Cybersecurity threats and misinformation during US elections

Check Point Software Technologies has identified a growing convergence between legitimate political campaign tactics and social engineering attacks during US midterm elections. Cybercriminals are increasingly mimicking the visual language, psychological urgency, and communication channels—such as SMS, QR codes, and mass emails—used by authentic political campaigns.

Specific incidents include voters in Pennsylvania receiving text messages to ‘verify their voter profile’ that led to political fundraising sites rather than malware, and Texas residents receiving postal notices with QR codes simulating government registration notifications. In Rhode Island and Connecticut, phishing attempts have targeted citizens with threats of driver's license suspension unless electoral data is confirmed.

Attackers are enhancing the credibility of these scams by using personal information obtained from massive data leaks, allowing them to include exact names and details to deceive targets.