Slashdot Mirror
Security Flaws In Aussie Net Filter Exposed
Faldo writes "There's a three-part interview with a computer security expert on BanThisURL that goes into the flaws in the Aussie net filtering scheme. In addition to SSH tunnels and proxies, more worrying problems like trojaning the boxes to set up man in the middle attacks (which the interviewee has done in his lab), cross site scripting and the Australian blacklist leaking are all discussed. Worrying and relevant, especially since Thailand's blacklist has just been leaked."
The concept itself is flawed. Centralized filters will never work, and any filtering system is imperfect. The best we can do is have individuals ascribe a reputation to a particular resource and based on trusting others' ratings we can tailor the firehose to our liking.
Anything else is just a way for some fearmongers to stay in office and/or make a quick buck.
that things are unhackable.
"If you code it, it will be hacked!"
The Titanic was an example of what should be called Cockyisms. (The beliefe that one is better or their product is better than it truly is.) in this case, Unsinkable...and we all know how THAT turned out!
DVD encryption, DRM and now Net Censorship...the tighter the grip, the faster they will lose control.
So Jesus, Mohammed and Abraham walk into a Bar....
The Australian government seems to have gone pretty crazy over this thing, and is taking one of the classic paths when meeting resistance; that is to make the plan even bolder and more sweeping. There seems no recognition of the fact that this won't do a damned thing to prevent the production and distribution of child pornography, but will cause no end of problems for legitimate users. But this government clearly feels it's back is against the wall, and rather than simply taking the more sensible path and admitting that filtering is flawed, and in its own way dangerous, and that any attempt to screw with various P2P and secure protocols is going to real harm to legitimate users, is basically saying "We know better than the ISPs and technical experts."
Politics tends to attract the insanely vain, but these guys are way out to lunch. I have no idea who their technical advisers are, but either these guys are morons or simply being paid to tell the government what it wants to here.
But as anyone who has dealt with any kind of Internet security can tell you, it's always a game of catch-up. Whether it's viruses, root kits, DRM, firewalls, and so on, there's always someone willing, for good or ill, to crack systems, and believe me, if they actually go through with this nonsense, the desire to crack the filters, and more dangerous and delerious attempts to bust encryption and P2P is simply going to be met with better innovations to overcome them.
But it does go to show you that the intellectual tyrannies are not simply the product of political tyrannies, but any government so sure in its own righteousness can play the part of the tyrant, simply by repeating the mantra "it's for their own good".
The Enlightenment has died in Australia, and it's sad that the people aren't marching on Adelaide demanding the government's resignation and Rudd's forced expulsion. Western Civilization has lost its balls. We've fought world wars, sacrificed our young on countless battlefields, beat back the Communists by even the most questionable means, for what? So some religious nut can make decrees as to what law-abiding citizens of a so-called free country can view on the Internet?
What a sad, fearful, pathetic lot the West has become.
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
There are flaws in everything.
Obviously you haven't yet heard of Natalie Portman.
Otherwise, yeah, you're right.
You are entirely happy with her decision not to sleep with you?
Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
Comment removed based on user account deletion