Many areas are accurately classified as "secure." Rent-a-cop manning a checkpoint at a facility surrounded by a scalable fence? Secure. Unguarded arms room? Secure. Building with armed guards, roving K9 patrols, and access controlled by multifactor authentication? (Probably) secure. The restrictions in effect depend on the nature of what is being safeguarded; comparing two situations is like apples and oranges. What I can tell you is how data/equipment of different classifications are treated.
FOUO/Unclassified-Pretty much the catch-all for government owned IT-equipment. Could have just a OEM copy of WinXP (standalone systems), or our enterprise's standard image. IT BBP applies: no end-user admin rights, but no restrictions on networking, only "approved" hardware/software. If lost/stolen/compromised, investigation is launched to determine possible risk (in aggregate, even unclassified data can yield vital information on operations) as well as verify that data was in fact only FOUO. Standard WPA/WPA2 is not considered acceptable for work-related activities, but there are approved solutions for official wireless use out there (AirFortress being the most popular).
Sensitive but Unclassified(SBU)-generally anything with SSNs or personnel data warrants this classification. Not approved for travel/remote use unless there's encryption in place. Aside from that, same as FOUO.
Confidential-Never encountered it applied to data. Should never be on a Unclassified system.
Secret-Computers, CDs/floppies, printers/copiers: everything Secret must be accounted for. Efforts are made to ensure only Secret devices touch the secret network (for me, SIPR). Secret devices are secured when not in use (otherwise they're hand-carried; oh yes, I was a COMSEC courier), and should never touch unclassified networks. Treated very similar to individually-issued firearms: nobody carries a device home for the night. Wireless is definitely out of the question.
I don't have experience with anything higher than Secret.
I work for the government as well (.mil); when I need to do something non-work related on a non-work network, I swap the drive with an extra I carry (most Dell laptops feature modular drive bays). If an issue is work-related, I'll use the tools I'm provided/authorized to use (we don't trust public networks either, but VPN is an acceptable means of remote access). If a job is critical enough to merit alternate means, an exception to policy will be made.
Seriously. An area without WiFi hotspots isn't worth traveling to. I use my laptop to VPN into my home network, one system of which runs Squid (proxy). Not only do I not have to worry about keyloggers, I also sidestep the issue of having credentials intercepted by sniffers.
Why resist? I make it a point to mod posts like his -1, Overrated. When you're skimming through comments, a different font catches the eye, in effect screaming "hey everybody, read this post!" IMHO, this isn't any different than drawing ASCII arrows pointing to your post--an attention-seeking gimmick. With no community-benefiting reasons to "think different," and clear reasons not to (disrupts readers, steals attention from other worthy posts), I have no qualms about negatively moderating his posts. Read his post history; it's not like he posts anything insightful in the first place.
The fate of souls during teleportation was an issue discussed by the religious faction of Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri:
And what of the immortal soul in such transactions? Can this machine transmit and reattach it as well? Or is it lost forever, leaving a soulless body to wander the world in despair?
What's stopping him from asking who you voted for today? There's not much difference between saying "I'm not telling you who I voted for" and "I'm not disclosing my serial." A partially redacted ticket should be sufficient proof of voting.
Ah, looks like damage control is in full effect today.
Computer-illiterate staff jumping the gun at any activity that deviates from the norm? Unpossible!
I remember when my brother was accused of "hacking" (hitting the escape key while Win9x was loading) by a substitute teacher. Although that was eventually cleared up, he was unfortunately "caught in the act" by a vigilant teacher as he tried to access the control panel. I forget the exact reason he went there (possibly to fix the sound), but due to his previous escapade and resulting reputation the school clamped down, deciding to waive punishment, but instead revoking his computer usage for the remainder of the year. Sadly, my folks didn't contest the decision (Dad was a teacher).
Keep in mind that this was only a year or two after Columbine, so teachers were wary of any suspicious activity.
Many nerve agents are absorbed through the skin, though getting a lungful won't do you any favors either. In the event of aerial disbursement, you'd have better chances with a poncho, rain coat, or even wearing a garbage bag. Unfortunately for you, in the event people are still able to move (and react), you would likely be knocked over and trampled in the resulting panic while trying to get your sock off.
The workaround to get at the info on ExEx is to use Google's cached version of the link, and then browse just the cached text.
Is it wrong to do this? I'd assume ExEx thinks so, as their business model depends on it. However, their links would not appear as often on Google unless they indexed the answer too. It's wrong to offer search engines information, but users less or different stuff (which is why they're hated). Having the info accessible by other means is a price they find willing to accept in order to compete on the Internet.
