Manipulation of Ballot QR Codes: The report highlights that the ICX App, used for electronic voting, can be reverse-engineered to modify ballot QR codes selectively. This manipulation allows attackers to change recorded votes and favor specific candidates of their choice.

 

Malware Exploitation: The report demonstrates the creation of malware that can modify the data within QR codes, ensuring the fraudulent choices controlled by the attacker are reflected in the QR codes and ultimately counted as legitimate votes.

 

Defeating Procedural Defenses: Georgia's procedural defenses, such as logic and accuracy testing (LAT), can be easily defeated by ICX malware. By skipping cheating on initial ballots during testing, attackers can evade detection during the LAT process.

 

Overcoming Hash Validation: The ICX App displays a SHA-256 hash of the installed APK, supposedly allowing verification. However, the report highlights that a modified app can display the expected hash value instead of the actual one, bypassing detection.

 

Inadequate Voter Verification and Auditing: The report emphasizes the limitations of voter verification and auditing processes. Voters have no practical means to verify the contents of the QR codes, making it challenging to detect manipulation. Additionally, Georgia's auditing practices, including risk-limiting audits (RLAs), are insufficient to detect fraud effectively.

 

Impact on Election Outcomes: The report raises concerns that malware altering both QR codes and ballot text can potentially change individual votes and influence the outcome of closer races. This could have significant implications, particularly in the absence of rigorous auditing practices.

 

Overall, the Halderman Report underscores the urgent need for improved security measures and robust auditing procedures in Georgia's ICX voting system. The vulnerabilities exposed in the report pose a significant threat to the democratic process and call for immediate attention and action to ensure the integrity of elections.