An intermittent system error of undetermined cause. A system glitch may cause a network to go offline or a program to crash. Election officials are expected to track down all errors to their root causes and avoid blaming anomalies on "glitches." Hacker Someone who seeks to exploit weaknesses in computer systems, voting systems or networks to gain unauthorized access or break-in into a system. There are many types of hackers, but the best defined terms for types of hackers are white-hat and black-hat hackers
What is glitch?
The term Glitch refers to a temporary malfunction, anomaly, or unexpected behavior in hardware, software, data processing, or system operation; the word does not by itself identify the cause. It gives election, security, legal, or technical readers a specific label for the concept rather than a broader everyday meaning.
How is glitch used in cybersecurity?
In practice, Glitch is applied to the technical or security purpose captured by its definition: a temporary malfunction, anomaly, or unexpected behavior in hardware, software, data processing, or system operation. Organizations combine that function with documented procedures, authorized access, testing, monitoring, and controls appropriate to the system. The governing standard or security policy determines the exact implementation.
Why does glitch matter for election security?
Understanding Glitch matters because the concept can affect security, reliability, auditability, or trusted operation. In this glossary context, it refers to a temporary malfunction, anomaly, or unexpected behavior in hardware, software, data processing, or system operation. Applying the term precisely helps teams choose controls that match the actual technical function instead of assuming a broader or unrelated meaning.
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An intermittent system error of undetermined cause. A system glitch may cause a network to go offline or a program to crash. Election officials are expected to track down all errors to their root causes and avoid blaming anomalies on "glitches." Hacker Someone who seeks to exploit weaknesses in computer systems, voting systems or networks to gain unauthorized access or break-in into a system. There are many types of hackers, but the best defined terms for types of hackers are white-hat and black-hat hackers
Cite this term
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Glitch. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 21, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/glitch
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