Black Box Voting - The End of Democracy?

TheCigSmokingMan

TheCigSmokingMan

Rift Surfer
Security Analysis of the Diebold AccuVote-TS Voting Machine
http://itpolicy.princeton.edu/voting/

Abstract

This paper presents a fully independent security study of a Diebold AccuVote-TS voting machine, including its hardware and software. We obtained the machine from a private party. Analysis of the machine, in light of real election procedures, shows that it is vulnerable to extremely serious attacks. For example, an attacker who gets physical access to a machine or its removable memory card for as little as one minute could install malicious code; malicious code on a machine could steal votes undetectably, modifying all records, logs, and counters to be consistent with the fraudulent vote count it creates. An attacker could also create malicious code that spreads automatically and silently from machine to machine during normal election activities — a voting-machine virus. We have constructed working demonstrations of these attacks in our lab. Mitigating these threats will require changes to the voting machine's hardware and software and the adoption of more rigorous election procedures.
 
Diebold Source Code Disks Mailed to Maryland Dem

Diebold Source Code Disks Mailed to Maryland Democrat
http://www.betanews.com/article/Diebold_Source_Code_Disks_Mailed_to_Maryland_Democrat/1161618740
By Scott M. Fulton, III, BetaNews
October 23, 2006, 12:03 PM

The Baltimore Sun is reporting that a former delegate in Maryland's state legislature, who is also both a well-known local philanthropist and critic of the state's election system, received an anonymously mailed package appearing to contain original source code diskettes used by Diebold Election Systems for machines used in that state's election in 2004.

Will the hooks for hacking be exposed?

Time will tell...

TheCigMan
 
Chicago voter info vulnerable to hackers

Chicago voter info vulnerable to hackers
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061024/ap_on_el_ge/voter_records_hackers
MICHAEL TARM, Associated Press Writer
Tue Oct 24, 7:28 AM ET

CHICAGO - The city is investigating a security glitch in its elections Web site that hackers could have used to swipe Social Security numbers and the personal information of about 1.3 million voters, officials said.

It wasn't immediately clear if anyone actually stole or misused any of the information, Chicago Board of Elections spokesman Tom Leach said.

A malevolent hacker could have tampered with voter registration data, such as inactivating certain voters' registration or changing their polling places in the online database, as well as accessed Social Security numbers, names, birth dates and addresses, the group said.

A slippery slope on are we :)

TheCigMan
 
Potential problems loom in election voting

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061024/pl_nm/usa_politics_voting_dc_3
Potential problems loom in election voting
By Randall Mikkelsen
2 hours, 25 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Long lines and long counts threaten to mar next month's U.S. congressional elections as millions of Americans put new voting machines and rules to the test, election officials and experts say.

The result could be delays in knowing whether Democrats capture one or both houses of the U.S. Congress, or whether President George W. Bush's Republicans keep control.

"In close elections, it may be days and weeks before a winner is known in a particular race," said Paul DeGregorio, chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, created to oversee a 2002 election law overhaul.



I predict the Replubicans will win many races that pundits believed was lost. The mysterious wins will lead to many court cases delaying the outcome by months.

TheCigMan
 
W. TO COCKY DEMS: STOP \'MEASURING THE DRAPES\'?

W. TO COCKY DEMS: STOP 'MEASURING THE DRAPES'
http://www.nypost.com/seven/1025200...suring_the_drapes_nationalnews_ian_bishop.htm
By IAN BISHOP
FIRED UP: President Bush, at a GOP fund-raiser in Florida yesterday, stepped up his blasts at the Democrats over taxes.October 25, 2006 -- WASHINGTON - President Bush said yesterday that overconfident Democrats who are already "measuring the drapes" for their move into power on Capitol Hill will have the rug pulled out from under them on Election Day.

"The Democrats have made a lot of predictions. Matter of fact, I think they may be measuring the drapes," Bush said yesterday to laughs at a Sarasota, Fla., fund-raiser for GOP House hopeful Vern Buchanan.

"If their electoral predictions are as reliable as their economic predictions, Nov. 7th is going to be a good day for the Republicans."

The president added, "One of the reasons that the Democrats will lose on Election Day: Because they want to raise your taxes. No, I know they don't want to tell it that plainly, but that's what they're going to do."

----------------------------

What does the President know? As he did in 2000? How will the Republicans win and stop the tide of discontent? Or will they cheat?

