According to cybersecurity company UpGaurd, sensitive information about US voters was left exposed as a result of a data breach by the application Campaign Sidekick, which functions as a voter contact and canvassing app. Campaign Sidekick is used by the Republican party in election campaigns. UpGaurd found that an unprotected copy of the app’s code was accidentally left publicly available on its website, however, the information has since been secured.
Campaign Sidekick first emerged in the 2002 election cycle and has been used to digitalize election campaigning, assisting the parties in capturing and analyzing data on US voters. The app also helps candidates collate information from interactions that take place with constituents during canvassing. UpGaurd found that the vulnerable file contained sensitive data, which Campaign Sidekick was promptly informed of and removed on February 15.
Read More: Sensitive Voter Data Exposed by App Used in US Elections
