FBI probing voting machine software theft

10/20/06

Washington, D.C.

A former Maryland lawmaker said the FBI is investigating the possible theft of software developed by the nation's leading maker of electronic voting equipment.

Former state Del. Cheryl Kagan, D-Olney, says the FBI contacted her after three disks apparently containing key portions of programs created by Diebold Election Systems were delivered anonymously to her office, The Washington Post reported.

The disks, bearing the logos of companies that test Diebold equipment, were packaged with an unsigned letter saying they were from the Maryland State Board of Elections and had been "accidentally picked up."

A spokesman for Diebold told the Post labels on the disks indicated they contain versions of software that is no longer in use in Maryland.

The Post said three years ago Diebold was embarrassed when an activist obtained some of its confidential software by searching the Internet.

Last month computer scientists at Princeton University demonstrated how a program they created altered votes cast on a Diebold voting machine.
© UPI