Is the black box voting hack in the works? Will it be a repeat of 2000?

TheCigMan
 
Re: W. TO COCKY DEMS: STOP \'MEASURING THE DRAPES\'?

Electronic machines raise concern in US vote
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/usvoteballoting
by Virginie Montet
Wed Oct 25, 10:02 PM ET


WASHINGTON (AFP) - New electronic voting machines to be used in the upcoming US legislative polls are raising concerns after several blunders that have revived memories of Florida's 2000 presidential election debacle.

"Anything is possible," warned Kimball Brace, head of the political consulting firm US Election Data Services.

"We've got more than a third of the nation voting on something new this year and history has shown that the first time somebody uses a new piece of voting equipment, that's the time that they are going to have problems."

Many US states tossed out their antiquated voting systems after the "hanging chads" confusion of the 2000 presidential election in Florida that spurred Congress to ban the use of punchcard ballots and prompted many states to adopt electronic voting.

----------------------------------------------------

The hanging chad mess and supreme court vote will look like a walk in the park compared to the 2006 black box voting disaster that will come in Nov.....

TheCigMan
 
Re: Perhaps not what Ciggy was thinking....?

RMT,

"Just because some are paranoid about people WITHIN our government"

Paranoid Republicans? :) I don't have you convinced I'm 'government' like Creedo... :)


TheCigMan
 
Re: Squelching rumors of Chavez ties

Squelching rumors of Chavez ties
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2006/10/30/AM200610308.html

A U.S. voting machine manufacturer has confirmed it's being investigated for alleged ties to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. But it requested the federal investigation to clear its name, Janet Babin reports.

Sequoia was one of the leading voting machine manufacturers in the U.S. before it was purchased by Smartmatic last year.

Smartmatic is owned by three Venezuelans, and there are allegations that shares in the company were previously held by the Venezuelan government. Some claim that during Venezuela's last election, Smartmatic failed to cross check paper ballots with electronic ones.

In the U.S., more than a dozen states will use Sequoia machines in this month's midterm elections.
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So far no ties to Chavez... RMT... Nice Try :) The only 'crime' so far is that the company is owned by three Venezuelans

Not that I'm crazy about foreign ownership of voting machines...


TheCigMan
 
Re: Squelching rumors of Chavez ties

So far no ties to Chavez... RMT... Nice Try :) The only 'crime' so far is that the company is owned by three Venezuelans
Click to expand...
What do you mean "nice try", Ciggy? Doesn't it all ultimately boil down to which "conspiracy" you believe? There is probably an "adequate lack of proof" for believing any one conspiracy over another. So who's lack of proof do you believe the most? :)

Again, just an observation, but it would seem you always tend to view "the evil within" and never "the evil without". Wha'sup wif dat? :)

And why aren't tags & emoticons working anymore? :confused: :(
RMT
 
Re: Squelching rumors of Chavez ties

RMT,

Again, just an observation, but it would seem you always tend to view "the evil within" and never "the evil without". Wha'sup wif dat? :)

Maybe there is alot of 'evil' within the United States and forces trying to destroy it.

The 'evil without' Mmmm Well we know communism is not really a concern anymore... The European Union mmm don't think they want to attack us... Radical fundementalism is a problem though... But ask Darby that was a CIA operation that blew up in our face...

Ciggy? Doesn't it all ultimately boil down to which "conspiracy" you believe? There is probably an "adequate lack of proof" for believing any one conspiracy over another. So who's lack of proof do you believe the most? :)

Conspiracy against Conspiracy Theorists... That started with the JFK assassination... Anyone thinking about conspiracies is a 'nut'... Just not true... There is a difference between those who 'worry' based on evidence & facts and those who have 'unrational' fears not based on reality...

Frankly, Little League is a conspiracy... groups or teams playing to defeat all the other teams..
Not an 'evil' conspiracy but a group conspiring against other groups. Conspiracies are everywhere... It's a fact.

And the reason I defended the Ven. company is that I hear the Republican spin masters are starting with Democrat | Chavez conspiracy angle. Which the facts have not shown themselves to prove it.

And foreign ownership of voting machine companies should be banned.

