Skip to main content
  • Conferences
  • Students
Sign in
Gold Sponsor

USENIX ATC '15 button

Get more
Help Promote graphics!


  •  Twitter
  •  Facebook
  •  LinkedIn
  •  Google+
  •  YouTube
Tweets by @usenix
  • Event Code of Conduct
  • Conference Network Policy
  • Statement on Environmental Responsibility Policy
Tweet

connect with us

Friday, August 1, 2014 - 4:45pm
Authors: 

Laurent D. Michel, Alexander A. Shvartsman, and Nikolaj Volgushev, University of Connecticut

Abstract: 

This paper presents a systematic approach to automating the analysis of event logs recorded by the electronic voting tabulators in the course of an election. An attribute context-free grammar is used to specify the language of the event logs, and to distinguish compliant event logs (those that adhere to the defined proper conduct of an election) andnon-compliant logs (those that deviate from the expected sequence of events). The attributes provide additional means for semantic analysis of the event logs by enforcing constraints on the timing of events and repetitions of events. The system is implemented with the help of commodity tools for lexical analysis and parsing of the logs. The system was rigorously tested against several thousand event logs collected in real elections in the State of Connecticut. The approach based on an attribute grammar proved to be superior to a previous approach that used state machine specifications. The new system is substantially easier to refine and maintain due to the very intuitive top-down specification. An unexpected benefit is the discovery of revealing and previously unknown deficiencies and defects in the event log recording systems of a widely used optical scan tabulator.

Laurent D. Michel, University of Connecticut

Alexander A. Shvartsman, University of Connecticut

Nikolaj Volgushev, University of Connecticut

Open Access Media

USENIX is committed to Open Access to the research presented at our events. Papers and proceedings are freely available to everyone once the event begins. Any video, audio, and/or slides that are posted after the event are also free and open to everyone. Support USENIX and our commitment to Open Access.

BibTeX
@inproceedings {185507,
author = {Laurent D. Michel and Alexander A. Shvartsman and Nikolaj Volgushev},
title = {A Systematic Approach to Analyzing Voting Terminal Event Logs},
booktitle = {2014 Electronic Voting Technology Workshop/Workshop on Trustworthy Elections (EVT/WOTE 14)},
year = {2014},
address = {San Diego, CA},
url = {https://www.usenix.org/conference/evtwote14/workshop-program/presentation/michel},
publisher = {USENIX Association},
month = aug
}
Download
Michel PDF
  • Log in or register to post comments
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

© USENIX
EIN 13-3055038