Trump allies asked CISA to secretly hack voting machine, withhold findings
Former officials say political appointees ordered CISA to test a machine and report only to the White House, bypassing standard disclosure norms.
Key points
- Political appointees directed CISA to hack a voting machine and withhold vulnerability details from the manufacturer.
- CISA staff refused the request, citing inability to fulfill it amid severe staffing reductions.
- The agency has cut 1,000 jobs since the start of the second term, eroding trust with state election officials.
Towards the start of President Trump’s second term, political appointees within the Department of Homeland Security instructed the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to secretly acquire and hack a voting machine. According to ProPublica, which spoke with two former administration officials, the directive explicitly forbade CISA from disclosing any discovered vulnerabilities to anyone outside the White House.
This instruction directly contradicted standard CISA protocols, which require the agency to notify manufacturers of security flaws in their technology. One former official told ProPublica that the move appeared designed to keep vulnerabilities in reserve, potentially to invalidate election results that political allies disliked. The official stated that such actions went against everything the agency represents, highlighting a significant breach of standard cybersecurity ethics.
Agency Capacity and Staffing Cuts
CISA staff told political appointees that they could not fulfill the request to hack the voting machine. This refusal came against a backdrop of severe organizational instability. Since the beginning of Trump’s second term, CISA has eliminated 1,000 jobs, largely attributed to efforts by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Additional funding cuts projected for 2027 are expected to result in another 900 job losses.
The agency has faced relentless pressure from the administration, including a one-third reduction in its workforce and the resignation or firing of most senior leadership. These cuts have significantly degraded CISA’s operational capacity. The remaining employees lacked the resources or mandate to execute the secret hacking operation, leading to the rejection of the directive by the agency’s technical staff.
Impact on Election Security Trust
Since 2018, CISA has been tasked with protecting election infrastructure from cyberattacks and interference. However, reduced funding and staffing have forced the agency to scale back much of this work. Many state officials have been unable to secure necessary election support ahead of the November midterm elections, raising concerns about the integrity of upcoming voting processes.
State officials have grown hesitant to trust the agency with securing elections. A former high-ranking federal cybersecurity official told ProPublica that the administration’s actions violated the core premise of information-sharing relationships. The official stated that state partners would likely never share sensitive information with CISA again, suggesting long-term damage to collaborative security efforts.
What should you do?
Security professionals and election officials should monitor official channels for changes in CISA’s operational mandate and staffing levels. Organizations handling election infrastructure should review their own vulnerability disclosure policies to ensure they align with federal standards, independent of political pressure. Stakeholders should document all communications regarding security testing to maintain clear records of compliance and intent.
What to do and how to stay safe: CISA
- Review internal policies for vulnerability disclosure to ensure they mandate notifying manufacturers of flaws.
- Monitor official statements from CISA regarding staffing changes and operational capabilities.
- Document all security testing requests to maintain a clear audit trail of compliance.
- Engage with state election security partners to assess current support availability.
Step-by-step guide: Risk-Based Vulnerability Management: Prioritize Fixes by Actual Danger
General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
Did CISA successfully hack the voting machine?
No, CISA staff told political appointees that the request to hack the machine could not be fulfilled.
Why did officials want to hide the vulnerabilities?
A former official suggested the goal was to keep vulnerabilities secret to potentially invalidate election results.
How many jobs has CISA lost recently?
CISA has cut 1,000 jobs since the start of Trump’s second term, with 900 more cuts expected in 2027.