TheCigMan
 
Re: Squelching rumors of Chavez ties

And the reason I defended the Ven. company is that I hear the Republican spin masters are starting with Democrat | Chavez conspiracy angle. Which the facts have not shown themselves to prove it.
Click to expand...
And science is always where Ciggy seems to trip-up... but that is to be expected as it is not really his strong suit.

The problem with Conspiracy Theories like the ones you sling so readily is they don't PROVE ANYTHING. And in fact, if the question is "who do you believe? Is this company linked to Venezuelan president Chavez or not?" YOU have a much, much, MUCH larger problem Cig, because you are in effect making a claim you have "proven" a negative (that the company has NO ties to Chavez). All it would take is one little fact to surface and you're belief would be proven wrong.

Don't you think the time-honored process of proving something IS true, rather than trying to prove it is NOT true, should be upheld? Even in your conspiracy-laden world? :)

RMT
 
Re: Squelching rumors of Chavez ties

RMT,

The problem with Conspiracy Theories like the ones you sling so readily is they don't PROVE ANYTHING.

That's why they are called theories RMT :)

YOU have a much, much, MUCH larger problem Cig, because you are in effect making a claim you have "proven" a negative (that the company has NO ties to Chavez). All it would take is one little fact to surface and you're belief would be proven wrong.

I don't have a problem...lol You do... obviously... I said no links to Chavez have been presented yet.

Don't you think the time-honored process of proving something IS true, rather than trying to prove it is NOT true, should be upheld? Even in your conspiracy-laden world? :)

What twisted logic are you pushing now... Most if not everything I post has evidence and/or link to articles that should present "questions" about a conspiracy.

If you and the Cabal of Qabballah don't like my posts... Tough...

We tire of your Qabballah, pseudo physics and star-trek device talk

So RMT.. Let me get this straight... Everything I post has no link or support of others....

It justs magically appears in the world? Come on... get serious...

You and DARBY can 'invent' Qabballah physics posting back and forth and everyhing in the world magically appears and there is no problem.

RMT you and friends are just bullies who harass and belittle based on pseudo-intellectual beliefs..

Thats how I see it... :)

TheCigMan
 
Re: Squelching rumors of Chavez ties

RMT you and friends are just bullies who harass and belittle based on pseudo-intellectual beliefs..
Click to expand...
Nice. However, you fail to notice that the bullying typically begins AFTER the other party has initiated hostilities.... such as this example right here. Now I don't need to stoop to your level to explain what you really are...

Cigman, you are what is most commonly called a "sensationalist". You are terribly good at finding "sources" that will do the "sky is falling" song and dance so that you can push your point. The problem with a "sensationalist" is they lack depth to REALLY examine the intricate details of a phenomenon. Usually only the people with such patience are those we call "engineers". ;)

The REALITY is that paper balloting had its "issues" which could result in "unfairness", but being the sensationalist you are you do not call attention to those "horrors" which actually DID result in incorrect ballot tallies in the past. Instead, you "gloom and doom" the new technology. I'll bet you were right up there "gloom and doooming" a national phone network early last century because it would certainly be a means for the globalist NWO to "keep track of us".

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1552054-1,00.html

In reality, this is a new technology, and yes it will have its "integration problems". But have you ever tought to perform a detailed analysis of voting problems from the past and compare them to voting problems from this election? I suggest that it might be a better use of your grey matter than playing Chicken Little.

We tire of your Qabballah, pseudo physics and star-trek device talk
Click to expand...
WE???? So now you have your own little cabal, do you? Just what kind of sympathizers are you bankrolling down in that super-secret bunker of yours? And why the need for secrecy? Obviously, it looks like YOU are in more of a position to engineer conspiracies that you warn others about.

Whaddya know... the perfect operational cover! :)
RMT
 
Re: Squelching rumors of Chavez ties

RMT,

"AFTER the other party has initiated hostilities.... such as this example right here."

You have been harassing me since I've been here. You are "full of it". And Darby was the one start hostilities with pop pyschology analysis.

You even changed your signature to mock mine a week ago before this started.

And you have been mocking Creedo for weeks. True, Creedo has a strange way of writing and opens himself up to such criticism. But why the need for such 'smart guy' like you to waste you time to emulate him.

You are what is called "Reality Challenged". Your world is your belief. Not your actions or the world around you.


"You are terribly good at finding "sources" that will do the "sky is falling" song and dance so that you can push your point."

They are news articles RMT. Read a newspaper. Yes, I'm 'diabolically reading newspapers' for my 'evil end's Are you serious? Who elected you moderator of this board or free speech.



