Chicago Voter Database Hacked (1 Viewer)

[danarhea]

A non-partisan civic group, in order to bring attention to how insecure voting databases are, successfully hacked into the database in Chicago, which contains 1.35 million voters. In a prepared statement, they said that, once in, they had the ability to change the status of any or all voters from active to inactive. Nothing was changed, but they did report their ability to hack the database to the media.

Article is here.

 

[RightinNYC]

Prediction: The first 10 posters in this thread are going to have a comment that is some variation on "See!! This is proof that Diebold is corrupt and that the Republicans are trying to steal the election" without realizing that the database that was hacked was due to the city of Chicago's error and had absolutely nothing to do with voting machines.

 

[Deegan]

Then this group should be charged with a crime, period!

 

[KidRocks]

Prediction: The first 10 posters in this thread are going to have a comment that is some variation on "See!! This is proof that Diebold is corrupt and that the Republicans are trying to steal the election" without realizing that the database that was hacked was due to the city of Chicago's error and had absolutely nothing to do with voting machines.

Wrong, so far. It'll probably be some poster saying... "see, we knew Chigago Democrats are corrupt and that they hire hackers to fix elections for the Demo's all the time"! :roll:

 

[Befuddled_Stoner]

Then this group should be charged with a crime, period!

Great idea! We shouldn't reward or treat indifferently people who reveal the tragic flaws within our government. We should punish them! That'll show 'em for pointing out our flaws. We can live with horrid miscarriages of democracy, just so long as nobody brings awareness to them.

 

[Kandahar]

Then this group should be charged with a crime, period!

Umm no. Why on earth would you want to punish a group for bringing to light a serious flaw in this system?

 

[Deegan]

Hello, hacking is a crime, what if this had been the Pentagon, or NSA, there are hackers out there that are that good, would we be patting them on the back as well. This is a terrible message to send, everyone attempt to hack in to sensitive sites, and all under the guise that you are only interested in their security!:roll:

Plus they couldn't even get at the voter files, so this is all for not.

"Even though they could hack into the Web site, they couldn't hack into the voter file," Leach said. "The Web site feeds into a copy file, not the actual original file."

 

[Trajan Octavian Titus]

Then this group should be charged with a crime, period!

No they shouldn't they are white hatter hackers.

 

[Flea]

The point that is not being addressed is that this is a case were technology is making our votes not count, if they are changed. Hacking or not, the system is messed up and hard copies need to be used.

 

[Kandahar]

Hello, hacking is a crime, what if this had been the Pentagon, or NSA, there are hackers out there that are that good, would we be patting them on the back as well.

I hope so. I hope the Pentagon/NSA would hire those people and pay them a lot of money to find security flaws.

This is a terrible message to send, everyone attempt to hack in to sensitive sites, and all under the guise that you are only interested in their security!:roll:

Isn't that better than not catching the problem, and having someone hack into sensitive sites who ISN'T interested in security?

Plus they couldn't even get at the voter files, so this is all for not.

"Even though they could hack into the Web site, they couldn't hack into the voter file," Leach said. "The Web site feeds into a copy file, not the actual original file."

The article says that they could switch the status of any voters from active to inactive. That seems like a bit of a problem.

 

[Deegan]

I hope so. I hope the Pentagon/NSA would hire those people and pay them a lot of money to find security flaws.



Isn't that better than not catching the problem, and having someone hack into sensitive sites who ISN'T interested in security?



The article says that they could switch the status of any voters from active to inactive. That seems like a bit of a problem.

Exactly, I would hope they would hire someone as well, these people were not hired, they committed a crime to prove a point. I am glad they know now, but they way it was done, why didn't they just volunteer to help secure the site, since they had a hacker handy?

 

[Trajan Octavian Titus]

Exactly, I would hope they would hire someone as well, these people were not hired, they committed a crime to prove a point. I am glad they know now, but they way it was done, why didn't they just volunteer to help secure the site, since they had a hacker handy?

This kind of thing is done all of the time, infact the way that alot of companies hire their computer security personnel is hiring the people that have hacked them and told them about their security problems, that's how they get recognized.

 

[Deegan]

:rofl

This kind of thing is done all of the time, infact the way that alot of companies hire their computer security personnel is hiring the people that have hacked them and told them about their security problems, that's how they get recognized.

