* Posts by Mark 85

12880 publicly visible posts • joined 22 Nov 2012

Five Eyes nations must purge terrorists from the web, says Theresa May

Mark 85

Re: Who decides

I doubt that it's any corporate pulling these strings as there is profit for them somewhere in this mess... so yes... who decides on who decides what's bad?

What would happen if Earth fell into a black hole?

Mark 85

@Grikath -- Re: Worse than being sucked into a black hole is colliding with the sun in the process

Not to mention that the atmosphere and basically anything not bolted down would have been sucked away first.

Cybersecurity is slowing down my business, say majority of chief execs

Mark 85

I was hauled into a meeting the board around 5 years ago as a "spear-carrier" for my boss. The board was taking a "hard look" as they called it, at all of IT and were holding meetings with small groups of managers.

Anyway, the IT Security head was asked "how many hackers were stopped? If we're not being compromised, why do we even need you?" He looked back that board member, and made a statement that they should get the head of Physical Security up here because he should be asked "How many people who had guns were prevented from getting to the exec suites and the board room." and that "If the answer is none, his department should be disbanded also.". The look on the board members' faces was priceless.

As a footnote, that head of security is now CIO.

Mark 85

Re: Security is an enabler

Security is effectively insurance which is always a hard sell. You're asking a business to pay for things and carry out functions which cost money and time yet if they are effective nothing happens.

This should remind us of the Y2K "problem". After it was over, how many CEO's bemoaned that fact that "nothing happened so why did we spend all that money?".

There's a mindset here that can't believe that "nothing is happening" is a good thing and worth spending some cash.

Project Loon ready for Sri Lanka test

Mark 85

I'm puzzled...

The article states that the Loons are in Sri Lankan airspace (which to me, means they're up and at some altitude). It then states the team is on it's way to Sri Lanka. Huh? Launch them without the team present? I guess it's also possible that the government spokesperson hasn't clue what they are talking about and that the balloons aren't airborne but "in-country".

<sarc>It's just plain scary that they'd use this to stream TED talks. I'd think there's more important stuff to communicate.</sarc>

Apple must help Feds unlock San Bernardino killer's iPhone – judge

Mark 85

Fingerprint won't work in this case. Apparently they tried it according to some spot reports on other sites. It needs the PIN.

According CNN, they destroyed their personal phones and the hard drive from their computer hasn't been found. This phone was his work phone issued by the county.

I'm a tad surprised that the county didn't put in a back door code into it since we put in a way to get into the company's encrypted PC's, phones, tablets, etc. if someone dies or terminates (voluntary or involuntary).

US software biz fined $28 million for bribing Chinese buyers with free vacations, gifts

Mark 85

Revenue from this: $11.85M, fines $28M and no whine from the company? It would seem that they lost money on this... not the normal fine rate. Did the FTC get some balls or is the company only admitting that they made $11.85M in revenue and reality is somewhat higher?

Facebook tells Viz to f**k right off

Mark 85

Re: We never know why these things happen

Perhaps it was just that people complained?

Or just ran around waving their arms and screaming at the top of their lungs: "I'm offended!!!!!!!" From what I gather, FB is filled with the whiny, the PC, the SJW types.

Google? Great firm, lovely people, says Microsoft-backed ICOMP

Mark 85

Scroogled?

Microsoft has toned down its anti-Google rhetoric since Satya Nadella took the CEO’s reins, parking its aggressive 'Scroogled' attack ads from a couple of years ago. The ads served to draw a line between Google’s consumer behaviour processing and Microsoft’s alternatives.

I suspect that this is because MS is adapting the Google model of slurp the data and serve ads to the OS. Or will be soon. There's been much speculation on this and it seems logical. Can't be calling Google slime-buckets when MS is about to do the same, right?

'Hobbit' heads aren't human says bone boffin

Mark 85
Devil

Re: Homo Trumpus?

After years of genetic analysis, it is now a well established fact that politicians (Hirudinea Sapiens) have evolved from leeches, developing a specialised snout-like organ for efficient feeding from any available trough.

