Brussels under attack!

[Myxilplix]

That "Apple" ad at the end of the John Oliver clip is masterful.

[Volvobrick]

At this rate of terrorist attacks on Europe, there's going to be a Fourth Crusade....

[Lala81]

perhaps they found the right cable after all?   

 

hahaha hilarious

[Donut]

Yup. But apple has been saying that their software is impossible to hack in. Even they don't have the capability to do it. Apple is dishonest? Or they are so good that they managed to do something that is impossible for everyone else to do?

 

They are either dishonest or fooling themselves

 

Why don't they offer cash reward, as a worldwide challenge, to anyone who can hack into their OS, since they are so confident of their OS? 

[Lala81]

They are either dishonest or fooling themselves

 

Why don't they offer cash reward, as a worldwide challenge, to anyone who can hack into their OS, since they are so confident of their OS? 

 

The encryption may still be unhackable. But you can fool the software into believing it's being legitmately decrypted by the owner.

[hsl118]

All these, all thanks to Sykes and him wanting to "draw a line from the e in Acre to the last k in Kirkuk".

 

I cannot foresee how this mess can be cleaned up.

[Lala81]

All these, all thanks to Sykes and him wanting to "draw a line from the e in Acre to the last k in Kirkuk".

 

I cannot foresee how this mess can be cleaned up.

 

Singapore will have come and gone, and the fighting in the middle east will still go on until we get invaded by aliens ala Independence Day   

[ins1dious]

Then this time round Apple slap it's own face. 2 times.

 

1st time when they try to protect their own business by using customer privacy as a front against the greater need of clamping down terrorism on their own homeland. They also claimed that their ios is so secure that even themselves do noy have a backdoor to the ios. This they slap their own self.

 

iOS from ver 8 onwards is as secure from external intrusions as the company can make it. But that's not to say there are no security cracks or risks. The company patches them as and when they can find it... sometimes they do it within a week... other times they've had to be shamed to do it after months of cajoling. Does this have anything to do with foreign intelligence programs such as PRISM as revealed by Snowden?

 

In those slides... we saw all the major tech companies - incl MS, GOOG, AAPL, FB, YAHOO, etc - were shown as having the data siphoned away. This was not always done with their express cooperation and/or permission. In most cases, NSA just tapped into the national/international fibre network with the help of AT&T/Verizon and Comcast. When Google or Amazon or Apple, etc were moving data from one server farm to another... the NSA got its sticky fingers on it with the help of the broadband providers. They were the willing partners... and when this was revealed, it came as a shock to MS and Google et all. It's only after that these companies encrypted the transfer between their own data centres... which they previously didn't. And this, we are being asked to believe, has closed off this breach from the NSA.

 

But the ways the tech companies did cooperate was with the secret FISA court established under their Patriot Act after 9/11. Stats have shown that this secret court only rejected 4 requests from NSA and has approved tens of thousands of requests. So it's understood that approval from this FISA court is just a rubber-stamp away. 

 

The tech companies did cooperate because they were required by law. They gave the gmail/icloud/hotmail/AWS details once they received an order from the FISA court. It used to be that the tech companies couldn't even inform/tell/publicise their acquiescence because the order and it's compliance was to be in secret.

 

Its only when Snowden revealed everything that the tech companies were able to start talking about how many times they've cooperated. All major tech companies now have the stats publicly available for you to see. Here's Apples;

 

https://www.apple.com/privacy/government-information-requests/

 

Even in this case and with others... Apple has turned over the complete iCloud backups and data when a court order is received. So why are they refusing this new order? Apple feels that the order received under the All Writs Act is over stretching the authority of the Act. They feel the order should be scrutinised by the CELA which specifically deals with consumer electronic and communication devices. FYI, the AWA is from the year 178x whereas the CELA is more recent... from 1990s or early 2000... also the AWA is basically two lines and is more as a backup for those issues that has not been specifically dealt with and has laws for it. 

 

Does Apple currently have a backdoor to your device? No... does that preclude others - such as NSA/CIA - from accessing your phone. I doubt it. Those two organisations are shadowy... they are intelligence gatherers... FBI is an enforcement agency. They need to prove whatever it is they are dealing with in an open court. They have to show where they gathered the evidence.

 

2. Now that FBI managed to crack tbeir ios wide open within weeks, if it is not another slap in the face by the FBI, I don't know what is.

