Transcript NIST Voting Program Activities Update February 21, 2007 Mark Skall Chief, Software Diagnostics and Conformance Testing Division.

NIST Voting Program Activities
Update
February 21, 2007
Mark Skall
Chief, Software Diagnostics
and
Conformance Testing Division
Deliverables to the EAC
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Next iteration of Voluntary Voting System
Guidelines
Test materials for new VVSG
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Delivered separately from new VVSG
Delivered incrementally over the next few years
List of recommended test laboratories
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NVLAP (National Voluntary Laboratory
Accreditation Program)
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Background
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Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002
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Created TGDC
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NIST performs research and technical support
Initial TGDC recommendations required within 9 months
TGDC/NIST delivered VVSG 2005 to EAC
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15 members, different disciplines
Chaired by NIST Director
Limited, based on 2002 standard
Enhanced areas: security, human factors
Decided to develop more comprehensive guideline
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Next iteration of the VVSG
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Next Iteration of the VVSG
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Complete re-write of VVSG 2005 in all areas
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Deliver to EAC in July, 2007
NIST performs research for the EAC’s TGDC (Technical
Guidelines Development Committee)
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Usability and Accessibility
Security
Core Requirements
TGDC makes recommendations to the EAC
NIST does not make recommendations
NIST does the technical writing of the VVSG
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Dec 4-5 TGDC Meeting
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The meeting was perhaps the most important to date
Major items for next iteration of the VVSG approved by the TGDC
included:
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Software-independence - must use verifiable voting records for
independent audits
Process to include new and innovative voting systems with greater
usability, accessibility, and security
Prohibiting RF wireless
Improving the methods for measuring reliability and accuracy of
voting systems
Improving and updating the usability and accessibility requirements
Improving requirements for the overall reliability of VVPAT voting
systems
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Usability & Accessibility
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Updates to Usability requirements
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Updates to Accessibility requirements
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Usability performance benchmarks are being researched
Result will be more accurate and realistic usability performance
metrics - voting systems will be easier to use
Research and requirements to be completed by 4/2007
Relatively minor updates from VVSG 2005
Updates to other requirements for
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Alternative languages
Documentation
Plain language
Voter and system response timing
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Security
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New VVSG will require new voting systems to be software-independent:
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Accuracy of the election will not rely exclusively on the accuracy of the
voting system software
Accuracy of the system’s electronic records will be able to be independently
audited against a voter-verified record
Systems that do this currently are paper-based e.g., optical scan, VVPAT
New VVSG will include an Innovative Class
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TGDC is including a method for researchers or developers to create new and
innovative, possibly paperless, voting system approaches that would still be
independently auditable and conform to the new VVSG
This may include newer, cryptographic-based systems that potentially
promise greater usability and accessibility as well as security
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Security (cont)
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Requirements to improve the accessibility of paper-based
systems
Requirements to improve the reliability and usability of VVPAT
Radio-Frequency (RF) wireless will no longer be permitted for
use on voting systems
Requirements for test labs to conduct open-ended vulnerability
testing on voting systems to search for vulnerabilities
Setup validation requirements being updated to permit
inspection of whether a voting system’s installed software is the
correct software
Other security areas: access control, auditing, cryptography,
event logging, and physical security
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Core Requirements
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Voting system quality, reliability (MTBF), and accuracy requirements
being updated
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To promote quality systems, requirements for vendors to comply with
ISO 9000/9001
COTS testing requirements being written
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To improve voting system design and testing techniques
To ensure that voting systems are robust and work properly
To make clearer whether to exclude certain COTS products from in-depth
source code reviews
COTS grouped into several categories
Each category has its own testing requirements
Conventions for software coding being examined
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E.g., requiring software languages that contain improved integrity and
security constructs
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Summary of TGDC Resolutions
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Innovation class - TGDC to include in
new VVSG a class for new, innovative
voting system approaches, NIST to
research high-level requirements
Wireless security - no RF wireless in
future voting systems
Software Independence
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Summary (cont)
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Recommendation to ICDR - TGDC recommends
Interagency Committee on Disability Research include
voting as topic of future conference
Principal criteria – New VVSG to include a stmt that
voting systems should be reliable, secure, accurate,
usable, accessible, fit for use
Moving away from MTBF metric - TGDC directs NIST
to research new reliability metric to replace older
MTBF metric
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List of Proposed Test Labs
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NVLAP assesses potential voting system testing
laboratories
 NIST Director proposes them to the EAC
 EAC makes decision whether to accredit them to
test voting systems
Proposals made to EAC on January 18, 2007
 Proposed two test laboratories for accreditation to
test to VSS 2002 and VVSG 2005
 IBeta Quality Assurance
 Sys Test Labs
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Plans for Next Few Months
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For new VVSG:
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1-2 additional TGDC meetings; roughly 40 teleconferences
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Research will be completed for usability performance benchmarks
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Requirements for implementing software independence and other
security improvements will be completed
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Requirements for voting systems to be more reliable and usable
both for voters and election officials will be completed
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Delivery to EAC in July 2007
NVLAP will continue to investigate potential applicants for accreditation
Test suite development for new VVSG will start based upon FY07 fiscal
appropriations
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Funding
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Currently, testing laboratories develop tests
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Need comprehensive, transparent set of test suites
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Plans Post-New VVSG
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NIST is prepared to assist the EAC in vetting the
VVSG 2007 with other organizations, including:
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the EAC’s Standards Board
the Access Board
other voting-related organizations, e.g., NASS, NASED
NIST is prepared to assist the EAC, if requested, to
perform research in response to public comments
Continued development of test suites for new VVSG
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Discussion
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