August 5th, 2024

Voter Documents Leaked Online

A breach involving 13 unsecured databases has exposed the personal information of 4.6 million American voters, raising concerns about identity theft, voter fraud, and election interference.

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Voter Documents Leaked Online

The personal information of 4.6 million American voters has been leaked online due to a breach involving 13 unsecured databases. The exposed data includes voter records, ballots, and sensitive personally identifiable information (PII) such as social security numbers, driver's license numbers, and voter ID numbers. Cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler discovered the breach and traced it back to Platinum Technology Resource, a company that provides election-related services. The databases were initially found to be unprotected, raising concerns about potential identity theft, voter fraud, and election interference. Although the databases have since been restricted, the duration of their exposure and the extent of unauthorized access remain unclear. Fowler noted that only an internal audit could reveal any suspicious activity. The leaked information could be exploited for malicious purposes, including mass disinformation campaigns or voter intimidation, particularly if accessed by foreign entities or political activists. Additionally, the breach could lead to legal complications for affected voters if their identities are misused to cast ballots. Fowler emphasized the importance of cybersecurity best practices for organizations managing sensitive information, including the use of unique database naming conventions to prevent unauthorized access. The incident highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in the management of voter data and the potential risks to electoral integrity.

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Link Icon 2 comments
By @ipython - 2 months
Nice. Combine this with Georgia’s online portal to cancel a voters registration[1] which only requires a name, dob, county, and last four of ssn and you have disenfranchisement at scale!

[1] https://sos.ga.gov/page/voter-registration-cancellation

By @gradientsrneat - 2 months
iirc voter registration records can be legally obtained in bulk, presumably containing names and addresses but I'm not sure if it's the full record. Presumably, such records are used by tools like ResistBot to notify you when your voting registration was removed.

Voting records are another level on top of that and I can see how that would be used for voter intimidation. Voting used to be spoken aloud very early in the US republic. It changed for good reason.