Someone explain to me how this ussd vulnerability will affect the outcome of voting where ECK run a properly secure Database and   authentication follows the same format as Mpesa. Are we saying that MPESA is suffering a lot because of the vulnerability? or is someone saying that the desire for money is less compelling than the one for political power?

On Mon, Feb 13, 2012 at 4:07 PM, Gichingiri Kuria <gmail@gichingiri.com> wrote:
No Mungai, we're supposed to cater for as many security issues as we can, the higher the risk then the higher the consideration. For example, when building a house, incorporate burglar proofing into the design of the windows.

I keep wondering, do many people have to go to one place to vote? Can we do away with the drama associated with tallying votes? If something as sensitive as moving money has been simplified, can't we think hard to ease the whole voting process.

@ Owuor, yes there's more than the technical aspects to be thought through.





On 13 February 2012 16:02, Okechukwu <okechukwu@gmail.com> wrote:
Software wise, that is the reason why Windoze suffers with security
issues while Linux is an underlying safehouse - The building blocks in
a software matters more than just getting out and making money - IMHO

./Ok3ch

On Mon, Feb 13, 2012 at 3:47 PM, Mungai S. Mbugua <sospeter@elimu.co.ke> wrote:
> @okechukwu, but that is the point right there, we are supposed to build a
> solution then worry about the security when the need arises.
>
> Banks long ago didn't have security features till when the need arose. In
> Kenya banks now have safes, alarms, cctv, security guards, APs and Police,
> Escort services etc.
>
> Note: all the features above did not come at the same time, right?
>
> My cents.
>
>> @Shadrack - Totally agree with you on seizing the moment, but also that is
>> the reason why most softwares have gaping holes in them, not building, for
>> example, security from the bottom up - IMHO
>>
>> ./Ok3ch
>>
>> On Mon, Feb 13, 2012 at 12:13 PM, Shadrack Mwaniki <
>> shadrack_mwaniki@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Odhiambo,
>>> It is very true that Airtel, then Kencell was given the idea of Mpesa in
>>> early 2002.
>>> I was part of the team that presented the idea. It had come from a S.
>>> africa company that had wanted to do mobile money
>>> Their idea was formed by the fact that money transfer in Kenya was
>>> expensive. They had done a small research and established that
>>> most kenyans sent money via freinds, matutus, buses and most teeliing,
>>> via
>>> post office normal letter which got stolen by posta staff.
>>>
>>> The two guys approach us in IT department and we sold the idea to our
>>> chief who organised for meeting with management.
>>>
>>> The reason the idea was shot down was on the basis of how to manage the
>>> atual cash. When a user wants to deposit cash, he has to go to
>>> the bank. Yet they were the same banks were the problem we were trying
>>> to
>>> address.
>>>
>>> when one guy suggested partnering with Charity sweepstake to use their
>>> small booths for depost and withdrwals, the whole meeting
>>> went into a chorus about insecurity and the risk involved. One manager
>>> even insinuated how africans will run with the money at the end of day.
>>>
>>> Anyway, the rest is history. I don't know how the idea several years
>>> later
>>> ended into the MJ desk.
>>> He was able to see the picture and ordered that it be implemented. All
>>> the
>>> emerging issues would be sorted out later.
>>>
>>> Lesson:
>>> Innovation requires you focus on the big picture and the state of
>>> success.
>>> Let's deal with the obstacles when they arise.
>>> I believe many of the issues on the mobile voting can easily be sorted
>>> our
>>> as the idea is developed.
>>>
>>> Modification
>>> Instead of a mobile application, why not have an OCR enabled ballot
>>> papers. The ballot box has a canner that automatically tallies the votes
>>> as
>>> they come.
>>> At the close of voting, all results from each polling station are
>>> automatically tallied at the central tallying centre database
>>>
>>> Regards
>>> Shad
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>   ------------------------------
>>> *From:* Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo@gmail.com>
>>>
>>> *To:* Skunkworks Mailing List <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke>
>>> *Sent:* Friday, February 10, 2012 6:01 PM
>>>
