The Caesar Cipher and Stacking the Deck in New York State Voter Rolls
Abstract:
Voters in New York State are identified by two identification numbers. This study has discovered strong evidence that both numbers have been algorithmically manipulated to produce steganographically concealed record attribute information. One of the several algorithms discovered has been solved. It first utilizes a mechanism nearly identical to the simple ‘Caesar Cipher’ to change the order of a group of ID numbers. Then, it interlaces them the way a deck of cards is arranged to create a ‘stacked deck’. The algorithmic modifications create hidden structure within voter ID numbers. The structure can be used to covertly tag fraudulent records for later use.
AUTHORS
Independent Researcher
New York, New York, USA
Dr. Andrew Paquette is a researcher specializing in the identification and description of voter ID number assignment algorithms in state voter roll databases. With a background in digital visual analysis from the computer graphics industry, including work at Epic Games, Universal Studios, and Sony, Paquette applies pattern recognition techniques developed during his career in animation and art direction to identify anomalies in electoral data systems. He holds a PhD from King's College London and previously co-founded the International Game Architecture and Design Academy at NHTV (now Breda University of Applied Sciences), where he taught from 2006 to 2018. His current research contributes to understanding the structure and implementation of algorithmic systems in election infrastructure.
Published In
Journal of Information Warfare
The definitive publication for the best and latest research and analysis on information warfare, information operations, and cyber crime. Available in traditional hard copy or online.
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