Slashdot Mirror
Omniscience Protocol
solidox writes "There is a new RFC discussing the Omniscience Protocol.
It proposes that every computer be installed with an OP Client which would allow law enforcement ('Good guys.') and copyright holders (RIAA, MPAA) to remotely destroy the computer of any user who has been involved in copyright infringement ('evil-doer'). The client will be completely undetectable and unremovable by even the most skilled hacker. It also must be able to report to the server at any time. 'The OP must be able to communicate through uncooperative firewalls, NATs, and when the computer is disconnected from the Internet.' So if your computer randomly blows up in the next while, you can put the blame on this."
(Call me before they go gold with the omega release, though...)
Obliteracy: Words with explosions
This is the scariest thing I have every read. Basically what is being said is that since you the consumer have abused your freedom (in the implied words of Hatch et.al) you now loose that freedom and will be punished at the will and whim of the Corporate (tm). In the minds (and I use that term loosely) of these people the freedoms that we have enjoyed as a people were never really ours but were theirs to dole out as they saw fit, to their benefit to their profit. The veil has been lifted and we now see the true face of our would be oppressors.
"It's so convenient to have a system where everyone is a criminal" - A. Hitler
"The client will be completely undetectable and unremovable by even the most skilled hacker."
This statement reminded me of the "hacker" from the movie The Core, who asked for an unlimited supply of hotpockets and Xena tapes. But I've seen this post before, or is it deja vu? Fact is, any system that can be built, can be bypassed, so I don't know what the hell he's talking about.
The real thing I want to know is how many times are we going to see this posted today?
"TK-421, why aren't you at your post?"
April fools...yeah *yawn*.
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Spam subject of the moment: Offshore account secrets -nashville disrupt
Now the world will be free from pirates forever! No more swabbin' the deck and leerin' at young lasses at ports of call! Today is a great victory for democracy!
I wonder if putting tinfoil around my computer would circumvent this?
Why did the author write this RFC? Is he sucking up to the feds/RIAA?
"to remotely destroy the computer of any user who has been involved in copyright infringement"
I think they actually meant:
"to remotely destroy the user of any computer who has been involved in copyright infringement"
Will this be based on RFC 3514? The RIAA could easily scan for systems with the 'evil bit' set to reduce the risk of accidentally hitting an innocent system.
http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3514.html
I think I'll just come back tomorrow.
Maybe its just me, but this sounds like a pile of crap. Aside from the fact that its just a ridiculous concept...name something that can be installed that even a skilled "hacker" can't edit, work around, or completely remove.
"Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the life-long attempt to acquire it." -Albert Einstein
So I doubt this RFC would gain adoption without those things.
The only way I see this happening is law enforcement forcing ISPs to check for this protocol on connected computers before allowing internet access. Those that refuse, don't have internet access. I wonder what that would do to internet retailers such as amazon.com when their sales drop through the floor because people refuse to install this garbage. It wouldn't take long to bury this "OP".
Just another April fools jo.... (connection reset by peer)
"All great things are simple & expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope." --Churchill
You know, I had an odd feeling that the evil bit I heard so much about last year might in some way not be used for the good of the public.
Time to upgrade your computer Sir! Wang haven't been making machines now for donkey's years.
Yes, but there is NO way in the world that this can happ****POOF***
Gullable: adj, susceptible to attacks by seabirds.
Gullible: adj, easily fooled.
(And they told me "gullible" wasn't in my dictionary)
Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
... that as absurd as the requirements of this RFC are, they would have to actually be implemented for DRM to be non-hackable.
This is so absurd, it does not even have the slightest chance of ever happening. It also would take a skilled cracker less then 5 minutes to circumvent, the trojan they want preinstalled on all PCs.
No - they can use the Evil Bit. RFC 3514.
I think it's the people who feel a need to comment on Slashdot on such a thing ... oh wait ...
-Shadow
You'll never see it on my computer. ;-)
I'm not normally an irrational zealous dickhead, but I figure "When in Rome..."
Yeah, everyone knows that Microsoft wouldn't be involved in an April Fool's joke until May.
For every karma whore there are four more people with mod points to kill.