I thought that was the evolution of lawyers and patent trolls... oh wait...

Ransomware scum infect Tinseltown hospital, demand $3.6m

Mark 85

Re: Whare are the NSA / GCHQ whe you need them?

Hospitals are like almost everywhere else... everything is connected to the LAN and because email, web research, etc.. the LAN is connected to the internet. For example, the MRI machine needs to store the images on a server. Those images need to be accessible to physicians within and outside of the hospital. Physicians, don't seem to care about security and having files moved from an air-gapped system to the LAN/WAN/Internet so they can view the files from their office or home.

Yeah... they should have separate systems which would require separate PC's/terminals to get into, but there's a large hassle there with extra equipment on the desk, extra cost, etc. So most don't do it. The few that still run separate systems are considered "backwards".

And let's not even think about IoT in hospitals at this point. Security on that stuff is a fiction.

Virgin Atlantic co-pilot dazzled by laser

Mark 85

"Also amazing to think you can legally purchase on eBay a device which is prohibited "

Most engraver/cutting lasers on eBay are of the non-visible spectrum type. They're invisible. Also, a sheet of Perspex will block the beam. There are engraver/cutting lasers that are visible and will cut right through acrylics or glass but those are rather pricey and non-portable.

From the reports, these attacks are using visible spectrum lasers which will penetrate acrylics/glass. The key is visible spectrum.

ESA's Sentinel satellite to ride converted ICBM

Mark 85

Re: "Decommissioned"?

Oh.. I think 5 or 10 launches in rapid succession would be a dead giveaway.

Blighty cops nab Brit teen for 'hacking' CIA Brennan's AOL email

Mark 85

Re: Legal questions

Or you could watch paint dry :-)

And if there's no wet paint about, then there's a fully approved movie for that.

Roses are red, violets are blue, Valentine's Day means DDoS for you

Mark 85

Re: Net scum

Well I have noticed, that in the UK anyway, the scum (of all colours) seem to rise to the top.

Indeed, scum floats. I've often heard reference to someone "being lower than whale shit".. but apparently some does float to the top apparently... ambergris.

Edit:

Ambergris maybe isn't true whale shit according to references.

If you're going to protect people's privacy, protect our profits, too – US broadband biz to FCC

Mark 85

ISPs will police themselves ????

The carrier and cable groups, on the other side of the debate, want the commission to take a more hands-off approach, with the belief that ISPs will police themselves when handling customer data.

Hahahahahahaha...... yeah... and bears will stay out of the woods also.

How to build a plane that never needs to land

Mark 85
Headmaster

The headline is wrong...

Every aircraft will land... at least once and maybe not in pristine condition. The old cliché applies: What goes up, has to come down*.

*Disclaimer: This applies only to aircraft and LEO type objects.

Coding is more important than Shakespeare, says VC living in self-contained universe

Mark 85

Too late, it's already here, except it's a VC apocalypse.

Mark 85

Re: Literature

'He's a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.' --- Lord Darlington

No apologies here, Oscar Wilde described him best.

Free science journal library gains notoriety, lands injunctions

Mark 85

@ecofeco -- Re: Free libraries

At the height of mankind's knowledge it seems the PTB are desperately trying to bring back the Dark Ages.

Well yes. The corporates need serfs to work for them.

Mark 85

Re: Simple solution

I was about to suggest the same thing, but go one step further... submit it to both sites. That way it's legal for Sci-Hub to have it. The leech will quickly die off from lack of income.

'Adobe Creative Cloud update ate my backup!'

Mark 85
Facepalm

The Facepalm of the Week Award

I do believe Adobe wins again.

Send tortuous stand-up ‘nine-thirty’ meetings back to the dark ages

Mark 85

@I ain't Spartacus -- Re: Toilet meeting?

Now let me dump this idea on you, and see if it floats...

But the job's not done until the paperwork is turned in.

Mark 85

Optional sign for the desk: "The meetings will continue until we figure out why we're not getting anything done."

