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A Look Into the FBI's "Everything Bucket"
Death Metal notes an EFF report on information wrested from the FBI over the last three years via Freedom of Information requests. The report characterizes what Ars Technica calls the FBI's "Everything Bucket" — its Investigative Data Warehouse. (Here's the EFF's introduction and the report itself.) The warehouse, at least 7 years in the making, "...appears to be something like a combination of Google and a university's slightly out-of-date custom card catalog with a front-end written for Windows 2000 that uses cartoon icons that some work-study student made in Microsoft Paint. I guess I'm supposed to fear the IDW as an invasion of privacy, and indeed I do, but given the report's description of it and my experiences with the internal-facing software products of large, sprawling, unaccountable bureaucracies, I mostly just fear for our collective safety."
Well, I'm glad someone out there with lawyers is taking advantage of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). To see how the EFF has taken advantage of it, their main FOIA with the subpage on this entire DOJ Investigative Data Warehouse topic and all the documents they've collected (some are linked in main story).
If you are a US citizen, you yourself are able to make a FOIA request.
My work here is dung.
I got the impression (remember, this is a kdawson green light *sigh*) that it was more of a super gigantic database rather than a data mining system. That is, any information derived from the data is done by humans. Data mining is incredibly difficult even WITH perfectly clean data, much less the gigantic mess that seems to be the everything bucket. Meh, color me unimpressed.
=Smidge=
Is it just my observation, or is eldavojohn an idiot?
... way out there, and it's done in MS Paint.
Retention times, access policies... have they even heard of deploying encryption? Though perhaps it makes a less-offensive difference from what certain other TLAs are doing, we'll still need to push our overlords into some sort of sense regarding how to use their electronic filing cabinets, how not to abuse them, and how to be accountable for all that data they're sitting on.
I mean first of all Windows 2000 is currently still the most rock solid, impenetrable OS you can use. There is no reason to think a more secure OS has been released since that time.
And everyone knows that hardcore web designers use MS Paint.
No comprende? Let me type that a little slower for you...
Something cool will be born out of this "sea of information"...
"I mostly just fear for our collective safety." I, for one, fear for our collected saftey. :D
Today's xkcd is apropos.
What a fool believes, he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.
Here's a concern. Given the degree to which morons are let enter data to run-of-the-mill DBs like the one in the article, what's the level of accuracy? How many times has some nimrod phoned you up to generate harassment due to bad data? How many times have you yourself called to correct something only to be told "well, the computer says so, it must be right!"
People will make serious policy decisions based on this bad data.
Voluminous quantities of stupid and failure are certain to follow.
"I mean first of all Windows 2000 is currently still the most rock solid, impenetrable OS you can use. There is no reason to think a more secure OS has been released since that time." - by iamhigh (1252742) on Friday May 01, @10:25AM (#27786703)
Windows 2000 (&, later Windows versions) can be made to be VERY secure, by security-hardening them, & secured based on "industry best practices"!
(Per the multiplatform CIS Tool, which also mind you, runs on various *NIX OS', such as Solaris, quite a few BSD variants (since you noted it in your 2nd url (no MacOS X though afaik)), & yes - Linux too), quite easily - heck, the CIS Tool makes it actually sort of "FUN" to do (almost like running a PC performance benchmark test).
In fact, Windows 2000 Pro, specifically, can be made to CIS Tool score to the tune of a 99.058/100 score on this test:
http://www.xtremepccentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=7de5812b7341873cc5e6ee9582f21bf9&t=28430&page=3
& the HIGHEST *NIX score I have seen, to date, came from Bert64 (a member here) ->
http://www.xtremepccentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=7de5812b7341873cc5e6ee9582f21bf9&t=28430
That was done on SuSE Linux @ 90/100 on CIS Tool, AND, like Windows? It came up from its default score of 46/100 (just as Windows typically does, same range of score initially by default).
(The makers of the test say not to compare "apples to oranges" (in other words, OS-to-OS score comparisons), but, my point IS there - they all can be further secured above the "norm" & that probably goes for things like SeLinux bearing Linux distros as well)).
APK
P.S.=> You *NIX guys often fail to note that market share of desktop & server markets matters in terms of how often these OS' are attacked - & that's obvious as to WHY Windows is the most attacked: Today's malware authors aren't after only making mischief & getting "bragging rights": They're about getting INFORMATION, that leads to monies from YOUR WALLET/BANK ACCOUNTS, etc. et al... &, they're going to target the LARGEST SINGLE BODY OF USERS OUT THERE, today, in order to do so... & guess what? Yes, that's right - that's Windows users! Make MacOS X or Linux (or even another BSD variant) the "top dog" out there, market-share-wise?? That'd then become "the most attacked" from a single codebase for attack, because they are out to "hit the largest mass they can with a single shot"... apk
Why? It sounds like it is too mucked up to be very dangerous.
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
Althought AN surely looks crappy, it's a really fine software tool, and in fact it just the tip of the iceberg of the powerful i2's software stack.
Disabling the server and browser services, among others, are the first things I do with a windows system. Yes, this means no file sharing from a windows machine, but how often do you do that anyways on most home single system setups?
It's true that this will block most worms, as there will be few open ports left. It still doesn't mean that the system is secure. The fact that much code runs through DLLs with system level access allows for buffer overflows to basically run anything they want at root level, so if you hit anything external like a web page, you're vulnerable. Even third party software like Firefox that used to use the image processing included with the OS was vulnerable to this attack. (I believe they now ship with their own GIF/JPG renderer, but don't recall, as I no longer run windows anywhere so don't really care)
The cesspool just got a check and balance.