Like it would matter here, LOL, when this part of the country goes GOP, wake me!!!:rofl

 

[Kandahar]

:rofl

Like it would matter here, LOL, when this part of the country goes GOP, wake me!!!:rofl

What? So you're OK with voter fraud as long as the outcome is known anyway?

 

[Deegan]

:rofl

What? So you're OK with voter fraud as long as the outcome is known anyway?

Yes, that is what I'm all about!:rofl

 

[Kasmos]

Do you guys really not realize how this can have horrible consequences if not changed?

Using electronic voting is the WORST idea that anyone has ever had. I have taken numerous programming classes, from C+, C++, and Java, to HTML, Cisco, and Oracle. I KNOW how easy it would be to hack into a system like this, so the fact that a group has already done it means that it can and WILL be done if not changed.

Politicians are CROOKED, and we all know that. Do you really believe that if given the opportunity SOME politicians wouldn't take advantage of this?

If you really do, then wow, get your head checked.

 

[Adrian]

Do you guys really not realize how this can have horrible consequences if not changed?

Using electronic voting is the WORST idea that anyone has ever had. I have taken numerous programming classes, from C+, C++, and Java, to HTML, Cisco, and Oracle. I KNOW how easy it would be to hack into a system like this, so the fact that a group has already done it means that it can and WILL be done if not changed.

Politicians are CROOKED, and we all know that. Do you really believe that if given the opportunity SOME politicians wouldn't take advantage of this?

If you really do, then wow, get your head checked.

I find Republicans' continued defense of a system prone to the tampering of all parties truly baffling. Before, it at least made sense because you could argue they just wanted a system that favored them. Unethical, yes, but it made sense. But now? I don't know what to say. I just can't wrap my head around it.

 

[Deegan]

I find Republicans' continued defense of a system prone to the tampering of all parties truly baffling. Before, it at least made sense because you could argue they just wanted a system that favored them. Unethical, yes, but it made sense. But now? I don't know what to say. I just can't wrap my head around it.

It's all or nothing IMO, it works in Democratic areas, but in Republican areas it's flawed, wrap your head around that!:roll:

 

[Adrian]

It's all or nothing IMO, it works in Democratic areas, but in Republican areas it's flawed, wrap your head around that!:roll:

Nooo, I never said that. This isn't about whether Democrats or Republicans are more apt to commit voting fraud. This is about a system vulnerable to fraud by both. I don't care what areas use the machines, I just don't want 'em used...period!

 

[Deegan]

Nooo, I never said that. This isn't about whether Democrats or Republicans are more apt to commit voting fraud. This is about a system vulnerable to fraud by both. I don't care what areas use the machines, I just don't want 'em used...period!

O.k, and that is a valid point, but even if it is on paper, some still question the counters, and the people over seeing them, we are left with the sam crap!

 

[danarhea]

O.k, and that is a valid point, but even if it is on paper, some still question the counters, and the people over seeing them, we are left with the sam crap!

LOL. You just made me remember "Landslide Lyndon".

 

[Adrian]

O.k, and that is a valid point, but even if it is on paper, some still question the counters, and the people over seeing them, we are left with the sam crap!

Yes, and that was definitely no fun for anybody in the 2000 elections in Florida. The difference though is that with paper, you can do recounts and most of the time, the dispute can be settled. It was in this way that I was able to find an unbiased report that that election was not in fact stolen, and that after all the recounts, Bush still won. (If you accept Snopes.com to be unbiased - I have no reason to think otherwise). So that's settled and done with. Now fast forward to 2004 in Ohio, and we simply don't know. There's no way to determine if anything illegal happened. There aren't hard copies of votes to check back on in order for us put this to rest.

So the irony is that paper ballots were beneficial to Republicans in 2000 because now only the most die-hard loons will claim the election was stolen. The voting machines which Republicans are so quick to come to the defense of tainted the election in Ohio. And now there's nothing concrete for you to point to and say, "See? The election wasn't stolen. Now get on with your life already."

 

[Kasmos]

I agree with Adrian. That's the main difference, with paper ballots there IS a way to go back and check the results.

But with electronic voting, once the vote gets changed in the system, there is no way to see what it was originally.

 

[1069]

Then this group should be charged with a crime, period!

Great idea! We shouldn't reward or treat indifferently people who reveal the tragic flaws within our government. We should punish them! That'll show 'em for pointing out our flaws. We can live with horrid miscarriages of democracy, just so long as nobody brings awareness to them.

Shine on, you crazy diamond. :yt