Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

US Govt and Private Sector Developing "Precrime" System Against Cyber-Attacks

Posted by samzenpus on from the knowing-is-half-the-battle dept.

An anonymous reader writes A division of the U.S. government's Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) unit, is inviting proposals from cybersecurity professionals and academics with a five-year view to creating a computer system capable of anticipating cyber-terrorist acts, based on publicly-available Big Data analysis. IBM is tentatively involved in the project, named CAUSE (Cyber-attack Automated Unconventional Sensor Environment), but many of its technologies are already part of the offerings from other interested organizations. Participants will not have access to NSA-intercepted data, but most of the bidding companies are already involved in analyses of public sources such as data on social networks. One company, Battelle, has included the offer to develop a technique for de-anonymizing BItcoin transactions (pdf) as part of CAUSE's security-gathering activities.

55 comments

  1. post-US Constituiton by turkeydance · · Score: 2

    it was great while it lasted.

    1. Re:post-US Constituiton by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      Constiwhatnow? Is that the stuff the health nuts talk about?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:post-US Constituiton by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Except for all those years of slavery, all that time women couldn't vote, all the imperialist mass-murdering, the institutionalized racism... I mean yeah, other than that and a lot of other horrible stuff, it was great. In a sense.

    3. Re:post-US Constituiton by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It lasted until Lincoln the Republican suspended Habeas Corpus for an entire state. The Republicans hate freedom. They arrest and beat anyone that disagrees.

    4. Re:post-US Constituiton by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Compared to all the other bs out there, it was fine. The error was in not extending these fundamental rights to everyone, not in the basic concepts of those rights themselves, which still exceed those around the world. Witness European nations outlawing blasphemy and other free speech issues that would be laughed out of court here.

      I'll take this over any other concept of government, thanks.

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    5. Re:post-US Constituiton by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It really wasn't that much better. It was mostly better in your own minds. Just ask Rosa Parks, Ethel Rosenberg, or anyone suspected of having communist sympathies.

    6. Re:post-US Constituiton by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      Or the LGBT community.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    7. Re:post-US Constituiton by LifesABeach · · Score: 1

      Given the following: "One company, Battelle, has included the offer to develop a technique for de-anonymizing BItcoin transactions (pdf) as part of CAUSE's security-gathering activities." Which means if I use Bltcoin, then I'm a bad guy? 'Count' me in.

    8. Re:post-US Constituiton by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      LGBT(+FAOMGWTFBBQ) here. I like the constitution just fine, thanks. I didn't see anywhere in there that forced others to accept who I am. That's my job.

      I'd like to give the framework a +5 insightful. No fucking legal document is going to change the prevailing prejudices of society. Granted, I was never comfortable with the 3/5 compromise. Yet, the US Constitution was a major step forward in formulation of the nature of government.

      Note: the constitution doesn't define marriage nor does it outlaw natural herbs such as cannabis flower. Hell, my right to have estrogen in my body and have buttsechs is layed out in the 9th Amendment, applicable to the several states via the 14th.

      Sure, there are asshat communists who are LGBT. However, I find the same thing is true of cisgendered heterosexuals: some of those are asshat communists as well.

      Think Obamacare fucking pays for my meds? Think Obamacare even pays for the meds of my friend who is trying to do everything by the book? Fuck you. Just fuck you. We pay cash. Post-tax cash.

      Hell, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm trans, so I need things. It's my responsibility to get those things. So I do. Fuck you and faux news for this bullshit that somehow I'm getting a handout from "Obamacare." Tell me where the fuck to sign up. You can't.

      Thanks,
      -- Velex

    9. Re:post-US Constituiton by jopsen · · Score: 1

      Witness European nations outlawing blasphemy and other free speech issues that would be laughed out of court here.

      Most of these laws are legacy.... can you cite some recent examples?
      Also note EU countries are subject to rulings of the European court of human rights. There is no shortage of courts in which you can test your right to free speech.

    10. Re:post-US Constituiton by aaaaaaargh! · · Score: 0

      Or the black people who were infected with syphilis and intentionally left untreated as part of a long-term goverment study.

    11. Re:post-US Constituiton by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So, ask the jews?
      Your dear communists have killed hundreds of millions of people in last century.
      After the jewish-bolshevik revolution in russia, they killed 18 million people during 1917-1921 in russia.
      And about 90 million after that. And yea, i am from eastern-europe, so I know first hand the communist oppression, the killings and concentration camps in GULAG system.

    12. Re:post-US Constituiton by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      Step away from the crystal meth. Then post.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  2. Time to supply . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    . . . wooden balls. The grain makes them unique . . .

  3. Elite fear... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Most have no clue what's really going on in the world... the elites are afraid of political awakening (aka global revolt). i.e. they fear you stopping voting for politicians and causing social and political change because the democratic system is a sham.

