Virtual Caucus at Risk After DNC Experts Hacked Conference Call

[swag]

Source: Bloomberg

By Tyler Pager
August 24, 2019, 2:19 PM PDT

The Democratic National Committee has raised substantial cybersecurity concerns over virtual caucusing, potentially dooming the effort just five months before Iowa begins its process of choosing a presidential nominee.

At a closed-door session of the Rules and By-Laws Committee on Thursday, the DNC told the panel that experts convened by the party were able to hack into a conference call among the committee, the Iowa Democratic Party and Nevada Democratic Party, raising concerns about teleconferencing for virtual caucuses, according to three people who were at the meeting.

For the first time the DNC is requiring states that hold caucuses instead of primary elections to offer voters a way to participate without showing up at sites across the state. Iowa and Nevada are building a teleconference system for 2020, and Alaska plans a phone and web-based operation.

The state parties are waiting for final approval of their plans for the February caucuses in Iowa and Nevada and hoped it would come at the DNC’s summer meeting this week in San Francisco.

“We are continuing to work with Democrats in these states to address the Rules and By-Laws committee’s questions about their proposed plans," the DNC said in a statement Saturday.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-24/dnc-virtual-caucus-at-risk-after-experts-hacked-conference-call?srnd=premium

[rockfordfile]

1. don't learn from history

[Perseus]

8. No, they don't.

This is something I have been asking myself for months...They know the republicans, aided by the Russians, are going to cheat, that their cyber attack is and will be restless, the FBI warned, Muller warned, but they do nothing, they still get surprised. I am more concerned with voting machines because those are going to change the votes in key states.

[MrsCoffee]

14. Maybe.

The Ununity Reform thing always seemed super sketch to me.

[LiberalFighter]

2. They need to abandon this plan.

Unless the vote is done in sight of those in charge it should not be held.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. From the lilnk...

In states that caucus, voters gather in homes, businesses and other places in each precinct to choose their preference for a nominee. Some have said the fact that a voter’s physical presence is required has diminished participation.

Evidence of that would be interesting. I thought caucus locations were local and well-turned out.

The virtual caucusing rules were developed in response to recommendations from the Unity Reform Commission, created to address the tension between delegates for nominee Hillary Clinton and challenger Bernie Sanders at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Sanders delegates complained that the DNC favored Clinton and made participation difficult in caucus states.

Why am I not surprised about said complaints?

Just out of morbid curiosity, did these states come up with their own schemes for teleconferencing, or did they go to established teleconference companies that just might have security in mind when they sign you up?

[LiberalFighter]

4. Didn't Sanders do better in caucuses?

[LiberalFighter]

5. IMO the Unity Reform Commission was not interested in reform.

They were only interested in getting an advantage.

[Tiggeroshii]

6. I thought they were getting rid of caucusing? Now we get "virtual caucusing?"

[PSPS]

7. "hack into a conference call"

Um, you can't "hack into a conference call." It sounds like they're using the internet for this which is always a big, big mistake. Web-based conferences are completely insecure. They should be using a legitimate conference call provider that uses telephone numbers participants dial into.

[SunSeeker]

9. Just stop with the caucuses. Closed primary with paper ballots please! nt

[Lulu KC]

12. +1

[Maggiemayhem]

13. Yes! We can wait for votes to be counted.

[pecosbob]

10. F*ck caucuses...I'm not interested in having another Dem or Dems try to change my vote

We need a straight primary vote in Nevada...no more chicanery.

[Roy Rolling]

11. Secrecy? There is none!

At the size gatherings they suggest ensuring every participant is a card-carrying, loyal to America Democrat is virtually impossible. (No pun intended)

It’s a public gathering for God’s sake, what is it they want to hide?

Spies are everywhere, deal with it. We can’t instantaneously put that genie back in the bottle for 2020. With convenience comes compromise. Make a fucking decision but stop whining about security. Go hard on things that require strict security and stop the charade elsewhere.

We are all vulnerable, don’t put your business on the street.

[still_one]

15. Just get rid of the caucus and hold a primary where one person, one vote counts, instead of

a process that discriminates people with mobility issues, and people trying to bully people into voting one way or another

[agalisgv]

16. The DNC really needs to invest in better cyber security

Or maybe have a better vetting process for their own IT people?