Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes says there is no evidence of a cyberattack against Kentucky’s election systems. Department of Homeland Security officials told Senators on Wednesday that 21 states were targets of Russian hacking attempts in the 2016 election.
Department of Homeland Security cyber division acting director Sam Liles told the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee that internet-connected election related networks were potentially targeted by Russian government cyber actors. He said, however, that none of those attacks involved vote tallying.
Officials in the testimony would not specify which states were targets, but acting deputy undersecretary Jeanette Manfra said the states affected are aware.
Grimes says Kentucky’s voting equipment is not connected to the internet. She says there is no information from the DHS or other intelligence agencies that indicate Kentucky was a target of hackers. And says her office is working closely with the DHS, FBI and state Election Integrity Task Force to monitor and enhance security practices.
Grimes has also criticized President Donald Trump's executive order creating the Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, calling it a threat to voting rights.
Today, @DHSgov told Senate panel Russians targeted 21 states' election systems. We have no evidence of any cyberattack against KY's systems. pic.twitter.com/mH9f8Sh2Xx
— Secretary of State Alison L. Grimes (2012–2020) (@KySecofState) June 21, 2017