Editing 463: Voting Machines
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| title = Voting Machines | | title = Voting Machines | ||
| image = voting_machines.png | | image = voting_machines.png | ||
− | | titletext = And that's *another* crypto conference I've been kicked out of. C'mon, it's a great analogy! | + | | titletext = And that's *another* crypto conference I've been kicked out of. C'mon, it's a great analogy! |
}} | }} | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | In the 2008 Ohio primary elections, there were numerous problems with electronic voting machines, which eventually required many districts to revert to pen and paper. Premier Election Solutions, the company that handled the machines, | + | In the 2008 Ohio primary elections, there were numerous problems with electronic voting machines, which eventually required many districts to revert to pen and paper. Premier Election Solutions, the company that handled the machines, blamed these problems on {{w|McAfee}} anti-virus software. |
− | + | From a computer programming standpoint, having anti-virus software on an electronic voting machine doesn't make sense because the machine shouldn't be accessing the Internet in a way that would leave it open to virus attacks. While there are a lot of ways that viruses can propagate, ultimately the computer still has to download an executable file and run it, which is something that ''no election machine should do'' in normal operation. Rather than use anti-virus software, it makes more sense to simply disable the downloading of files, which is very doable. | |
− | + | There's a principle in computer science that having more layers of defense is always better than having fewer. This is true, but one should take care not to introduce defenses against a nonexistent adversary when doing so might impede normal function. The comic makes an analogy to a teacher who reassures you that he always wears a condom when teaching. Theoretically it's always good to have protection, but the situation where a condom is useful shouldn't arise during class. The comment is more likely to make people worried about why the condom is there and what purpose it's serving. | |
− | + | The title text refers to [[153: Cryptography]]. | |
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− | The title text refers to [[153: Cryptography | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | : | + | :Article: Premier Election Solutions (formerly Diebold) has blamed Ohio voting machine errors on problems with the machines' McAfee antivirus software. |
− | :Premier Election Solutions (formerly Diebold) has blamed Ohio voting machine errors on problems with the machines' McAfee antivirus software. | + | :First Man: Wait. "Antivirus software"? On voting machines? ''You're doing it wrong.'' |
− | + | :[Second Man enters the frame and speaks to First Man] | |
− | : | + | :Second Man: Why? Security is good, right? |
− | + | :First Man: Of course. But, well- | |
− | + | :First Man: Imagine you're at a parent-teacher conference, and the teacher reassures you that he always wears a condom while teaching. | |
− | :[ | + | :Second Man: Ah. Strictly speaking, it's better than the alternative. |
− | : | + | :First Man: -Yet someone is clearly doing their job horribly wrong. |
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− | {{comic discussion}} | + | {{comic discussion}} |
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[[Category:Computers]] | [[Category:Computers]] |