The attached report, “Preliminary Assessment of Wireless Communications Technology for Michigan Voting Systems” (April 9, 2021, by James Thomas Penrose IV), analyzes security issues involving the use of wireless technology in Michigan voting systems, primarily focusing on Dominion and ES&S equipment. The report finds that both vendors’ systems have included wireless transmission capabilities—Dominion’s proposal for Antrim County explicitly referenced this, and evidence was found that vote totals were sometimes transmitted wirelessly.

Key findings include:

• Dominion’s systems, including the ICX machine, were found to have network connectivity traces to foreign IP addresses and included options for wireless and wired transmission.
• ES&S DS200 devices contained internal 4G wireless modems for transmitting results, using SIM cards that could potentially grant unintended access to dedicated election networks.
• The manufacturer of the 4G card, Telit, was noted as having investment ties to Chinese interests, raising concerns about supply chain risks.
• The report discusses challenges with modem transmission reliability and provides examples of communications where ballot image saving was disabled to facilitate faster results transmission.
• It highlights security risks: SIM cards provisioned for these networks could be exploited by malicious actors if acquired, and the proprietary VPN/APN configurations may not fully prevent unauthorized access.

The overarching conclusion is that the presence of wireless connectivity in voting systems introduces significant security risks, especially in terms of network integrity, supply chain security, and potential unauthorized access, warranting careful scrutiny in election administration and technology procurement.