Author Archive

Jack Gillum

Senior Reporter

Jack Gillum is a senior reporter at ProPublica based in Washington, D.C., covering technology and privacy.
Cybersecurity

Robocalls Told at Least 800,000 Swing State Residents to 'Stay Home' on Election Day. The FBI Is Investigating.

A firm that tracks robocalls said more than 3 million calls were made on Nov. 3, which contained a cryptic message instructing people to “stay safe and stay home.” The tactics join other efforts to confuse voters this election cycle.

  • By Jack Gillum and Jeremy B. Merrill, ProPublica
Cybersecurity

Foreign Hackers Cripple Texas County’s Email System, Raising Election Security Concerns

The malware attack, which sent fake email replies to voters and businesses, spotlights an overlooked vulnerability in counties that don’t follow best practices for computer security.

  • By Jack Gillum, Jessica Huseman, Jeff Kao and Derek Willis, ProPublica
Cybersecurity

Some Election-Related Websites Still Run on Vulnerable Software Older Than Many High Schoolers

Our analysis found that websites in dozens of towns and counties voting on Super Tuesday have security weaknesses. Richmond, Va., still uses software from 2003.

  • By Jack Gillum, ProPublica
Cybersecurity

Iowa’s Lesson: Political Parties Are Not as Good as Government Officials at Counting Votes

Most primaries are run by state and local governments. But caucuses are different—and Iowa shows how that can be a problem.

  • By Jessica Huseman, Jack Gillum and Derek Willis, ProPublica