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Cyberattack Crashes Tennessee County's Website on Election Night (cnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the meanwhile-on-election-ground dept.

An apparent DDoS attack shut down the Knox County Election Commission's websites as polls closed Tuesday night. From a report: On Tuesday night, as polls were closing for Knox County's primary races for the mayoral election, the county's website displaying the results crashed. The page was down for about an hour starting around 8 p.m. local time before officials were able to restore it, according to the county's Election Commission.

"Although the crash did not affect the vote tallies or the integrity of the election, this is not something that should happen," Mayor Tim Burchett said in a statement Wednesday. "I want to know what happened, and I think an independent review will help determine that so we can move forward and work to prevent similar issues in the future."

The primary election continued, with the county announcing that Glenn Jacobs, also known as WWE wrestler Kane, won the GOP nomination by 17 votes. The crash didn't affect voting or vote tallies because the county's voting machines aren't connected online, an election official told WBIR.

61 comments

  1. Somebody left caching off? by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

    Probably a designer ...

  2. Crashed? by Locke2005 · · Score: 2

    Is getting far more hits than expected distinguishable from a DoS attack?

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    1. Re:Crashed? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > Is getting far more hits than expected distinguishable from a DoS attack?

      Yes. You just block the IP involved. If however, you meant a DDoS attack, then no, you're screwed. That extra D is all the world, and things like this matter.

    2. Re:Crashed? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is well crafted fectiousness distinguishable from political distraction?

    3. Re:Crashed? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is getting far more hits than expected distinguishable from a DoS attack?

      Mayor:
      "I want to know what happened, and I think an independent review will help determine that so we can move forward and work to prevent similar issues in the future."

      IT Staff:
      We've been asking for years for safeguards/improvements - but never got the budget for it.

      Independent Review:
      You need additional safeguards/improvements - we recommend the cloud.

      Mayor:
      Good job - IT Staff, you're fired! How much is the cloud going to cost me?

      Independent Review:
      About 3x what your IT Staff originally requested for the safeguards/improvements.

  3. Two thoughts by PopeRatzo · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    "Although the crash did not affect the vote tallies or the integrity of the election, this is not something that should happen,"

    How the fuck do they know vote tallies and the "integrity of the election" were not affected? It's like all the people who say, 'Russian interference in 2016 didn't affect the outcome of the election". What else can they say? "Yes, the outcome was affected and now we're in no-man's land"? I expect to hear this a lot in 2018 and 2020: "We were hacked (meddled, colluded, ratfucked) but it didn't affect the outcome!"

    The primary election continued, with the county announcing that Glenn Jacobs, also known as WWE wrestler Kane, won the GOP nomination by 17 votes.

    Tennessee, WTF?

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re:Two thoughts by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 0, Troll
      RTFS:

      On Tuesday night, as polls were closing for Knox County's primary races for the mayoral election, the county's website displaying the results crashed.

      The website simply reports the tally which is done with ballots NOT ON THE WEBSITE! Really, you worked REALLY hard to get your "Russia Russia Ressia!" meme in there... Grow up, Pope...

      You are welcome on my lawn.

      Even if a person doesn't believe in the "Russia Russia Russia!" meme you keep pushing?

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    2. Re:Two thoughts by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 2

      How the fuck do they know vote tallies and the "integrity of the election" were not affected?

      Because the voting machines weren't connected to the internet, as mentioned in the fourth paragraph of TFA?

      What was affected wasn't the vote, but rather the county website. Which displayed the results so people didn't have to wait till the paper came out the next morning....

      --

      "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
    3. Re:Two thoughts by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 2

      "Although the crash did not affect the vote tallies or the integrity of the election, this is not something that should happen,"

      How the fuck do they know vote tallies and the "integrity of the election" were not affected? It's like all the people who say, 'Russian interference in 2016 didn't affect the outcome of the election". What else can they say? "Yes, the outcome was affected and now we're in no-man's land"? I expect to hear this a lot in 2018 and 2020: "We were hacked (meddled, colluded, ratfucked) but it didn't affect the outcome!"

      It was a website.

      Unless you think they were using a WordPress plugin for voting, the systems were likely separate.

    4. Re:Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      Hey look, another Trump faggot pretending there's nothing to see in his billowing smoke. #Lock the dumb cunt up with the rest of em.

    5. Re:Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      #Lock the dumb cunt up with the rest of em

      Yup. Hillary for Prison.

    6. Re:Two thoughts by PopeRatzo · · Score: 0

      Unless you think they were using a WordPress plugin for voting, the systems were likely separate.

      It was Tennessee. They were likely not counting the votes at all and just deciding on the results over drinks in a hotel ballroom.

