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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.
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
Um no. Where do you get voting history information? The most you get is party affiliation.
Don't. Mess. With. Texas!
Seems they left it the stuff on the front porch and said "Come and Take it!"
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
Depends on the state.
Ex: Here in Washington state, party affiliation is not part of the list (but history is)... while it is in Ohio affiliation is, but history is not: https://www6.sos.state.oh.us/o...
The primary purpose of these databases being available in some form is for political reasons.You as a candidate or just an interested party is going to need to know who to target with your door knocking & mailings.
See someone who is only an irregular voter? Might make a good target to encourage to vote for your person/issue.
See someone who is pretty regular? Their mind may already be made up.
Help Brendan pay off his student loans
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
I think it's whether or not they voted, not who they voted for. I live in a country where voting is compulsory (or at least getting your name checked off the voter roll while you collect a Democracy Sausage is compulsory) and I assume that nearly everyone votes, so that "voting history" thing threw me too.
When they came for the communists, I said "He's next door. Take him away. Goddam commies."