The Hardest Problem I've Ever Seen: Making US Elections More Trustworthy in a World of Untrustworthy Technology
Matt Blaze
ShmooCon XX (Final) · Day 2 · Belay It
In this compelling ShmooCon talk, renowned computer security researcher Matt Blaze delves into the intricate and often fraught landscape of U.S. election security. Drawing from a quarter-century of experience in the field, Blaze characterizes the challenge of ensuring election trustworthiness as "the hardest problem I've ever encountered." He explores the paradoxical reality that while serious technical vulnerabilities undeniably exist within American election infrastructure, there remains no credible evidence of these flaws ever having been exploited to alter a national election outcome. This talk is a critical examination of how the nation arrived at this precarious juncture, the technological and societal shifts that have exacerbated mistrust, and the surprisingly optimistic advancements that offer a path toward more reliable and verifiable election processes.
AI review
Blaze lays out a brutally honest and technically sound assessment of US election security. He dissects the inherent unreliability of software in critical systems, the unique complexities of our decentralized election process, and the profound societal impact of eroding trust. Crucially, he details the evolution of thinking from trying to perfect flawed software to implementing 'software independence' through risk-limiting audits – an elegant, if incomplete, solution that allows us to achieve trustworthy results even with untrustworthy tech. This isn't just theory; it's a vital call to action…