At a federal trial six years in the making, Professor J. Alex Halderman demonstrated critical vulnerabilities he found in voting machines required for use by in-person voters across Georgia. Using little more than a $10 smart card or a Bic pen, Dr. Halderman showed the Court how to print as many ballots as he wanted, to get “super-user” access to easily change files and settings, and to print ballots with selections different from what a voter chooses. Another USB drive-based threat was shown to take just a few minutes to print ballots with QR codes different from the human-readable choices listed on a ballot, resulting in tabulation of the opposite of the votes intended.
While state election officials assert that all voting systems have inherent risks, the ongoing trial emphasizes the need for a secure, reliable, and voter-verified election processes. K&H’s clients, Georgia voters and longtime advocates of hand-marked paper ballots, seek to prohibit the compelled use of electronic ballot-marking devices to vote in person in the future because of risks and vulnerabilities like these. We are deeply moved and proud of their dedication to staying informed and engaged in discussions about election security to protect our democracy.
K&H attorneys Halsey G. Knapp Jr., Adam M. Sparks, and Jessica G. Cino are working hard to secure the vote in Georgia.
Read the full article: https://www.law360.com/articles/1787188/pen-10-smart-card-can-hack-ga-voting-machines-prof-says
Learn more about our Election Law Practice here.
