DIEBOLD REBUTTALS DON'T STAND UP

Diebold and two state elections officials have come up with nine rebuttals. Most are posted on the Diebold Election Systems web site http://www.dieboldes.com; some were statements made to the press last week. NONE OF THESE STAND UP.

1) The software that's been examined is old and not used in elections

2) The research "overlooked the total system of software, hardware, services and poll worker training that has been so effective in real-world implementations." / Used the wrong hardware.

3) Diebold voting software is constantly updated and improved

4) Diebold software undergoes a series of certification processes

5) "We have been using the systems now for a year and a half, with great success."

6) The touch screens are never connected to the Internet or a public network, eliminating risk by remote access.

7) "If there is a failure or a compromise of one unit, we go get everyone and ask them to vote again." (From Maryland official).

8) The system could be manipulated only by someone who brought a laptop to the voting booth and modified the voting machine. (From a Georgia official)

9) The Johns Hopkins/Rice University scientists spend too much time in an ivory tower.

All of these are examined, debunked and new questions for smart reporters are given.

Full Coverage of A Very American Coup Is Here.

WHY THE BIG DEAL?

You can overwrite votes. You can vote more than once. The system is vulnerable to both inside and outside attacks. Intruders can overwrite audit logs. You can assign passwords to all your friends.

"Our analysis shows that this voting system is far below even the most minimal security standards applicable in other contexts." -- Researchers from Johns Hopkins and Rice Universities, in paper just released: "Analysis of an Electronic Voting System" http://avirubin.com/vote.pdf

"Computer Voting Is Open to Easy Fraud, Experts Say" (New York Times, July 24 2003)