As for other technical info, I would not mind if search relevance was aggregated by usergroup/tag. I doubt I'd be the first to search for a solution to a problem, so I'd find it beneficial for someone else to mod the solution (or relevant info) up. I'd tag myself with sysadmin and cisco, and contribute while reaping the benefits of a preexisting group. If there was a limit to the number of tags, link spammers would have a hard time influencing results. If the idea proved popular, one could create membership requirements for adding new members (everyone can use results, but only certain people can mod results).
I would be hesitant to lay the blame on "unproven" technology or bad leadership.
The US relies on maneuver warfare. In order to get your pieces in the right place to achieve decisive victory, you have to know both the board layout and the position of both yours and the enemy's forces. The enemy's location is deduced from intel, be it satellite/aerial photos, human leaks, or intercepted communications. What about friendly forces? At the start of the Iraq War, the latest fielded development was a real-time force monitoring system (I don't recall if this particular tech was Blue Force Tracker, or it that came later). By being able to accurately determine the location of your forces, friendly fire incidents and gaps in your attacks could be minimized, resulting in a much higher level of combat effectiveness. The Army division that had this tech at the start of the conflict was the 4th Infantry Division. Where was this high-tech fighting unit? Stuck in Kuwait, because Turkey decided they didn't want the US to use their country as an launching point into Iraq. Without adequate port facilities, 4th ID's entry into Iraq was delayed by a month, rendering the technology's intended purpose (army vs army battle tracking) unnecessary. Is this a failure of technology, or of generalship? I say no, as it would be a matter of diplomacy to negotiate access to Turkey's ports. The military's contingency plan was to proceed without 4th ID, and they were able to succeed without them (we used to poke fun at the 4th ID "I missed the war" patch wearers).
As for the communications technology itself (Mobile Subscriber Equipment, or MSE), there were many inadequacies. The equipment was first fielded in '89, and apparently designed for the Fulda Gap, as leaving the equipment shelter's door open would result in overheating and systems crash (in some cases in less than a minute) in the desert heat. Its biggest failing was if it was necessary to establish comms, either a satellite terminal was used, or a directional antenna had to be erected and oriented, and its trajectory plotted, just to communicate with one (1!) node. By the time this was completed, the supported unit was ready to depart the area. MSE just couldn't keep up with the breakneck pace of modern combat. Most of the blame can be laid squarely on this "proven" technology. Then again, the fact that the Army was able to outrun its communications equipment is equally a credit upon its operations, as were there setbacks in offensive operations, the equipment would have been there to support the battle. Communications wasn't the only problem, as logistics (fuel and water) were in short supply almost from the beginning, and long after the network had stabilized.
Your savings estimate is only correct if it costs nothing to create a datacenter. Google recently spent $600 mil on their Lenoir datacenter. To calculate value, you'd have to compare the installation and upkeep costs of other facilities.
The catch for one of the most recent DRAM settlements (pricefixing; Rust Consulting) was that you had to purchase memory directly from the manufacturer. If you were a consumer, this was unlikely unless you bought directly from Micron/Crucial. I put in a CS ticket with Crucial, and received a copy of my invoices for the desired time period (about $400 worth). The settlement terms was compensation on a pro-rata basis; given the amount of memory sold during that time period vs the settlement sum, I believe it worked out to about 10% for Crucial. Still waiting on my check, so I can't confirm.
I believe the receiver would be considered part of a system, since a receiver is useless without a transmitter, and is usually sold as part of a kit. Also, there is also the requirement of being a "digital device". It is an electrical device (PCB based), but it would be difficult to argue that the equipment is designed for "the purpose of performing data processing functions".
In normal operation, the receiver is wired to a motor that opens a door; that would make the door-side equipment an "incidental radiator", which isn't covered under Class B.
That aside, a "wireless door opener" is designed for wireless transmission, yes. This does not however preclude it from classifying as a digital device. Computing devices and "unintentional radiators" are merely examples of some class B devices. Not quite. The FCC was nice enough to host the Part 15 regulations:
(i) Class B digital device. A digital device that is marketed for use in a residential environment notwithstanding use in commercial, business and industrial environments. What is a digital device?
(k) Digital device. (Previously defined as a computing device). An unintentional radiator (device or system) that generates and uses timing signals or pulses at a rate in excess of 9,000 pulses (cycles) per second and uses digital techniques; inclusive of telephone equipment that uses digital techniques or any device or system that generates and uses radio frequency energy for the purpose of performing data processing functions, such as electronic computations, operations, transformations, recording, filing, sorting, storage, retrieval, or transfer. A radio frequency device that is specifically subject to an emanation requirement in any other FCC Rule Part or an intentional radiator subject to Subpart C of this Part that contains a digital device is not subject to the standards for digital devices, provided the digital device is used only to enable operation of the radio frequency device and the digital device does not control additional functions or capabilities. Note: Computer terminals and peripherals that are intended to be connected to a computer are digital devices. Since a digital device is clearly defined as an "unintentional radiator", wireless door openers are not considered Class B devices.
