnologyJenni L. Evans, Director, Penn State Institute for Computational & Data Sciences (ICDS) and Professor of Meteorology and Atmospheric ScienceDanielle M. Conway, Dean, Penn State Dickinson LawAnne Toomey McKenna, Distinguished Scholar of Cyber Law & Policy, Penn State Dickinson Law & ICDSKevin Munger, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Social Data Analytics, College of Liberal Arts, Penn StateMaria Molina Davila, Researcher & PhD Candidate, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, Penn State

Schedule of Events (Tentative)

8:30-9:00: Check-In, Coffee, Meet & Greet with The Honorable Thomas Ridge

9:00-9:10: Welcome Remarks: Jenni L Evans, Director, Institute for Computational & Data Sciences (ICDS) & Anne Toomey McKenna, Distinguished Scholar of Cyber Law & Policy, Penn State Dickinson Law & ICDS

9:10-9:25: Hacking Elections—Perspective from the Intelligence Community (Flash Talk): Kristi Lane Scott, Privacy and Civil Liberties Office (PCLO), Central Intelligence Agency (Pending clearance)

9:25-9:35: Overview of Election Cybersecurity Issues: Lawrence Norden, Director, Election Reform Program, Brennan Center for Justice

9:35-10:25: A Conversation about Cybersecurity and Election System Infrastructure with Q&A

Conversation Moderator: Danielle Conway, Dean, Penn State Dickinson Law

• Pam Fessler, Correspondent, NPR
• Lawrence Norden, Director, Election Reform Program, Brennan Center for Justice
• Jared Dearing, Executive Director, State Board of Elections, Commonwealth of Kentucky
• Maurice Turner, Deputy Director, the Internet Architecture Project, the Center for Democracy & Technology

10:25-10:35: Coffee Break

10:35-10:45: Social Engineering: Your Data, Disinformation, Deepfakes and the Law (Flash Talk): Anne Toomey McKenna, Distinguished Scholar of Cyber Law & Policy, Penn State Dickinson Law & ICDS

10:45-11:00: Social Engineering, Social Media, and the Targeted Electorate: How does it really work? Can Technology Detect it? (Flash Talk): Maria Molina Davila, Penn State Researcher

11:00-11:15: Hacking Elections—Perspective 2 from the Intelligence Community (Flash Talk): David K. Porter, Assistant Section Chief, Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF), Counterintelligence Division, FBI Headquarters

11:15-12:15: A Conversation about Social Engineering of Elections

Conversation Moderator: The Honorable Thomas Ridge

• Carrie Cordero, General Counsel & Senior Fellow, Center for a New American Security Legal & National Security Analyst at CNN, Co-Founder, Checks & Balances.org, Adjunct Professor of Law, Georgetown Law
• Emma Llansó, Director, Free Expression Project, Center for Democracy & Technology
• Joshua A. Geltzer, Executive Director and Visiting Professor of Law, Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, Georgetown University Law Center
• Kevin Munger, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Social Data Analytics, Penn State

12:15-12:50: Lunch & Open Discussion: Technology and Legislative Solutions to Hacking, and Pending Election Security Legislation – Led by Penn State Dickinson Law Students

12:50-1:00: Wrap-Up: A Roadmap to More Secure Elections: The Honorable Tom Ridge