Bugtraq mailing list archives
Re: Diebold Global Election Management System (GEMS) Backdoor Acc ount Allows Authenticated Users to Modify Votes
From: Aleksandar Milivojevic <amilivojevic () pbl ca>
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 11:29:15 -0500
Adam Jacob Muller wrote:
This is very true...At a recent family gathering I spent about an hour trying to explain to various people why "open source" voting machines are more secure.Everyone perceived "open" as being able to go in and change votes...
It comes from the basic misconception almost all people have. Because if something is "closed", "not known", "secret", than how anybody can go into it and break it (or change votes in this case)? We call it "security by obscurity". And we know that system that is based on "security by obscurity" is inherently less secure than an open system with well published security principles. But general public doesn't know that, and general public do not want to find it out. General public likes "black boxes", and it likes to trust someone with a nice big smile telling how the black box is great thing. It also likes when "a man with nice big smile" is proven to be a liar on prime time news. And the circle is complete (and ready for the new round).
-- Aleksandar Milivojevic <amilivojevic () pbl ca> Pollard Banknote Limited Systems Administrator 1499 Buffalo Place Tel: (204) 474-2323 ext 276 Winnipeg, MB R3T 1L7
Current thread:
- RE: Diebold Global Election Management System (GEMS) Backdoor Acc ount Allows Authenticated Users to Modify Votes David Brodbeck (Sep 27)
- Re: Diebold Global Election Management System (GEMS) Backdoor Acc ount Allows Authenticated Users to Modify Votes Adam Jacob Muller (Sep 28)
- Re: Diebold Global Election Management System (GEMS) Backdoor Acc ount Allows Authenticated Users to Modify Votes David F. Skoll (Sep 28)
- Re: Diebold Global Election Management System (GEMS) Backdoor Acc ount Allows Authenticated Users to Modify Votes Craig Paterson (Sep 29)
- Re: Diebold Global Election Management System (GEMS) Backdoor Acc ount Allows Authenticated Users to Modify Votes Aleksandar Milivojevic (Sep 30)
- RE: Diebold Global Election Management System (GEMS) Backdoor Acc ount Allows Authenticated Users to Modify Votes Hugo van der Kooij (Sep 30)
- Re: Diebold Global Election Management System (GEMS) Backdoor Acc ount Allows Authenticated Users to Modify Votes Adam Jacob Muller (Sep 28)