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DECAF Was Just a Stunt, Now Over

An anonymous reader writes to tell us of the de-activation of all copies of DECAF. The creators have announced that the DECAF project was nothing more than a "stunt to raise awareness for security and the need for better forensic tools." Originally DECAF was billed as a tool to stop Microsoft's forensic tool "COFEE" and was covered here earlier this week. In addition to their message of security the authors somehow manage to interject a discussion about religion, so who knows what the real goal was.

23 of 206 comments (clear)

  1. heh by farlukar · · Score: 5, Funny

    0xDECAFBAD

    --
    Ceci n'est pas une .sig
    1. Re:heh by BeardedChimp · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Very bad;
      "As you probably noticed, your copy of DECAF no longer works. We have disabled every copy of DECAF."

      They left the ability in to remotely control how the software behaves. Anyone who installed this let this be a lesson for you.

    2. Re:heh by zullnero · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Wait a minute. I never even tried it out...are you sure they had the capability to remote control it? Or did it just have some sort of built in time limiter the whole time? If I were intending something to be a stunt, I for one wouldn't bother remote controlling it unless I had some sort of botnet scheme in my head. I'd just set a simple timeout and make it shut down.

      It's also strange that I didn't hear many reports about it not working. I guess then the question becomes, how do you know if it's working or not? Do you have a pirated version of COFEE to test it out with?

      It'd be interesting though if someone were to hook up a sniffer on their line, leave DECAF installed, and see what happens.

    3. Re:heh by jd_mccloud · · Score: 3, Informative

      They might have shutdown decafme.org server but that is simple to get around. Full details: http://praetorianprefect.com/archives/2009/12/reactivating-decaf-in-two-minutes/.
      Plus the whole Hoax angle is totally false itself.

  2. I believe I speak for everybody by OverlordQ · · Score: 5, Funny

    When after reading that I reply with "WTF?"

    --
    Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.
    1. Re:I believe I speak for everybody by NeutronCowboy · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Seriously. I read the summary. I read the article. I read the discussion on slashdot about the initial news posting. I still don't get what DECAF was exactly supposed to do, what it actually is doing, and what message the author of DECAF thinks he is sending with whatever his software does.

      Worst. Story. EVER!

      --
      Those who can, do. Those who can't, sue.
  3. Good luck with that. by AbsoluteXyro · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I can see what they are getting at but it is a real douche thing for them to be all "shame on you!" for downloading and using software that they themselves created, provided, and handed out. I can't see a whole lot of people taking them seriously, as a result.

  4. Ummmm... Okay? by Beelzebud · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When I saw the original announcement of this program, I was skeptical of what it was actually for. However, I didn't see this type of angle coming! LOL, wow!

    If you actually downloaded this thing, let this be a valuable lesson. Don't be gullible. This could have been a virus for your computer, instead of one for your mind.

  5. disappointing by wizardforce · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In addition to their message of security the authors somehow manage to interject a discussion about religion so who knows what the real goal was.

    Considering that all but the first paragraph of the article was the religious message its self, I'd say that it is pretty clear what the goal was.

    --
    Sigs are too short to say anything truly profound so read the above post instead.
    1. Re:disappointing by msimm · · Score: 4, Funny

      God is a security conscious douche?

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      Quack, quack.
  6. Re:Huh what? by natehoy · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think you meant this:

    1. Make fake software.
    2. Make fake software work like it will outshine proprietary software.
    3. ???
    4. Prophet

    --
    "This post contains words, known to the State of California to cause thought. Wash brain thoroughly after reading."
  7. Re:Just wow by Beelzebud · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yeah well the atheists and libertarians that you don't like are merely posting comments on this site. I may not like libertarians, but I can't remember the last time one of them wrote a timebomb malware program, to go off at a set point, and give me a pro-libertarian screed.

  8. Re:Ummmm... Okay? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ironic that the message to be learned from a group of people pushing a religious agenda is "Don't be gullible."

  9. Lie, cheat, and steal for Christ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You're doing it wrong.

    1. Re:Lie, cheat, and steal for Christ! by Mister+Whirly · · Score: 3, Informative

      One of my favorite quotes. But the actual quote is "I do not reject your Christ, I love your Christ. It is just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ."
      Gandhi never actually said he did not like Christians, just that they do not act like Christ.

