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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: lurqer who wrote (28751)	9/24/2003 11:39:17 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 89467

Report Raises Electronic Vote Security Issues nytimes.com By JOHN SCHWARTZ Published: September 25, 2003 Electronic voting machine technology used nationwide is "at high risk of compromise" because of software flaws that could make them vulnerable to computer hackers and voting fraud, according to a review released yesterday. The report also said, though, that proper safeguards could help to mitigate the risk. The new report, the second concerning voting machines from Diebold Election Systems, was conducted for the state of Maryland after researchers warned this summer that the Diebold AccuVote-TS voting machines, more than 33,000 of which are used in 38 states, may be vulnerable to manipulation. Maryland is adopting the machines for elections. Diebold executives and Maryland officials said the report vindicated their view that the machines could be used reliably. The new report, said Mark Radke, a Diebold executive, "really confirms our stance that our equipment is as secure, if not more secure, than any other electronic system in the marketplace." The company is working to improve the security even further, he added. In a letter yesterday, James C. DiPaula, secretary of the state's Department of Management and Budget, recommended to Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. that the state advance a plan which he said "will correct specific risk factors and ensure reliability of the election process." The earlier study, released in July, said Diebold software contained numerous security gaps that could be exploited to let people vote many times or to change votes after the fact. Aviel D. Rubin, a computer security researcher, and colleagues analyzed Diebold source codes that had been leaked to the Internet by critics of electronic voting systems. Yesterday's report, by the Science Applications International Corporation, said that Mr. Rubin's conclusions about the company's software were "technically correct," but that the researchers "did not have a complete understanding" of Maryland's use of the system. In an interview yesterday, Mr. Rubin said he was mystified to see that the state planned to use Diebold machines despite the report. "It almost seems as though the people writing the Maryland action plan either did not read or did not understand the S.A.I.C. report," he said. "What they should say is, `We're going to put these systems on hold until they say that these things are safe to use.' " James T. Smith, the Baltimore County executive, who has opposed the move to electronic voting, said the new report should stop the state from using the machines. "For two years, Baltimore County has warned, `Iceberg ahead!' and now independent experts have warned that it's a gigantic iceberg," Mr. Smith said. "Maryland should not say, `Damn the iceberg, full speed ahead.' "

To: lurqer who wrote (28751)	9/24/2003 11:59:36 PM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 89467

Clark prepares for new combat workingforchange.com <<...For a man disparaged by Republicans as a "weak" candidate, Wesley Clark provoked hysteria on the right when he finally announced that he would run for President. Conspiracy theories cropped up like noxious weeds, along with gutter attacks on this decorated general's personality, integrity and even his sanity. While conservatives often proclaim their reverence for the nation's uniform, the right's respect for veterans who have devoted life and career to country now seems rather selective. They didn't hesitate for one moment to denigrate a man who gave 34 years to the United States Army, simply for daring to declare himself a Democrat and a candidate for the Presidency...>> <<...there can be little doubt about Mr. Clark's basic approach to security policy, or his deep differences with the President. He has outlined their disagreement many times. In dealing with Saddam, he wrote in a prescient essay for CNN last October, the United States must act "multilaterally, with friends and allies, with every possible effort to avoid the appearance of yet another Christian and Jewish stab at an Islamic country, with force as a last resort, and with a post-conflict plan in place to assure that the consequences of our action do not supercharge the al-Qaeda recruiting machine. It's not just about winning a war -- it's also about winning the peace."...>>