Election cybersecurity in the Commonwealth strengthened by shared learning

Commonwealth experts have provided training to senior officials from 15 election management bodies (EMBs) in the Asia-Pacific region to help protect electoral processes from cybersecurity threats.

The Commonwealth Cyber Declaration agreed by Heads of Government in London in 2018 was the largest intergovernmental commitment on cybersecurity co-operation, setting out a common commitment to an open, democratic, peaceful and secure internet.

A two-day workshop in Sydney, Australia, this week formed part of a programme of work to support member countries to implement the landmark declaration.

Emma Beckles, Commonwealth cyber programme officer, said: “The holding of free and fair elections is enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter and is a vital component of democratic societies, but this can be compromised by cybersecurity issues emerging from increasing reliance on information and communication technologies.

“Implementing the Cyber Declaration through initiatives such as this training workshop is therefore crucial to helping our member countries proactively meet cybersecurity challenges and ensure the highest standards of integrity are upheld.”

Delegates shared their country experiences and took part in discussions and exercises around the use of technology and mitigating risks in areas such as biometric voter authentication, results transmission, data protection and the spread of disinformation.

This is the second regional training session held on election cybersecurity after the Africa workshop took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, in September.

Both sessions were based on a guide developed by Commonwealth consultants based on a survey of existing Commonwealth systems and processes, as well as in-depth studies of Ghana, Pakistan and the UK.

It outlines key principles and makes recommendations aimed at helping national stakeholders to manage cybersecurity risks and maintain public confidence in election outcomes.

Attaullah Khan, director of management information systems for the Office of the Provincial Election Commissioner, Balochistan, in Pakistan, said: “I think it is a very good initiative by the Commonwealth getting all the EMBs together. There are many things that we can learn from each other.”

Amendra Chand, analyst programmer for the Fiji Elections Office, said: “As we are transitioning our processes into the digital phase, it is important for us to be safe instead of our advancements being used against us by hackers or by people who are disseminating misinformation.”

He added EMBs from different countries working together creates a “knowledge base” that builds understanding of how to handle cybersecurity threats in elections.

Dr Masha Miriam Surofv, executive assistant at the Tonga Electoral Commission, which is preparing for elections in 2021, said the workshop was a useful two-way collaboration.

She said: “The most exciting thing was we are not alone. All of us are discussing the same questions and facing the same problems, on different levels of course.

“This work is to be continued. We have just started. It is the beginning of something bigger and hopefully we will get there together.”