Hackers Invited To Crack Internet Voting

InternetVoting writes "The Philippine government and the International Foundation for Electoral System will be soliciting hackers to test the security of of their Internet voting system that will be tested in an upcoming pilot program." From the article,"Local and foreign computer hackers will be tapped to try and break into an Internet-based voting system that will be pilot tested by the country's Commission on Elections (Comelec) starting July 10."

Comments

Think they have not thought about that?

[WindBourne]

Almost certainly, they are recording ALL the packets that travel across the line as well as checking the state of the system. And if not, then they deserve what will happen. And if it is on a OSS platform, then they will be able to modify the kernel so that it gives more info during the cracking attempt.

Re:What if

[quanticle]

Two words: honeypot system.

The way I would do something like this is to put the voting system inside a fully monitored and logged virtual machine. Then I would open it up to hackers, knowing that all changes to the system state will be logged and can be scanned for malicious actions.

Procedural comparison

[Random BedHead Ed]

How things work outside the United States:

• Government announces plan to implement a voting system.
• Government devises detailed plan for a system, working with experts in field.
• Government runs pre-launch plan for rigorous testing of system reliability. Experts invited to oversee tests.
• System implemented, possibly with modifications based upon lessons learned in testing.

How things work in the United States:

• Government announces plan to implement a voting system.
• Industry lobbyists head to Washington. Meet with lawmakers, attempting to steer business toward their sponsors.
• Dinners held, bribes exchanged.
• Select lawmakers refuse to give in to lobbyists, are denied funding for upcoming campaigns, lose next election. Most capitulate, are re-elected.
• Revised bill reintroduced. Spending increased by a factor of 10.
• Experts review bill, criticize flaws, are ignored. Who needs 'em?
• Bill to implement system passes. Includes provision allowing NSA to nuke a US city without prior oversight if it finds suspicious activity in said city. Pre-absolves president of guilt for said annihilation. Also includes subsidy of corn processing industry in midwest, tax breaks for plastics industry executives. Last-minute rider added to provide additional funding for superhighway from Mexico to Kansas (now standard in all bills), and provide funding for evangelical law school that advocates a new wars to prevent the coming of the Antichrist.
• President signs bill in televised ceremony. Pen used to sign bill is framed.
• System implemented with no modifications. Massive failures nationwide.
• Experts point out that they predicted failures, are ignored again. Who needs 'em? Industry spokespersons call experts 'communists trying to undermine the free market,' deny there are any problems. Evening news ignores story, focuses on a recent celebrity divorce.
• Lawmakers vow to raise new spending bill to correct problems. Lobbyists return to Washington ...