Cigman, you are what is most commonly called a "sensationalist".

Well the 'character' of the Cigman is to call attention to 'information' but I guess that is fair enough. You like a said are self-righteous pseudo intellectual loafer reading boards all day 'for me' instead of working... 'Engineer' is pushing it RMT don't you think? lol :)


"Instead, you "gloom and doom" the new technology."

Many suspect not just me that electronic voting machines without paper trails are very dangerous. Especially as America heads towards Fascist environment with no habeas corpus and posse comitatus. I'll find the questionable elections using this technology and post them.

Just what kind of sympathizers are you bankrolling down in that super-secret bunker of yours? And why the need for secrecy?

RMT, Are you serious? Have you lost your mind as the 'righteous republican engineer'? I've told who I was... The IP should tell you i'm at a LIBRARY.

IF you don't like me, RMT. TOO BAD. I don't like you either.

TheCigMan
 
Re: Squelching rumors of Chavez ties

IF you don't like me, RMT. TOO BAD. I don't like you either
Click to expand...
This certainly highlights the difference between us, CigMan. I've often said I don't like your message, but never have I said I don't like YOU. You see, some people have the ability to separate message from messenger. I can appreciate the role of an antagonist who helps me make a point without hating the person playing the antagonist.

Freedom is a wonderful thing... Just as you are free to poke fun at me and pass judgments on me, so I am free to respond to you... whether you like it or not. And in that vein, how about you go a little easy on passing judgments against me when you have NO POSSIBLE IDEA what I do at my desk during and in-between posts here. For all your Conspiracy Theories about the government and the "Military Industrial Complex" I am quite sure you have no idea how people like myself have contributed to the safety, stability and protection of our country through our efforts. In fact, TODAY there are pilots evaluating my flight control laws in a USAF simulator. And in between posting here I was able to make several simulation runs to analyze a problem they reported, make some changes to address it, and update the configuration they are flying to see the improved performance. ALL FROM MY DESK and ALL while being able to read and post here as I think and analyze.

Quite frankly, with your view on things I am totally shocked that you even deign to use the Internet at all... being that it was begun as ARPANet which came out of DARPA, and knowing your opinion on them. I'd just assume that anything that came out of DARPA you would be suspicious of. Do you use GPS too? :)

RMT
 
HACKING DEMOCRACY-HBO Documentary on Tonight

HACKING DEMOCRACY
An HBO Documentary Film
9 pm Thursday

"One person could be responsible for changing tens of thousands of votes, maybe even hundreds of thousands, across the country."

Hacking Democracy exposes gaping holes in the security of America's electronic voting system, Thursday at 9 pm.
--------------------------------------------------------
Watch and Be Enlightened! Just a friendly reminder from...

TheCigMan
 
Re: Squelching rumors of Chavez ties

"For all your Conspiracy Theories about the government and the "Military Industrial Complex""

I'm only following the advice of one of our greatest presidents, Dwight D. Eisenhower, who told Americans to watch the Military Industrial Complex. It is every Americans duty to question their government.

I'm a Democrat. True. More Independent Minded. The 2 party system seems not be working for Americans. But your concern is 'partisan politics' disguised as 'patroitic concern'. Believe me if the President was a Clinton I do the same thing. NAFTA was the worst offensive against American commerce signed by Clinton.

"And in that vein, how about you go a little easy on passing judgments against me when you have NO POSSIBLE IDEA what I do at my desk during and in-between posts here."

You mock and mimic and belittle all those here you don't deem worthy and then ask for mercy. They say you can tell the 'character' of someone by the way the treat the people around them. I believe you to be 'schoolyard bully'. And like all bullies. They stop when confronted by someone who is not afraid them. But your pathological and probably won't :)

"Quite frankly, with your view on things I am totally shocked that you even deign to use the Internet at all... being that it was begun as ARPANet which came out of DARPA, and knowing your opinion on them. I'd just assume that anything that came out of DARPA you would be suspicious of."

As I told you in the past, I published a Robotics website with a great domain vistor log. Where darpa and the rest of the super secrets used to visit. Enjoyed developing new technology to block them just for fun :) I am quite an engineer and programmer RMT :)

Quite Frankly, I know that every phone, especially cell phones, and the internet are not private communications :)

TheCigMan
 
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