1. Wait for 0-day news of product. 2. Create a trojan with adware. 3. Post a link to a "mirror" with the trojan. Bundling the original program is optional. 4. Sit back and earn 0.25 per install.
I provide helpdesk support for an environment with laptops that offer both wired and wireless connectivity. Attempting to authenticate to the domain, or use remote desktop software, is "untimely" at best, and nearly impossible for many occasions. A script that would take less than 10 seconds often drags on for 3-4 minutes when the target system feels the session should be routed over the WLAN.
Hey, no problem, you can connect using the IP assigned to the wired NIC, right? Good luck when the script only accepts the hostname, and that's mapped to the WLAN NIC. You can remap it by editing the hosts file, but when the system is FUBAR'ed to the point the user can't log on to read the other IP, your fix is useless. A substantial amount of troubleshooting time would be saved if wireless capability was only enabled on machines that need it.
And you want every machine to rely on the WLAN as the primary (or only) connection? It might work in a local shop, but be prepared to have users drag their machines over to you every time their system breaks.
There's been many a time where I'm confronted with a pile of work after midnight. It's easy to estimate how long it will take to complete the task; "I can get this done and still get two hours of sleep."
I set my alarm for 2AM, so I can finish up before I head to work. Sure enough, when I finally wake up, it's 6AM, I feel miserable, and nothing is done. Subconciously hit the snooze button for 4 hours; leaving me with just enough time to call in and make up some excuse.
You subconcious mind does make the right decision, if you consider getting fired and looking for a new job a proper decision.:(
Slashdot Mirror
Many areas are accurately classified as "secure." Rent-a-cop manning a checkpoint at a facility surrounded by a scalable fence? Secure. Unguarded arms room? Secure. Building with armed guards, roving K9 patrols, and access controlled by multifactor authentication? (Probably) secure. The restrictions in effect depend on the nature of what is being safeguarded; comparing two situations is like apples and oranges. What I can tell you is how data/equipment of different classifications are treated.
FOUO/Unclassified-Pretty much the catch-all for government owned IT-equipment. Could have just a OEM copy of WinXP (standalone systems), or our enterprise's standard image. IT BBP applies: no end-user admin rights, but no restrictions on networking, only "approved" hardware/software. If lost/stolen/compromised, investigation is launched to determine possible risk (in aggregate, even unclassified data can yield vital information on operations) as well as verify that data was in fact only FOUO. Standard WPA/WPA2 is not considered acceptable for work-related activities, but there are approved solutions for official wireless use out there (AirFortress being the most popular).
Sensitive but Unclassified(SBU)-generally anything with SSNs or personnel data warrants this classification. Not approved for travel/remote use unless there's encryption in place. Aside from that, same as FOUO.
Confidential-Never encountered it applied to data. Should never be on a Unclassified system.
Secret-Computers, CDs/floppies, printers/copiers: everything Secret must be accounted for. Efforts are made to ensure only Secret devices touch the secret network (for me, SIPR). Secret devices are secured when not in use (otherwise they're hand-carried; oh yes, I was a COMSEC courier), and should never touch unclassified networks. Treated very similar to individually-issued firearms: nobody carries a device home for the night. Wireless is definitely out of the question.
I don't have experience with anything higher than Secret.
I work for the government as well (.mil); when I need to do something non-work related on a non-work network, I swap the drive with an extra I carry (most Dell laptops feature modular drive bays). If an issue is work-related, I'll use the tools I'm provided/authorized to use (we don't trust public networks either, but VPN is an acceptable means of remote access). If a job is critical enough to merit alternate means, an exception to policy will be made.
Seriously.
An area without WiFi hotspots isn't worth traveling to. I use my laptop to VPN into my home network, one system of which runs Squid (proxy). Not only do I not have to worry about keyloggers, I also sidestep the issue of having credentials intercepted by sniffers.
Why resist? I make it a point to mod posts like his -1, Overrated. When you're skimming through comments, a different font catches the eye, in effect screaming "hey everybody, read this post!" IMHO, this isn't any different than drawing ASCII arrows pointing to your post--an attention-seeking gimmick. With no community-benefiting reasons to "think different," and clear reasons not to (disrupts readers, steals attention from other worthy posts), I have no qualms about negatively moderating his posts. Read his post history; it's not like he posts anything insightful in the first place.
