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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: bentway who wrote (202909)	9/14/2006 12:17:09 AM
From: sylvester80	Respond to of 281500

NEWS: Princeton prof hacks e-vote machine Students uploaded viruses able to spread to other machines The Associated Press URL: msnbc.msn.com Updated: 6:48 p.m. MT Sept 13, 2006 TRENTON, N.J. - A Princeton University computer science professor added new fuel Wednesday to claims that electronic voting machines used across much of the country are vulnerable to hacking that could alter vote totals or disable machines. In a paper posted on the university's Web site, Edward Felten and two graduate students described how they had tested a Diebold AccuVote-TS machine they obtained, found ways to quickly upload malicious programs and even developed a computer virus able to spread such programs between machines. The marketing director for the machine's maker — Diebold Inc.'s Diebold Election Systems of Allen, Texas — blasted the report, saying Felten ignored newer software and security measures that prevent such hacking. "I'm concerned by the fact we weren't contacted to educate these people on where our current technology stands," Mark Radke said. Radke also question why Felten hadn't submitted his paper for peer review, as is commonly done before publishing scientific research. Felten said he and his colleagues felt it necessary to publish the paper as quickly as possible because of the possible implications for the November midterm elections. About 80 percent of American voters are expected to use some form of electronic voting in the upcoming election, in which the makeup of the U.S. House will be decided, as well as 33 Senate seats and 36 governorships. The AccuVote-TS is commonly used across the country, along with a newer model, the AccuVote-TSx. While Felten wasn't able to test the new machine, he said he thought much of what he found would still apply. The machine Felten tested, obtained in May from an undisclosed source, was the same type used across Maryland in its primary election Tuesday, according to Ross Goldstein, a deputy administrator with the state's Board of Elections. Goldstein said he couldn't comment on the report until he read it. Diebold and other machine manufacturers, including California-based Sequoia Voting Systems Inc. and Nebraska-based Election Systems & Software Inc., have been the subject of lawsuits, claiming the machines are vulnerable to hacking and breakdowns that can assign votes to the wrong candidate. Election officials in some states have also complained. Previous studies have claimed hacking vulnerabilities with the machines. But Felten claims his study is the first time that an independent research group has obtained an actual machine and tested it extensively. Felten and graduate students Ariel Feldman and Alex Halderman found that malicious programs could be placed on the Diebold by accessing the memory card slot and power button, both behind a locked door on the side of the machine. One member of the group was able to pick the lock in 10 seconds, and software could be installed in less than a minute, according to the report. The researchers say they designed software capable of modifying all records, audit logs and counters kept by the voting machine, ensuring that a careful forensic examination would find nothing wrong. The programs were able to modify vote totals or cause machines to break down, something that could alter the course of an election if machines were located in crucial polling stations. It was also possible to design a computer virus to spread malicious programs to multiple machines by piggybacking on a new software download or an election information file being transferred from machine to machine, Felten said. "I think there are many people out there who have the type of technical ability to carry out the sort of attacks we describe here," he said. Felten said hacking dangers could be mitigated with better software, more restrictions on access to machines and memory cards, and paper receipts verified by the voter. Radke said Diebold already has implemented many of those things. URL: msnbc.msn.com

To: bentway who wrote (202909)	9/14/2006 4:08:31 AM
From: AmericanVoter	Respond to of 281500

We have the military might to annihilate a country like Iraq from the sea ... our commander & chief could have just issued a stern warning that we will not tolerate any actions of state sponsored terrorism… that consequences will be dire on such country if found doing so... couple of warships and submarines in the Gulf and where ever needed to make the point… More than 2,600 American lives would have not been lost, Iraq would still have some kind of law and order … etc… AV

To: bentway who wrote (202909)	9/14/2006 7:05:29 AM
From: SARMAN	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Do you REALLY think invading Iraq has "made America safer"? Do you REALLY believe America's future safety "will be determined on the streets of Baghdad"? LOL!In the early nineties the US was in a recession. The Desert Storm got the US out of the recession. Rebuilding Kuwait. At the turn of the century, the US was teetering on a depression. Bush had to create a war to get his country out of its economic failings. Rebuilding Iraq!!! But unfortunately, it back fired on him and his country.

To: bentway who wrote (202909)	9/14/2006 2:49:33 PM
From: Sdgla	Respond to of 281500

<No, but it would probably be in MUCH better shape than it is NOW. We know Saddam had no links to AQ, no WMD's, and was NO threat to the United States. The UN was about to prove he had no WMD's, and we were enforcing sanctions on him.> Your on the Pelosi crack pipe again. Sadam had a no ties to AQ ? BS. He had no WMD's ? more BS. No threat to the US ? The guy was SHOOTING AT OUR PLANES ! What kind of MORON are you to IGNORE all of the UN resolutions that Saddam thumbed his nose at ? That was a unanimous vote backed up by the threat of serious consequences should he continue to ignore the resolution. In your world serious consequences probably means no hall pass to go the bathroom.