New Study Analyzes, Creates Roadmap for Online and E-Voting
October 08 2014 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
McAfee teams with the Atlantic Council to
deliver comprehensive report on the state of affairs in digital
democracy
Online voting and e-voting could become a larger part of the
political process around the world but only if the right
technologies and processes are implemented to ensure its security,
according to a new Atlantic Council study sponsored by McAfee now
part of Intel Security. The study, which was released at an event
at the Atlantic Council today, found that many of the technologies
that handle online financial transactions could be applied to make
e-voting and online voting a reality in the future.
In 2005, Estonia became the first country in the world to hold
nationwide elections through an e-voting system, with voters
logging in through a personal computer and voting with an
application that required the voter’s ID smartcard and a unique pin
number. The system has worked well, with more than a quarter of the
Estonian population voting online. E-voting has taken place
successfully in other countries as well, including Australia,
Brazil and France. India has installed more than 900,000 electronic
voting machines that have saved money and helped their illiterate
citizens vote.
“Online and e-voting are examples of how a greater emphasis on
security could empower a new era in digital democracy,” said
Michael DeCesare, president of McAfee. “Yet it will take more than
technology to foster acceptance of online and e-voting; people need
to have trust and confidence in the process. Pilot programs for
local elections could be the route to earning public trust on a
small scale. Once that trust begins to expand, we could start
seeing online and e-voting’s benefits – from increased voter
turnout to more efficient elections.”
Online and e-voting are not currently widely implemented because
of technical barriers that have been hard to overcome, and it still
has relatively low public acceptance. Unlike financial hacks, lost
votes cannot be regained, and electronic intrusions could alter
previously cast votes to change the results of an election. But
with the right, carefully chosen security considerations, online
and e-voting could become more widespread.
The Atlantic Council researchers noted that cryptography, strong
access control enabled by biometrics and securely written software
could ensure the safety of votes cast online and the integrity of
the system. Along with these security considerations, online and
e-voting could become more popular as young people who have grown
up with the internet become older.
“It’s been fascinating to dive into case studies, like Estonia,
and the theoretical research around this subject,” said Jason
Healey, director of the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft
Initiative. “Online and e-voting’s potential in terms of reach,
access and participation has the chance to revolutionize the
democratic process, but there are a series of serious risks that
will have to be mitigated. But Estonia has shown that it is
possible, and we hope that our recommendations for a path forward
will generate more discussions and trials. ”
About McAfee
McAfee is now part of Intel Security (NASDAQ:INTC). With its
Security Connected strategy, innovative approach to
hardware-enhanced security, and unique Global Threat Intelligence,
Intel Security is intensely focused on developing proactive, proven
security solutions and services that protect systems, networks, and
mobile devices for business and personal use around the world.
Intel Security combines the experience and expertise of McAfee with
the innovation and proven performance of Intel to make security an
essential ingredient in every architecture and on every computing
platform. Intel Security’s mission is to give everyone the
confidence to live and work safely and securely in the digital
world. www.intelsecurity.com.
About Atlantic Council
The Atlantic Council promotes constructive leadership and
engagement in international affairs based on the Atlantic
Community's central role in meeting global challenges. The Council
provides an essential forum for navigating the dramatic economic
and political changes defining the twenty-first century by
informing and galvanizing its uniquely influential network of
global leaders.
Note: McAfee is a registered trademark of McAfee, Inc. in the
United States and other countries. Intel is a trademark of Intel
Corporation in the US and/or other countries. Other names and
brands may be claimed as the property of others.
McAfee, part of Intel SecuritySal Viveros,
+44-7921-891-506Sal_Viveros@mcafee.comorRH StrategicTrish Rimo,
+1-202-379-0825trimo@rhstrategic.comorAtlantic CouncilMadeleine
Levey Lambert, +1-202-864-2831Mleveylambert@atlanticcouncil.org
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