More E-Voting Software Leaks Surface

Christopher Soghoian writes "Sound like something you've seen before? Wired News reports that the software which runs Sequoia's AVC Edge voting machines has been accidentally placed on another company's publicly available FTP server, although this time it's the binary, rather than the source that's been leaked. Machines running this software were used in California's Riverside County for the 2000 presidential election and for last month's California gubernatorial recall election. The system also has been used in counties in Florida and Washington state."

Comments

Code shouldn't be important!

[hampton2600]

If these systems were really secure, then finding out the code shouldn't be important. Just because I know the RSA 128-bit algorithem, doesn't mean that I can break it in a second!

Also, why isn't the federal government coming out with a standard software framework for voting?

This seems obvious to me, at least.

Not that I trust my government to be the best coders, but heck... get the DOD on it. They are pretty good at these problem domains.

Maybe they'd run it off of source forge....

-hampton2600.

Bullshit. Libraries. F-15s. Interstate Highways.

[namespan]

Yeah, because if the federal government does it, it is efficient, reliable, and effective.

Blah blah -- the government boondoggle meme strikes again. Yes, it has its roots in some truths, and that's why it exists. But...

The problem is, there are in fact examples of government programs and agencies working and working well. Our, poor, terribly innefficient government programs are responsible for creating the world's best military. My locality might be an exception, but we've got incredible public library resources that I'm so happy with I'm *glad* when I get library fines. The Interstate Highway system makes cross country travel effecient and quick -- which keeps the cost of goods lower -- at least, those you buy that were shipped from somewhere else.

Yep -- I know, private firms were involved in the creation of each of those things. Doesn't change the fact that some branch of our poor, incapable, incompetent government commissioned and managed those projects.

And yes, I know -- the DMV is frustrating to deal with. But I can tell you that the service of the DMV and even the IRS looks positively stellar compared to any number of private entitities -- several health insurance companies, Sprint, Microsoft Customer support, and the hosting company I called last week (no, not some dinky provider either -- I'm talking freakin' Interland here). All of whom should have, in theory, been erased by the invisible hand or otherwise kicked in the pants by the market. But in fact, these beaurocracies are no better than most mediocre government beaurocracies.

So it's fun to repeat, but remember to look at the facts while you're thinking about it. Our beloved commercial driven-to-efficiency-by-the-market companies have produced an absolute steaming heap of bovine excrement when it comes to an e-voting product. And yes, it's still taxpayer subsidized, because our governments are paying for these products -- and not just the costs, but also the profits.