 

You can't be more wrong about how many fck ups the FBI has made with this case. They've done things in a deliberate way to tug at the heartstrings of the public and set a precedent with this case. If they'd earnestly wanted the data... they could have just called the NSA. That is exactly what the former head of the FBI said in an interview. The amicus briefs in the court in favour of Apple against the FBI is not just from tech companies. Former NSA/CIA/FBI directors, UN human right heads, former ambassadors, defence secretaries have all chimed in to support Apple. 

 

FBI now say they have found outside help to crack the phone. Perhaps... there are a lot of smart hackers out there. 

 

​FBI read the mood wrong. They wanted a precedent and a legal backdoor. They may still get it. Apple can and will still make it for them. But Apple wants Congress to put that into law. Not use some two line 200 year law to overreach its powers.

 

If the whole world can give up personal comfort and little bit of self respect in the aftermath of 911, where we allow ourselves to be subjected to mwtal detectors, body search, xray body scanners, plastic cutleries on flights, I don't see any reason why we do not give our trust to the proper authorities in making sure they handle the ios assess properly.

 

We do what we can in the name of security... and we trust the organisations to which we have given the powers to can safeguard us. But the best example for wholesale insecurity such a backdoor brings is the TSA locks.

 

After the mess that was 9/11... among the many draconian laws was one which empowered TSA agents to rifle through your bags with impunity. For our comfort... it was mandated that all locks for airline bags should have a TSA approved lock. And the TSA agent will have a master key. The lock manufacturers all complied.

 

Later... in some random interview about some random innocuous event... a random TSA agent randomly held up in his hands... for the whole world to see and photograph... those very same master keys... guess what... someone made a 3D print of those keys. You can now easily download and 3D print those keys and they can open any fcking luggage.

 

But airport security is different from security in your person. If my thoughts are not mine... but is self-censored to avoid the glare of external intrusions and judgement... are they free thoughts? Am I free?

 

​I've heard this often... I don't have anything to hide... so why should I care about privacy... similar to that monkey sphere that was alluded to in another post. To this, I can only quote the famous poem by Pastor Martin about the rise of the Nazi government;

 

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

 

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

 

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

 

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

 

Also... more powerful words by Ben Franklin who I'd quoted in an earlier post;

 

“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

 

Funny, they rather trust Apple who hide billions from the usa taxman while distrust the FBI whom taxpayers paid for.

 

You are mistaken if you think Apple "hides" billions. Does Apple and MS and Google and Starbucks et all take advantage of favourable tax rules afforded by certain dominions to maximise their profits? Yes they do. Donald Drumpf once said in an interview... that he pays less taxes than his secretary as his CA's are better. Don't blame the companies that take advantage of the tax loopholes. It's up to the US and EU authorities to close those loopholes.

 

You've normally posted well researched posts... but in this... you're completely wrong 

 

Edited March 23, 2016 by ins1dious

[Vratenza]

You've normally posted well researched posts... but in this... you're completely wrong 

 

You are right. I did not research on this topic. Basically just my gut feel on the whole matter.

 

Just a few pointers here and there:

 

Does Apple currently have a backdoor to your device? No...  Based on what Apple tells us as consumers? Based on what Apple wants their customers want to hear?

I am no programming expert or even know any programming myself. What I say is based on logic and common sense. If I can code a security feature, I will make sure I have the master key to it. If I don't how am I supposed to know where are the vulnerabilities and troubleshoot the vulnerabilities when criminal hackers get their grubby hands on it.

 

 

FBI read the mood wrong. They wanted a precedent and a legal backdoor. They may still get it. Apple can and will still make it for them. But Apple wants Congress to put that into law. Not use some two line 200 year law to overreach its powers. So the issue now is FBI did not go through the proper channel to request for access to a terrorist phone? And Apple would have gladly give up the backdoor (or start working on a back door as what they claimed) if FBI goes through the long drawn legal avenue? Wow, I feel so much safer about the security of my dick pic.

 

The very reason why FBI want Apple to help is because they want the data fast  and not because they cannot have done it themselves given enough time and resources. By the time Apple makes  FBI run through the legal hoops and loops, the terrorist cells would have been disbanded and re-organized themselves. Essentially disappearing from their radar to resurface again next with another major strike. time is of essence here.

