DNC thwarts hack

UPDATE: A suspected hacking attempt on a database of Democratic voters turned out to be a test by a security firm, according to the Democratic National Committee. Bob Lord, the DNC’s chief security officer, said Thursday the attempted hack was “built by a third party as part of a simulated phishing test.” The DNC didn’t know about the test before it took place and responded as though it were an actual attack. The incident highlights fears about the cybersecurity of voter information going into the midterm congressional elections.

OUR EARLIER REPORT (8/22/18, 5 p.m): The Democratic National Committee said Wednesday that it thwarted a hacking attempt on a database with tens of millions of voters’ information. On Tuesday, a security company employed by the DNC detected a masquerading website designed to harvest user passwords from a technology site used by the Democrats and other liberal-leaning political groups. The committee notified federal law enforcement. No information was compromised and it is still unclear who was behind the attempted hack, according to a party official. “This attempt is further proof that there are constant threats as we head into midterm elections and we must remain vigilant in order to prevent future attacks,” said Bob Lord, the DNC’s chief security officer. The attempt comes two years after a Russian hacker compromised DNC servers and publicly revealed internal communications during the 2016 presidential election.