      Tennessee uses direct recording electronic systems without a paper record. You should have absolutely zero confidence in systems like this. They might as well not spend all that money on an election if they're going to use machines like this.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    7. Re:Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It was Tennessee. They were likely not counting the votes at all and just deciding on the results over drinks in a hotel ballroom.

      Then there's no possible way for the hack to effect the outcome, is there?

    8. Re:Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Even if a person doesn't believe in the "Russia Russia Russia!" meme you keep pushing?

      Those people don't really exist. They're only pretending they don't believe it.

    9. Re:Two thoughts by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 0

      Unless you think they were using a WordPress plugin for voting, the systems were likely separate.

      It was Tennessee. They were likely not counting the votes at all and just deciding on the results over drinks in a hotel ballroom.

      There's the inner bigot in you coming out...

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    10. Re: Two thoughts by kenh · · Score: 1

      How the fuck do they know vote tallies and the "integrity of the election" were not affected?

      Because they are intelligent people?

      Imagine is is Dec. 2000 and browerd county officials are inside a secure room carefully conducting a recount. Outside the building is a bulletin board that they post the results of the recount so far on, as updates are warranted.

      Imagine someone walked up to that bulletin board and set it on fire. The fire doesn't distract the workers inside who know nothing about the fire, and after an hour the fire department declares the area safe and the board of elections puts a temporary bulletin board up to post results.

      Did the fire impactvthe recount? No.

      That's "how the fuck" they know it didn't impact the vote tally - the bulletin board is the website.

      --
      Ken
    11. Re:Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      Hey look. More homophobia from the left

    12. Re:Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      It was Tennessee.

      Incest is best...

      Tennessee uses direct recording electronic systems without a paper record. You should have absolutely zero confidence in systems like this. They might as well not spend all that money on an election if they're going to use machines like this.

      What does that have to do with the Russians?? It was a local decision to go that route. So far, the only thing you people have proven is that that they bought some ads on facebook... But I will grant that your total monopolization of the press is a great success! Congratulations are in order

    13. Re:Two thoughts by JackieBrown · · Score: 0

      Way to double down on being wrong. Nice fallback "It's Tennessee."

    14. Re:Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      No, this wasn't the DNC running the election.
      Sanders wasn't on the ballot either.

      Not sure what your comment about Tennessee was supposed to mean, but you might think about applying it to the DNC leadership instead.
      As Donna Brazile, former DNC chairwoman, confirmed that the DNC did in fact rig their primary to prevent Sanders from winning.
      CNN story explaining it.

    15. Re: Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A quick read of the Wikipedia page on electronic voting shows multiple ways you can vote and not be effected by a ddos.

      https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_voting

    16. Re:Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > and just deciding on the results over drinks in a hotel ballroom.

      Having grown up in E TN politics in the 60s/70s and heard the stories directly from people who'd been state wide office holders in the 40s and 50s, this wasn't too far fetched 80+ or so years ago.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._H._Crump

      The hotel in question would have been the Peabody Hotel in Memphis.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peabody_Hotel

    17. Re: Two thoughts by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Imagine is is Dec. 2000 and browerd county officials are inside a secure room

      Broward County is in Florida, not Tennessee.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    18. Re:Two thoughts by ScentCone · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      Hey look, another Trump faggot pretending there's nothing to see

      It's always fun to see a homophobic liberal angrily demanding that we do something for reasons that he can't even muster the intellectual honesty to describe.

      Look, we know you people working for the DNC are incredibly disingenuous, vitriolic, hysterical loons. We get that. But don'to you think that your permanent misery over - despite having partisans in the DoJ and FBI doing everything possible to help her out - Hillary losing the election should give way to you spending your energy describing a clear-cut, constitutionally sound REASON you think the election should be un-done? Oh, right, I keep forgetting that your real objection is to the constitution itself. Why not just say as much? Is it because you're a coward?

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    19. Re:Two thoughts by ScentCone · · Score: 0

      It was Tennessee.

      Hey, look! More of the same smug condescension that cost you nearly a thousand legislative seats, most of the governorships, both houses of congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, and the good will of millions of two-time Obama voters who turned their back on exactly your sort of vitriol. Sill haven't figured it out, huh?

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    20. Re:Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Plus one of the candidates was endorsed by the NRA so you know the Russians have a serious interest in how runs that shithole of an ignorant garbage place. The Russians definitely had the motive.

    21. Re: Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Do you honestly see a difference in how the RNC manipulates voters?

    22. Re:Two thoughts by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Hey, look! More of the same smug condescension that cost you nearly a thousand legislative seats, most of the governorships, both houses of congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, and the good will of millions of two-time Obama voters who turned their back on exactly your sort of vitriol. Sill haven't figured it out, huh?

      Tennessee has a long history of crooked elections. Add in the brazen corruption-on-steroids that's rampant in today's GOP and you've got a recipe for third-world status.

