US election officials worried as hackers break into EVMs
Las Vegas, Aug 12 : Amid the growing debate over whether electronic voting machines (EVMs) are hackable or not, elections officials in the US are worried over the increasing "information warfare" as mid-term polls loom.
According to a CNN report, at the annual "Def Con hacker convention" here over the weekend, state and local election officials who attended the conference saw what hackers can do to voting machines.
"One hacker was essentially able to turn a voting machine into a jukebox, making it play music and display animations," said the report.
"While such hacks are a cause of concern for election officials, they are increasingly looking beyond the threats against traditional election infrastructure like voting machines and voting databases and more to the threat of disinformation," it added.
At the event, nearly 40 child hackers were able to tamper with vote tallies on the mock versions of election board websites, some even changing candidates names to things like "Bob Da Builder" and "Richard Nixon's Head".
"There's always been a concern about the integrity of our elections and there's always been a concern about misinformation, disinformation being disseminated around campaigns," Alex Padilla, California's Secretary of State, was quoted as saying.
This time, the "voting machine hacking village" at the conference featured a new set of voting machines which will be used in the 2018 mid-term elections.
An intense debate is going on in India over the security of EVMs.
As many as 17 parties, including the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, have approached the Election Commission for restoring the paper ballot system in view of their apprehensions over the integrity of the EVMs and the possibility of their manipulation.
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NRI Kannadiga community should achieve greater accomplishments: Dr. Arathi Krishna
Bahrain: Dr. Arathi Krishna, Vice President of the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Forum, Government of Karnataka, participated as the Guest of Honour at the prestigious Global Women’s Economic Forum and Exhibition held on January 13, 2025 in Bahrain.
The international event, known for its pivotal role in empowering women entrepreneurs and professionals, provided a unique platform for showcasing business innovations and fostering leadership among women.
During the event, Dr. Krishna emphasized the significance of women’s contributions to entrepreneurship and technological advancements. She noted that the forum's dynamic workshops, panel discussions, and expert speeches offered specialized insights into innovative practices, financial management, and the adoption of new technologies. These knowledge-sharing opportunities are designed to support emerging women entrepreneurs, enabling them to thrive in a competitive global marketplace.
Highlighting the transformative power of such initiatives, Dr. Krishna remarked on the growing achievements of women entrepreneurs in traditionally male-dominated sectors. She acknowledged that the event not only celebrated success stories from across the globe but also inspired young women to pursue entrepreneurship and leadership roles. The participation of women-led businesses from diverse nations underscored the universal nature of entrepreneurial spirit and innovation.
Dr. Krishna also engaged in thoughtful discussions with successful women leaders and interacted with representatives of various Kannada associations in Bahrain. She reiterated her appeal to the global NRI Kannada community to strive for excellence and greater accomplishments in their respective fields.
