I remember my favourite webcomic (well, almost the only webcomic I follow with any regularity) addressing the idea of copyright trolling a few years back. 2011, I see.
You have to put a second admin there, who knows as much, and then trust THEM.
How do you trust the second admin?
So, Juvenal is a candidate for the Patron Saint of InfoSec? Since he was aware of this problem around 100AD. (He's the guy who came up with the question "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" ("Who watches the watchers themselves?")
Oh no - the BOFH would have deleted the (rather, Yet Another) Pointy-Haired Boss or put them into the long term backup (lime pits) long before it reached the point of being an ex-Admin.
their servers all went down and their support lines weren't responding. [...] do this quickly - especially if they were pulling people from the support lines to assist.
Hang on... think that through for a second. That suggests either that they're routinely using senior IT Admins on their tier-1 phone lines ("Hello customer, what can I help you with?... HAND!"), OR they're using tier-1 phone line staff to do important admin work, OR... does anyone else smell bullshit? (From the company involved, not the OP.)
I'm not sure we'd have used those titles, but I'm pretty sure someone is getting demoted
NEW HIRE: "Hi, I'm a new hire. Where do I go?"
RECEPTIONIST: "Hi, I'm the Vice President in Charge of Avoiding a Repeat of The Disaster of May 2017. Follow me, and do what I say, and not what I do!"
NEW HIRE: "I just bet there's a war story behind that job title."
The knives were actually ceramic, with wrapped leather handles. So they were kinda encrypted in a way, because they wouldn't be detected by metal detectors.
I'm not familiar with the specific knives used, but on the basis of the general properties of ceramics, I would suspect that they're ceramic-EDGED on a (mild-)steel spine. In fact, doing just a little research, that does seem to be the case, with the knives having a ceramic edge bonded to a steel blade. (Image) Some "ceramic" knives also have a "ceramic coating" for alleged colour or hygiene reasons.
I very much doubt if run-of-the-mill "ceramic knives" are low enough in metal content to not trigger a metal detector. Think, for one second of the utter shit storm of bad publicity that would destroy a manufacturer/ importer who did actually sell significant quantities of the "Detector-Proof Knife".
Ceramics (and "edge steel" are strong and hard, which is why they can hold an edge, but also brittle (which is why 2 of the knife sites I looked at mentioned chipping as being a real problem for ceramic knives, as it used to be for swords when people cared about them). Which is why most knives, for centuries have had a hard steel (or ceramic) edge on a backbone of more flexible but less crack-prone ("tougher") steel.
Try following up on, for example, "pattern welding" for decorative versions of this old habit of mixing materials for different parts of a blade.
What of a person that prints with a pattern of dots that makes the watermark unreadable?
Hmmm, that might just about be feasible. It'd interfere with readability, and not exactly be inconspicuous, but you could make occasional complaints about "the bloody printer is still spilling yellow toner"... sort of workable. But...
I can envision someone creating a printer driver that does exactly this and release it on the internet.
... not installable. Monitored computer on a secured commercial (let alone military or SpookTLA) network, you'll be prevented from installing random drivers from anywhere other than the IT department's update drive - where they vet what is available for installation pretty closely.
You can't consider any site anything like secure if the site induction doesn't include "here are your coveralls, there are the change cubicles, here is your polythene sealable bag for your personal goods ; get changed ; there are no pockets ; all your goods go into the bag, follow the instructions to seal. You'll be locking the bag into a locker in this building before we enter the secure site. Bring your ID card and fingerprints and nothing else (which is why there are no pockets). Anything less means that you actually trust the people you're using to some degree - which is a no-no in security.
Inkjet printers use the hidden dot serial scheme too, all digital printers do.
I've used a daisy-wheel printer (to print out my honours thesis), but that was only analogue in it's character-to-glyph engine - the epyonymous daisy-wheel. The rest of the printer was as digital as the Teletype () terminal I printed my rough copies on, which only had a RS-232C DB-25 data connection to the mainframe. Just ever-so-slightly digital. To be honest, I think if you wanted to find an analogue printer, you'd need to go back to setting up type manually - which I've done too. Try using a steam-powered (literally) Linotype ( as well) machine and you're still looking at a (Steam Punk) digital storage to assemble the line of print and cast it.
Imagine Component A breaks on the system. Now, imagine Component A has been retired for a decade,
And that's where you part company from industrial reality. A significant part of the high maintenance costs of industrial equipment (not the disposable crap that is sold to street consumers, with it's 20-year lifespan) is the maintenance of those stores of old equipment.