      --
      "But this one goes to 11!"
  10. Re:Just wow by nacturation · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I found that last part a little out of place, but then that's their site, so let them post whatever testimonial they want.

    It's their site and their right, but in general using a technical discussion to shoehorn in religious promotion is considered bad form, to put it mildly.

    --
    Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
  11. Re:Just wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "deceiving people is against Christian principles. " != "no self-professed Christian has ever deceived anyone"

  12. Re:Libertarians by causality · · Score: 5, Insightful

    But why do you hate the ideas? I'm a weak libertarian myself and find that personal liberty is important. Don't generalize and say all libertarians are extremists. We don't all want to abolish the government. I'm curious about your ideas since I feel a decentralized government that helps those who truly need it, while not having ideas to force upon you about religion and ethics (marriage, alcohol, etc) would be the best deal. This is libertarianism for you.

    Libertarianism is one of those few ideas that, if implemented and accepted, really would reverse the current trend of ever-expanding intrusive government and the general decline of personal liberty. For just that reason, it cannot be tolerated by anyone who stants to profit from this status quo. Such people include powerful politicians and influential members of the media. These are people who can influence the society and the prevailing opinions of the day quite a bit more than most people would like to admit.

    It's no surprise to me that denigrating Libertarianism is another trendy bandwagon. That bandwagon is intended for people who won't personally investigate it and see what it's about on their own. If they did that, they'd quickly find that the Founding Fathers are some of the truest Libertarians who ever lived, except that back then it did not have such a name. They'd also see that throwing out those freedoms for any reason and with them the traditions of this nation is always a mistake, no matter how tempting.

    Such people who form strong opinions and beliefs about things they have not investigated are sometimes called "useful idiots." They are extremely useful anytime you want to deceptively campaign against something. They are so useful because they will accept ideas from others and adopt them as if they independently came up with those ideas on their own. Look at the methods used here. The negative portrayal of Liberterianism is based almost exclusively on pretending like its most extreme form is its only form, and so anyone who calls himself a Libertarian is immediately equated with an anarchist or anarco-capitalist. This is a classic example of straw-man or red-herring demagoguery in the media. It's so easily refuted that there can be nothing accidental about it.

    --
    It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. - Einstein
  13. Re:Libertarians by Bragador · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Your answer clarifies the problem.

    I'm going to do a bit of politics myself and see if I can influence things then. I actually went to a town hall meeting this month for the first time. I know one person who is a municipal councillor and he invited me because of my interests in politics. I suppose we should all do this and slowly nudge the laws towards liberty ourselves. If most politicians want power for power's sake like you say, that would be the only way to change things.

    He did tell me that if I was really interested I could become influential with time, but that you had to know people that are already in the game to play it properly...

    Sad isn't it?

  14. Re:Timebombware by Sygnus · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah but theres no advantage to it. Its sorta like a prostitute doing volunteer work

    Would that be pro boner work?

    --
    First posting isn't trolling. It's...first posting. :) -- Illiad
  15. How amazing! by Arancaytar · · Score: 3, Insightful

    In shockingly unexpected news, it turns out that a closed-source alleged anti-malware software was not trustworthy.

    Who would have guessed.

  16. So apparently.. by twistah · · Score: 3, Funny

    What DECAF giveth, DECAF taketh away.

  17. Re:Libertarians by TubeSteak · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Libertarianism is one of those few ideas that, if implemented and accepted, really would reverse the current trend of ever-expanding intrusive government and the general decline of personal liberty.

    Your words seem to be an extension of the no true Scotsman fallacy.
    You'd have to start by telling us which version of Libertarianism you think will solve America's ills before we can have a learned discussion on the matter.

    As a general comment though, history has shown that time and time again, when ideology and reality meet, ideology usually fails.
    A more pointed comment is that America tried laissez faire economics (a principle key of most libertarian ideology) and its own excesses earned it a well deserved death.
    Agencies like the EPA, FDA, SEC, FTC, etc were all formed as a direct response to libertarian practices.

    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!