Hotel minibar keys open Diebold voting machines (Dailykos)

[shraby]

On Wednesday we did a live demo for our Princeton Computer Science colleagues of the vote-stealing software described in our paper and video. Afterward, Chris Tengi, a technical staff member, asked to look at the key that came with the voting machine. He noticed an alphanumeric code printed on the key, and remarked that he had a key at home with the same code on it. The next day he brought in his key and sure enough it opened the voting machine.

This seemed like a freakish coincidence -- until we learned how common these keys are.


Chris's key was left over from a previous job, maybe fifteen years ago. He said the key had opened either a file cabinet or the access panel on an old VAX computer. A little research revealed that the exact same key is used widely in office furniture, electronic equipment, jukeboxes, and hotel minibars. It's a standard part, and like most standard parts it's easily purchased on the Internet. We bought several keys from an office furniture key shop -- they open the voting machine too. We ordered another key on eBay from a jukebox supply shop. The keys can be purchased from many online merchants.

<http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/9/18/135828/718>

[SoCalDem]

1. How fitting, somehow... Raid the mini-bar..and then democracy

or is it the other way around?

[MissWaverly]

9. this is pathetic

no one mentions the cost of these beauties, the tab for these beauties is 45 million in Maryland. It was estimated that optical scanners would have cost the same, Gov. Erhlich wanted optical scanners, the State House wanted optical scanners, but NO, the Maryland State Senate and our Secretary of State, Linda Lamone, LOOOOVE Diebold. And if we need a recount, where are we???? Did I mention that the new software is costing us a million and to store these beauties between elections is another million. Boy, we sure owe Rep. Bob Ney our thanks, for dreaming up the Help America Vote for Bush Act.

[Fridays Child]

2. I hope Lou Dobbs sees this.

[tpsbmam]

8. I just sent it to him. n/t

[KittyWampus]

3. Vegas Slots Are More Secure Than Our Voting Machines. And They're

both made by the same companies using similiar technology.

[tanyev]

5. A lot of money at stake in insuring that slot machines are secure.

Even more money at stake in pretending that voting machines are secure.

[Guy Fawkes]

4. umm, major dupe.

And when Dailykos rips off the story from someone else, you know it must be true. (At least they linked the original)

[woodsprite]

6. Bet they made sure the ATMs can't be opened that way. n/t

[ContraBass Black]

7. Shouldn't that alone invalidate all of them instantly?

Never mind all of the other issues.

[bobbolink]

11. Who would that be who would invalidate them?

All the republican SoSs, or the Dems without backbones?

Yep, we're in a mell of a hess.

[mhatrw]

10. The GOP has the keys to victory. n/t