Audit reveals Salt Lake County's election systems secure with no Internet connectivity

The Salt Lake County Council meeting on April 29, 2025, featured significant discussions on the results of an audit of criminal justice services and an update on election cybersecurity audits.

The meeting began with a presentation by County Auditor Chris Harding, who outlined the findings from an audit focused on data access and protections within criminal justice services for the year 2023. The audit aimed to assess the adequacy of internal controls and compliance with relevant policies. Harding reported that the audit identified opportunities for improvement, particularly in streamlining processes for terminating network and application access, managing hard drive surplusing, and ensuring consistent data entry in case management systems. Notably, the criminal justice services agreed to 10 out of 12 recommendations made by the auditors, indicating a collaborative approach to enhancing their operations.

Brenda Nelson, an auditor, highlighted specific issues, including discrepancies in data entry related to client drug testing, where a significant number of records were either missing or inaccurately recorded. The auditors assigned a significant risk rating to this finding, emphasizing the need for timely corrective actions. The audit also revealed that three out of 21 employees who left the agency did not have their network access revoked promptly, although the county's IT department eventually addressed this.

In a separate segment, County Clerk Lanny Chapman provided an update on a legislative audit of election cybersecurity. This audit, part of a broader initiative to ensure the security of voting systems in Utah, confirmed that Salt Lake County's election equipment is not connected to the Internet and is protected by multiple layers of cybersecurity measures. Chapman emphasized the importance of maintaining strict controls over user access and ensuring that election software is certified and validated. The audit findings indicated that Salt Lake County's practices align with best practices for election security, reinforcing the county's commitment to safeguarding the integrity of its elections.

The meeting concluded with a commitment from both the criminal justice services and the county clerk's office to implement the recommended improvements and continue enhancing their operational protocols. The council expressed appreciation for the thorough audits and the proactive steps being taken to address identified issues.