      Did you know that one of the most notorious Russian troll accounts from the "Internet Research Agency" was "@TEN_GOP"? You can read about that account in the Mueller indictment. So clearly, Russia felt that Tennessee was fertile ground for it's psyops, and that pig-ignorant people like yourself would buy its bullshit as being authentic Tennessee discourse? I didn't make it up:

      http://www.chicagotribune.com/...

      https://www.vox.com/policy-and...

      https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/16...

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    23. Re: Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sorry, KankerSore, but you're the oe who went into a tortured fit of hysterics defending Donald Trump's unsourced claims about illegal voters by asserting the lack of proof that there weren't millions of such individuals being bussed around by the DNC.

      Of course, you managed to spend all your effort to get the corrupt, incompetent, deceitful loser whose inability to admit he didn't win the popular vote lead him to concoct a story that only discredits himself further.

      And further followed up by Roy Moore who still insists he didn't lose in Alabama, despite being a grandstanding loser who used religion for exploiting the masses.

      It's a great narrative, and one you advanced yourself when it was the Georgia, Secretary of State who was making unfounded claims about hacking by the Obama administration so now...you don't want to investigate when it was your hero, the Big Red Machine who won.

      Maybe you should call for a real thorough investigation so you don't sound like convicted felon James O'Keefe. Remember when you swore by his videos? The heavily edited ones that you insisted meant Planned Parenthood was criminally responsible.

    24. Re:Two thoughts by ScentCone · · Score: 0

      Yup, you definitely still don't get it.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    25. Re:Two thoughts by BlueStrat · · Score: 2

      It was Tennessee. They were likely not counting the votes at all and just deciding on the results over drinks in a hotel ballroom.

      Better keep in mind what happened in Athens, TN when the Democrats in government there attempted to commit vote fraud when you start throwing around bigoted statements like that.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

      Isn't using blanket stereotypes for groups of people something the Left is always accusing those on the Right of?

      Once again, if you want to know what those on the Left are guilty of, just listen to what they accuse their opponents of. Basic Saul Alinsky/'Rules For Radicals' tactic; "Loudly accuse your opponents of what you do."

      You knew I was not going to let you get away with that, right Pope?

      Strat

      --
      Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
    26. Re: Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey, look! More of the same smug condescension that cost you nearly a thousand legislative seats, most of the governorships, both houses of congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, and the good will of millions of two-time Obama voters who turned their back on exactly your sort of vitriol. Sill haven't figured it out, huh?

      Ah, the fanactical support of Donald Trump is suddenly pretending to be against vitriol, eh? The smug, arrogant, pompous troll who has a decades long history of condescension and spite that could barely outperform McCain and underperformed George W. Bush, but had to brazenly lie about it to claim a landslide?

      Maybe if we didn't know about the multiple cases of voter disenfranchisement and gerrymandering that the GOP has lost in court. You know, the ones that revealed how rampant their discrimination was, that even now is before the Supreme Court? You hoping for another Taney-quality decision?

      I've been watching recent campaign ads, it will be funny how quick you'll see them running once Trump's crimes are revealed. And the sad thing is that you'll still blame it on Obama.

    27. Re:Two thoughts by PopeRatzo · · Score: 0

      Isn't using blanket stereotypes for groups of people something the Left is always accusing those on the Right of?

      Oh, you're absolutely correct. The election fraud in Tennessee is not limited to one party. That Athens, TN story is pure crazy. But you do have to remember that all of the progeny of those crooked Dem politicians later switched to the GOP after the Civil Rights Act was passed. They're still doing the same shit, but under a different flag.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    28. Re:Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      -1 Troll

      Uh oh! DNC moderators are on the warpath!

    29. Re: Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Actually, Sheriff Mansfield and Senator Cantrell were hardcore conservatives who ran on a low-tax, anti-Immigration, tough on crime, ultra-nationalist platform that praised members of the KKK as fine upstanding to people.

      Remarkable similar to the right-wing conservatives of today, even to the point of making profits with false arrests on trumped up charges, especially on drugs, but also on race.

    30. Re: Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, we get it. Republican good, Democrat bad. That is your mantra, a tenet of your faith.

    31. Re:Two thoughts by jrumney · · Score: 1

      Hey tech team, look over there while I mess with a couple of the voting machines.

      As a distraction this very much can be part of a scheme to affect the election result, even if it is not affecting it directly by itself.

    32. Re:Two thoughts by BlueStrat · · Score: 1

      all of the progeny of those crooked Dem politicians later switched to the GOP after the Civil Rights Act was passed

      LOL! That old "Southern strategy" chestnut!?

      C'mon, Pope, you can do better than *that*!

