The Inquirer writes that the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) is challenging computer hackers to take a crack at the software that will be used in the 2010 elections to prove that the system is secure from fraud and tampering.
“By the time a hacker gets into our system, the election is over,” Comelec Executive Director Jose Tolentino boldly declared Monday in a press briefing.
Being confident is one thing, Being arrogant enough to issue a challenge is another… We’ll see as the days go by if anyone takes up this challenge.
Tolentino said the Comelec would welcome cyber-security experts who wish to check the system for weaknesses.
Programmers and the general public can also scrutinize the source code of the company that will bag the P11.3-billion automation contract for the 2010 national elections. The source code refers to the set of programs that carries the system’s instructions.
“The winning bidder’s software, the source code, will be open to inspection by the public,” Tolentino told reporters.
“They can look at it line by line to ensure that there is no malicious program inside,” he said.
The Comelec will also open the system and the machines to “ethical hackers” or IT experts who would be allowed by the agency to test the system.
“Then there are those who might try to hack the system without telling us. That’s OK. We are open to that,” he said.
image courtesy of visualjokes.com
Its fine if they’re asking the ethical hackers… why not invite the unethical ones as well, and lets see, oh by the way, why dont they put a prize on who hacks it first, like maybe an ipod? The machine is gonna be killed in less than a week for sure. Provided of course that they at least hook it on the internet. Theres no point in hacking the thing if its not wired. Maybe they said “hack it if you can get your hands on it”. With a cynical laugh.. its not even hooked to the internet.