Russian Blockchain-powered Voting Platform ‘Withstands Node Attack’

Adoption Blockchain Russia
Last updated:
Author
Author
Tim Alper
About Author

Tim Alper is a British journalist and features writer who has worked at Cryptonews.com since 2018. He has written for media outlets such as the BBC, the Guardian, and Chosun Ilbo. He has also worked...

Last updated:
Why Trust Cryptonews
Cryptonews has covered the cryptocurrency industry topics since 2017, aiming to provide informative insights to our readers. Our journalists and analysts have extensive experience in market analysis and blockchain technologies. We strive to maintain high editorial standards, focusing on factual accuracy and balanced reporting across all areas - from cryptocurrencies and blockchain projects to industry events, products, and technological developments. Our ongoing presence in the industry reflects our commitment to delivering relevant information in the evolving world of digital assets. Read more about Cryptonews

The operators of Russia’s blockchain voting system say their platform successfully repelled a hacking attack in the nation’s referendum on constitutional reform.

Source: Adobe/niyazz

Blockchain voting is being piloted in the cities of Moscow and Nizhniy Novgorod, and began on June 25. Citizens in both cities were required to pre-register their interest in casting blockchain votes, with a total of around 1 million in the capital signing up to the platform. This allows them to cast votes via their smartphones.

However, Tass reports that Moscow’s smart government chief stated that “an attempt was made to attack the blockchain through an observer node at 21:12 Moscow time on June 27.”

The official added that the network had been placed into a “heightened security mode,” but added,

“There was no interruption in voting. All votes have been safely […] recorded on the blockchain. After IT security experts carry out necessary work, access to the observer node will be restored as normal.”

The operators did not speak about the nature of the attack, nor did they indicate who might have been behind it.
Referendum voting continues, with blockchain voting concluding tomorrow. Tass reports as well as the 1 million voters in the Russian capital who have registered to use the blockchain platform, some 140,000 residents of Nizhniy Novgorod have also signed up. The turnout as per June 27 was 75%, with a total of 879,654 blockchain votes cast.

However, media outlets have reported teething problems. The system crashed briefly after launch, struggling to deal with a larger-then-expected influx of votes. And one Open Media Telegram post claimed that a large number of votes initially failed to register on the system – although the operators claim that these problems have since been resolved.

A paper ballot will be conducted on July 1, with the result determining whether President Vladimir Putin may bid to extend his leadership beyond 2022.

More Articles

Blockchain News
Tether Acquires Minority Stake in Juventus Football Club
Hongji Feng
Hongji Feng
2025-02-14 19:28:23
Blockchain News
Vitalik Buterin Advocates for Scaling L1 Gas to Improve Ethereum’s Value
Tanzeel Akhtar
Tanzeel Akhtar
2025-02-14 19:22:43
Crypto News in numbers
editors
Authors List + 66 More
2M+
Active Monthly Users Around the World
250+
Guides and Reviews Articles
8
Years on the Market
70
International Team Authors