The Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC) is a dedicated cybersecurity organization that focuses on protecting election infrastructure in the United States. Here are the key points about the EI-ISAC:

Purpose and Mission

The EI-ISAC is a community of election officials and cybersecurity professionals working to ensure the integrity of elections among U.S. State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) governments[1]. Its primary mission is to support the cybersecurity needs of the elections subsector[7].

Services Offered

The EI-ISAC provides several critical services to its members:

– 24/7/365 Security Operations Center (SOC) for monitoring, analyzing, and responding to cyber incidents[1][2]
– Incident response and remediation
– Threat and vulnerability monitoring
– Election-specific threat intelligence
– Training sessions and webinars
– Security best practice recommendations and tools[3]

Membership and Reach

– Membership is available at no cost to all U.S. SLTT election offices[1]
– As of 2022, it had over 3,400 members[6]

Key Features

– Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) for device-level protection[2]
– Malicious Domain Blocking and Reporting (MDBR) to prevent connections to malicious websites[4]
– EI-ISAC Situational Awareness Room (SitRoom) for information sharing between election offices[2]

Organizational Structure

– Funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
– Operated by the Center for Internet Security (CIS), a non-profit organization[6]
– Works closely with federal partners and election organizations[3]

Misinformation Reporting

The EI-ISAC also provides a mechanism for election officials to report misinformation or disinformation about their election jurisdictions on social media[8].

By offering these services and fostering collaboration, the EI-ISAC plays a crucial role in strengthening the cybersecurity posture of election infrastructure across the United States.

Citations:
[1] https://www.cisecurity.org/ei-isac
[2] https://www.cisecurity.org/ei-isac/ei-isac-services
[3] https://www.naco.org/articles/ei-isac-protects-nation%E2%80%99s-voting-infrastructure
[4] https://www.naco.org/events/securing-vote-ei-isacs-cybersecurity-solutions-2024-general-election
[5] https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/events/2024-multi-state-ms-and-elections-infrastructure-ei-isac-annual-meeting
[6] https://statescoop.com/election-infrastructure-isac-reintroduce/
[7] https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/ei-isac/
[8] https://www.eac.gov/sites/default/files/partners/EI_ISAC_Reporting_Misinformation_Sheet102820.pdf

The Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC) is operated by the Center for Internet Security (CIS), a non-profit organization[2][3]. Here are some key points about who runs the EI-ISAC:

1. The EI-ISAC is funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)[3][5].

2. It is a voluntary, collaborative partnership between CIS, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Election Infrastructure Subsector Government Coordinating Council (GCC)[3].

3. The EI-ISAC has an Executive Committee that provides strategic guidance and recommendations. This committee consists of representatives elected by EI-ISAC members[4].

4. The Executive Committee includes:
– A Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
– Representatives from state governments, local governments, tribal nations, territories, and the District of Columbia[4]

5. The Center for Internet Security (CIS) operates the Security Operations Center (SOC) for the EI-ISAC, which is a 24/7/365 unit that monitors, analyzes, and responds to cyber incidents targeting state, local, tribal, and territorial entities[2].

6. Day-to-day operations and services are managed by CIS staff, including analysts in the SOC and other cybersecurity professionals[2][5].

In summary, while the EI-ISAC is funded by DHS and operates as a partnership with various government entities, it is primarily run and managed by the Center for Internet Security, with strategic guidance from its elected Executive Committee.

Citations:
[1] https://www.cisecurity.org/ei-isac/ei-isac-charter
[2] https://www.cisecurity.org/ei-isac/ei-isac-services
[3] https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/groups/join-ei-isac
[4] https://www.cisecurity.org/ei-isac/ei-isac-charter/ei-isac-executive-committee
[5] https://www.naco.org/articles/ei-isac-protects-nation%E2%80%99s-voting-infrastructure
[6] https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/events/2024-multi-state-ms-and-elections-infrastructure-ei-isac-annual-meeting
[7] https://rhisac.org/about/leadership/
[8] https://www.naco.org/events/securing-vote-ei-isacs-cybersecurity-solutions-2024-general-election

The Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC) helps secure elections in several key ways:

1. Cybersecurity Services: The EI-ISAC provides a suite of no-cost cybersecurity tools and services to election offices, including:

– Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) for device-level protection against malware and attacks[1][8].
– Malicious Domain Blocking and Reporting (MDBR) to prevent connections to harmful websites[1][8].
– A 24/7/365 Security Operations Center (SOC) that monitors, analyzes, and responds to cyber incidents targeting election offices[1][3].

2. Information Sharing: The EI-ISAC facilitates information sharing between election officials through:

– The EI-ISAC Situational Awareness Room (SitRoom), an online platform for sharing suspicious activity and incidents[3].
– Secure portals and encrypted communication platforms for discussing security issues[5].

3. Threat Intelligence: The EI-ISAC provides election-specific threat reports and intelligence to help election offices understand and mitigate current cybersecurity risks[1][3].

4. Training and Education: They offer training sessions, webinars, and resources like the “Essential Guide to Election Security” to educate election officials on best practices[1][2].

5. Incident Response: The EI-ISAC assists with incident response and remediation when cybersecurity incidents occur[1][2].

6. Best Practices and Guidelines: They develop and share best practices for securing election infrastructure, including guides for technology procurement and supply chain risk management[1][2].

7. Collaboration: The EI-ISAC works closely with federal partners like CISA and other election organizations to coordinate efforts and share insights[4][5].

By providing these services and fostering a collaborative community, the EI-ISAC helps strengthen the overall cybersecurity posture of U.S. election infrastructure.

Citations:
[1] https://www.cisecurity.org/ei-isac
[2] https://www.cisecurity.org/insights/spotlight/election-security-spotlight-ei-isac-who-we-are-what-we-do
[3] https://www.cisecurity.org/ei-isac/ei-isac-services
[4] https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/groups/join-ei-isac
[5] https://www.naco.org/articles/ei-isac-protects-nation%E2%80%99s-voting-infrastructure
[6] https://www.cisecurity.org/ei-isac/ei-isac-charter
[7] https://www.eac.gov/election-officials/election-security-preparedness
[8] https://www.naco.org/events/securing-vote-ei-isacs-cybersecurity-solutions-2024-general-election

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