0/10: it didn't make sense, isn't going to anger anyone, and you didn't even bother to take out the 'pic related' crap. At least make your trolling site-specific.
"Disabling the server and browser services, among others, are the first things I do with a windows system. Yes, this means no file sharing from a windows machine, but how often do you do that anyways on most home single system setups?" - by Gr8Apes (679165) on Friday May 01, @12:10PM (#27788357)
As do I, & IF you read the links to the "HOW TO SECURE Windows 2000/XP/Server 2003 & even VISTA + make it 'fun-to-do', via CIS Tool Guidance" guide that I had put into my previous post you responded to? You'll see that, & FAR more...
(The nice part is, the CIS Tool checks for VERY SIMILAR THINGS between ALL of the OS' (such as filesystem security etc. & more))...
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"It's true that this will block most worms, as there will be few open ports left. It still doesn't mean that the system is secure" - by Gr8Apes (679165) on Friday May 01, @12:10PM (#27788357)
You won't hear any argument from me about that, because you're correct imo as well...
Which is mainly why the guide I put up has far more in it than just that in its content.
(The guide has done well for itself, but more importantly for others who used it, & in roughly a year's time online (250,000++ views across 20 forums, & most times with it being in the top 1-5 most viewed of all time in said forums in such a relatively short timeframe, as well as being made an "essential guide" or "sticky/pinned thread" across said forums, plus being highly rated (5/5 star type stuff) or otherwise complimented in its content in said forums)).
It just works!
APK
P.S.=>
"The fact that much code runs through DLLs with system level access allows for buffer overflows to basically run anything they want at root level, so if you hit anything external like a web page, you're vulnerable" - by Gr8Apes (679165) on Friday May 01, @12:10PM (#27788357)
Again true, but as far as webpages?
I recommend stalling the indiscrimate usage of javascript (for one thing) for not only added security (because if you look @ places like SECUNIA.COM or SECURITYFOCUS.COM as just 2 examples? MOST ATTACKS TODAY LEVERAGE IT via misuse for such attacks) but, also as a bonus? More speed results! In other words:
ONLY USE JAVASCRIPT WHERE IT ABSOLUTELY HAS TO BE USED FOR FULL FUNCTION REQUIRED BY THE END USER (good examples thereof are sites that do online commerce &/or banking).
Blocking out known bad sites is also covered in its DNS servers &/or HOSTS file section as well vs. such sites... details are in those url's I posted in my last post, in case yourself OR anyone else reading, is interested... & yes, again, it works... proof? Ok, from an end-user:
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http://www.xtremepccentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=7de5812b7341873cc5e6ee9582f21bf9&t=28430&page=3
"Its 2009 - still trouble free!
I was told last week by a co worker who does active directory administration, and he said I was doing overkill. I told him yes, but I just eliminated the half life in windows that you usually get. He said good point.
So from 2008 till 2009. No speed decreases, its been to a lan party, moved around in a move, and it still NEVER has had the OS reinstalled besides the fact I imaged the drive over in 2008.
Great stuff!
My client STILL Hasn't called me back in regards to that one machine to get it locked down for the kid. I am glad it worked and I am sure her wallet is appreciated too now that it works. Speaking of which, I need to call her to see if I can get some leads.
APK - I will say it again, the guide is FANTASTIC! Its made my PC experience much easier. Sandboxing was great. Getting my host file updated, setting services to system service, rather than system local. (except AVG updater, needed system local)"
THRONKA@xtremepccentral.com
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apk
Dear Gary McKinnon,
Many of today's operating systems afford the user with the ability to invoke a screensaver when you're not using your computer. In addition, many of those allow for an optional password entry, dissuading passersby from using your account to post drivel in your name.
If you're a beginner or student in a public computer lab, and therefore don't have access to this feature, talk to your instructor - you'll find them sympathetic and helpful.
Finally, if this wasn't how the above post was made, let me assure you that you don't have to worry about loss of face here. In this forum, they're called Anonymous Cowards. We pay about as much attention to these posts as we do to graffiti when driving down the road- not much.
Study hard, have a nice day,
The EarlyMon
Pathological kinda promises Path + Logical - but instead, you get stuck with pathetic.
Jack Lint:
It's not my fault that Buttle's heart condition didn't appear on Tuttle's file!
It's Brazil! all over again...
âoeWho knew something as harmless as willful ignorance could end up having real consequences?â
Is this a bucket or a "Raiders of the Lost Ark" warehouse?
"Tyranny, tempered by incompetence"
After the experience I just had today with an agent from a Federal agency, I have to agree. He needed to use a computer that couldn't be traced back to his agency for undercover reasons, and that agency is remodeling and rewiring their system, so no such luck. He came to my facility for access. The Feds are so very much behind the times it's a wonder they ever catch a criminal. The public makes HUGE demands (mostly rightfully so) on what is right/wrong, what is evidence, etc, but then freaks out over the cash needed to give them the tools. Result? Minimal advancement in technology. To make matters worse (or better if you want to hide from the Feds), bureaucracies are amazingly slow to change, so even if the money was available to get better technology for crime-fighting, the big bosses and their underlings would mostly resist having to work with it.
Then again, even without all of this, I fear for our collective safety. The more I work with the public, the more I like my cat!
I hope this comment is well received... I could have moderated instead!
Persecutors will be violated!
What the fuck?
-5 astroturfing
See subject-line above, & see link url here -> http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1218837&cid=27819035