Development and application of a framework for evaluating multi‐mode voting risks

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the risks associated with online voting and to compare them with more traditional voting modes.

Design/methodology/approach

A modified version of the Operationally Critical Threat, Asset, and Vulnerability Evaluation (OCTAVE) approach from the CERT Coordination Center® at Carnegie‐Mellon University is used for developing a framework for comparing threats for different stakeholders. In addition, these risks and threats are quantified, offering an opportunity to conduct a multi‐mode risk analysis in a manner independent of the underlying voting modes. The framework is exemplified using data from officials who had been involved in an actual municipal election, in which registered voters were given the option of voting through the Internet.

Findings

What is instructive in the context of this study is that the “low‐tech” threats such as large‐scale mail theft of election notifications and family member coercion may in fact be significant for Internet voting, and the sensationalized threats mentioned by the media may pale in comparison in terms of vulnerabilities.

Research limitations/implications

Conclusions drawn from applying the methods may be very sensitive to parameters chosen for quantification, especially since estimates of probabilities of threats may vary in order of magnitude.

Originality/value

This paper demonstrates a quantitative and comparative analysis for Internet voting, something which does not seem to be adequately addressed in the literature.

Citation

Kim, H.M. and Nevo, S. (2008), "Development and application of a framework for evaluating multi‐mode voting risks", Internet Research, Vol. 18 No. 1, pp. 121-135. https://doi.org/10.1108/10662240810849621