Security expert: Is PKR’s e-voting method hacker-proof?

CF Fong says the QR code method may not be secure as hackers could generate codes for their own purposes.

Security expert CF Fong. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: A cybersecurity expert has questioned the security of the e-voting system that PKR wants to use for its party election next month.

CF Fong, who founded security services firm LGMS, questioned the measures that the software developer had taken to prevent members’ data and votes from being compromised.

“Did the developer get the software certified by a third party in terms of its security features and conduct anti-hacking tests?”

The PKR election begins on Sept 14 and will take place over the course of nine weeks. The official results will be announced at its national congress on Nov 16. This will be the first time the e-voting method has been used in Malaysia.

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has already won the president’s post uncontested.

Speaking to FMT, Fong said the QR code method PKR was using for its polls was not a “security element”.

“If the system is not secure, hackers can get into the software and generate QR codes for their own purposes and even mess up the data storage.

“There are some ways that are vulnerable, and hackers can go into them,” he said.

Fong added that hacking into e-voting systems had happened in the US and warned PKR that online voting could have implications on the election.

Several PKR leaders have also expressed concern over the top leadership’s decision to use e-voting.

PKR Wanita deputy chief Haniza Talha said Britain and Germany had stopped using the e-voting system because there was no way to recalculate votes in the event of a disputed decision. -FMT