More backdoors in Diebold voting machines-new supplemental study 5/23/06

[kpete]

Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 01:52 pm:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On May 11, 2006 the Black Box Voting "Hursti II" report was released, showing devastating security flaws in the Diebold touchscreen machines. This study has now been covered by Newsweek and the New York Times.

A small supplemental report was issued today pointing out additional concerns and high priority areas for further study.

The supplemental study can be found here:
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/BBVtsxstudy-supp.pdf
(many photographs, allow time for download)

Excerpts:
1. Flash memory erasure:

There seems to be a memory card-triggered feature to erase the contents of flash memory. This destructive function was started in the TS6 with the file , and there are indications that the feature is carried over to the TSx with trigger file , if it is found on the memory card. This feature was not tested in Emery County and should be examined further.

2. Further study needed on macros:

TS6 and TSx machines have as built-in features new kinds of macro capabilities. These capabilities make use of a simplistic Windows Window Manager Message recording and play function. Presumably the feature has been designed for automation of volume testing. If this is the case it is important to understand that this approach bypasses part of the system and therefore is by no means equal to end-to-end testing. There are a number of concerns around this feature functionality warranting further studies.

more at:
http://www.bbvforums.org/cgi-bin/forums/board-auth.cgi?file=/1954/29817.html
via:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/5/23/193548/941