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Opening Diebold Source, the Hard Way
Doc Ruby writes to tell us about an article in the Baltimore (MD) Sun, reporting that someone sent a package to a former legislator containing what appears to be Diebold source code. From the article:
"Diebold Election Systems Inc. expressed alarm and state election officials contacted the FBI yesterday after a former legislator received an anonymous package containing what appears to be the computer code that ran Maryland's polls in 2004... The availability of the code — the written instructions that tell the machines what to do — is important because some computer scientists worry that the machines are vulnerable to malicious and virtually undetectable vote-switching software. An examination of the instructions would enable technology experts to identify flaws, but Diebold says the code is proprietary and does not allow public scrutiny of it." Read on for more of Doc Ruby's comments and questions.
Maryland's primary elections last month were ruined by procedural and tech problems. Maryland used Diebold machines, even though its Republican governor "lost faith" in them as early as February this year, with months to do something about it before Maryland relied on them in their elections.
The Diebold code was secret, and was used in 2002 even though illegally uncertified — even by private analysts under nondisclosure. Now that it's being "opened by force," the first concern from Diebold, the government, and the media is that it could be further exploited by crackers. What if the voting software were open from the beginning, so its security relied only on hard secrets (like passwords and keys), not mere obscurity, which can be destroyed by "leaks" like the one reported by the Sun? The system's reliability would be known, and probably more secure after thorough public review. How much damage does secret source code employed in public service have to cause before we require it to be opened before we buy it, before we base our government on it?
Maryland's primary elections last month were ruined by procedural and tech problems. Maryland used Diebold machines, even though its Republican governor "lost faith" in them as early as February this year, with months to do something about it before Maryland relied on them in their elections.
The Diebold code was secret, and was used in 2002 even though illegally uncertified — even by private analysts under nondisclosure. Now that it's being "opened by force," the first concern from Diebold, the government, and the media is that it could be further exploited by crackers. What if the voting software were open from the beginning, so its security relied only on hard secrets (like passwords and keys), not mere obscurity, which can be destroyed by "leaks" like the one reported by the Sun? The system's reliability would be known, and probably more secure after thorough public review. How much damage does secret source code employed in public service have to cause before we require it to be opened before we buy it, before we base our government on it?
Don't you have elected representatives ? something like a Congress, a Senate ? I don't know, somewhere where elected representatives defend the people who elected them... or is it already Megacorporations that appoint them, making you believe your votes mean something ?
I haven't lost my mind, it must be backed up on a disk, somewhere...
As WideOpen, Can connect to ddeper into the 800 w/512 Megs of Smells worse than a
no, that is why businesses fear open source. That city agreed to a contract, then tried to claim some kind of "soverinty" over the software because the city owned it... If they were a business, they would have been hauled to jail for tying up the people's cars... Businesses fear Open Source like the plague because they're afraid of govenments "buying" software then declaring it "Open Source" they don't have to pay.
That is, if the *Rethuglicans* keep control of the House and Senate, I fully expect Diebold to be given the blame.
/.) votes Democrat!)
(I mean, everyone I know (on
I almost hope this happens, just for the cries, shouts, rending of hair, gnashing of teeth!
Oh the humanity!
668: Neighbour of the Beast
I can just see Bush declaring an emergency on polling day which has the side-effect of banning exit polls... oh so convenient... get rid of those pesky exit polls... then no-one knows how the voting is going except those controlling the magic software...
Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
I agree. Unlike machines, people have no bias and would never commit fraud. Those computers though, they're constantly working against us for their own motives.
Stupidity is like nuclear power, it can be used for good or evil. And you don't want to get any on you.
je$u$ fucking christ on crutches! its all a conspiracy...fuck the government...their all out to get us!!11!!
diebold is the ghey
the illuminati lead
george bush is to blame
Who says Kerry didn't poorly rig the election in his favor? Based on the performance of the Democrats in previous elections, I wouldn't be surprised if they botched that part of their campaign as well.