Hackers to test Internet voting system -- Comelec

By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net
Posted date: April 17, 2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Foreign and local hackers will be invited to test the security of the Internet voting system that will be deployed on July 10, a poll official said Tuesday.

The Commission on Elections will pilot-test the Internet voting system in Singapore. The results of the polls, however, will be non-binding, meaning they won't affect the elections.

The Comelec has asked the help of the International Foundation for Electoral System to tap professional hackers to "penetrate" the Internet voting system developed by Spanish firm Syctl, Comelec commissioner Florentino Tuason Jr. said.

The poll official has also instructed its own information technology department to recruit local Internet security experts.

"We're sure that (the Internet voting system) is very secure," Tuason stressed, noting that Scytl's technology is covered by an international patent and has been "declared secure by no less than the government of Switzerland."

Comelec is spending P21.5 million to license the Internet voting system developed by the Spanish firm.

The poll body was supposed to use an online poll solution for overseas absentee voting.

Legal questions were raised against Internet voting, forcing the Comelec to postpone implementation of the system during the mid-term elections.

Tuason said Internet voting might increase voter turnout because it could be easier to register and vote using the system.