mchinni@ardec.arpa (Michael J. Chinni, SMCAR-CCS-E) (12/22/88)
F Y I ----- Forwarded message # 1: Received: from [192.12.8.6] by ARDEC-CC1.ARDEC.ARPA id dg08854; 21 Dec 88 14:21 EST Received: from [128.6.4.15] by IMD.PICA.ARMY.MIL id aa15249; 21 Dec 88 7:37 EST Sender: security%pyrite.rutgers.edu@PICA.ARMY.MIL Date: Sat, 10 Dec 88 16:08 CST From: Michael Stack <A01MES1@niu.bitnet> Subject: Voting by Computer To: Security Topics Discussion List <SECURITY%pyrite.rutgers.edu@PICA.ARMY.MIL> Message-ID: <8812210737.aa15249@IMD.PICA.ARMY.MIL> On the outside chance that there may be subscribers to this list who have not yet seen it: there is a fascinating (and long) article in the Nov 7 issue of The New Yorker on the subject "Voting by Computer". If ninety-five million Americans vote on Tuesday, November 8th, the decisions expressed by about fifty-two million of them will be tabulated according to rules that programmers and operators unknown to the public have fed into computers. Would {a "logic-and-accuracy public test"} discover, for example, a "time bomb" set to start transferring a certain proportion of votes from one candidate to another at a certain time, or any other programmers' tricks? "Of course not," Naegerle said. "It's not a test of the system. It's not security!" I encourage anyone concerned with the problems of computer security to find and read this article. It's an eye-opener, even for those of us acquainted or involved with security issues. Michael Stack Northern Illinois University ----- End of forwarded messages