DOJ serves LA County with 48-hour ultimatum on voter data via USB drive
Federal prosecutors delivered a password-protected drive with 20,000 names to Los Angeles officials, demanding an immediate audit despite security concerns.
Key points
- The Department of Justice gave Los Angeles County 48 hours to investigate 20,000 alleged non-citizen voters.
- The data was delivered on a thumb drive with the password written on a Post-it note.
- County officials refused, citing legal restrictions on voter purges near Election Day.
The US Department of Justice delivered a flash drive containing 20,000 names to Los Angeles County election officials on Tuesday. The agency demanded a 48-hour investigation into these individuals, who are alleged to be non-citizens registered to vote. This action occurred three weeks before the federal election.
Root cause
The complaint filed by the DOJ asserts that California is illegally registering non-citizens for voting and allowing them to participate in elections. This legal action follows months of pressure from the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department to validate claims of widespread illegal voting. The administration has shifted from making broad claims about voter registries to pursuing immediate legal action against local officials who do not comply with federal demands.
Attack path
The federal government attempted to force a rapid audit by delivering a physical thumb drive to the top voting official in Los Angeles County. The drive contained the list of 20,000 names. The password required to access the encrypted drive was provided on a Post-it note attached to the delivery. County Clerk Dean Logan noted that this delivery method was insecure and that the requested process would violate laws governing voter purges close to an election.
Affected versions
- Los Angeles County voter registration records
- California state election administration protocols
- Federal legal complaints regarding voter eligibility
Mitigation
- Verify the legal authority of any external demand for voter data audits.
- Ensure that data delivery methods meet established security standards for sensitive personal information.
- Review state laws regarding voter list maintenance and purge restrictions before Election Day.
- Document all communications with federal agencies regarding election integrity investigations.
What it means for organisations
Election administrators and legal teams must assess the validity of external demands for data access. Organisations should verify that any requested audits comply with state and federal election laws. Security teams need to evaluate the integrity of data transfer methods proposed by external entities. Leadership should be informed of potential legal risks associated with non-compliance or forced compliance with unlawful requests. Coordination between legal, security and operations teams is essential to protect voter data integrity and maintain compliance with election regulations during high-pressure periods.
What to do and how to stay safe: US Department of Justice
- Review internal policies for receiving sensitive data from external government agencies.
- Ensure that any data audits requested near elections comply with local legal restrictions.
- Verify the security of data transfer methods before accepting or processing external files.
- Consult legal counsel before acting on urgent demands that may conflict with election laws.
General security guidance from the TechSec Observer newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
How many names were on the flash drive delivered to Los Angeles?
The drive contained 20,000 names of individuals believed to be non-citizens.
What was the timeframe given to Los Angeles County to investigate?
The DOJ gave officials 48 hours to investigate the names on the drive.
Why did Los Angeles County officials refuse the request?
They cited security concerns with the delivery method and legal restrictions on voter purges near Election Day.
