Securing Digital Democracy

University of Michigan

About this Course

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In this course, you'll learn what every citizen should know about the security risks--and future potential — of electronic voting and Internet voting. We'll take a look at the past, present, and future of election technologies and explore the various spaces intersected by voting, including computer security, human factors, public policy, and more.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, English, Spanish

Skills you will gain

Software TestingCybersecurityUsabilityOperating System

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, English, Spanish

Instructor

J. Alex Halderman

Associate Professor

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

10,397 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

University of Michigan

The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating94%(1,162 ratings)

Week

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Voting as a Security Problem

Approaching voting problems with the security mindset

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 101 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz

8 videos

Welcome8m

The Security Mindset13m

Security Requirements for Voting12m

The Living Voice8m

Early Paper Ballots19m

The Australian Ballot13m

Mechanical Voting Machines11m

Punched Card Voting12m

5 readings

Syllabus and Logistics10m

Staff10m

Companion Reading and Resources10m

Help us learn more about you!10m

Reading List10m

1 practice exercise

Voting as a Security Problem30m

Week

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Computers at the Polls

Voting enters the computing age

2 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 101 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

7 videos

Computers at the Polls7m

Optical Scan Voting19m

DRE Voting Machines19m

Inside the Black Box11m

Paper as a Defense9m

Diebold22m

More Goes Wrong10m

1 reading

Reading List10m

1 practice exercise

Computers at the Polls30m

Week

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Security Procedures and Voting Around the World

Methods for ensuring the security of democracy

3 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 130 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

9 videos

Voter Registration19m

Voter Authentication11m

Guarding Against Tampering18m

Field Testing12m

Case Studies13m

India's EVMs15m

Tamperproof?13m

India's Response11m

Bonus: Deport on Arrival13m

1 reading

Reading List10m

1 practice exercise

Security Procedures and Voting Around the World30m

Week

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Human Factors and Internet Voting

Users don't always behave as expected, even when voting

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 113 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

8 videos

Usability17m

Usable Paper Ballots10m

Accessibility9m

Absentee Voting12m

A Bad Idea7m

Client-side Threats14m

Server-side Threats13m

Washington, D.C.26m

1 reading

Reading List10m

1 practice exercise

Human Factors and Internet Voting30m

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
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Securing Digital Democracy

Securing Digital Democracy