Mark 85
Devil

Re: Morning Prayers

In a previous work place a few years ago we had Morning Prayers but also Evening Psalms.

Same here although they were called Vespers. And when they started a project, the early meetings were "Come to Jesus" meetings. Yeah, we all will rot in hell.

Global crypto survey proves govt backdoors completely pointless

Mark 85

Re: "ridiculous to try and enforce a ban"

I think that here in the States there's bigger problem. Our CongressCritters follow whatever hysteria is generated by the media and to some extent, the TLA's. Take a look at Feinstein, for example. There is also a perception from their bleatings that encryption is one product or that all the products have a common basic to allow what they want.

Yes, it's theatre, but it's coming to a TLA or LEA near you.

Skype users were targeted by bad-ad pushing Angler crooks

Mark 85

Re: Idiot MS

If the reports are true (and they seem to be) then Win10 is headed into that same cesspool only now it will be the OS serving the ads. Be afraid, be very afraid.

Used a cell phone in NYC? The cops probably tracked you

Mark 85

Re: @ Mark 85 Two comments

Since you raised the point, supposedly, the Stingray system drops and ignores the phones of those the cops aren't interested in. I say "supposedly" because that's what the FBI claimed in court. Funny thing is, they've dropped charges against alleged crims rather than reveal how the system works or where the data (all the data) goes.

I wasn't discussing "right" and "wrong" originally but only what I'd do if I were a crim.

Mark 85

Re: Two comments

Valid points. But if you're a crim, why turn on or carry a cellphone at all? I sure as hell wouldn't. But crims aren't always the brightest. Some even take pics of the crime and then share them.

Net narks phishing AlphaBay drug logins in clever redirect attack

Mark 85

Re: Who are the "net narcs"?

Historically, narcs were the narcotics division of the police force. Then it became the name used on those who snitched, turned-in, or "narced" on the users/dealers. I'm not sure what it means in this context. My impression that these are just a different level of scum who have no intent on tattling on anyone.

Amazon's Lumberyard invaded by zombies

Mark 85

I think it would be the other way around.. the zombie suing for damages because he/she ate a lawyers brain. Or maybe cracked the skull open and realized the contents were rotten.

Putin's internet guru says 'nyet' to Windows, 'da' to desktop Linux

Mark 85

@Pascal Monett

The bit about cheating and loss of trust is just a jab for old time's sake.

I'm not so sure about the "old time's sake" part. It might be, or it might be that they've picked up on the feelings of the IT people world-wide. I can't remember the last time I read an article on MS where the comments haven't been laden with "lost my trust", etc.

Hollywood gives up speculative invoicing attempt in Australia

Mark 85

Re: Bravo Federal Court Justice Nye Perram!

I wish some (many? most? all?) judges in the US had this degree of common sense.

US Congress locks and loads three anti-encryption bullets

Mark 85

Re: Time to write my congressional representatives.

Go a bit more personal...

1) Remind them that because Hillary didn't encrypt, there's factions that believe she belongs behind bars because they read her emails. So it's a case for and against encryption depending on your party.

2) Point out to them, that without encryption, their activities can be monitored. If they have nothing to hide, then they too have nothing to fear.

Mark 85
Pirate

Three Bills?

The Feinstein Bill (along with the author) should just be tossed in wastebin of history.

The Encrypt Act seems good on the surface, otherwise we'd have some states banning and others allowing and a massive headache for users and ISP's. There should be some uniformity otherwise a person living in an "encrypted" state would have issues communicating with someone in an "unencrypted" state. Plus companies would flee states based on the encryption issue.

The McCaul Bill might be the best. Tie this stuff up in a committee for eternity with no decision ever being reached. The marketplace will find it's center. Meantime, the TLA's will be beside themselves and beyond pissed off. Win-Win since many times, the best action is "no action".

TTIP: A locked room, no internet access, two hours, 300 pages and lots of typos

Mark 85

I'm not in the EU and I'm afraid of this agreement also...

