Novel technique to detect network error or modification of votes during transmission in online voting system

Abstract

Major obstacles in deploying online voting system (OVS) are its susceptibility and vulnerability to attack and incompatibility to voting fundamental. Various security risks like attacks on communication network, viruses and similar attacks on voting terminals, chances of coercion etc. are associated with OVS. Trapping the electronic ballots from communication network during transmission is also an identified security problem in OVS. Attackers may try to change votes in favor of particular candidates or may try random modifications to disrupt the whole system. Errors may automatically get introduced in the communication channel too. This paper proposes a solution using “dummy voting to detect error” in electronic ballot during transmission in communication network or modification by attackers. This error and modification detection technique will assist legitimate election authorities in making decisions such as cancelling the whole or part of votes cast or approving them to be legitimate.