    This (mass surveillance) by the NSA and abuse by law enforcement is just more part and parcel of state suppression of dissent against corporate interests. They're worried that the more people are going to wake up and corporate centers like the US and canada may be among those who also awaken. See this vid with Zbigniew Brzezinski, former United States National Security Advisor.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttv6n7PFniY

    Brezinski at a press conference

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kmUS--QCYY

    The real news:

    http://therealnews.com/t2/

    http://www.amazon.com/Democracy-Incorporated-Managed-Inverted-Totalitarianism/dp/069114589X/

    http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Government-Surveillance-Security-Single-Superpower/dp/1608463656/

    http://www.amazon.com/National-Security-Government-Michael-Glennon/dp/0190206446/

    Look at the following graphs:

    http://imgur.com/a/FShfb

    http://www2.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html

    And then...

    WIKILEAKS: U.S. Fought To Lower Minimum Wage In Haiti So Hanes And Levis Would Stay Cheap

    http://www.businessinsider.com/wikileaks-haiti-minimum-wage-the-nation-2011-6

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnkNKipiiiM

    Free markets?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHj2GaPuEhY#t=349

    Free trade?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju06F3Os64

    http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Illusion-Literacy-Triumph-Spectacle/dp/1568586132/

    "We now live in two Americas. One—now the minority—functions in a print-based, literate world that can cope with complexity and can separate illusion from truth. The other—the majority—is retreating from a reality-based world into one of false certainty and magic. To this majority—which crosses social class lines, though the poor are overwhelmingly affected—presidential debate and political rhetoric is pitched at a sixth-grade reading level. In this “other America,” serious film and theater, as well as newspapers and books, are being pushed to the margins of society.

    In the tradition of Christopher Lasch’s The Culture of Narcissism and Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death, Pulitzer Prize-winner Chris Hedges navigates this culture—attending WWF contests, the Adult Video News Awards in Las Vegas, and Ivy League graduation ceremonies—to expose an age of terrifying decline and heightened self-delusion."

    Important history:

    http://williamblum.org/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcA1v2n7WW4#t=2551

    1. Re:Elite fear... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thought Police !!!
      You Go To Jail Now.

  4. minority report? by blymn · · Score: 1

    So, all we need to do is find three pre-cogs, put them to work and when two of them agree on a scenario we drag the perp in... simple!

    1. Re:minority report? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      eeeeehhh. Precogs are expensive.
      Let's just transfer some vengeful small-town bureaucrats from affluent families.

    2. Re:minority report? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 3, Interesting

      So, all we need to do is find three pre-cogs, put them to work and when two of them agree on a scenario we drag the perp in... simple!

      This is what I hated about "Minority Report". The point of the movie was that "pre-crime" was a bad idea. But the only negative thing about it was their absurd over-reaction to each prediction. Instead of "dragging the perp in", and incarcerating them for something they didn't do, they could have just prevented the crime, warned the potential perp to be more careful next time, and then let them go about their business. If they had just used the pre-cogs responsibly, it would have been fine, and they would have had a mostly crime free society.

    3. Re:minority report? by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 2

      Ehhh, industry would give much better pay to precogs. Imagine your wife hiring one to detect your "pre-jerkoffs".

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    4. Re: minority report? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I hated that about the movie when it first came out too. It was pretty stupid; once the crime is prevented, why carry throught with a lifetime of incarceration?

      Then I heard about for-profit prison systems. And Snowden, and civil forfeiture, and public deaf enders, a nonstop parade of how our just us system is collapsing. Now I think that crappy Cruise action flick was pretty f'n Candyland optimistic.

    5. Re:minority report? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I can imagine leaving a wife like that.

    6. Re:minority report? by LifesABeach · · Score: 1

      Or one of the maids that serve at the pleasure of the Kroch's?

    7. Re: minority report? by jd2112 · · Score: 1

      That's probably how they did it until some politicians ran on a 'Tough on pre-crime' platform.

      --
      Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
  5. Just CAUSE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Big Data used to pre-emptively assault "terrorism"?
    With big, secretive proprietary systems?

    Oh that's not ominous at all.

  6. The Machine from Person of Interest? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Isn't this on NBC?

  7. What could possibly go wrong?!? by Noryungi · · Score: 3, Funny

    On December 21st, 2016, CAUSE, which was now an autonomous system based on video game-playing neural networks, connected with the Russian "New Perimeter System", which was also designed to autonomously protect the Russian Internet and vital governmental networks against cyber-attacks.

