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Kremlin-Backed Nashi Admits Cyberattacking Estonia
An anonymous reader writes "Russia's Kremlin-based youth movement Nashi admits being responsible for 2007 cyberattacks against Estonia. An interesting point is that when you DDoS the systems, it's not the fault of some people who want to crash it but instead the systems' for blocking their users due to technical limitations. So if I shot someone to death it's not my fault for shooting them, but theirs instead because of technical limitations of their body."
At least we can count on the Russian prosecutors to investigate and extradite those responsible in a timely manner.
An interesting point is that when you DDoS the systems, it's not the fault of some people who want to crash it but instead the systems' for blocking their users due to technical limitations.
Absolutely, Nashi was doing them a favor by pointing out the flaws in their systems. I think Estonia should reciprocate and offer them high paying jobs in their IT Department. While slightly misguided these Nashi kids are obviously gifted. Put their talents to use for good and I'm sure nothing could possibly go wrong.
Creationist Textbook Stickers Declared Unconstitutional by CowboyNeal
due to cryogenics and the strong possibility of future revival, it's pretty difficult to shoot somebody to true death -- only legal death :)
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, watch it -- I'm huge!
By accepting this bullet into your body, you agree that the user of this bullet, that any damage, implicit and otherwise done to you, is not responsible for any damages.
Stories like this are guaranteed to bring out the Russian nationalists... The Estonians deserved it, Nashi is a misunderstood organization, or that it was really just completely normal operation with no nefarious intent. It's always fun to read the ideological contortions used to justify crap like this.
All I can say is that Russia is acting like a local thug - swinging around its energy club, demanding internatiol recognition and tribute from its vassal states. Not to say that this is a bad way of achieving its goal, but it certainly puts the Kibosh on some historians' argument that the fall of Russian Communism signaled the end of autocratic and thuggish regimes. Instead, this tells me that nationalism (in its ugliest form) is alive and well across the world (including in the US, btw), and that we're in for a whole lot of fun not seen since the dawn of the last century.
Woo.
Those who can, do. Those who can't, sue.
Dear Sir,
I must tell you that I STRENUOUSLY OBJECT to the SARCASM inherent in your post.
Please be advised that you will not receive another warning to tone down the sarcasm.
If your sarcasm levels remain high with regards to the UN, we will be forced to send another letter EVEN MORE STRENUOUSLY OBJECTING THAN THIS ONE responding to your sarcasm.
Have a wonderful, love-filled day.
Yours forever,
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon
Sent from your iPad.
This isn't like taking a hammer to a lock and saying "the lock was too weak". This is leaving the keys in the lock - how can a lock with the keys in it stop anyone?
CSS cannot work. it must leave the keys or the DVD won't play.
Free Martian Whores!
Hang on hang on ...
Can I keep my money safe on my front lawn ?
There is a point where you have to prove you have invested a reasonable amount of effort to protect your slef. You can't ask the goverment to protect you when you have done your part.
There is a balance somehwere in between and depends on the society. In the US you are expected to bare arms. In japan you can use a paper door (point exadurated for dramatic effect)
Bare arms? So, fistfights == reasonable amount of effort to protect myself? :)
The main argument for the use of DeCSS is that people have a right (regardless of what the government says) to decode the media they own. I think most people claiming that right claim it regardless of how hard it is, and regardless of disapproval for other actions of media companies in general.
On the other hand, the hackers involved controlled a botnet and ordered a DOS attack. They justified it only as retaliation for other actions by Estonia, and in the way you describe, which is indeed a very weak argument.
I'm not saying that arguers on /. never use arguments like the one you mention, but what you say is hardly the principle justification for use of DeCSS.
Or if the US caused the economic collapse of the Soviet Union, then it was their fault because of the the technical limitations of their communism.
I don't like Russia and how it acts, but if you're going to talk about Russia you've got to bring in their viewpoint. The Soviet collapse and economic disaster is seen as capitalist invasion, which has been beaten back from the gates of Moscow by Putin of the KGB.
It could have gone differently, but we were happy to let them sink, and we skipped numerous opportunities to encourage and support and demand democratic change alongside market reform. Bush let Putin do what he wanted as long as Putin backed Bush's Iraq policy. It was a poor trade and it's going to continue to cost us.
In soviet Russia:
1. Attack victim
2. Blame victim
3. ????
4. Profit
Jumpstart the tartan drive.
If the Kremlin wants any appearance of being "fair" (please notice I am not actually accusing them of this, I am jsut hypothesising...) then they can't object if the rest of the world retaliates, and DDOSes them to such a degree they themselves choose to shut down all conenctions between Russia and the rest of the world.
For after all, what were the Russians upset about? A statue of some WW2-hero was moved. What does the rest of the world have to get upset about? Well, a number of East-European countries were left without heating gas in the beginning of January, to such an extent that even Germany felt it. Since this seems to be a recuring "phenomenon" why shouldn't Russia find itself DDOSed off internet once a year?
I am quite sure that Georgia (the country, not the US state) could very easily find reason to DDOS Russia. And I seem to remember Poland having been left without heating gas a few years ago, so even they would have perfect reasons to DDOS Russia.
If the Kremlin really think DDOSing someone is the way things work in the world, they jsut might find themselves further up the creek than they would want to be... For even those countries not affected by Russias slightly beligerent foreign politics could easily turn a blind eye to any illegal matters going on inside their borders, as long as the target is inside Russia.
Bronze Soldier should have been and was moved
I cannot help but disagree.
Oblivion revives fascism. Contrary to Germans these days, part of the Estonians are not ashamed of their Nazi past, not ashamed of their role in assisting them maintaining the concentration camp on their territory. They arrange the marching of SS veterans, they raise monuments to the people that fought against the Soviets for fascist Germany. Some one should say them to stop doing like this.
If you were beaten up, would you like a picture of that in your bedroom for the rest of your life?
It's true if Estonia is for Estonians. But about 30 % of the population are Russians. So, there should be some consensus before taking rush actions which was missing.