SACRAMENTO, July 2, 2007 (KABC-TV) - Are California's new high-tech voting machines secure? Some people fear that hackers could disrupt election results. Now a test is being conducted to find out if the system is vulnerable to an attack.
Under extremely tight security, a red team of independent hackers from all around the country is trying to break into and rig three types of electronic voting machines approved for use in California elections.
"The goal is to put to rest any controversy about voting systems or the voting equipment itself," said California Secretary of State Debra Bowen (D).
California is the first state to order this top-to-bottom review and require the makers of the electronic voting machines to pay for it. There have been reports of glitches with the machines both in California and nationwide, and Princeton researchers posted on YouTube a demonstration on how to break into machines and change votes.
"One concern is the voter walking up and doing something strange on the machine," said U.C. Davis computer Scientist Matt Bishop. "Another thing we're concerned about, is someone for example, somehow manipulating the machines that count the votes so they count the votes incorrectly."
The hackers are the latest attempt by California to ensure voters their ballots will be counted. Paper-trails and public audits are already required by law.
"This review and evaluation of the software that's driving our voting systems will pick up any other problems that maybe have been overlooked," said Kim Alexander of the California Voter Foundation.
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