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| Source: rediff.com |
Just as there are countless advantages to
e-voting technology, those opposed to it are quick to point out some of the
problems or flaws of various electronic voting systems. One of the most common
concerns, has to do with privacy
and security.
However, if electoral commissions,
government organizations and private suppliers take the appropriate
precautions, it becomes highly unlikely that the ballots and the overall
results of any election would be compromised due to outsiders “hacking” into
the system and manipulating the results. Indeed, the most recent parliamentary
and presidential elections in Russia serve as an example of how preparation can
prevent and avert such attacks.
According to the Central Election Committee in
Russia, some 1,800 hacking attempts were made on its website. All of these
attacks were suitably repelled and the integrity of the elections were kept
intact.
There may have been some concerns about an
attack coming from within Moscow or some other part of Russia itself, but a
greater concern was expressed by the Central Election Committee about hacking
and manipulation coming from outside sources. As such, the CEC has made the
formal decision that it will further bolster security on its website and
throughout its network, particularly when it comes to the software that is used
with the state automated electronic vote-counting system. There are risks, to
be sure, and these must be addressed.
“We cannot afford to permit Russia's
elections to be remotely controlled,” said CEC Chairman Vladimir Churov.
With the current system, the vote-counting
system operates within the confines of a local network. However, the software
requires access to the Internet in order to function and this can represent a
security risk, even if the vote-counting system is not directly linked to other
networks open to the general public. With error accumulation, the system could
be “prone to remote control from outside the country.”
Russia has been using an IT system of vote
counting for its elections since 1995 and this system has been fundamentally
upgraded since that time. Today, it comprises over 3,000 IT facilities across
Russia. Satellite and digital communication channels are readily utilized and
officials work to keep these channels as secure as possible.
That being said, Russia is attempting to
provide some level of transparency in an effort to aid the perceived integrity
of its elections. For example, elections in Crimea and Sevastopol will be open
to foreign monitoring. This does open Russia to the world in a way counter to
the perception of a closed-off Kremlin.
While not commenting directly on the
e-voting system being utilized in Russia itself, Dr.
William J. Kelleher does note that electronic and online voting “can be
both secure and confidential.” He also states that, “Without insider
information, up-to-date professional security systems are nearly impossible to
break into.”
The next major Election Day in Russia is
scheduled for September 14.
