2016 Postmortem

They discovered that in 26 states they use a system that has cellular connectivity -- the vote tabulators ARE hackable.

Anything that is hackable will be hacked -- that's the assumption we should always make.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/critical-new-discovery-during-wisconsin-recount-cellular-connectivity-of-tabulators-leaves-door-open-to-hacking-300379050.html

MADISON, Wis., Dec. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A huge security hole in our US elections, which allows alteration of vote totals by outsider or insider entities, was discovered during the Wisconsin recount, according to electronic security investigators from RecountNow.org.

A cellular capability is available as an option on the latest Election Systems and Software (ES&S) DS200 model of optical scanner.

"Cellular connectivity at the precinct level is bad," says IT specialist Jim March-Simpson, who, along with forensic investigator John Brakey, discovered and examined the vulnerability, "but the precinct-level scanners can open an internet channel to the central vote tabulator." March-Simpson is referring to a central unit that collects and adds vote totals from a whole region.

SNIP

An entity with "government-level resources . . . could completely 'own' the electoral process," March-Simpson says. "If the central vote tabulator does not have the best possible security, then even a good hacker with a normal PC can get in," he reports.

SNIP