      You and I both know it's ridiculous and debunked a thousand times over, long ago. Literally *millions* of long-time Southern Democrats suddenly and simultaneously switching to Republican? Ludicrous on it's face! You'd have to drink a *lot* of kool-ade to honestly believe it. Don't forget, I'm old enough to remember the '68 Civil Rights Act, the '68 riots, etc. I remember seeing and hearing Democrats start this propaganda meme. It hasn't gotten any truer in the decades since.

      Strat

      --
      Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
    33. Re:Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      SCALE OF DELUSIONAL, SMUG SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS

      0 - "Reasonable people can disagree"
      1 - "No, you're wrong, and let me explain why in a calm, rational, fact-based way."
      2 - "Everyone who disagrees with me is a irredeemable idiot brainwashed by Fox News"
      3 - "Everyone who disagrees with me is a irredeemable idiot brainwashed by some random Facebook ad they saw 2 years ago"
      4 - "Everyone who disagrees with me is a Russian agent named Ivan"
      5 - "No one actually disagrees with me, they're just pretending to in order to piss me off"

    34. Re:Two thoughts by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      LOL! That old "Southern strategy" chestnut!?

      The Southern Strategy has been confirmed by historian after historian.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

      You and I both know it's ridiculous and debunked a thousand times over, long ago.

      By whom?

      It's not accidental that all the racists change party affiliation to GOP in the 60s and 70s. It's not accidental that the Democrat-founded KKK is now part of the GOP base. It's not accidental that the GOP openly courts the white supremacist vote.

      Strat, you seem like an OK guy, but you're ridiculous if you don't see what's gone on right in front of our eyes, in our lifetime.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    35. Re: Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Literally *millions* of long-time Southern Democrats suddenly and simultaneously switching to Republican?

      It was a decades long process, but substantially complete by the 2000s.
      Big bursts in the 1990s though.

      Only partisan liars with an agenda are inane enough to deny it.

      Strat.

    36. Re:Two thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Shut up, Ivan.

    37. Re: Two thoughts by kenh · · Score: 1

      Jeezus, ever hear of the 2000 elections in Florida, Gore v. Bush? Hanging chads? Voter intent? Ringing any bells?

      --
      Ken
    38. Re: Two thoughts by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Jeezus, ever hear of the 2000 elections in Florida, Gore v. Bush?

      Wasn't that the one where a Republican Supreme Court stopped the votes from being counted and installed a president who'd actually lost? I seem to recall hearing about that.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  4. I bet they were RUSSIANS!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    OMFG, the RUSSIANS are coming!!!

  5. the usual suspects by tomhath · · Score: 1

    Burchett said the county is hiring Sword & Shield Enterprise Security, a local company, to investigate the crash.

    I'm guessing they won't find the culprit, but will offer their services to protect the county's nice little website from this happening again.

    1. Re:the usual suspects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's a demotivator for that!

      Consulting: If you're not a part of the solution, there's good money to be made in prolonging the problem.

    2. Re:the usual suspects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      An independent review is only needed if you suspect corruption or incompetence within the organization that would normally be investigating.

  6. sore losers? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    no mention of who won/lost is a clue? cease fire stand down,, there are mothers & children in every town.. that's the spirit..

  7. Why not jsut dpo a show of hands? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Did one of the candidates got more than 127 votes and it crashed because the total showed up as negative?

  8. Gong.... by BadBlood · · Score: 2

    That's the Undertaker's Music!!!!

    --


    Praying for the end of your wide-awake nightmare.
  9. yawn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    who cares

  10. KANE by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

    Now THERE is a mayor who can be the "brute squad" at the same time!

    --
    Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
  11. Slashdot Effect? by nitehawk214 · · Score: 1

    Could it be that a pro wrestler running in a local election directed enough traffic to crash a small website?

    --
    I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
    1. Re:Slashdot Effect? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Plus the black woman running is pro-NRA so that means she hates herself and is stupid. She probably unplugged the server to try to hide the truth that she is controlled by the NRA which is controlled by Russia which is control by Putin who is controlled by no one.

  12. Great Distraction! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Electonic "voting" is for kuks!

  13. WWE wrestler Kane by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Kane for president? Did someone see Idiocracy and think, that's a great idea for a presidential candidate?

    1. Re:WWE wrestler Kane by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 2

      Do you realize this was a for mayorship, NOT President? Apparently AC already came from Idiocracy...

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
  14. hahahahahahah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A wrassler won, how pathetic. This country is stupid as shit

  15. RUSSIA! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    d@mn you to h3ll!

  16. Greetings from Chattanooga! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I live in TN. Which part of that was I supposed to be offended by? We do backroom deals all the time here over drinks at the bar, on the golf course, or in a box at a Predators game. He didn't say anything about me fucking my momma/sister or any of that dumb shit. Your political appropriation of liberal talking points is funny. You did it wrong, lol.