Experts Critique SERVE Internet Voting System

linuxwrangler writes "SFGate is reporting that a critique by four security experts claims that SERVE, a system being developed to allow US citizens overseas to vote via the Internet, is so vulnerable to attacks that it should be scrapped. The other six experts who examined the system declined to issue a report. Nevertheless, the Pentagon stands by the system and plans to use in in elections next month."

Comments

Pentagon in the Democratic Election Space ?

[leoaugust]

An Internet voting system developed by the Pentagon for U.S. citizens overseas is so vulnerable to attacks that it should be scrapped, four computer security experts said in a report released Wednesday.

Forgive me for asking but why is the Pentagon involved in the conduct of Elections? Isn't there some more neutral organization ? It is like asking the Republican-leaning ("I am committed to delivering ...") Diebold to be in charge of conducting elections. If it was the State Department (Colin Powell) it would make sense but the Pentagon (Donald Rumsfeld) ? There is no democracy in the Defense Services and None at the Pentagon - what makes them so confident that they know what democracy needs.

Defense Department spokesman Glenn Flood said the Pentagon was confident the system is secure. "We knew from the start that security would be the utmost concern," Flood said. "We've had things put in place that counteract the things they talked about."

Again forgive me for bringing it up, but they seem to be brushing off concerns like the did before attacking Iraq. (We have it all under control, and it will cost less than 1.5 billion dollars ...)

"We knew from the start that security would be the utmost concern ..."

Yes, but they said the same before attacking Iraq. Knowing something does not mean that they have planned for it. It is like a doctor who knows the name of the disease but that does not mean he/she knows how to cure it. And the Pentagon has not addressed the legitimate concerns.

But the Pentagon is standing by the system, which could get its first test Feb. 3 in South Carolina's primary election.

Bring 'em on.

Re:Yea! EVERYONE gets to vote!

[andreMA]

Answer: Most Americans don't care enough to vote

Alternatively, some care deeply but think the candidates on the ballot all suck and stay away from the polls in disgust. Allowing them to vote "None of the Above" and having that total reported with the other results would likely increase turnout to fair degree, since their voice ould then be 'heard'.

I seem to recall that at least one state (Nevada?) does this and "NOTA" has on occasion 'won' in state-wide races.

Switzerland and e-Voting

[Azurstorm]

In Switzerland, we have tested from some years now an online voting system (more than 4 years ago already). I can not assure that there is an absolute security but until today, it appears no problem at all. The last census in 2000 was on Internet and it was a great success, people were very happy and have for a lot of people, using the Internet way instead the paper.

Switzerland is in Europe the most developed country in Internet with more than 70% of people using Internet.

There is a LOT of security check (for me a little too much hehe), at least three codes on each page, but for what I've studied the system, it appears very good, strong and evolved.

Now it is used for some small votes until that it will be absolutely validated. After that, we will have the possibility to use it for national vote.

Perhaps you should have test SERVE on some small votes before to use it for a national election. From other countries, people were looking the last US election with a suspicious mind, it would not be very good that one time again USA will have huge problems with that!

But Internet is for sure the voting machine of the future !