Wireless Odyssey: VVSG 2.0 & Voting System Wireless Guidelines
Susan Greenhalgh exposes last-minute changes to the EAC Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG 2.0) that permit wireless connectivity in voting machines.
Summary
Adoption of the VVSG 2.0 Election Guidelines
In February 2021, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) formally passed the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG 2.0), setting national standards for voting systems.
The Last-Minute Wireless Policy Reversal
Susan Greenhalgh reveals how the finalized VVSG 2.0 draft differed drastically from public hearing versions by quietly permitting wireless components in voting machine architectures.
Evaluating the Cybersecurity Risks of Wireless Voting Devices
Greenhalgh breaks down the severe remote attack surfaces introduced when tabulators, ballot marking devices, and poll books incorporate cellular modems and Wi-Fi chips.
Advocacy for Robust Election Standards Oversight
The author calls on election officials and cybersecurity researchers to demand strict federal oversight and ban wireless interfaces from critical voting infrastructure.
Related talks
Voting Village·17 min
Benjamin Hovland
U.S. Election Assistance Commission Chairman Benjamin Hovland discusses federal election assistance, funding, and election official support.
Voting Village·15 min
Forrest Senti · Mattie Gullixson
Presents draft security guidelines modeled after the VVSG to establish federal standards for electronic ballot return platforms.
Voting Village·25 min
Harri Hursti
Voting Village co-founder Harri Hursti welcomes in-person and virtual attendees to DEF CON 29, framing key research themes and voting machine testing labs.