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E-Voting Controversy In Connecticut
by Michael Martinez
Optical-scan voting machines deployed in several Connecticut counties for use in next week's election are susceptible to hackers, according to a report released Monday by researchers at the University of Connecticut.
A study of Diebold's Accuvote Optical Scan devices, which have been cleared for use in 25 Connecticut voting jurisdictions on Election Day, found that the machines can be compromised with "off-the-shelf" equipment in minutes once removable memory cards have been installed.
"The basic attack can be applied to affect a variety of results, including entirely neutralizing one candidate so that their votes are not counted, swapping the votes of two candidates, or biasing the results by shifting votes from [one] candidate to the other," the report said. "Such tabulation corruptions can lay dormant until the Election Day, thus avoiding detection through pre-election tests."
Connecticut currently is replacing its lever-based system with new optical-scan machines. More than 300,000 voters will cast ballots on them next week. The rest of the state is scheduled to deploy the devices next year.
Even though the report outlined security flaws in the optical scanners, it said they are more secure than the touch-screen machines many other states have purchased recently.
The authors of the report still recommended, however, that officials conduct post-election audits to ensure that votes are recorded accurately on the optical scanners. It also urged the use of tamper-resistant seals for the machines' memory cards, serial ports, telephone jacks and other components that allow access into the devices.
"We strongly support the choice of the optical-scan technology that provides a voter-verified paper trail, which is inherently safer than the touch-screen technology," said University of Connecticut professor Alexander Shvartsman, one of the report's authors.
In a statement, Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz said the state will weigh the report's recommendations as it continues to upgrade voting infrastructure. She also said she is confident that the state made the appropriate decision by choosing optical scanners.
"When we considered possible new voting technologies, security was paramount," Bysiewicz said. "Optical-scan machines are the most secure form of voting technology, and the fact that there is a paper record of each vote adds significantly to our confidence in this technology."
Illinois Governor Issues Order On E-Waste
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday ordered all state agencies to recycle electronic devices when they reach the end of their usable lives.
According to the order, all state employees must dispose of personal and laptop computers, facsimile and copy machines, cellular phones and other "e-scrap" in a "responsible manner."
Blagojevich, a Democrat who is up for re-election next week, said in a statement that toxic materials such as beryllium, cadmium, lead and mercury could be leaked into the environment if electronic devices that use them are not disposed of properly. He said he plans to urge state lawmakers next session to craft legislation on e-recycling that would require the private sector to abide by similar rules.
"Old electronic equipment can contain highly toxic chemicals -- so when it's dumped into a landfill or burned, those toxins become a part of our environment and can be breathed or consumed by humans," Blagojevich said. "By directing state agencies to be more responsible with potentially toxic electronic waste, we can ensure that the state government is doing what it can to keep our land and water clean, and people safe."
Blagojevich also wrote to President Bush this week calling for a nationwide solution on e-waste. In the letter, he cited a recent report by the National Safety Council that estimated there soon will be more than 300 million obsolete computers in the United States, and that less than 10 percent of them will be recycled.
"Taxpayers and local governments often bear the risk, burden and cost of managing these wastes," he said.
Colorado Investigators Probe Laptop Theft
Investigators in Colorado are probing the theft of a contractor's computer that holds a database with information on more than 1 million state employees.
The Denver Post reports that the computer, which was stolen in mid-October from the Denver offices of Affiliated Computer Services, also contains the personal information of more than 500,000 people registered with the state's child-support enforcement division.
Law enforcers said there are no current suspects, but the database contains names, birthdates and Social Security numbers.
According to officials at the state's Human Services Department, the database is not connected to the payments managed by the child-support enforcement division. The agency typically handles about $350 million a year in child support.
"The money is not connected to this," Human Services spokeswoman Liz McDonough told the Post. "Even if the security of the computer system is breached, they cannot steal child-support payments."
A spokesman for ACS said the company went public about the computer theft in order to assess the potential for identity theft.
Verizon Can Offer Video Services In Delaware
Public regulators in Delaware unanimously voted Tuesday to let Verizon Communications offer video services in the state.
The Delaware Public Services Commission approved a franchise application by Verizon to begin offering video over a fiber-optic cable network it already has built in the First State. Verizon is expected to immediately begin offering cable television packages and "triple play" packages that include phone, cable and Internet services.
In a statement, Verizon Delaware President William Allen said the commission's ruling marks "great progress for consumers who are eager for a true competitive choice of video service providers."
Comcast spokesman Jeff Alexander told The News Journal that his company already is working on new strategies to retain customers now that Verizon is poised to enter the video market.
"Rest assured that we will continue to roll out compelling pricing and offers," he said.
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