Well, this is Frikken depressing...

[Ral-Clan]

Anyone read this news?

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2884952/equation-cyberspies-use-unrivaled-nsastyle-techniques-to-hit-iran-russia.html

The ability for malware to start doing this type of thing makes me want to curl up in a ball with my trusty old VIC-20 and its datasette.

I realize that it's describing malware on the level of inter-country espionage, but this type of knowledge trickles down eventually.

[Tenacious]

Do you work for a company that supplies you with a laptop or iPhone?  Google "iMonitor" sometime.

[Tenacious]

Options for folks who value their privacy and anonymity, listed in decreasing orders of security:

1  Join an Amish community while remaining offline and off the grid.  Churning butter is every bit as much fun as a session of Minecraft.
2  Design your own computer hardware and software that you can trust, and remain disconnected.
3  Use old stuff from before the invention of malware,  and remain disconnected.
4  Put your faith in Linux or other open source OSes (in the belief that no one would bury malware in obscure, community developed SW),  and remain disconnected.
5  Go online to only 'safe' sites, trusting, with trepidation, the latest security updates from your favorite vendor.  Firewalls are like castles, unbreachable.
6  Caution is for sissies!  Bank online and bare your soul on Facebook with gusto.  After-all, 99% of the world can't be wrong!
7  "The new world order can't arrive fast enough!  10,000 years of human history has become boring and stale."  Just don't forget to upload your mind when the moments right.

[danbeaver]

Or, Cerf the Web for your porn and pedophilia pictures using an old, Retro computer; transact your search for explosives, ricin, and anthrax through Tor after you log on to someone else's network with a disposable drive, SD card, or USB thumb drive.

There are many options:)

[Tenacious]

Can I borrow your computer for a day or 2?  

So, privacy is only desirable to a criminal?

[danbeaver]

Can I borrow your computer for a day or 2?  

So, privacy is only desirable to a criminal?

No, the Feds only give a sh-t about criminal activity; those feeling threatened by the thought of lost privacy can do all of the above I mentioned sans the criminal stuff.  You can run Linux from a cheap thumb drive logged into a public network.

However, those with paranoia and a pervasive, long-standing suspiciousness and generalized mistrust of others who are hypersensitive, easily feel slighted, and habitually relate to the world by vigilant scanning of the environment for clues or suggestions that may validate their fears or biases, and those who think they are in danger and look for signs and threats of that danger, potentially not appreciating other evidence, are the ones at most risk (of having Mel Gibson star in a movie about them).  "Be Afraid, very afraid."

[Tenacious]

Did I hit a nerve?  

[danbeaver]

Yes,  I'm not a fan of Mel Gibson.

[Matt_H]

Well, you can always use those compromised drives in an Amiga. The malware won't have a damn clue what to do with 68K and Amiga APIs!

[danbeaver]

Actually a good point!  While I would expect the firmware infects Windows X86, they would have to write multiple versions for the different systems out there.  I could be done, but at a cost of size and detection.

[XDelusion]

Options for folks who value their privacy and anonymity, listed in decreasing orders of security:

1  Join an Amish community while remaining offline and off the grid.  Churning butter is every bit as much fun as a session of Minecraft.
2  Design your own computer hardware and software that you can trust, and remain disconnected.
3  Use old stuff from before the invention of malware,  and remain disconnected.
4  Put your faith in Linux or other open source OSes (in the belief that no one would bury malware in obscure, community developed SW),  and remain disconnected.
5  Go online to only 'safe' sites, trusting, with trepidation, the latest security updates from your favorite vendor.  Firewalls are like castles, unbreachable.
6  Caution is for sissies!  Bank online and bare your soul on Facebook with gusto.  After-all, 99% of the world can't be wrong!
7  "The new world order can't arrive fast enough!  10,000 years of human history has become boring and stale."  Just don't forget to upload your mind when the moments right.

Heh, I just had to chime in. I did some volunteer work with the Amish and Mennonites recently up in Detroit and ugh... ya, those old assumptions about the Amish are a little out dated. Some of them use electronics, mind you they generate their own power, but they use electronics. Some Amish like groups even have Facebook. And as a matter of fact, they are not all Communal, and some don't farm but work at the local factories instead.

[Matt_H]

Finally, a benefit to the high barrier for entry for new Amiga programmers:
"Ok, I got the worm working under 3.9, but as soon as the ROM update is enabled it crashes."
"You need to make sure the victim is using scsi.device 45.13 or earlier."
"Even on an 060?"
"No, for 040 or lower it has to be scsi.device 45.14 AND FastFileSystem 45.9."
"Ugh, fine. Is there a difference between the SCSI scsi.device and the IDE scsi.device?"
"Check the RKRM."
"I don't have the newest version."
"I loaned you the Developer CD that had the RKRMs on it - use that."
"I left it at home."
"Why are we making this compatible with these old Amiga things again?"
"Beats me. Can you send me those bsdsocket.library includes?"
"vasm or AsmPro?"
"Hell, I don't know."

:crazy:

And the whole issue would be moot if the drive manufacturers would
a) Allow/make it easy for end users to re-flash their firmware
b) Require a write-enable jumper to be set in order to do so

[danbeaver]

[Yeah, off topic but I ran across some Amish talking on their cells and wearing Nike shoes; when I asked about their groceries, they buy them at the store like everyone else.  I was a bit surprised, but it makes sense.]

[matt3k]

Finally, a benefit to the high barrier for entry for new Amiga programmers:
"Ok, I got the worm working under 3.9, but as soon as the ROM update is enabled it crashes."
"You need to make sure the victim is using scsi.device 45.13 or earlier."
"Even on an 060?"
"No, for 040 or lower it has to be scsi.device 45.14 AND FastFileSystem 45.9."
"Ugh, fine. Is there a difference between the SCSI scsi.device and the IDE scsi.device?"
"Check the RKRM."
"I don't have the newest version."
"I loaned you the Developer CD that had the RKRMs on it - use that."
"I left it at home."
"Why are we making this compatible with these old Amiga things again?"
"Beats me. Can you send me those bsdsocket.library includes?"
"vasm or AsmPro?"
"Hell, I don't know."

:crazy:

And the whole issue would be moot if the drive manufacturers would
a) Allow/make it easy for end users to re-flash their firmware
b) Require a write-enable jumper to be set in order to do so

Good one Matt,

That gave me a good laugh at the end of the day...

Matt

[Tenacious]

Heh, I just had to chime in. I did some volunteer work with the Amish and Mennonites recently up in Detroit and ugh... ya, those old assumptions about the Amish are a little out dated. Some of them use electronics, mind you they generate their own power, but they use electronics. Some Amish like groups even have Facebook. And as a matter of fact, they are not all Communal, and some don't farm but work at the local factories instead.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to stereotype anyone.  In truth, I have respect for their convictions and society.  I enjoy visiting their communities (trying not to be a tourist) when I pass through.