I have already posted recently about the threat that voting machines pose to the democratic process (see here and here). It turns out that things are even worse than I feared (which is saying something given my propensity for pessimism!). See here for details. Apparently,120 security threats have been identified. Here is just a sample of some of the problems that arise:
• Using corrupt software to switch votes from one candidate to another is the easiest way to attack all three systems. A would-be hacker would have to overcome many hurdles to do this, the report says, but none "is insurmountable."
• The most vulnerable voting machines use wireless components open to attack by "virtually any member of the public with some knowledge and a personal digital assistant." Only New York, Minnesota and California ban wireless components.
• Even electronic systems that use voter-verified paper records are subject to attack unless they are regularly audited.
• Most states have not implemented election procedures or countermeasures to detect software attacks.
In response to the study, one of the computer scientists who worked on the task force concluded that "there are plenty of vulnerabilities that can and should be fixed before the November election." If recent history tells us anything, it's that we should not hold our breath. We should nevertheless pay attention to the prophetic words of Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) who pointed out that, "a voting system that is not auditable contains the seeds of destruction for a democracy." Having an administration with a delusional messianic vision does not help much either--especially when the people who manufacture the flawed voting machines talk about guaranteeing victories for the bad guys!
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