There's some real shenanigans going on behind the scenes just like the Pacific trade agreement. I'm in the US and these agreements are giving me the worries. If I were in the EU, I'd be even more worried.

This whole realm of secrecy is not a good thing. We know that the multinationals are pulling strings but what extent? How can a legislature vote to approve something they're not allowed to see and study until it's time to vote on it? This whole thing smells as bad as the last agreement.

Microsoft quits giving us the silent treatment on Windows 10 updates

Mark 85

Re: Maybe we should start charging them rent

I like that.. but you forgot about the bandwidth charge to put it there.

Firemen free chap's todger from four-ring chokehold

Mark 85

@TRT

a kind of drain cock

I see what you did there.. have an upvote.

Bank fail: Ready or not, here's our new software

Mark 85

Re: Ego

Only today? I generally have one of those days, every day. It's just a matter of degree...

Google binning its search appliance hardware business

Mark 85

Re: Hardware

Ah yeah.. which means if they index your company data they have access to it. Which presents some interesting issues (for some value of interesting) such as a health insurance company which is using the search appliance for documentation. All that personal info is Google's. Same for any other company. Customer info, business info...

This is scarier than letting the NSA index it for you.

Microsoft hits the gas in drive to recruit autistic techies

Mark 85

Re: Um, this is ridiculously illegal

I think the point is that they are trying to recruit better programers and, in this context, they are anything but disabled.

I think you've hit it on the head with "context". While I agree it is a good thing, I'm on the fence here. Anyone remember "affirmative action"? Where perfectly good candidates were ignored because they didn't fit the "affirmative part"? There was no context in finding the "best" only to fill the quota. The ADA law was enacted to counter that on the basis of disability not race... but it doesn't consider the opposite. What if a company needs a specific characteristic? Or that a certain disability can perform the job better? Is this reverse discrimination? I'd like to think not but then, there's a lot of narrowly focused groups who only focus on what the law says and nothing else.

How cybercrooks made $330K from ransomware without really trying

Mark 85

The amount of money is overall obviously high... my question is "how many gangs?". Still, I wish certain agencies would focus on this a bit and take these guys out.

Obama govt proposes 33% hike in cyber-security spending

Mark 85

So, they'll increase security spending..

but probably not get increased security. Most of the security types would laugh at the pay the government offers to employees. OTOH, most would take a contracting position as it's gold.

Don't you see these simple facts? Destroy Facebook and restore human Liberty

Mark 85

A mild FOTW...

I do believe that I've seen more bile and flames on some the Windows 10 "upgrade" topics than this. Some of Trevor Potts have been classic but he being a columnist here might disqualify him.

Amazon UK boss is 'most powerful' man in food and drink

Mark 85

Re: Amazon to 'av Ocado?

Upvote for the crocigator reference.

Silent Nork satellite tumbling in orbit

Mark 85

This was, after all, the Huffington Post. They love sensationalism and hate everything that doesn't agree with their view of the world. I'm just surprised they didn't include something about killer-cops in the statement.

Ex-TalkTalker TalkTalks: Records portal had shared password. It was 4 years old

Mark 85

Re: Poor customers - literally

I don't blame the scammer for the loss - I directly blame TalkTalk. Someone needs to take them to court over this mess.

Actually, if you think about it, they both are to blame. One for being a miscreant and scamming innocent people who are probably the one's who can least afford it, and the second for having lousy security and abusing their customer relationship by engaging in less than honest dealings. The BS coming out of the TT front office is appalling.

Are Indians too stupid to be trusted with free Internet?

Mark 85

Re: @Mark 85 - Sorry to bother you with this but

If you'll note, it's a corporate providing the "free lunch". What does the corporation expect in return?

Sheeesh....

Norks uses ballistic missile to launch silent 'satellite'

Mark 85

I've got one living next to me... I'm just tickled that he doesn't have nuclear weapons. And that the local cops keep a close eye on him also.

Mark 85

@LordNorthway -- Re: God Save the Rocket!!!

Wrong icon.. you should have used the Big Brother one....