* Posts by Mark 85

12880 publicly visible posts • joined 22 Nov 2012

'RipSec' goes to Hollywood: how the iCloud celeb hack happened

Mark 85

Re: We can smirk...

I wish I could upvote this more than once. We, in IT, have become rather cynical and guarded about this sort of stuff. It doesn't matter if it's smartphones or PC's, we've seen it all or just about have. The average user.. no they haven't. I still hear from people who got a virus from a spoofed email and don't understand why their friend would send them a virus. Or why, they got caught by a nasty from a drive-by or malvertising

Even people who should know better get nailed by phishing emails.. as the number of companies paying fake invoices is showing.

They do have an expectation that the internet is secure. That governments aren't spying on them. That stuff they put onto the cloud or in their devices is not seen or accessed by anyone else.

If the government agencie charged with "policing and protection", if the AV programs all did what they say they do, we might not have these isues. Sadly we can't change the way people think and work. There's always those who look for the easy money... be they malware thugs or even advertisers.

The world lacks trust and ethics and that's something that will damn hard to change.

Mark 85
Coat

Re: You're urging it wrong.

There could be monetization of this.. simply put the patches in their App Store and charge for downloading them. Then.. PROFIT!!!

Icon.... Pockets full of cash from this.

Bribing public officials up to $900 is OK-ish, says South Korean court

Mark 85
Devil

Not "what" but "who"....

'Self-deleting' Mexican ATM malware let sneaky miscreants slurp cash

Mark 85

Re: What if these incredibly creative criminals

It depends on how they (not us) define "good". They strike out at the "evil banks".. get some cash and spend it which helps the local economy. It's still wrong, but then we're looking at one of the lands of drug lords, drug wars, and general mayhem and killings all in the name of "power". Just a few degrees worse than most of the "civilized" countries....

I gottta' find the off switch for my cynic button.

VW: Just the tip of the pollution iceberg. Who's to blame? Hippies

Mark 85

Re: Yup it's all the 'hippies' fault

Beggers felt entitled to your spare change and felt they were justified in harassing you for it.

Well, that explains a lot about the politicians from the Bay Area, doesn't it?

Official: North America COMPLETELY OUT of new IPv4 addresses

Mark 85

Re: Hold on...

Check with the advertisers and brokers... maybe take there's. I'm sure they'd supplement the ones behind the cushions and tucked into the dog's bed.

Smartphone passcodes protected by the Fifth Amendment – US court

Mark 85

Now it's clear...

Why many government types here in the States push for "biometric" as opposed to password protection. This ruling just drives that nail home.

Is domain overlord ICANN the FIFA of the internet? We'll know this weekend

Mark 85

Oversight?

Where's the US Government been on this? ICANN is still beholden to them obviously. When our government insists on "oversight" this seems to be the way it goes. All show and nothing actually done.

PETA monkey selfie lawsuit threatens wildlife photography, warns snapper at heart of row

Mark 85

Re: "The facts and the law don't matter, it seems."

You're right. I've been reading the commentary here and it all seems a waste. The lawsuit should be tossed out since the Copyright Office has added a line to copyrights that "animals can't own copyrights".

Cue the commentards who will now say we humans are animals.. followed by religious fundies sceaming "we're not animals"... more mayhem on the way for sure.

UK in Frenchy cyber love-in to ward off 'information bomb'

Mark 85

True, you can do it faster and more cheaply these days; but all that means is that most people will become more resistant to it.

Actually, it's the other way around... the more they hear it/read it, the less resistant they will become and the more acceptance they will have. Goering (IIRC) preached that tell a lie often enough and it will become the truth or words to that effect. He is/was right. It shows up in all the government's security theater.

Mark 85

Re: This Paul Virilio seems to have been the typical lefty pretend-intellectual.

The governments are embracing it because it's basically about your first sentence "intervention and control". They're doing whatever it takes to legitimize their quest for power.

Sino the times, as Microsoft makes Baidu default search engine in China

Mark 85

Re: Does this mean

Probably both. And since the data will come to MS, the States will get a peek also and then share it with at least 4 other countries. Ah... the worker's paradise is coming to pass.

