Quick take - The 2024 U.S. presidential election, in which Republican candidate Donald Trump was confirmed as the winner, was marked by a significant rise in internet traffic and cybersecurity measures, with Cloudflare reporting a surge in online attacks that did not disrupt the electoral process.

Fast Facts

Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election on November 5, 2024, amid a surge in internet traffic and cybersecurity concerns.
Cloudflare reported a 15% increase in overall internet traffic on Election Day, with DNS traffic for Trump and Republican sites peaking at 59%.
The company blocked over 6 billion DDoS requests aimed at election-related websites in the days leading up to the election, ensuring the integrity of the electoral process.
Cybersecurity initiatives, including the Athenian Project and Cloudflare for Campaigns, provided protection to over 800 election-related websites and 354 political campaigns.
Despite increased cyber threats, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency confirmed that the election infrastructure remained secure, with no evidence of malicious activities affecting the election’s integrity.

2024 U.S. Presidential Election Results

On November 5, 2024, the United States conducted its presidential election, resulting in Republican candidate Donald Trump being confirmed as the winner.

Increased Internet Traffic and Cybersecurity Focus

This election was characterized by a notable increase in internet traffic and a heightened focus on cybersecurity, underscoring the critical role of digital infrastructure in the electoral process. Cloudflare, a prominent internet security company, reported that while there were significant online attacks against election-related websites, these did not disrupt the electoral process.

Internet traffic across the U.S. surged by up to 15% on Election Day compared to the previous week. DNS traffic directed at Trump and Republican websites peaked at a 59% increase, contrasting with a 4% increase for Harris and Democrat sites the day before the election. The Midwest states experienced the highest growth in traffic. Polling services reported a staggering 756% increase in traffic as polls closed, while news websites saw a 325% increase later in the evening. This spike indicates heightened public interest and engagement during the election.

Cloudflare’s Cybersecurity Initiatives

Cloudflare’s initiatives, such as Impact programs, provided cybersecurity resources to over 800 election-related websites, ensuring they remained secure and accessible during high-traffic periods. The company also launched Project Galileo, which offers free services to media organizations and nonprofits focused on voting rights, protecting over 65 election-related sites. Additionally, the Athenian Project provides free cybersecurity services to state and local election offices, currently safeguarding 423 websites across 33 states. Cloudflare for Campaigns, established in 2020, protects more than 354 political campaigns and 34 state-level parties in the U.S.

In the lead-up to the election, Cloudflare collaborated with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative to educate over 300 election officials on potential cybersecurity threats. Prior to the election, more than 90 campaigns and parties were onboarded for protection against cyberattacks.

Cyber Threats and Election Integrity

Notably, Cloudflare blocked over 6 billion HTTP DDoS requests aimed at U.S. election-related websites from October 31 to November 1, 2024. DDoS attacks targeting political websites saw a significant increase starting in September 2024, with specific attacks reaching hundreds of thousands of requests per second. One DDoS attack on November 1 alone peaked at over 16 Gbps. The Athenian Project reported that U.S. state and local websites have faced over 290 million malicious HTTP requests since September 1, 2024.

Despite this surge in cyber threats, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency confirmed that the election infrastructure remained secure. There was no evidence of malicious activities impacting the integrity of the election. On Election Day, traffic patterns indicated a slight increase in mobile device usage, with 43% of internet traffic coming from mobile devices compared to 42% the previous week. Notably, DNS traffic for U.S. news media outlets increased significantly, peaking at 325% higher than the previous week. Social media platforms also saw heightened activity, with DNS traffic peaking at 91% higher than the previous week.

In summary, the 2024 U.S. presidential election showcased a robust electoral process supported by proactive cybersecurity measures, despite the challenges posed by increased cyber threats and significant online activity.

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