Sister Miriam Godwinson
"We Must Dissent" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh-ZcdO5fe8
SMAC is one of the most philosophical games, and a classic.
If people were really "guilty before proven innocent," then bail would not exist.
What's stopping him from asking who you voted for today? There's not much difference between saying "I'm not telling you who I voted for" and "I'm not disclosing my serial." A partially redacted ticket should be sufficient proof of voting.
Ah, looks like damage control is in full effect today.
Computer-illiterate staff jumping the gun at any activity that deviates from the norm? Unpossible!
I remember when my brother was accused of "hacking" (hitting the escape key while Win9x was loading) by a substitute teacher. Although that was eventually cleared up, he was unfortunately "caught in the act" by a vigilant teacher as he tried to access the control panel. I forget the exact reason he went there (possibly to fix the sound), but due to his previous escapade and resulting reputation the school clamped down, deciding to waive punishment, but instead revoking his computer usage for the remainder of the year. Sadly, my folks didn't contest the decision (Dad was a teacher).
Keep in mind that this was only a year or two after Columbine, so teachers were wary of any suspicious activity.
Many nerve agents are absorbed through the skin, though getting a lungful won't do you any favors either. In the event of aerial disbursement, you'd have better chances with a poncho, rain coat, or even wearing a garbage bag. Unfortunately for you, in the event people are still able to move (and react), you would likely be knocked over and trampled in the resulting panic while trying to get your sock off.
The workaround to get at the info on ExEx is to use Google's cached version of the link, and then browse just the cached text.
Is it wrong to do this? I'd assume ExEx thinks so, as their business model depends on it. However, their links would not appear as often on Google unless they indexed the answer too. It's wrong to offer search engines information, but users less or different stuff (which is why they're hated). Having the info accessible by other means is a price they find willing to accept in order to compete on the Internet.
As for other technical info, I would not mind if search relevance was aggregated by usergroup/tag. I doubt I'd be the first to search for a solution to a problem, so I'd find it beneficial for someone else to mod the solution (or relevant info) up. I'd tag myself with sysadmin and cisco, and contribute while reaping the benefits of a preexisting group. If there was a limit to the number of tags, link spammers would have a hard time influencing results. If the idea proved popular, one could create membership requirements for adding new members (everyone can use results, but only certain people can mod results).
I would be hesitant to lay the blame on "unproven" technology or bad leadership.
The US relies on maneuver warfare. In order to get your pieces in the right place to achieve decisive victory, you have to know both the board layout and the position of both yours and the enemy's forces. The enemy's location is deduced from intel, be it satellite/aerial photos, human leaks, or intercepted communications. What about friendly forces? At the start of the Iraq War, the latest fielded development was a real-time force monitoring system (I don't recall if this particular tech was Blue Force Tracker, or it that came later). By being able to accurately determine the location of your forces, friendly fire incidents and gaps in your attacks could be minimized, resulting in a much higher level of combat effectiveness. The Army division that had this tech at the start of the conflict was the 4th Infantry Division. Where was this high-tech fighting unit? Stuck in Kuwait, because Turkey decided they didn't want the US to use their country as an launching point into Iraq. Without adequate port facilities, 4th ID's entry into Iraq was delayed by a month, rendering the technology's intended purpose (army vs army battle tracking) unnecessary. Is this a failure of technology, or of generalship? I say no, as it would be a matter of diplomacy to negotiate access to Turkey's ports. The military's contingency plan was to proceed without 4th ID, and they were able to succeed without them (we used to poke fun at the 4th ID "I missed the war" patch wearers).
As for the communications technology itself (Mobile Subscriber Equipment, or MSE), there were many inadequacies. The equipment was first fielded in '89, and apparently designed for the Fulda Gap, as leaving the equipment shelter's door open would result in overheating and systems crash (in some cases in less than a minute) in the desert heat. Its biggest failing was if it was necessary to establish comms, either a satellite terminal was used, or a directional antenna had to be erected and oriented, and its trajectory plotted, just to communicate with one (1!) node. By the time this was completed, the supported unit was ready to depart the area. MSE just couldn't keep up with the breakneck pace of modern combat. Most of the blame can be laid squarely on this "proven" technology. Then again, the fact that the Army was able to outrun its communications equipment is equally a credit upon its operations, as were there setbacks in offensive operations, the equipment would have been there to support the battle. Communications wasn't the only problem, as logistics (fuel and water) were in short supply almost from the beginning, and long after the network had stabilized.
Your savings estimate is only correct if it costs nothing to create a datacenter. Google recently spent $600 mil on their Lenoir datacenter. To calculate value, you'd have to compare the installation and upkeep costs of other facilities.