P>I bet that you think that WD-40 is for loosening tight nuts, not for mothballing electronics. You probably don't even know what "mothballing" is, except as a particularly niche application of Rule 34.
No, I'm advocating for a country's right to rescind the invitation for an immigrant to stay.
And for those terrorists who are born-and-bred citizens of the county. For example, in this case, the Northern Irish Unionist terrorists who're going into loose coalition with the self-emasculated Mrs May.
In the public space it should be freedom FROM religion.
One minor extension - I'd only allow people to preach a religion to other people who have paid for being preached at with a credit card in their own name, after signing a detailed medical-style consent form for the potentially dangerous indoctrination you're wishing to receive. No exceptions.
Particularly no exceptions for children. Any children who receive religious indoctrination should be of sound mind, of their own responsibility, and of full adult status. If you're really keen to indoctrinate children - you might want a detailed bureaucratic process to allow for exceptions. A process that might take up to 20 years.
Mirriam-Webster (who I think are an American dictionary, but I'm not sure that it matters for this one) says that it doesn't really matter. It's a popular, but not well-founded distinction.
TBH, I'd thought the only used for "hanged" was for the judge's black cap condemnation : "you will be hanged by the neck until dead." But just to annoy people, I'll mix them about a bit more.
I was about 3000 miles way and rely on reports from the daughter whose computer wouldn't boot.
No, it's not obvious to me. I still don't understand why and MP3 player needs a special program to move files onto and off the device, and requires you to provide some sort of credit card info in order to replay or move your own files.
Personally, I've never had any problems with iTunes either. But then again, I've never actually seen it. I was given a - oh, some sort of Mac tablet, I forget what it was, call it an iThing - a couple of years ago. I gavve that, in it''s box, to the wife for her to use. It's now locked solid and displays some message about iTunes. I don't know what happened there, but the manual I printed out for her (I was at work when I was given the iThing, so had a printer) did mention credit cards on several occasions. It's not worth the effort of trying to figure out what happened.
Slashdot Mirror
Scene setting.
The scope of the problem and first proposed solution.
The second proposal.
We're gonna need a bigger universe.
I like "Freefall". It asks all sorts of interesting questions, like this recent sub-theme.
The BOFH has a cattle-prod with your name on it. The PFY will hold you down and line up the welding rods. It's a helluva cattle prod (unsurprisingly).
There was a good guy in Mad Max? That's not the impression I got from seeing bits of it. Oh, I see - that's your point. OK : quod erat demonstratum.
So, Juvenal is a candidate for the Patron Saint of InfoSec? Since he was aware of this problem around 100AD. (He's the guy who came up with the question "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" ("Who watches the watchers themselves?")
And your procedure for updating the locked-away passwords is?
And your procedure for checking that the password hasn't been changed without notification is ?
Conceptually, it's simple. In practice, it's not so simple. That's why screens have bezels - for sticking the post-it to.
Oh no - the BOFH would have deleted the (rather, Yet Another) Pointy-Haired Boss or put them into the long term backup (lime pits) long before it reached the point of being an ex-Admin.
Laugh ?
Hang on ... think that through for a second. That suggests either that they're routinely using senior IT Admins on their tier-1 phone lines ("Hello customer, what can I help you with? ... HAND!"), OR they're using tier-1 phone line staff to do important admin work, OR ... does anyone else smell bullshit? (From the company involved, not the OP.)
NEW HIRE : "Hi, I'm a new hire. Where do I go?"
RECEPTIONIST : "Hi, I'm the Vice President in Charge of Avoiding a Repeat of The Disaster of May 2017. Follow me, and do what I say, and not what I do!"
NEW HIRE : "I just bet there's a war story behind that job title."
But they leave it up to you, the punter, to choose which Tuesday.
I think that she might make it to July. Just.
I'm not familiar with the specific knives used, but on the basis of the general properties of ceramics, I would suspect that they're ceramic-EDGED on a (mild-)steel spine. In fact, doing just a little research, that does seem to be the case, with the knives having a ceramic edge bonded to a steel blade. (Image) Some "ceramic" knives also have a "ceramic coating" for alleged colour or hygiene reasons.
I very much doubt if run-of-the-mill "ceramic knives" are low enough in metal content to not trigger a metal detector. Think, for one second of the utter shit storm of bad publicity that would destroy a manufacturer/ importer who did actually sell significant quantities of the "Detector-Proof Knife".
