[IS&T Security-FYI] SFYI Newsletter, October 31, 2008

[Monique Yeaton]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

In this issue:

1. MIT Security Awareness Day is Nov. 5
2. eVoting Machine Study Finds Problems


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1. MIT Security Awareness Day is Nov. 5
----------------------------------------------------

Throughout October, which is National Cyber Security Awareness Month,  
the IS&T department at MIT coordinated a month-long awareness campaign  
on cyber security for the first time. The goal is to increase  
awareness of Internet security issues, including password security,  
protection from phishing attacks, and appropriate, safe use of file  
sharing software. During October, posters and TV screens around campus  
displayed security messages about these topics.  Visit http://web.mit.edu/ist/topics/security/campaign2008/ 
  for more details.

To conclude this year's campaign, IS&T is teaming up with the  
Department of Facilities and the Audit Division to sponsor Security  
Awareness Day on Wednesday, November 5.

The entire MIT community is welcome to come to the Media Lab (Bartos  
Theater from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.) to hear seasoned security  
professionals talk about technical security, physical security and the  
risks of social engineering and phishing attacks.

You won't want to miss it.  Our featured speakers are Scott Bradner,  
Technology Security Officer at Harvard University, John DiFava,  
Director of Facilities Operations and Security at MIT, and Tom  
Jagatic, Senior IT Security Consultant from IS&T.

The speaker presentations end at 3:30; afterwards the lobby outside  
the theater will have informational and security product tables with a  
vast array of take-aways, raffles, and most important, food and  
refreshments for all.

I look forward to seeing you on MIT Security Awareness Day!


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2. eVoting Machine Study Finds Problems
-----------------------------------------------------

Going to vote next Tuesday? As if Halloween ghouls and ghosts weren't  
enough to scare us. Read this report:

A newly-released report says that the electronic voting machines used  
in New Jersey and other US states are unreliable and potentially  
vulnerable to hacking.  A New Jersey judge ordered the report as part  
of a lengthy legal battle over the use of the devices, which are  
Sequoia AVC Advantage 9.00H direct recording electronic (DRE) touch- 
screen voting machines.  The report says that the machines can be  
manipulated by installing a replacement chip containing malicious  
software on the main circuit board.

Read more:
<http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9118204 
 >

And a site that collects problems with voting machines:
<http://blackboxvoting.com/s9/>

MIT and CalTech are involved in their own study. Read more about it in  
the Tech:
<http://tech.mit.edu/V128/N43/evoting.html>
<http://tech.mit.edu/V128/N44/evoting.html>



=========================
Monique Yeaton
IT Security Awareness Consultant
MIT Information Services & Technology (IS&T)
(617) 253-2715
http://web.mit.edu/ist/security

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Come to Security Awareness Day at MIT!: November 5, 2 - 5 PM, in  
Bartos Theater (E15-070) and Lobby http://web.mit.edu/ist/topics/security/campaign2008/securityday.html




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