>>> *Subject:* Re: [Skunkworks] voting on mobile
>>>
>>> And @Gichingiri's idea becomes "still born"!
>>>
>>> Kenyan's yawa. Instead of trying to nurture/develop an idea you just
>>> shoot
>>> it down?.
>>>
>>> You are all like Celtel (or what was it called then?) who (so I hear)
>>> were
>>> given the M-Pesa idea and they said it CANNOT work.
>>>
>>> BTW, is it really true ama hizo 'zinakuwaga' rumours?? :-)
>>>
>>> I suggest all members of this forum buy the best flowers & chocolates
>>> for
>>> their mates. Shoot that down too.<LOL>
>>>
>>>
>>> Heppy Furahiday!!
>>>
>>>
>>> On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 17:57, Kevin Oeba <oeba.kevin@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Gentlemen,
>>>
>>> Putting the technical aspects aside, alot of factors come into play.
>>>
>>> 1. Does the law allow us to vote through any other means, except through
>>> the ballot ?
>>>
>>> 2. The government may need to budget, plan , etc for this sort of
>>> voting.
>>> Voter education , public awareness.
>>>
>>> 3.  Going by the political events in the Kenyan arena, I would propose
>>> you
>>> bring up the issue in the next election.
>>>
>>> Brilliant idea but I see alot of obstacles along the way...
>>>
>>> Kind regards,
>>>
>>> Kevin
>>>
>>>
>>> On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 5:48 PM, Moses Muya <mouzmuyer@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Good.But you cannot "imagine" in a vacuum,you have to consider all the
>>> technologies we have.Unless you want to "imagine",write good papers
>>> about
>>> it and leave it at that without implementing it!Most Kenyans have
>>> feature
>>> phones,the only way to implement the system and ensure everyone can use
>>> it
>>> is by using USSD and other like technologies.
>>>
>>>
>>> On 10 February 2012 17:42, Gichingiri Kuria <gmail@gichingiri.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Ok, remove the USSD aspect. Imagine a system that is very simple to use,
>>> yet secure and works right. "Imagine" is just the first step...
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 10 February 2012 17:28, Moses Muya <mouzmuyer@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> The idea looks brilliant on paper but if you look at the technical
>>> details
>>> you will discover it's not!USSD is not secure enough for this kind of
>>> work.
>>>
>>>
>>> On 10 February 2012 17:23, Emmanuel Ochieng
>>> <emmanuelochieng797@gmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> @ Gichingiri Kuria, it can work well but consider a scenario where a
>>> Politician gathers a crowd of people and dishes out cash after
>>> confirming
>>> that you voted for him through your mobile phone!!! That will ruin the
>>> whole exercise....
>>>
>>> On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 6:13 AM, Gichingiri Kuria
>>> <gmail@gichingiri.com>wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> Since mpesa has worked so well in Kenya, how about we put the next
>>> general
>>> elections on mobile using USSD.
>>>
>>> As you register to vote, you can choose to vote via mobile and provide
>>> the
>>> number that you will use.
>>> Come election day, prompts will be sent to batches of users to vote.
>>>
>>> If done right, more people will vote and results will be out faster.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Gichingiri Kuria
>>> _________________________________________
>>> www.website.co.ke / www.sokoletu.co.ke
>>>
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>>> --
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>>>
>>> Moses Muya
>>>
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>>> --
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>>> _________________________________________
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>>>
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>>> --
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>>>
>>> Moses Muya
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>> --
>>> Best regards,
>>> Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
>>> Nairobi,KE
>>> +254733744121/+254722743223
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>
>
> Mungai S. Mbugua
>
> CTO Elimu Holdings Limited
>
> sospeter@elimu.co.ke
>
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--
Gichingiri Kuria
_________________________________________
www.website.co.ke / www.sokoletu.co.ke

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