Comelec transparency server tampered with, IT expert claims

Images source Inquirer

An IT expert monitoring the ongoing quick count of votes at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center claimed that the transparency server of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) might have been tampered with.

Backing the claims of the camp of vice presidential aspirant Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the expert, who asked not to be named, told INQUIRER.net that the hash codes of the packet data were changed.

“At 8:00 p.m. May 10, in the course of our regular verification of the files that we are extracting from the transparency server, we uncovered something that is not correct–the paired hash codes of the file is not the same,” the source said in an interview early Thursday morning.

“As a result of this discovery, we conducted random sampling of more files to determine… kasi baka mamaya glitch lang. So we tested files from 8:30 p.m. of May 9, 9:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m. of May 9, and we confirmed until 1 a.m.–the hash codes were different,” he added.

The expert said they used data from 7:30 p.m. backwards as comparison to the standard of normal paired hash codes.

Asked to explain the scenario in layman’s term, the source said hash codes were intended to “ensure the integrity of the file” and should be identical. “It’s like your seal, your lock, your warranty seal,” he said.

“The issue here is not the result of that data but the integrity of the data… This is an indication that something happened out of the ordinary,” he said.

But the expert clarified that addition of new script and change in hash codes did not necessarily mean that there was fraud.

“We don’t have evidence that they changed anything. The only evidence as a result of this random query is that the hash codes were no longer original. If this was undetected agencies tapped to do the protection, do you think the whole system is protected? We’re not saying the end result will be different. We don’t want to discredit the electoral system here because the biggest threat is not from outside, it’s inside threat,” he said.

“Can we say that the result of the ongoing canvassing is genuine or virgin? We cannot say. We are not in the position but these are probable. There’s a high degree of probability because they have done it already,” he added.

Concern raised

The source said he, together with other concerned parties monitoring and verifying the count, agreed that the hash codes were not the same and went as a group to the server room to raise the concern and ask for an explanation.

Echoing the claims of Marcos’ camp, the source said a new script or command was introduced to the transparency server before 7:30 p.m. which caused the hash codes to change.

“A script was introduced into the transparency server supposedly to do something–we don’t know what was the script, we have not seen it yet. But as a result of whatever action that they did inside the transparency server, the files protected by hash codes, umiba ‘yung kanyang hash codes. So it is an indicator na pinakialaman siya,” he said.

“I’m not saying na may dagdag bawas dito. What I am saying is there was an introduction of the script.  Who triggered the introduction of that script? Who authorized its execution? Is it covered by rules or protocols to change set data? Is there any recording of the incident or of the change? There are none. The only people who can answer our question is Smartmatic and Comelec,” he added.

The source added that a Venezuelan man from Smartmatic who was also in the room supposedly admitted that he was responsible for the incident, and claimed to have fixed it at the same time.

The source raised doubts on the foreign national’s authorization to perform the act and questioned his authorization and adherence to protocols. Citing Section 28 of Republic Act No. 9369, he said the Venezuelan’s act was prohibited regardless if it affects electoral results, as it falls under “utilizing without authorization and tampering official ballots and election returns” and “electronic devices and their components.”

“Comelec is the lead here. No activity can be done without Comelec approval… ‘Finally I fixed it,’ who authorized him to do that? Anong implication nito? Here is a programmer of foreign nationality doing at will whatever he wants to do and he’s not even an official,” he said.

The source said the integrity of the system might be at stake especially because there were no records of such incidents and changes.

“We’re looking only at the integrity of the data, tama ba ang pinapasa niyo sa amin. In layman’s term, bumili ako ng produkto na brand new, dumating sa akin opened na. Paano mo ginamit ngayon? I don’t know,” he said.

Marcos camp claims

Marcos’ camp through lawyer Francesca Huang on Wednesday claimed that a new script was introduced to the transparency server “from which the PPCRV obtain its data for the quick count,” which “was able to alter the hash codes of the packet data.” Huang said the new script increased the votes for administration candidate Leni Robredo and grabbed the lead from Marcos.

The senator’s camp, however, did not present evidence to back their claims.

The son and namesake of the late dictator was leading the early count by as much as a million on Monday evening, until the widow of the late Interior secretary Jesse Robredo eventually overtook him early Tuesday.

Marcos’ camp on Tuesday also asked the Comelec and the PPCRV to stop the partial and unofficial tallying of votes supposedly to avoid confusion from the official counting. The poll body has challenged Marcos to present proof inaccurate count.

As of 3:45 a.m. Thursday, Robredo is still leading the vice presidential race with 13,968 994 votes, over 200,000 higher than Marcos’ 13,743,732.

original source Inquirer