 

I can just visualize the terrorist head laughing at the CNN news report about the Americans arguing over the access to iphone when they already deleted all other traces of their existence, closed their illicit bank accounts, kill off their money mules, switch out their fund channels,  flew out the existing terrorist cell members hiding in the country, swapping a fresh set of these terrorist innocuously, revised their planned targets. 

 

 

You are mistaken if you think Apple "hides" billions. Does Apple and MS and Google and Starbucks et all take advantage of favourable tax rules afforded by certain dominions to maximise their profits? Yes they do. Donald Drumpf once said in an interview... that he pays less taxes than his secretary as his CA's are better. Don't blame the companies that take advantage of the tax loopholes. It's up to the US and EU authorities to close those loopholes.

 

I don't imagine only Apple hide billions. MS/Google/Starbucks/GM/Macdonalds...heck all large American MNCs do. Loopholes are always there. It is up to the corporation to exploit them. By exploiting the loopholes before the taxman start getting their act together, they may be legally right. But are they morally right?

Back to my point, it is comical when Americans  seem to be more guarded against the establishment that is supposed to protect them then a for-profit mega corporation that has no moral obligation to protect their safety.

[Wishcumstrue]

ISIS Claims Responsibility for Brussels Attacks; More Than 30 Dead

 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/people-injured-after-explosion-at-brussels-airport-police-say-1458632527

 

 

CCTV Exclusive Footage - Belgium 22/03/2016 MRT Attack - 

A bomb was set-off Maalbeek Metro station. What stands out in this clip is a mother of 2 young child happen to stroll past the camera field of view before the explosion set everyone running for cover.

 

[Wishcumstrue]

Praise to K Shanmugam for plans to ramp up SG CT security measures.

RIP victims and condolences to their families. 

Perhaps it is time to re-watch 24 and update ringtone to CTU's version...

 

Singapore has been conducting Ex Northstar  and Heatbeat for sometime liao..

 

Often I heard Singaporean KPKB about inconvenience or "what's the point" of these practices..

Until we finally got hit by the real thing, I suggest those nay-sayer hold their mouth before the 1st real blood is spill at Raffles Place MRT station.

 

 

[ins1dious]

You are right. I did not research on this topic. Basically just my gut feel on the whole matter.

 

Just a few pointers here and there:

 

Does Apple currently have a backdoor to your device? No...  Based on what Apple tells us as consumers? Based on what Apple wants their customers want to hear?

I am no programming expert or even know any programming myself. What I say is based on logic and common sense. If I can code a security feature, I will make sure I have the master key to it. If I don't how am I supposed to know where are the vulnerabilities and troubleshoot the vulnerabilities when criminal hackers get their grubby hands on it. 

 

You are confusing programming the source code with security. Having robust security does not preclude any software maker to modify their source code. As for master key... please read up on the works of the public-private cryptography by Diffie and Hellman.

 

How does an OS manufacturer know if it's system has a vulnerability? Once it has been breached or it has been brought to its attention. 

 

FBI read the mood wrong. They wanted a precedent and a legal backdoor. They may still get it. Apple can and will still make it for them. But Apple wants Congress to put that into law. Not use some two line 200 year law to overreach its powers. So the issue now is FBI did not go through the proper channel to request for access to a terrorist phone? And Apple would have gladly give up the backdoor (or start working on a back door as what they claimed) if FBI goes through the long drawn legal avenue? Wow, I feel so much safer about the security of my dick pic.

 

Don't conflate privacy with the dick pics that Oliver made fun of. That was from a specific interview with Snowden showing the apathy and stupidity of the American public about privacy. 

 

The very reason why FBI want Apple to help is because they want the data fast  and not because they cannot have done it themselves given enough time and resources. By the time Apple makes  FBI run through the legal hoops and loops, the terrorist cells would have been disbanded and re-organized themselves. Essentially disappearing from their radar to resurface again next with another major strike. time is of essence here.

 

I said before that FBI chose this particular case for a reason... to tug at the heartstrings... there is no question of acting fast. This was from an incident in Oct 2015. They finally went to court in Feb 2016. If time was of the essence... they had other less public avenues.

 

​This was purely to set a precedent in the courts... and not to solve any impending attack.

 

I can just visualize the terrorist head laughing at the CNN news report about the Americans arguing over the access to iphone when they already deleted all other traces of their existence, closed their illicit bank accounts, kill off their money mules, switch out their fund channels,  flew out the existing terrorist cell members hiding in the country, swapping a fresh set of these terrorist innocuously, revised their planned targets. 

