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Diebold Audit Released, BlackBoxVoting.Org Shut Down
Chris Soghoian writes "The State of Maryland requested an audit of the Diebold electronic voting system by SAIC, after a report released by Johns Hopkins University and Rice Researchers (disclaimer: I'm one of Dr Rubin's students) noted several security issues. A condensed, from 200 to 40 pages, and censored version of the report has been released online (PDF link). The report notes that 'SAIC has identified several high-risk vulnerabilities that, if exploited, could have significant impact upon the AccuVote-TS voting system operation.'" However, Diebold says Maryland are moving forward with installation with "new security features" included, and elsewhere, Badgerman points out "Diebold has shut down blackboxvoting.org, apparently with copyright claims made to their ISP. But you can still go to the blackboxvoting.com site."
They're right around the corner from where I work in Lanham, MD.
Just a tiny little outfit in an industrial mall. A handful of techies trying to make a living. Cut 'em some slack.
Noone forced the states to buy a substandard machine, and it shouldnt be up to John Hopkins to do any audits.
Actually this was part of a headline article over at Salon.com. The article is available here.
This post is encrypted twice with ROT-13. Documenting or attempting to crack this encryption is illegal.
Diebold's market capitalization is roughly $3.775 billion... That's not exactly a small business, but it's not quite on the same level as the major media companies either.
And the report itself continues:
Diebold makes (at least) two systems: AccuVote-TS (touch screen) and AccuVote-OS (Optical Scan).
I live in Boston, where we had a City Council primary yesterday. Boston has just switched to the AccuVote-OS system. Here's how that system worked:
I voted on a PAPER BALLOT by shading an oval with a black marker (any color but red will do). Then I fed my ballot into a box about the size of a personal laser printer, which (presumably) scanned it immediately and kept it. The box had what looked like a modem cord hanging out of one side.
I am NOT comfortable having my vote disappear into a system driven by code that is not available for public scrutiny. But I feel better about this than about the touch-screen Diebold system being discussed by most of these posts, because it uses paper ballots that could be re-counted if necessary.
The memos were sent to me by an insider, and I just got them 2 1/2 weeks ago.
This is important, because one is similar to software piracy (though debatable, because they are under some obligation to protect things if they want to call them trade secrets, and no one in their right mind would want to pirate this system, called "junk shit" by their own technicians, to resell it.
The memos, though, are just internal communications that were leaked, and once leaked and public, which they certainly are by now, when used only for fair use reasons in the public interest, the legal issues are quite different.
Well, the level to "count" in this country seems to be around 100 million dollars gross a year. So, Diebold comfortably fits that requirement.
another article.
Look up Christian Reconstructionism.
You're full of it. Adbusters have repeatedly had their ads refused by major media corporations, even though they were prepared to pay the going rate. The media said they would not run the ads for any price. So even if you have money, the current system doesn't necessarily give you a voice.
GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
The SAIC team specifically excluded the procedures for voter identification, registratoin, etc., from their report. That is unfortunate. One of the biggest problems in Maryland is that you can vote without providing any kind of identification. No driver's license, voter registration card, or anything else.
Let's suppose you are a pollster for one of the major parties. You get a list of the registered voters for the other party. You call and ask questions like, "Do you plan to vote?" and "Whom do you plan to vote for?", just like any other poll. However, what you are doing is compiling a list of those that don't plan on voting. You then get a bunch of people to go to the various precincts and vote as those people. If you do it early enough, even if the real person does actually show up, it won't be until after the fakes have already voted for them. You can cast lots of illegal ballots that way. If the real person does show up and is told they have already voted, they can prove their identity and cast a provisional ballot, subject to investigation. If there are only a few of those, it probably won't affect the outcome and there won't be any investigation. If for some reason, there are a lot of those, it will throw the election results into chaos and probably force a new election. The liklihood of anyone getting caught is almost nil because of the lack of identification, surveillence cameras, or anything else that could be used to ensure that only those leagally registered can vote, and then can only vote as themselves.
At least two people will be fairly represented. None of the rest of us though.
How is this any different than the last 100 years?
We've got the Democraps and the Repugnicans, and all is well. If sages like Britney Spears tell us to trust in our president, why should we ask questions? We have to have faith in the the massive power a federal government wields over the people! Only they are so wise to guide each of us in our daily tasks. It is great that there are millions of laws to provide clarity and reason behind our chaotic and aimless lives! Our compassionate administration will only make things better! Don't you see?!?!
(I really like how polarized many people get about corrupt and insatiable corporations, when their beloved government-based social justice system is absolutely no better)
Healthcare article at Kuro5hin