Thursday, August 9, 2018

It's 2018: Whats the dumbest idea (by far) in Cybersecurity and Privacy?

Here's where I wish we had a lot more readers.  Well, a more than 0 is, well, a lot more.

What do you think is the dumbest idea in Cybersecurity and Privacy? Not the dumbest idea in general - there are probably lots more of those - like anything that starts with "hold my beer" - Brexit, A certain administration, etc. 

I don't think there's any question - it's electronic voting. ( AKA Internet voting, smartphone voting, etc )

Why? Because:
  1. Clean elections are the most important thing (only?) thing standing between the US being a democracy and something else (like Communism, Fascism, Populism, Russia?).
  2. Electronic voting allows the people (elected officials) who most desire tampering with elections the ability to do it without detection.
  3. Any more don't really matter, but there are a TON more reasons.
So EV = the end of US democracy.

Unfortunately...

There are two headlines lately that are really worrying me...

1. From Slashdot: Georgia Defends Electronic Voting Machines Despite 243-Percent Turnout In One Precinct - because Politicians!


2. From Ars Technica: Experts criticize West Virginia’s plan for smartphone voting - Now with Blockchain!  WV says "Don't worry - It's secure" and "It's limited to internationally deployed military only"
"Mobile voting is a horrific idea," said Joe Hall, an election security expert at the Center for Democracy and Technology in an interview with CNN.

SO Please, I beg of you,

Don't allow electronic voting in your location, not now, maybe ever!