Week 2 Peer Editing

Albert Helps Protect from Hacking

JRN 497 Journalism and Mass Communication Capstone

Ceiara Culver

August 18, 2018

Voter security has increased as people get ready for the 2018 midterm elections. Many

states have decided to install cyber-intrusion systems supplied by Homeland Security.

Government officials have created these systems to prevent hacking during the 2018 mid-term

elections by foreign countries. This comes in response to the 2016 presidential election where

there were cyber-attacks from Russia (Snow, 2016).

The system that was developed is called Albert. It is similar to

another program called Einstein, which is another Homeland

Security program that is an intrusion detection system. Albert is the

updated version of this that helps to detect viruses and malicious malware that can affect

computers and software. The centers send information through a network that detects if there is

malicious software, if there is the center gives out an alert to be analyzed by security operations

(dhs, 2018). According to one government official, the program is a success and it has helped

to track many cyber threats. Albert has already detected 50,000

notices of malicious activity. Another person says that Albert may

not be a good idea because of the problem with not knowing if the

program is detecting malicious software from foreign countries or if

they are tracking people from within the United States. And that the

program tracks people from their cellphones and giving away their control. There are also some

states that have not decided to go with Albert but with other programs (Marquardt, 2018).

Albert has initiated a lot of mixed feelings in some people. There are those that work

for the suppliers of the system that believe it works great and helps protect against hacking

from foreign countries like Russia during the 2016 presidential election and those that believe

that Albert is a way to give up control and can be getting information from united states

citizens instead of foreign countries.

Resource

Marquardt, A. (2018, August 17). States add intrusion sensors to election systems to thwart

hacking. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/17/politics/states-

intrustionsensors-election-systems/index.html

Snow, J. Einstein's little bro: Used by most states, Albert guards against malware. (2016,

December 27). Retrieved from https://www.fedscoop.com/ms-isac-einstein-inspired-

program-almost- used-by-every-state/

EINSTEIN. (2018, May 17). Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/einstein