The catch for one of the most recent DRAM settlements (pricefixing; Rust Consulting) was that you had to purchase memory directly from the manufacturer. If you were a consumer, this was unlikely unless you bought directly from Micron/Crucial. I put in a CS ticket with Crucial, and received a copy of my invoices for the desired time period (about $400 worth). The settlement terms was compensation on a pro-rata basis; given the amount of memory sold during that time period vs the settlement sum, I believe it worked out to about 10% for Crucial. Still waiting on my check, so I can't confirm.
Class B is a only one subset of Part 15. Check the press release you linked; you won't find Class B mentioned.
I believe the receiver would be considered part of a system, since a receiver is useless without a transmitter, and is usually sold as part of a kit. Also, there is also the requirement of being a "digital device". It is an electrical device (PCB based), but it would be difficult to argue that the equipment is designed for "the purpose of
performing data processing functions".
In normal operation, the receiver is wired to a motor that opens a door; that would make the door-side equipment an "incidental radiator", which isn't covered under Class B.
notwithstanding use in commercial, business and industrial environments. What is a digital device? (k) Digital device. (Previously defined as a computing device). An unintentional radiator
(device or system) that generates and uses timing signals or pulses at a rate in excess of 9,000 pulses
(cycles) per second and uses digital techniques; inclusive of telephone equipment that uses digital
techniques or any device or system that generates and uses radio frequency energy for the purpose of
performing data processing functions, such as electronic computations, operations, transformations,
recording, filing, sorting, storage, retrieval, or transfer. A radio frequency device that is specifically
subject to an emanation requirement in any other FCC Rule Part or an intentional radiator subject to
Subpart C of this Part that contains a digital device is not subject to the standards for digital devices,
provided the digital device is used only to enable operation of the radio frequency device and the digital
device does not control additional functions or capabilities. Note: Computer terminals and peripherals
that are intended to be connected to a computer are digital devices. Since a digital device is clearly defined as an "unintentional radiator", wireless door openers are not considered Class B devices.
If anyone is interested, the Part 15 regulations can be found here: http://www.fcc.gov/oet/info/rules/part15/part15-8
FCC Part 15 Class B covers:
-residential use
-digital devices (computing devices/"unintentional radiators")
A wireless door opener is designed for wireless transmission, and is not a computer, therefore it does not enjoy Class B protections.
TFA was short on details. This article http://www.krdotv.com/story.cfm?nav=news&storyID=1 613 says disruptions were affecting devices in the 390 MHz spectrum range.
According to the US Department of Commerce, http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/allochrt.pdf, the 335.4 to 399.9 MHz band is licensed exclusively to the government.
Sorry for the lack of HTML skills.
1. Wait for 0-day news of product.
2. Create a trojan with adware.
3. Post a link to a "mirror" with the trojan. Bundling the original program is optional.
4. Sit back and earn 0.25 per install.
Caveat emptor.
I provide helpdesk support for an environment with laptops that offer both wired and wireless connectivity. Attempting to authenticate to the domain, or use remote desktop software, is "untimely" at best, and nearly impossible for many occasions. A script that would take less than 10 seconds often drags on for 3-4 minutes when the target system feels the session should be routed over the WLAN.
Hey, no problem, you can connect using the IP assigned to the wired NIC, right? Good luck when the script only accepts the hostname, and that's mapped to the WLAN NIC. You can remap it by editing the hosts file, but when the system is FUBAR'ed to the point the user can't log on to read the other IP, your fix is useless. A substantial amount of troubleshooting time would be saved if wireless capability was only enabled on machines that need it.
And you want every machine to rely on the WLAN as the primary (or only) connection? It might work in a local shop, but be prepared to have users drag their machines over to you every time their system breaks.
They'll use additional letters, similar to 1000BaseT Gigabit Ethernet (802.3ab).
Instead of seeing "Punch the monkey and win an Ipod", we might get "Kill Osama and win $25 million".
Could the image be of an inchworm?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inchworm
Think you can replace Solitare with Halo 2 for Vista Ultimate?
There's been many a time where I'm confronted with a pile of work after midnight.
:(
It's easy to estimate how long it will take to complete the task; "I can get this done and still get two hours of sleep."
I set my alarm for 2AM, so I can finish up before I head to work. Sure enough, when I finally wake up, it's 6AM, I feel miserable, and nothing is done. Subconciously hit the snooze button for 4 hours; leaving me with just enough time to call in and make up some excuse.
You subconcious mind does make the right decision, if you consider getting fired and looking for a new job a proper decision.