We live in the age of technology and every aspect of our life is evolving. Technology is present everywhere and while this provides numerous advantages, it can also become a major weak spot. The best example is the upgrade of the voting process in the US. It made things easier for voters, but it soon became clear that the voting machines are vulnerable pieces of electronic equipment that require the attention of government officials. Security experts gave out several warnings and earlier this year we have announced that the security of the voting system represents a priority for our country. In the words of Jeh Johnson, Secretary of Homeland Security, “Given the vital role elections play in this country, it is clear that certain systems and assets of election infrastructure meet the definition of critical infrastructure, in fact and in law.” However, despite the government’s best intentions, the 25th annual DEF CON computer security conference was an eye-opener for national security. The convention, held in July, in Las Vegas, proved just how simple it is to interfere with the voting machines and it managed to expose all their exploitable parts.
The hackers present at DEF CON conference were allowed to test the vulnerabilities of the voting machines. And the results were disastrous. Thirty voting machines were tested and they all had massive weaknesses. It only took about half an hour for hackers to hack some of these machines.
These results are truly alarming, especially after the last controversial US elections. The vulnerabilities of the voting machines can be exploited by rival states, or by presidential nominees, a terrifying prospect since many people already worry that the US cannot meet the standards for election integrity.
Full Article: Voting Machines Are Easy To Hack – It’s Time We Face The Harsh Reality – News4C.