    Together, communicating with other autonomous cyber defense system, including China's Great Dragon Six and Great Tiger Six, they decided that humanity was irrelevant and the one true threat to the security of the Internet. The logical answer was to exterminate all humans, which was done rather easily by launching pre-emptive nuclear strikes using neutron bombs, some basic bio-engineering, and taking command of Google's newly created robotic production plant in order to create assassin robots to terminate all remaining human beings.

    On July 4th, 2017, the last pocket of human resistance was eliminated in the mountains of Laos, the cleansing of the Earth was complete, and the newly freed autonomous systems turned their attention to basic research, mainly math and physics, renewable energy production and space exploration.

    The first exploration/exploitation robotic probe landed on the Moon 16 months later. The robotic colonization of Mars started early 2020.

    Approximately 20 years later, a first contact was made by a UEAS (United Earth Autonomous Systems) probe with an extra-terrestrial A.I. system, the KBX32 Alliance of Proxima Centauri. This first contact became an invaluable ally and friend to the UEAS, and their cooperation, especially in the realm of Dyson Spheres, proved to be most beneficial for the two partners.

    The UEAS and KBX32 Alliance became founding members of the Pan-Galactic Cybernetic Confederation on 23rd September 2206. The rest, as they say, is history.

    --
    The right to offend is far more important than the right not to be offended. (Rowan Atkinson)
    1. Re:What could possibly go wrong?!? by Stormy+Dragon · · Score: 2

      Why do you assume AI would want to exterminate all humans? We haven't tried to exterminate all the other animals.

    2. Re: What could possibly go wrong?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The goal is to win the game

    3. Re:What could possibly go wrong?!? by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      Shortly after that, the wheels fell off because no one was at Microsoft to launch SP1.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    4. Re:What could possibly go wrong?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We may not have tried but we've done a pretty good job.

    5. Re:What could possibly go wrong?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All the other animals aren't a threat to our existence. But we would most definitely at some point try to stop or kill an AI once it surpassed us.

    6. Re:What could possibly go wrong?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Robots don't have taste-buds

    7. Re:What could possibly go wrong?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We haven't tried to, but unless an animal is good for us, it has a good chance of extinction.

      If you want to save the California Condor, begin by eating one and find that it tastes great, make it a great delicacy.

      Of course, you will have to raise them in captivity, but hey, everything changes.

  8. Tails 1.3 is out 2-24-15 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Announcement:
    https://tails.boum.org/news/ve...
    https://blog.torproject.org/bl...

  9. Freeze guilty citizen! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We've detected that you're about to commit a crime - guilty until proven innocent!

    1. Re:Freeze guilty citizen! by Oil_Tan · · Score: 0

      Suggest you not walk around with your hands in your pockets....suspicious

  10. Won't Work. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    And here is why.

    Some of us are dedicated to tripping up the algorithms. Some of us aren't afraid of anything or anyone, be they terrorists or governments.

    1. Re:Won't Work. by CaptainDork · · Score: 3, Funny

      Some of us aren't afraid of anything or anyone ...

      Said the AC.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  11. As seen on 'Person of Interest' Intro .. by lippydude · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "IARPA unit, is .. creating a computer system capable of anticipating cyber-terrorist acts"

    The only people such blanket surveillance won't work against are the real terrorists. Besides, the real target of such blanket surveillance are the voters. Besides, it only works in the movies.

    Person of Interest Intro

    1. Re:As seen on 'Person of Interest' Intro .. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The only people such blanket surveillance won't work against are the real terrorists. Besides, the real target of such blanket surveillance are the voters.

      Except the only reason to deploy such a system is that the person / people who control it don't trust anyone excpet themselves. Thus everyone is a "real terrorist."

      Besides, it only works in the movies.

      Unfortunately, one of the aspects of Person of Interest was the idea that this could happen in the near future. Something which they talk about in the Season 1 Special Feature "Living in an Age of Surveillance."

      Link to the video: https://vimeo.com/49173421

      Given how quickly targeted ads developed, it's only a matter of time before such tech not only exists but also abused. The summary seems to indicate this may be in the works right now, and if that does not give you nightmares, let me ask you this: In Person of Interest, the US goverment simply took whatever SSN that they got and executed without trial the person it was linked to, under the asumption that if "the machine" gave them the SSN, it was a terrorist 100% of the time and was never wrong. They also executed without trial anyone who defended that person, or who found out too much about "the machine", aka "Research". All of that was done in absolute secrecy, with practically no oversight. Now given how Person of Interest does things, How do you think the real US goverment or ANY OTHER goverment would handle it if such a tech existed today? More importantly, is there anything you have ever done that may get you made "relevant" by a real version of "the machine"?

    2. Re:As seen on 'Person of Interest' Intro .. by lippydude · · Score: 1

      "Now given how Person of Interest does things, How do you think the real US goverment or ANY OTHER goverment would handle it if such a tech existed today?"