 

Security is not a monopoly of Apple or Google. Having this breach on billions of devices of innocents just to catch some will-o'-the-wisps is a false security. If these systems become insecure... than hackers and terrorists will just go to the Russians or the Chinese or the Indians or whoever can provide a secure system.

 

You ask to see the bigger picture... but yet... ignore the bigger agenda.

 

You are mistaken if you think Apple "hides" billions. Does Apple and MS and Google and Starbucks et all take advantage of favourable tax rules afforded by certain dominions to maximise their profits? Yes they do. Donald Drumpf once said in an interview... that he pays less taxes than his secretary as his CA's are better. Don't blame the companies that take advantage of the tax loopholes. It's up to the US and EU authorities to close those loopholes.

 

I don't imagine only Apple hide billions. MS/Google/Starbucks/GM/Macdonalds...heck all large American MNCs do. Loopholes are always there. It is up to the corporation to exploit them. By exploiting the loopholes before the taxman start getting their act together, they may be legally right. But are they morally right?

Back to my point, it is comical when Americans  seem to be more guarded against the establishment that is supposed to protect them then a for-profit mega corporation that has no moral obligation to protect their safety.

 

Companies don't need to have moral rights. If that's the case... we can question why guns are made, why pharma companies charge so much, why oil companies pollute the environment, why banks leech the living daylights out of the poor and trodden, etc.

 

​Questioning the moral rights of the tech companies and ignoring others is just empty platitude. 

 

When gmail/iCloud was breached and the Fappening pics was all to see... and the result of making the system more secure... that was an instance of mega companies protecting your safety. If you say safety of life... what is life without liberty?

 

 

Here's a big picture of terrorists and why we shouldn't cower in fear... 'cos sometimes, we miss the forest for the trees...

Edited March 23, 2016 by ins1dious

[Vratenza]

ISIS Claims Responsibility for Brussels Attacks; More Than 30 Dead

 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/people-injured-after-explosion-at-brussels-airport-police-say-1458632527

 

 

CCTV Exclusive Footage - Belgium 22/03/2016 MRT Attack - 

A bomb was set-off Maalbeek Metro station. What stands out in this clip is a mother of 2 young child happen to stroll past the camera field of view before the explosion set everyone running for cover.

 

 

Consolation: the mother with 2 young children should be safe. Why? Because everyone starts to run toward their direction of travel. So the explosion sound and pressure wave effect is probably from the opposite direction. When people panic, they will still not run towards the obvious source of the trigger.

[Wishcumstrue]

Consolation: the mother with 2 young children should be safe. Why? Because everyone starts to run toward their direction of travel. So the explosion sound and pressure wave effect is probably from the opposite direction. When people panic, they will still not run towards the obvious source of the trigger.

 

The explosion pressure wave is enough to pop any unprotected ear drums. In fact, you can almost see the shockwave traveling down the station.

 

Can't say if both child had suffered any physical harm, but suffice to say psychological impression will last, looking at those adults running while covering their heads.

[Vratenza]

Here's a big picture of terrorists and why we shouldn't cower in fear... 'cos sometimes, we miss the forest for the trees...

 

I said before that FBI chose this particular case for a reason... to tug at the heartstrings... there is no question of acting fast. This was from an incident in Oct 2015. They finally went to court in Feb 2016. If time was of the essence... they had other less public avenues. Let me put it to you the scenario that the FBI had been trying to crack the access to the phone since Oct 2015 and had been frustrated by the lack of progress till they have no choice but to ask Apple for help. We have assumed again that FBI's act of asking Apple for help is just a shenanigan to create public awareness and to force Apple's hands and have assumed that FBI could have done it themselves in double quick time if they had set their mind to it. So that determinationa as to the time critical aspect (or the lack of) of the iphone data is an assumption at best too.

 

​This was purely to set a precedent in the courts... and not to solve any impending attack. I will assume it is in the interest of preventing or potentially preventing further attacks. I also assume you have assumed it is not since we do not have the intelligence about what could potentially be contained in that device.

 

I can just visualize the terrorist head laughing at the CNN news report about the Americans arguing over the access to iphone when they already deleted all other traces of their existence, closed their illicit bank accounts, kill off their money mules, switch out their fund channels,  flew out the existing terrorist cell members hiding in the country, swapping a fresh set of these terrorist innocuously, revised their planned targets. 