Bloodthirsty data parasites hungrily eye up healthcare sector

Mark 85

Re: four pointing back at you

Well said. Have an upvote. Isn't it nice that the government dumps the bulk of the regulation on you yet does nothing to assist until after the attack? Usually involving fines and maybe some work by a TLA to fix a small part of the blame or for political reasons?

Mark 85

Re: care.data

It's not just you Brits that have the problem... we have here in the States also. Since it's hitting critical mass, those TLA's and FLA's created to "protect us" should be leading the way to stopping it. Instead we get fed about how by snooping on world+dog they're making the world safer. Sorry... slurping my personal data by the miscreants doesn't make my world safer. Stop them, and I'll buy that the world+dog snoop is a benefit... maybe.

Asia-focussed Chinese PLA hacking crew surfaces

Mark 85

WTF?

Is it a lack of security awareness, hubris, or something else that allows various researchers find out "names" of some of the Chinese cyber-spies?

I wonder how the governments in the west would react if suddenly China, Russia, et al, were to reveal names of operative cyber-spies within the 5-eyes and started issuing arrest warrants for them.

Holy litigation, Batman! Custom Batmobile cars nixed by copyright

Mark 85

Copyright infringement

This is a PITA for everyone.. The laws change depending on the mood and possibility of profit. Anyone remember Clayton Moore? He wore the "distinctive" Lone Ranger mask for years at appearances without a hassle. Suddenly, a new Lone Ranger film was being made and the film company sued the hell out of him for wearing the mask. Basically, the court told him to change the mask...

That lawsuit did a lot to damage the credibility of copyright holders since Moore was the "Lone Ranger" in many people's eyes. The fact he wore the mask for years without interference until someone decided profit came first changed things. And not for the better, IMO.

SIX MILLION fingerprints of US govt workers nicked in cyber-heist

Mark 85

Re: While an icing on the cake, I fail to see the usefulness

Oops.... grabbed a name out of the ether.... apologies.

Mark 85

Re: While an icing on the cake, I fail to see the usefulness

Go the other way.... if one "John Smith" is coming into China as a tourist, having the fingerprints might point out that he's actually "Fred Flintstone", CIA employee.

Cyber peace deal still possible despite China's US cyber-spying denials

Mark 85

A deal? Possible...

China's tech has finally started to get close to bleeding edge and they probably want to protect it. There's still problems with them and ignoring international copyrights and much of the manufacturing still has quality control problems. But it's a start for them.

Or it's just smoke and mirrors...

Happy birthday to you, the ruling was true, no charge for this headline, 'coz the copyright's screwed

Mark 85

Is the world coming to end?

Gobsmacked by this... I'll be even moreso if there's no appeal.

Privacy, net neutrality, security, encryption ... Europe tells Obama, US Congress to back off

Mark 85
Coffee/keyboard

Well... the problem is spotted....

but accept that a variety of views are an integral part of our open democracies."

The EU seems to think the US is an "open democracy". I wish we had a ROFLMAOWPMP icon but this one will have to do.

iOS 9 security blooper lets you BYPASS PINs, eye up photos, contacts

Mark 85

Re: Software testing

Apple: "Yes, we've heard of it."

Add to that... "We're using the Microsoft model of testing. Our customers do it for us."

NOxious Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal: Chief falls on sword

Mark 85

Re: Industry spokesperson

That might work over the on the right side of the pond. Do the cars ever get re-tested? That's probably how they were caught here in the States. Most states now require a test (and passing it) prior to renewing the car's license plates.

Mark 85

That doesn't look good on your CV if you were CEO when this plan was put in action

That could be why he quit now... protect his golden parachute, claim he took responsibility and did the right thing even though he claims he knew nothing about it. Other companies will look at him and say: "Oh, a CEO with ethics, grab him.". <For some value of ethics as defined by corporations>

The question that will never be asked is: "Why didn't he know? He was in charge."

Robber loses heist case after 'evil twin' defence, gets 60 years

Mark 85

Meanwhile, in the great British tradition of adopting only the worst ideas from America and never the good ones, there seems to be a growing expectation in the UK that rape is part of prison. Sad.

Go back in time a bit and read up on life in "prison ships" in English harbors. Particularly the one's that were for children... er... young lads.

