US Senate Intel Election Security Findings-Recommendations Report Fails To Mention If Voting Equipment Vendors Have Allowed-Are Still Allowing Russia To Review Source Codes Used For US Elections

Tags

"Russian Interference in the 2016 United States Election”, 2016 elections, 2018 elections, corruption, democracy, Dominion Voting Systems, Election equipment vendors, Election findings, election hacking, election recommendations, Election Systems & Software, Hart InterCivic, Putin, Russia, Russian Hacking, Russian Intel, Source code, Trump, US Senate Intel Committee, USA, voting, voting machines, Voting security

“According to voting machine testing and certification from the Election Assistance Commission, most voting machines contain software from firms which were alleged to have shared their source code with Russian entities…” (US Senators Klobuchar and Shaheen, March 2018)

Link showing voting machines in Russia – http://youtu.be/_Xle9UoBrDg
Back in March:
“**U.S. intelligence community has confirmed that Russia interfered with the 2016 elections; Russian actors attempted to hack a U.S. voting software company and at least 21 states’ election systems**
**Recent reports indicate that U.S. based firms operating on U.S. government platforms gave Russian authorities access to their source code** https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-klobuchar-seek-answers-from-election-equipment-vendors-to-ensure-security-of-voting-machines

No response still on the Senators’ web site: “The letter from Senators Amy Klobuchar and Jeanne Shaheen followed a series of Reuters reports saying that several major global technology providers have allowed Russian authorities to hunt for vulnerabilities in software deeply embedded across the U.S. government.” https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/3/senators-ask-vote-machine-vendors-about-russian-access-to-source-code

“Russia’s requests for source code reviews have increased. According to eight current and former U.S. officials, four company executives, three U.S. trade attorneys, and Russian regulatory documents, between 1996 and 2013 Russia conducted reviews for 13 technology products from Western companies, but has conducted 28 such reviews in the past three years alone….” (March-2018) https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-klobuchar-seek-answers-from-election-equipment-vendors-to-ensure-security-of-voting-machines

Opening up voting machines to hackers could be helpful if states have the means and time to replace the machines, but they may not: https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/26/voting-machine-makers-are-already-worried-about-defcon/

Is this enough money? And does-will Russia have access to the new source codes? They need to use paper ballots only and hand count with poll watchers-witnesses: “Lawmakers also succeeded in getting $380 million in a large spending bill in March for grants to states to improve their election infrastructure and bolster election security.” (NYTimes: “Russia Tried to Undermine Confidence in Voting Systems, Senators Say“) https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/08/us/politics/russia-2016-election-hackers.html )

“SOURCE CODE, PLEASE? DON’T HAND HACKERS YOUR VULNERABILITIES ON A SILVER PLATTER” September 25, 2017, by Gabriel Torok https://www.preemptive.com/blog/article/961-source-code-please-don-t-hand-hackers-your-vulnerabilities-on-a-silver-platter/90-dotfuscator

“SENATE REPORT STRONGLY IMPLIES RUSSIAN HACKING STORY WAS A PUBLIC SERVICE — BUT WHISTLEBLOWER REALITY WINNER REMAINS IN JAIL“, by James Risen May 9 2018, 4:48 p.m. https://theintercept.com/2018/05/09/russian-hacking-us-election-senate-reality-winner/

More on the March request:
“Two Democratic senators on Wednesday asked major vendors of U.S. voting equipment whether they have allowed Russian entities to scrutinize their software, saying the practice could allow Moscow to hack into American elections infrastructure.

The letter from Senators Amy Klobuchar and Jeanne Shaheen followed a series of Reuters reports saying that several major global technology providers have allowed Russian authorities to hunt for vulnerabilities in software deeply embedded across the U.S. government.

The senators requested that the three largest election equipment vendors – Election Systems & Software, Dominion Voting Systems and Hart Intercivic – answer whether they have shared source code, or inner workings, or other sensitive data about their technology with any Russian entity.

They also asked whether any software on those companies’ products had been shared with Russia and for the vendors to explain what steps they have taken to improve the security of those products against cyber threats to the election.

The vendors could not immediately be reached for comment….

“According to voting machine testing and certification from the Election Assistance Commission, most voting machines contain software from firms which were alleged to have shared their source code with Russian entities,” the senators wrote. “We are deeply concerned that such reviews may have presented an opportunity for Russian intelligence agents looking to attack or hack the United States’ elections infrastructure.”…” https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/3/senators-ask-vote-machine-vendors-about-russian-access-to-source-code

On this Tuesday, May 8, 2018:
“Senate Intel Committee Releases Unclassified 1st Installment in Russia Report, Updated Recommendations on Election Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and James Lankford (R-OK), members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the Committee’s unclassified summary of the first installment of the Committee’s Russia Report, including updated recommendations on election security and findings regarding Russian targeting of election infrastructure. In parallel, the Committee has prepared a comprehensive, classified report on threats to election infrastructure. The classified report will be submitted for declassification review, and the Committee anticipates releasing it to the public when that process is completed.

“I’m pleased to be able to release this summary of our findings and recommendations on election security to the American public,” said Senator Richard Burr. “Today’s primaries are the next step toward the 2018 midterms and another reminder of the urgency of securing our election systems. Our investigation has been a bipartisan effort from day one, and I look forward to completing the Committee’s work and releasing as much of it as possible. We are working tirelessly to give Americans a complete accounting of what happened in 2016 and to prevent any future interference with our democratic process.”

“Elections at all levels are central to our democracy, to our institutions, and to our government’s legitimacy, and I remain concerned that we as a country are still not fully prepared for the 2018 midterm elections. That’s one reason why we, as a Committee, have decided that it is important to get out as much information as possible about the threat, so that governments at every level take it seriously and take the necessary steps to defend ourselves,” said Senator Mark Warner. “I am proud of the bipartisan work our Committee members have done on this issue, and I look forward to continuing in a bipartisan way to investigate what happened in 2016, and prevent future interference in our elections.”

“While our investigation remains ongoing, one conclusion is clear: the Russians were relentless in attempting to meddle in the 2016 election, and they will continue their efforts,” said Senator Susan Collins. “The findings and recommendations we are releasing today are a major step forward in our effort to thwart any attempt to meddle in our elections. With the 2018 election fast approaching, the need to act now is urgent. We must provide states the assistance they need to strengthen the security of their voting systems.”

“Our democracy hinges on Americans’ ability to fairly choose our own leaders. With primary elections underway, and as we approach the midterm elections and the next presidential election cycle, we need to act quickly to protect the integrity of our voting process,” said Senator Martin Heinrich. “I am proud of how our whole Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Burr and Vice Chairman Warner, has taken on the task of getting to the bottom of Russia’s interference in our election. Until we set up stronger protections of our election systems and take the necessary steps to prevent future foreign intervention, our nation’s democratic institutions will remain vulnerable to attack.”

“During the 2016 election, Russian entities targeted presidential campaign accounts, launched cyber-attacks against at least 21 state election systems, and hacked a US voting systems software company,” said Senator James Lankford. “We must proactively work to ensure the security of our election infrastructure for the possibility of interference from not just Russia, but possibly another adversary like Iran or North Korea or a hacktivist group. After 18 months of investigations and interviews, this bipartisan report underscores the importance of efforts to protect our democracy from foreign attacks on our elections.”

The Committee’s unclassified summary of this chapter of the Russia Report – Election Security Findings and Recommendations: