Voting Machine Modems are Definitely NOT Hackable

Special Conspiracy Theorist Edition

Oh, so you didn’t even know that election machines have modems? Just stop right here, no need to be concerned. The government has certified these modems to be 100% secure through the EAC.

Even if you were aware of it, let me allay your concerns.

First, most of you are probably to some degree technically illiterate and on top of that being a deplorable conspiracy theorist are worthy of my contempt. That aside, I will explain this as simply as I can.

Modems are capable of both sending and receiving data. They connect to the cellular network, not the internet. So when the voting machine companies and our government say the election machines don’t connect to the internet, they are telling the truth because they don’t connect DIRECTLY to the internet. To get to the internet, the modem has to go through another computer or a gateway. Kind of like this…

Got it?

Also, there is absolutely no way that the modem signal can be intercepted by a nefarious Serbian hacker or even worse, an ill intentioned government official or NGO to give THEM access to the results in real time so they can stuff mail in ballots into drop boxes.

Clear that from your narrow deplorable conspiracy ridden brain folks.

Finally, just to calm you simpletons down for the last time before I provide 100% proof of your ignorance, the election machine companies and the EAC through the testing labs have verified that the modems will never be used for nefarious purposes whatsoever. That is 100% impossible. The certification process by the testing labs is that GOOD.

OK, now onto the proof.

Like my last article which you can find here, the below quotes are based on the X account posting by Sheriff Dar Leaf.

https://twitter.com/SheriffLeaf

https://x.com/SheriffLeaf/status/1769758994120274040

Just search this document above for the word “modem”. I can’t make it any easier for you.

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Subject: FW: AK - ICP modems failing acceptance testing

What...

The...

Fuh...

DIRECTOR, PRODUCT STRATEGY AND SECURITY

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It appears that only 34 of the ICP model 321C units shipped to Alaska were manufactured with the modem.

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The team calls those "natural" ICP 321 C. Twenty of the " natural" ICP 321C units were shipped to Region 1-Juneau and all 20 have passed the modem test.

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The remaining 304 in Alaska were retrofitted with dial up modems and received in all five regional offices.

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….. reported yesterday that ….. had not done any modem testing prior to shipping the units to Alaska. We need to find out why the modems aren't working, make arrangements to get techs to Alaska to fix the problem ASAP. The statewide mock election is scheduled the week of February 10th and includes dial up modem transmissions from the regional offices and random rural locations.

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RAS Server only recognizes 15 USB modems, needs to recognize 30 USB modems

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Performed test on modem and still looking into, no answers yet.

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For the Ml one, I added the 4G and analog modem info.

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Tuesday, November 10, 2020 11:06 PM

…. top priority is supporting public confidence in elections by providing the most modem, accessible, and security-focused system on the market today.

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Installed a new version of the ICC, installed 5.5-S may install 5.5-C - Customer has been notified BSR-2730 Support William Mast AK State - ICP (321c) with Internal Modem - Modem Diagnostic Failed to detect

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Need some formal write up from an executive of this for the customer. Wrong firmware was delivered with the modem.

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ImageCast Precinct ICP-1815 Transmission: LCD prompt to plug in modem flashes needlessly every 5 seconds.

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If user Skips modem connection, and OKs it, ICP displays "Failed to Transmit Results" Improvement Resolved

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…Suggestion to Connect Modem, hit Skip. Confirm this decision.

Notice that ICP displays "Failed to Transmit", and that the "Transmission Process Failed.

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The ICP should be capable of turn on with the modem connected.

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Once the polls are open, the ICP should check for the modem and if the modem is connected automatically transmit the configuration to the Listener without user interaction, if the modem is not connected, the transmission process will be skipped (no notification).

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The existing diagnostic transmission does not provide information about the election loaded in the ICP; and it's use mostly to validate status of the sim card modems.

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Time LCD Display

0:00 READY TO TRANSMITAPLEASE PLUG IN TRANSMISSION CABLE

0:02 PLEASE WAIT

0:13 Detecting modem

0:26 Modem detected.

0:28 Transmitting file 1/1 to server: EMSSERVER

0% CompletedARetries: 0/3

0:31 Start connection to server: EMSSERVER

0:45 Detecting modem

0:58 Modem detected.

1:00 Establishing connection

1:10 Connection established

1:12 Contacting server EMSSERVERA Retries 1/3

1:18 Server contacted

1:25 Successful connection to server: EMSSERVER

1:27 Transmitting file 1/1 to server: EMSSERVER

0% CompletedARetries: 1/3

1:36 Failed to transmit file to server: EMSSERVER

1:44 File successfully transmitted to server: EMSSERVER

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ICP modem diagnostic > PASSED

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Modern transmission failure Support Open Minor Unresolved …… D-Suite 5.5-S ImageCast Precinct 2 ICP with CellGo modem 3G We are seeing transmission failures on some machines in different local jurisdictions in Wayne County.Approx. 40 units, out of 1200 in the field.

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We have traded machines, compact flash, modems without success.

--What we know:

The local jurisdiction repeatedly attempts to transmit multiple times to their local server and the county server. The ICP states transmission failed.

- All modems are confirmed as active

-This is the same project template that was used in November and March. No transmission issues were reported then.

- MOST modems in the jurisdiction and in the county are transmitting successfully. Most all were able to transmit eventually on all ICPs

-Some had to try up to 15 times unit able to transmit

- All are on the same project/profile

- EDevices the cellular carrier has been working with us in troubleshooting. The T-Mobile network had a outage …..

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As a workaround, we simply attached the modem settings to all ICP2s, even non-transmitting EV ones, to avoid seeing this warning.

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With Firmware Update along with configuration change in AuthorizedModem.xml file transmits successfully on both ICE and ICP2. (XML file attached)

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Here are the instructions to update using XFP.

1. Install Telit radio drivers and make sure you can send AT commands to the modem with a terminal program.

2. Unplug modem, close terminal program, open XFP.

3. In the Port pull-down select USB (or (USB 1,1)) then browse to the firmware stream file.

4. Click 'Program' then plug in the modem.

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This file needs to be edited to what ever the modem is being used on the field before regenerating election files. Or else the issue mentioned in SIT-934 (ICP will not detect modem)

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Editing this file manually can cause many human errors therefore it should be handled on ICP so that it detects all qualified modem's without mentioning individually on this file OR modem can be selected through Network setting in EED with drop down interface and the file is edited automatically as per the modem selected.

If these improvement are not implemented for 5.5-C then it should be documented stating all the steps required for

change in dvscomm.cfg file per modem type.

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It was observed that after importing files for modems through PGS-3751 and creating election files, transmission with results from following 2 modems ICE showed *"unable to create ppp link"*:

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For Verizon Sim: Verizon SIM was registered to work with Modem. It fails after multiple tries.

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ICP would crash and show DVS logo upon plunging CellGo Modem.

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This happened when only dial-up line was connected, upon failure dial-up was taken out and wireless modem was connected and "Retry" transmission was done.

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If LCD is on the screen that asks for the modem to be plugged in for transmission then it goes to the logo screen and stays there indefinitely, requiring a power cycle to resume operation.

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For Verizon Sim: Verizon SIM was registered to work with Modem. It fails after multiple tries. It establishes the connection but fails to contact server, (x) - The Watchguard would show "Unhandled internal packet-00" (Picture Attached) - There was nothing in EMSDBQueue

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as critical step here, the ICP2 must be capable of determine the modem connected before attempting to transmit configuration... if modem is not connected the unit must send a visual and sound warning that the modem needs to be connected before continue operation

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Wrong firmware was delivered with the modem.