I hate politics, so when a friend introduced the subject of hacking with regard to voting booths I asked if I could plead the fifth. She kept pestering me until I gave her the answer she wasn’t hoping for. She asked if the threat of voting booths being hacked is possible given today’s advances in technology.
Earlier this year I heard a news report stating the majority of our voting booths were built between the late 90’s and early 00’s. Although Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 2000 in mid-2010, it continues to be the mainstay of voting booths throughout the country. I can only assume the hardware making up the booths is of the same era also with little to no support.
Any built-in security measurements originally used by Windows 2000 have long outlived their useful life. Normally, with a current operating system, we would install virus software to augment Window’s features. In the case of Windows 2000, there is no commercially available virus software on the market today that will install and function.
Many years ago, and probably well past what most people can remember, the Windows 2000 source code was leaked to the public. Source code is the programming language used to create software, knowing that is like a robber having a blueprint and key to a bank. In addition to the leak, Windows 2000 had (and continues to have) an unpatched network security vulnerability that was discovered in 2009.
Programmers of all types were coming out of the woodwork to find loopholes in Microsoft’s programming. We even had a customer of my Gardner store who was creating workarounds for certain features of Windows which he was displeased. My point is that even the most unsophisticated of programmers can see how our voting booths operate.
Though I don’t completely understand voting booth technology, I can postulate a few things based on my experience. First, all transmitted data is more than likely encrypted at the booth level and decrypted by a centralized server. Second, the booths are pointed to central servers based on static IP addresses. Finally, because the booths are temporarily set up, the network is more than likely not very secure.
After I spewed up all this information I was asked the most likely means a hacker would use to change our votes. Anyone who’s had their personal computer serviced remotely understands the simplicity of remote control. Assuming the hacker enters through the back door, he or she could easily find information about file encryption/decryption, networking and anything else relevant to hacking our votes. From information gathered this way, spoofing centralized servers would make the most logical sense.
Straight up viruses also make a ton of sense because Windows 2000 computers are extremely susceptible to almost any type of attack. Voting booths need to be configured every time they’re used to account for current bills, candidates etc. It makes sense to me that a criminal could possibly create a virus that installs alongside the election specific updates.
Unfortunately, based on what I understand to be true, my answer to my friend’s question is, “yes, voting booths can be hacked.” No matter the purpose of a computer, any outdated computer based technology is vulnerable to exploitations if not updated or upgraded regularly. We’ve reached a point where anyone with an internet connection and the knowledge to do so can bypass even the most secure systems. This election, more than any other, a few incorrect votes could make a world of difference.
(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner. You can read past articles at www.LocalComputerWiz.com.)