The National Electoral Institute (INE) assured that its district computing system, which will be used for the 2024-2025 judicial elections, is well protected against cyber-attacks. We are talking about all kinds of threats: from denial of service attacks and ransomware, to hacking attempts or unauthorized access.
This statement was made after the second simulation of the Extraordinary Electoral Process to elect the new positions of the Federal Judiciary. There, INE tested the stability of the system and how it behaves both technically and functionally.
“The system worked without problems: it is solid, secure and does its job well,” the institute explained in a statement. They added that the entire data capture and processing flow remained constant and uninterrupted, something fundamental considering that it will be used for six different elections.
During the simulation, real voting day conditions were replicated to confirm that the system can handle the workload without failures and guarantee a reliable vote count.
A mock precinct canvass is basically a big test to make sure that the system in charge of counting the votes works flawlessly before Election Day. It's like rehearsing the whole process, step by step, but without using real data. What exactly is done? Here we explain it to you:
Loading simulated data: Fake (fictitious, of course) minutes are fed into the system, as if the voting had already happened. This helps to see how the platforms react when the votes are “counted”.
Data capture and validation: INE personnel in the 300 districts simulate the registration of this information and check that everything is entering the system correctly, without errors or bottlenecks.
Technical check: Technology teams review everything: how long it takes to process, whether the system remains stable, whether the data is stored correctly and whether cybersecurity measures are working as they should.
Transparency: In the more advanced phases of the simulation, citizens and observers are even allowed to monitor how everything is done, which helps to reinforce confidence in the process.
The INE explained that these rehearsals are key to detecting and resolving any flaws before the day of truth arrives.
So far, the first simulation has already taken place on April 30, and the third (and last) one is scheduled for May 18. This will be the most complete of all, and anyone will be able to observe the process at a national level. It will be possible to see how the computations are made in each constituency, circuit and judicial district.
INE has made it clear that this type of exercise is part of its commitment to transparency, legality and security, especially in a process as relevant as this one.