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Millions of Texas Voter Records Exposed Online (techcrunch.com)
A folder containing an estimated 14.8 million Texas voter records was left on an unsecured server without a password. Considering Texas has 19.3 million registered voters, this leak is very substantial. The file was discovered by a New Zealand-based data breach hunter who goes by the pseudonym Flash Gordon. TechCrunch reports: It's not clear who owned the server where the exposed file was found, but an analysis of the data reveals that it was likely originally compiled by Data Trust, a Republican-focused data analytics firm created by the GOP to provide campaigns with voter data. The file -- close to 16 gigabytes in size -- contained dozens of fields, including personal information like a voter's name, address, gender and several years' worth of voting history, including primaries and presidential elections. It's not known exactly when the data was compiled, but an analysis of the data suggests it was prepared in time for the 2016 presidential election. It's also not known if the file is a subset of the 198 million records leak last year -- or if it's a standalone data set.
...the best solution to this is not the collect the data in the first place. If you collect data it will get out.
The fine article doesn't tell us who may have downloaded the records or if they were just found exposed. Could well be no harm was done at all.
I can put a hundred dollar bill down on the sidewalk, but I haven't lost anything until somebody picks it up. Besides, most of this info is open to the public anyway.
Don't. Mess. With. Texas!
In many states, you can get a copy of the voter registration database pretty easily. Some even have public web links to zip files. In others they may charge you per entry.
Know what almost all of them have? "personal information like a voter's name, address, gender and several years' worth of voting history"
Why? They are invaluable to campaigns for basic things like get out the vote efforts.
Sure, they run their own data systems on top (marking known donors to friendly or unfriendly candidates), social media history, etc, but this should not be surprising or shocking.
Help Brendan pay off his student loans
Is the voting history the standard stuff, not including actual candidate selection?
I have to assume so unless people are voluntarily providing this. Per the article below public information can include:
* Name
* Street address
* Party affiliation
* Elections in which you did (or did not) vote
* Phone number
* Email address
https://www.forbes.com/sites/m...
I have to assume that's what is available, then aggregated with other information since the summary referred to dozens of data points.
Frightening that such data could be public to be honest.
I just read the article, pretty scary shit, people should stop participating in surveys or any sort:
"For example, the data includes fields that might score an individualâ(TM)s believed views on immigration, hunting, abortion rights, government spending and views on the Second Amendment."
BlameBillCosby.com
How come when I expose myself, I get tossed in jail and have to register as a sex offender. But these assholes expose millions and get away with it?
of a Republican owned company not giving a shit
This wasn't the elections office that had the data it was a private analytics firm working for a political party. How in **** did they get this data at all?
"an analysis of the data reveals that it was likely originally compiled by Data Trust, a Republican-focused data analytics firm created by the GOP to provide campaigns with voter data."
How many dead people are on that list?
Researcher in New Zealand...targeting a conservative server in Texas. What are the odds...
If the campaigns have this, who is it secret from again?
Unless someone important receives a very significant penalty for negligence, this kind of leak will keep happening. Is there such a thing as dishonorable discharge from public service?
If actual votes are documented and for sale to the highest bidder, how is this information not available to the general public after a blackout period, and if it is, how does this help avoiding the vote buying concern that is claimed for why our voting stubs are 'anonymous'?
Either they are anonymous to avoid retaliation or they are not and should be published for all to see post-haste.
It seems like most of the promise of privacy in America is not to actually protect the public's privacy but to offer a method of monetizing it by not having the government making it available for free.
contained dozens of fields, including personal information like a voter's name, address, gender and several years' worth of voting history, including primaries and presidential elections.
How is the voting history even available ?
Isn't how you voted confidential ?
Shouldn't it be ?
Absolute statements are never true
GOP is a front for the Kremlin.
In the US, what's the law regarding who has access to voter records?
Texas: "Paper and DRE without paper trail "
DRE = voting machine.
https://ballotpedia.org/Voting_methods_and_equipment_by_state
Again the voting machine where the persons RECORDED vote cannot be verified against the persons ACTUAL vote. They're still using machines without audit trails.
"It was likely originally compiled by Data Trust, a Republican-focused data analytics firm created by the GOP to provide campaigns with voter data."
If the GOP compiled the data, then the harm's already been done.
Anyone and everyone can read public records. As a matter of fact, it's one of the major ways that people get dirt on someone. Cool, public documents were leaked, this is news how?
You might want to read the article, and realize its the full voting preference metrics. The kind of stuff Cambridge Analytics collects.
"For example, the data includes fields that might score an individual’s believed views on immigration, hunting, abortion rights, government spending and views on the Second Amendment."
"Other fields were more relevant to the recent 2016 presidential election, in which the data predictively scored individuals on if they “trust” or have “no trust” for then-Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton."
"The data also includes additional personal information, such as a person’s phone numbers and their ethnicity and race."
So much for an anonymous and secret ballot.
Isn't that public information? I know that in my state, I can go to an official state government web site and purchase/download that information for $20. In some states it's free.
Popisms.com - Connecting pop culture
The difference of the 14.8m stolen records and 19.3m registered voters is (a) Democrats registered twice and (b) illegal aliens.