A week before: How the body overseeing US election funding was attacked

A cyberattack against the US Federal Election Commission disabled the online reporting system a week before the elections, according to a Reuters report. The shutdown prevents tracking of massive campaign contributions and leaves voters in the dark about funding sources in the final stretch.

A week before the US midterm elections, a mysterious cyberattack disabled the online reporting system of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), according to a Reuters report. The hackers struck at the peak of campaign cash flow, as the current election cycle has become the most expensive in history with advertising spending of $11.21 billion. The system shutdown prevents the submission of mandatory reports on contributions over $1,000 within 48 hours, leaving voters in the dark about funding sources. The FEC suffers from chronic understaffing with only two commissioners, lacking a quorum for enforcement. Experts warn of complete public blindness just before the polls open.