Ceramics (and "edge steel" are strong and hard, which is why they can hold an edge, but also brittle (which is why 2 of the knife sites I looked at mentioned chipping as being a real problem for ceramic knives, as it used to be for swords when people cared about them). Which is why most knives, for centuries have had a hard steel (or ceramic) edge on a backbone of more flexible but less crack-prone ("tougher") steel.
Try following up on, for example, "pattern welding" for decorative versions of this old habit of mixing materials for different parts of a blade.
Hmmm, that might just about be feasible. It'd interfere with readability, and not exactly be inconspicuous, but you could make occasional complaints about "the bloody printer is still spilling yellow toner" ... sort of workable. But ...
... not installable. Monitored computer on a secured commercial (let alone military or SpookTLA) network, you'll be prevented from installing random drivers from anywhere other than the IT department's update drive - where they vet what is available for installation pretty closely.
You can't consider any site anything like secure if the site induction doesn't include "here are your coveralls, there are the change cubicles, here is your polythene sealable bag for your personal goods ; get changed ; there are no pockets ; all your goods go into the bag, follow the instructions to seal. You'll be locking the bag into a locker in this building before we enter the secure site. Bring your ID card and fingerprints and nothing else (which is why there are no pockets). Anything less means that you actually trust the people you're using to some degree - which is a no-no in security.
I've used a daisy-wheel printer (to print out my honours thesis), but that was only analogue in it's character-to-glyph engine - the epyonymous daisy-wheel. The rest of the printer was as digital as the Teletype () terminal I printed my rough copies on, which only had a RS-232C DB-25 data connection to the mainframe. Just ever-so-slightly digital. To be honest, I think if you wanted to find an analogue printer, you'd need to go back to setting up type manually - which I've done too. Try using a steam-powered (literally) Linotype ( as well) machine and you're still looking at a (Steam Punk) digital storage to assemble the line of print and cast it.
Or, in this case, "do not listen to dot matrix printer with remaining ear."
That reminds me - the BlueTooth physical keyboard I normally use has died, and I need to investigate replacements.
And that's where you part company from industrial reality. A significant part of the high maintenance costs of industrial equipment (not the disposable crap that is sold to street consumers, with it's 20-year lifespan) is the maintenance of those stores of old equipment. P>I bet that you think that WD-40 is for loosening tight nuts, not for mothballing electronics. You probably don't even know what "mothballing" is, except as a particularly niche application of Rule 34.
What do you mean, I'm part of Hollywood's problem?
Is that a Regular school shooting, or an extra-large McSchool shooting? Do you want fries with your massacre?
Personally, I balme the Americans. Over-paid, over-sexed, but (fortunately) over there.
... of which there are currently 6 or 7 in force. Not one of which has been applied to any of the actual terrorists.
And for those terrorists who are born-and-bred citizens of the county. For example, in this case, the Northern Irish Unionist terrorists who're going into loose coalition with the self-emasculated Mrs May.
"Gone"? Oh, they haven't gone anywhere. They've been like that for decades, possibly centuries.
Oh tempora, o mores!
One minor extension - I'd only allow people to preach a religion to other people who have paid for being preached at with a credit card in their own name, after signing a detailed medical-style consent form for the potentially dangerous indoctrination you're wishing to receive. No exceptions.
Particularly no exceptions for children. Any children who receive religious indoctrination should be of sound mind, of their own responsibility, and of full adult status. If you're really keen to indoctrinate children - you might want a detailed bureaucratic process to allow for exceptions. A process that might take up to 20 years.
TBH, I'd thought the only used for "hanged" was for the judge's black cap condemnation : "you will be hanged by the neck until dead." But just to annoy people, I'll mix them about a bit more.
No, it's not obvious to me. I still don't understand why and MP3 player needs a special program to move files onto and off the device, and requires you to provide some sort of credit card info in order to replay or move your own files.
Personally, I've never had any problems with iTunes either. But then again, I've never actually seen it. I was given a - oh, some sort of Mac tablet, I forget what it was, call it an iThing - a couple of years ago. I gavve that, in it''s box, to the wife for her to use. It's now locked solid and displays some message about iTunes. I don't know what happened there, but the manual I printed out for her (I was at work when I was given the iThing, so had a printer) did mention credit cards on several occasions. It's not worth the effort of trying to figure out what happened.