 

Security is not a monopoly of Apple or Google. Having this breach on billions of devices of innocents just to catch some will-o'-the-wisps is a false security. If these systems become insecure... than hackers and terrorists will just go to the Russians or the Chinese or the Indians or whoever can provide a secure system.

 

You ask to see the bigger picture... but yet... ignore the bigger agenda. We do not have the utopian idea of a security system that is unheackable, unbreechable, untouchable. As illustrated in this case, given time and tenacity, ANY security system can be over-comed. If Pyongyang decides to dedicate an illicitly funded group dedicated to hacking the IOS security system, I dare say it is not a matter of can or cannot but a matter of when.

 

Now, out on a stretch here..... if Apple played nice and have given the access for the FBI to get the intel faster, could it have prevented the brussels incident? No one knows. But if I am one of the victims of Brussel incident, I jolly well would have wished for it.

 

The dick pic joke is my subtle point about the laughable importance of our miniscule personal privacy against the greater good of preventing innocent lives lost.

[Wishcumstrue]

Make in US?

 

Your statement made my morning happier :))

 

Yes, Made-in-US and sponsored by The NSA.

 

I am not sure if you know the fact, but Apple was the last major US-tech company that managed to resist US gov pressure to provide user-info via backdoor.

 

Recognise this slide that was leaked by whistler-blower Snowden in 2013 ?

 

Edited March 23, 2016 by Wishcumstrue

[Lala81]

I think here, due to our environment, we have less expectations about real privacy.

Anyway what's going to happen in a small red dot here in SEA right heh.

 

But with organisations like Homeland security, CIA and FBI in USA, i would say their concerns are true and valid.

 

Usually I'm on the side of law enforcement, but with what Snowden released, i think what they've done has sorta breached the moral responsibility of the govt.

 

 

I said before that FBI chose this particular case for a reason... to tug at the heartstrings... there is no question of acting fast. This was from an incident in Oct 2015. They finally went to court in Feb 2016. If time was of the essence... they had other less public avenues. Let me put it to you the scenario that the FBI had been trying to crack the access to the phone since Oct 2015 and had been frustrated by the lack of progress till they have no choice but to ask Apple for help. We have assumed again that FBI's act of asking Apple for help is just a shenanigan to create public awareness and to force Apple's hands and have assumed that FBI could have done it themselves in double quick time if they had set their mind to it. So that determinationa as to the time critical aspect (or the lack of) of the iphone data is an assumption at best too.

 

​This was purely to set a precedent in the courts... and not to solve any impending attack. I will assume it is in the interest of preventing or potentially preventing further attacks. I also assume you have assumed it is not since we do not have the intelligence about what could potentially be contained in that device.

 

I can just visualize the terrorist head laughing at the CNN news report about the Americans arguing over the access to iphone when they already deleted all other traces of their existence, closed their illicit bank accounts, kill off their money mules, switch out their fund channels,  flew out the existing terrorist cell members hiding in the country, swapping a fresh set of these terrorist innocuously, revised their planned targets. 

 

Security is not a monopoly of Apple or Google. Having this breach on billions of devices of innocents just to catch some will-o'-the-wisps is a false security. If these systems become insecure... than hackers and terrorists will just go to the Russians or the Chinese or the Indians or whoever can provide a secure system.

 

You ask to see the bigger picture... but yet... ignore the bigger agenda. We do not have the utopian idea of a security system that is unheackable, unbreechable, untouchable. As illustrated in this case, given time and tenacity, ANY security system can be over-comed. If Pyongyang decides to dedicate an illicitly funded group dedicated to hacking the IOS security system, I dare say it is not a matter of can or cannot but a matter of when.

 

Now, out on a stretch here..... if Apple played nice and have given the access for the FBI to get the intel faster, could it have prevented the brussels incident? No one knows. But if I am one of the victims of Brussel incident, I jolly well would have wished for it.

 

The dick pic joke is my subtle point about the laughable importance of our miniscule personal privacy against the greater good of preventing innocent lives lost.

 

 

[Wishcumstrue]

At this rate of terrorist attacks on Europe, there's going to be a Fourth Crusade....

 

Google "Katibah Nusantara Singapura"

 

Then you will understand how religion can be exploited by opportunists on the gullibles from giving large $ome of your  hard-earn salary to blowing yourself up in the name of G.O.D.