Mark 85

Re: Any compassion? How about some for the VICTIMS?

I note the downvotes for AC and myself explaining the American system and the laws. AC is right about what happened. The "rights" of the mentally ill became one of the rallying points back in the day. Ronnie Raygun's administration was involved in dumping them on the street since the pressure was there.

We used to have mental institutions but public opinion was swayed by such things at the movie "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". And there were several lawsuits and incidents within these institutions.

Like it or not, it's the way it is. We average "Joes" can't change the system without a major shitstorm happening but we're all paying for this problem with much of the violence happening because mental illness is a "protected disability" according to the law which has much to do with feel gooders and little to do with actual protection. I won't digress here into how the ADA should be fixed to actually help.

Mark 85

Re: Any compassion?

If it were for one count (one crime per count), you're probably right. But he did it 10 times which means he basically gets 10 times the sentence for one crime. Harsh? Probably not as in the words of the police, he wasn't about to stop until they stopped him. Also, there's not just one victim, there's 10. Each of those businesses had to deal with the trauma and all that follows with losses not just of money but also those were working and confronted by him.

Until you've been mugged or robbed you won't understand the scars that can leave.

UK.gov wants a cloud wizard at £1,000 a DAY. That's more than the prime minister's salary

Mark 85

Why am I reminded of the opening to "Joe and Volcano" by this....?

"I know he can get the job, but can he do the job?"... followed by "I know he do the job but can he get the job". Rinse, repeat. Who will actually be hired is probably not open to discussion.

NIST's quantum boffins have TELEPORTED stuff over a HUNDRED KILOMETRES

Mark 85

Re: And after

So if it were to eliminate "bandwidth". I can hear the Telco's and ISP's screaming now.....

XCodeGhost iOS infection toll rises from 39 to a WHOPPING 4,000 apps

Mark 85

@Steven R -- Re: Apple Pie

For how many years have we heard the fanbois yelling about how secure their equipement and software was? For how many years have we heard that the share of the market by Apple wasn't worth the effort in the target-rich environment that is Windows?

Well, that particular buzzard has decided the Apple market is worth cracking. I agree with you on it not being a competitor and I'll add, not a TLA. Just market forces in the malware world at work have finally set their sights on Apple. At some point, Linux will be a target.... Android already is one.

Mark 85

Re: Google Play immune?

Sort of reminds one of the phrase "top men" and where that image came from, doesn't it?

Homeland Security in CYBER POPE 'net chatter-check bulk up

Mark 85
Angel

They forgot one title...

Pope Francis, whose full title is His Holiness Francis, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the Vatican City State, Servant of the servants of God,

What, no "Keeper of the Faith"???

Icon.. well because it's the Pope......

Malvertisers slam Forbes, Realtor with world's worst exploit kits

Mark 85

When El Reg says "the ad bounce visitiors" or "redirect"...

is this an automatic thing or does the user have to click on the ad? I think this might be a factor in placing blame.

And Terje is quite correct but I go a step further. The NSA in the States is given the task of protecting the country and to have the intel to prevent attacks. I would think that malvertising is an attack....

Hm, a scandal brewing, Kaiser? Healthcare giant buys How Kaiser Killed My Wife and other .coms

Mark 85

We could do this for the next week and if they were to buy all the names, they be broke pretty quick. Or, I suppose, they could fire everyone except for the CEO and his admin and downsize to a 2 person office. Save a bundle on salaries and real estate.

Pope Francis' first act in America: Halt iPhone 6S, 6S Plus deliveries

Mark 85
Devil

Re: A pope visit delays the jesus phone ?

Now if the Jesus phone delayed the Pope.... there's news.

Citrix wants a buyer, fast

Mark 85

One small problem iwth selling....

The deal comes with a curse as Elliot Management is still a stockholder... Unless a company with really deep pockets buys it and then buys back all the shares.

I feel for all the employees are going through hell right now.

India's daft draft anti-encryption law torn up after world+dog points out its stupidity

Mark 85

Reason is transparent...

The move may also have some political motivation, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a trip to Silicon Valley later this week to meet industry executives.

As elDog here and many us in the previous article have pointed out... Business, and not just the IT world, won't go for this.