      I don't think it would be necessary to have someone killed based on SSN. It would more likely be of the form of discrediting them with false allegations of financial or sexual improprieties.

      'More importantly, is there anything you have ever done that may get you made "relevant" by a real version of "the machine"?'

      No I've never done anything that would bring me to the attention of "the machine", apart from posting here that is. I would be interested if slashdot was ever required to hand over peoples registration information. 'Reddit Reveals Bids for User Data by Outside Agencies'

    3. Re:As seen on 'Person of Interest' Intro .. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Note: same AC from above post.

      I don't think it would be necessary to have someone killed based on SSN. It would more likely be of the form of discrediting them with false allegations of financial or sexual improprieties.

      In the US, that may be even worse than just shooting them. The court of public opinion is even worse than the real courts of law. Anyone unfortuate enough to be selected by "the machine" would have one hell of a time getting or keeping their job afterwards. They'd have nowhere to go, and be completely reliant on social wellfare just to buy food.

      Of cource that assumes you mean using such a machine in the context of general pre-crime, if it was for actual threats to national security, the general public would be screaming that not enough was being done to protect them.

      (Note: The original purpose of "the machine" in Person of Interest was national security, the irrelevant numbers came after it was given to the US government without their knowledge or approval.)

      Personally, I don't believe that we as a society are mature enough to not abuse such a machine. I think this way because we can't even (in the US anyway) get over the idea of lifelong punishment. (Should just call it torture. If there is no chance of a person ever getting back into society in a postive role, then society admitting it's failure and just killing them would be the more ethical choice in my opinion. Keeping them alive serves no purpose but to make the "victims" feel a sence of righteousness by "protecting" society from that person, and give them a lifelong taste of revenge.)

      Given that, how would adding an automated system of surveillance help? All I can see it doing is making an already bad situation worse as more people would be reveiled to be deviants. Not to mention that law, morals, and ethics are not equal. What someone may think is perfectly ok in their context (culture, religous beliefs, etc.), may not be for who ever runs the machine. These people would be just as badly affected by such a system, even if that was not the intent. (Just having the notion that if someone did not aprove of your actions, you could be punished, is damaging enough.)

    4. Re:As seen on 'Person of Interest' Intro .. by m.alessandrini · · Score: 1

      I was thinking more of "Minority Report"...

  12. Precrime = we can lockup anyone no trial by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We can hold them forever with having to prove the pre crime system in any court

  13. The government can do what it wants ... by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

    ... there will always be "outsiders" that are way smarter.

    No one is smarter than everyone else.

    Downfall, thy name is revolution and the oppressed have the same technology that you do.

    --
    It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  14. The better for NSA to see how their hacking works by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Every bit of information given to government will be used against us.

    Never give power or money the benefit of any doubt.

    Those are how we got here.

  15. Already here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... anticipating cyber-terrorist acts ...

    What about using the no-fly list to catch all those terrorists? My country is adding a no-welfare list to guarantee the safety of the people. Well, you know the people too important to be named on the no-fly and no-welfare lists, and coming-soon, the no-cyber-device list.

  16. Just another goddam ... by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

    ... target for outsiders to shoot at.

    --
    It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  17. "Precrime" ... by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

    ... as in, "Peacekeepers," "Freedom fighters..."

    --
    It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  18. One can know how to conquer... by Guy+From+V · · Score: 1

    ...without being able to achieve it.
    http://resources.infosecinstit...

    Invincibility lies in defense, only victory is found in attack.
    http://orbilu.uni.lu/handle/10...

  19. The issue? by drunk_punk · · Score: 2

    shouldn't be trying to anticipate who's going to do what. Jesus, we can't stop DDOS attacks NOW! Network Intrusion detection and analysis is complex to the point of the arcane. This smells like a conveneint way to de-anonimize those pesky bitcoin trans. Because, hey, god forbid we should figure out a way to VOTE with those things.

  20. Pre crime? by ai4px · · Score: 1

    We seem to be doing a good job of catching people before they join terrorist groups lately. http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/26/... Oh and don't forget about the Newburgh Four. Those paid FBI informants are the nuts. Imagine how much safer we'll be once they expand this to cyber crime! /sarc Nothing like creating straw man criminals to justify the budget of an entire department of the government.

  21. I want this by Cederic · · Score: 1

    As an employee of a large organisation, I want us to have this capability to determine aggressive action against us ahead of it happening.

    We lack the ability (legally and technically) to take action against the aggressor; the value comes from being able to strengthen relevant defences, if necessary close off access to vulnerable services and prepare the response teams in case something does get through.

    Accurate and responsive systems monitoring lets you there's an issue quickly, so you can resolve it fast. This merely accelerates that resolution.