Why it Matters
The Senate Armed Services Committee’s Cybersecurity Subcommittee has scheduled for a closed briefing September 23 on cyber operations and readiness for the second and third quarters of fiscal year 2026 as well as an update on election security.
Threat actors continue targeting U.S. election infrastructure with operations designed to influence, manipulate, monitor, or disrupt elections. According to Check Point, cyber risks for the 2026 midterms include phishing aimed at voters, fake news sites, domain abuse, and AI-powered disinformation targeting voter trust.
Broader Context
Lawmakers demanded restoration of more than $39.6 million for specified election-security efforts that were legislated in the fiscal year 2026 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill passed in April. With the midterm elections two months away, lawmakers said time was running out to help state and local election officials address cyber and mis- and disinformation threats. Researchers report that threat actors are already preparing for the 2026 midterm elections, targeting the broader election ecosystem with phishing and AI-enabled influence campaigns. Cyber Shield 2026 involved more than 1,000 cyber professionals from the military, government, and industry from 23 partner nations and tested their ability to defend critical infrastructure against realistic cyberattacks from July 12 through July 25.
A report from the cybersecurity company Everfox found that cyberattacks on government, defense, and critical-services organizations increased 25 percent year over year, with organizations facing an average of 137 cyberattacks per week.
The Bottom Line
Proposals under discussion include giving U.S. Cyber Command greater budgetary control and acquisition authorities under an initiative called Cybercom 2.0, and establishing a new military branch called a Cyber Force with primary responsibility for force generation in the cyber domain. U.S. Cyber Command’s mission is to direct, synchronize, and coordinate cyberspace planning and operations to defend and advance national interests in collaboration with domestic and international partners.
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