Fact check: Were there any documented cyberattacks on voting machines during the 2024 election?

1. Summary of the results

There were no documented cyberattacks on voting machines during the 2024 election ^[1]. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency explicitly stated they found "no evidence of any malicious activity that had a material impact on the security or integrity of our election infrastructure" ^[1]. Election infrastructure was more secure than ever, with approximately 98% of ballots having a paper record ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual points need to be considered:

• Pre-election vulnerabilities: There were serious concerns about unauthorized access to voting system software in multiple states following the 2020 election, which could have potentially impacted the 2024 election ^[3].
• Security measures in place: Election officials implemented extensive protective measures including:
• Isolation of critical systems from the internet
• Use of private networks
• Regular vulnerability testing ^[2]
• Voting machines were kept offline during voting, with limited exceptions for transmitting unofficial results after polls closed ^[1]
• Previous incidents: While there were historical incidents of hacks and leaks ^[4], and ongoing concerns about DDoS attacks ^[5], these did not materialize into actual voting machine compromises during the 2024 election.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question itself might reflect several common misconceptions:

• Social media conspiracies: Various theories circulated, including claims about Starlink manipulation, which were definitively debunked by swing state officials ^[6].
• Threat perception vs. reality: While the FBI and CISA issued warnings about potential disruption tactics ^[5], and experts expressed concerns about system vulnerabilities ^[3], these potential threats did not manifest as actual attacks.
• Beneficiaries of uncertainty: Several groups benefit from perpetuating uncertainty about election security:
• Political actors seeking to question election legitimacy
• Media outlets generating engagement through controversy
• Cybersecurity companies selling protection services
• Foreign actors aiming to undermine democratic processes

The evidence shows that while election security threats exist and require constant vigilance, the 2024 election infrastructure remained secure against cyberattacks on voting machines.