Is Your Vote Safe?

Happy Election Day! If you were thinking of voting via the Internet, read on before you cast your vote.

With technology becoming so advanced and the Internet becoming increasingly widespread, more than thirty states will count votes from e-mail, fax, and voting websites this year. On one hand, the idea seems to have many advantages. In terms of "going green", online voting is extremely environmentally-friendly because it eliminates the use of paper. Additionally, in theory, online voting would increase voter turnout because people can vote from anywhere. Many people are unable to vote because they cannot leave work, they are elderly or disabled, or they are overseas. A great feature of online voting is that anyone can simply access a computer to cast their vote without having to leave work or the home.

However, virtual votes could threaten national security because it could expose network infrastructure and leave us vulnerable to cyber hacking. Unfortunately, this fear is very real. In tests by University of Michigan technology students, the voting systems for overseas and military voters was fairly easy to hack. Even worse, the University of Michigan students found that the system had already been hacked by individuals in Iran and China.

Your vote matters. Don't let it get manipulated or altered by foreign threats. Utilize traditional mechanical voting machines to cast your vote this election day.

Stay updated on all security and privacy news by keeping up with The TNS Group tech blog.