Security and Transparency Subcommittee (STS) Conference Call *
January 9, 2007

Agenda:

1) Administrative Updates
2) Summary and status of STS activities (the summary document will be posted to the STS list before the call)
3) Discussion of security related resolution and impact on security requirements
4) Other Items
5) Next call Tuesday, January 23, 2006 at 10:30 A.M.


Participants: Alicia Clay, Allan Eustis, Angela Orebaugh, Anoop Singhal, Barbara Guttman, Bill Burr, David Flater, Helen Purcell, John Wack, Nelson Hastings, Patrick Gannon, Quynh Dang, Ron Rivest, Santosh Chokhani, Sharon Laskowski, Wendy Havens

Administrative Updates:

Allan Eustis:

  • New disclaimer will be read at the beginning of every telecom. Meetings are formally announced in Federal register. What is said at these meetings is public and welcomes any and all new listeners.
  • New articles and public comments have been placed on the TGDC website.
  • Mark Skall and Allan attended Donetta Davidson's installation as Chief Commission of the EAC. Outgoing chief expects approval of new EAC members in January.
  • Transcripts from the TGDC December 4 and 5 meeting are on web page.
  • Any combined TGDC subcommittee meetings will be worked into current schedule of meetings. New meetings require a couple weeks notice to schedule.

John Wack:

  • Mark Skall and John spoke at a recent Election Center meeting. Mainly gave an overview of TGDC meeting and resolutions that were passed. Audience zeroed in on software independence and systems with paper trails. Strong objections from listeners were expressed. John stressed that requirements were going to be passed on handling paper. Usability issues were addressed. Vote Here expressed that they have machines that can meet our requirements.
  • John is looking at our progress to date and an overall view of what needs to be done, especially as a result of the SI decision, with the hope of being done in April/May. Should we be less stringent on requirements because of SI?

Summary and Status of STS Activities:

Changes reflect the new table of contents that will appear in the VVSG2007. Currently appears as:

Table of contents image

Security and audit architecture overview: Several draft white papers have been written. John Kelsey is working to consolidate his papers and edit; he is working with B. Guttman to get into right format. This is where the threat analysis is housed, as well as assumptions, verifying integrity of vote, and audit requirements. Ron mentioned we haven't discussed specifics on auditing techniques. How do we handle the things that can not be handled by the testing labs but need to be supported in this document? Are procedures being handled in VVSG 2007? Usability of auditing procedures and auditing techniques need to be included.

Profile specific security and audit function overviews and testable requirements: This covers paper record requirements, electronic records requirements and other profile specific requirements. Draft requirements are written for paper records; also an outline and white paper are written for electronic records. John Kelsey is working on overall section with John Wack.

Profile independent testable security requirements: This section is taking the longest, with ten sub sections. Draft requirement written for cryptography; key management under revision; access control, software distribution, system event logging, and setup validation are largely written; system integrity management and physical security have draft requirements under revision. In the process of creating a new security documentation that will be separate. Added section on minimum requirements supporting audits and testing that was not specifically mentioned at TGDC meeting - this is just a placeholder for now - this is a possible place for OEVT discussion.

Voting systems innovation class: We have to come up with high level guiding requirements that would help manufacturers get to certification and a white paper discussing the evaluation process. Draft white paper done on overview. Discussion still active on evaluation process. This is a struggle to develop. Usability requirements in regards to security were discussed. HFP subcommittee is only looking at user interaction requirements. Innovation class design should be discussed among all the subcommittee of the TGDC. Design guidance needs to be addressed as well as performance. Requirements must be flexible - basics need to be met - but we may not foresee all future designs.

OFF AGENDA DISCUSSION: Audit requirements (in chapter 2) - issues regarding usability and accessibility regarding paper based systems will be handed over to HFP subcommittee.

At the election center discussion (last week), manual counting was brought up and issues about what could be done to make it easier. John Wack talked about bar codes as a possibility. How do you write a usability standard for this?

Where are we in respect to volume testing and running a trial election and a complete audit check? From a usability stand point, this testing would point to "potential" problems. This is more for reliability and performance testing. An entire set of operations for the voting process (including audits) needs to be exercised and examined. Would be nice to see a report from the public's point of view on use of equipment before states purchase.

Would be nice to see removal of impediments on new vendors. It is tough for new vendors to sell equipment to states that already use certain vendors.

Caltech/MIT voting project is planning a small brain storming session with academia and vendors to discuss new innovation class (not a public meeting) in March.

Testing Documentation: We will be working on this soon. OEVT draft white paper has been prepared. This details how testing labs will test all the equipment.

Discussion of security related resolution and impact on security requirements:

David Wagner questioned whether we should go easier on some of the requirements now that SI is being included. If so, what should be done? Now that we have an emphasis on auditability, it is appropriate to consider making some "shoulds" to "shalls".

Looking at the 3 resolutions that passed, we've already looked at innovation class.

Next is wireless security resolution: straight forward how requirements are written and the implications on wireless technology.

Third is software independence: specific questions and examples regarding setup validation. Two categories of setup validation: the physical condition of the system and the validation of the software on the system. How does SI impact this? How much do we care about the accuracy of system setup information before the election - these are still important. Cost versus necessary functionality. With SI, you can audit after you vote. Existing systems that don't offer SI need to continue to be certified under 2007 standards, but new standards must have SI. "Grandfathering" strategies will be developed by the EAC and are outside TGDC's scope. Setup validation strategies will also be brought up to the EAC - requirements are not useful if they're not used. Consensus on the phone call to reduce setup validation requirements if there's a strong cost benefit to do so, since we have independent verification. Nelson Hastings should come up with possible changes/reductions.

NVLAP will have accredited labs announced soon that will be able to test VVSG 2005 requirements.

Other Items:

Tempest: Dutch have de-certified voting machines because of strong tempest releases. Should a standard be written? This is being handed to CRT subcommittee to investigate.

Holt Bill: What are the impacts on what we're doing if this is passed? Congressional Hearings will be held in early February to discuss.

Next teleconference - Tuesday, January 23rd at 10:30 a.m. EST

[* Pursuant to the Help America Vote Act of 2002, the TGDC is charged with directing NIST in performing voting systems research so that the TGDC can fulfill its role of recommending technical standards for voting equipment to the EAC. This teleconference discussion served the purposes of the STS subcommittee of the TGDC to direct NIST and coordinate its voting-related research relevant to the VVSG 2007. Discussions on this telecon are preliminary and do not necessarily reflect the views of NIST or the TGDC.]

 



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