I would almost expect them to come back with "citizens" only and not businesses or government will get "no encryption". But then that means that no contractor could ever use a non-business phone, computer, etc. And good luck with locking that down... someone would just go buy and say it's for "business" and thus negate the law.

Child abuse, drug sales, terrorism fears: Why cops halted a library's Tor relay ... for a month

Mark 85

Small Town America

My observation from living them for much of adult life is that they're more conservative fiscally, yet liberal in many areas. They can be very judgemental and harsh. But they do hold certain things sacred such as "free speech" and a dislike of Big Government (and even Big Business) and orders from said government regarding what they see as "their business".

Yes, there's a price to pay for security... if government can actually provide that. There's a price for privacy which seemingly all governments try to take away for "security".

Edit While the US Government has assisted in TOR, there's a reason but I'm not sure any of us will ever know the reality of that reason. They're very secretive and suspicious of anyone else being secretive.

These US Presidential contestants can't even secure their websites – what hope for America?

Mark 85
FAIL

So much like robocalling....

.. I guess we can expect the Congress to override the FTC guidelines, etc. for politicians. What a sad, sad state of affairs. We're supposed to support them, trust them and elect them?

How to build a server room: Back to basics

Mark 85

Re: The joy of small computer rooms...

Those fans aren't a problem, just shut things down. We had (past tense... gone soon after) VP who insisted she needed a key to the server room. She went in to take a private call on the cell phone (only room she was close to) and decided the fans made too much noise. Not as much noise as the screams from the employees, followed by management up and down the food chain, though.

She didn't hit the power switch... just started unplugging all the power cords.... switches, servers, RAID, PBX, Aspect phone system... took me and the manufacturer's techs almost a week to get everything working properly again. This was 16 years ago... upper management sticks by the mandatory "only credentialed IT allowed in server rooms" which was implemented two weeks after the event.

Mark 85

Re: Power? It's infinite isn't it?

What? You don't like the smell of smoke from an electrical source?

Mark 85

Excellent article and points.

I've printed this out and hung it in several places... my "office", the server room, even made sure my boss has a copy which she liked and is passing it about to various people. Maybe, just maybe, someone will get a clue and some things will change.

Ex-HP boss and US prez wannabe Carly sings about her dog on TV

Mark 85

We're doomed....

She's moving up in the polls which makes this a more likely scenario... Just freaking doomed.....

(I'm on the States and this is beyond belief. Reminds of Bill Clinton playing the sax on late night TV).

Cyber crims up the ante with Google Play brainteaser malware

Mark 85

The one they know...

How many are there that Google doesn't know about? It seems the miscreants know more about the security of the Play Store than Google does from way they're managing to work around it. And then it takes 5 days for them to pull it after being notified? Sort of makes a statement about how seriously Google takes "user security".

The UK IS better than Europe, FACT! (at implementing cybersecurity measures)

Mark 85
Devil

Security?

Of course we do. We don't have a network or outside connections. We have Martha. When you need a file, call Martha and she'll bring it to you on a floppy disk. When you're done, she'll take the disk back to the file room and put it on the server. It slows us down a bit but we're not spending a lot of money on Security... bonuses will be great this year.

Transport for London’s new crash map immediately crashes

Mark 85

Even moreso with idiots and cellphones checking the map whilst driving.

Indianapolis man paints his ball every day – for FORTY YEARS

Mark 85

Asimov re-incarnated? A very nice read.

Mark 85
Devil

Re: Playmobil

We got an actual picture of it and the painter which is better than Playmobil. Sacrilege to even say that around here. I await the mob the pitchforks and torches.

Cisco shocker: Some network switches may ELECTROCUTE you

Mark 85
Facepalm

Seems like a faulty design issue if the wiring is right behind the mounting holes. <shakes head> <smacks forehead>

AVG to flog your web browsing, search history from mid-October

Mark 85

If they want money from us....

Why not spare us the ads, the tracking, the BS, and just ask for some? In the case of AVG, I'd pay something not to be tracked. Same with Google. How much do they get from us, per person, per year?

Then again, there's cookie blocking, AdBlock, and HOSTS.... <sigh>