I followed your instructions to the letter and constructed the following valid VISA number:
4111 1111 1111 1111
I don't know how, but even though the checksum computes, everyone I have given it to so far recognised it as a fake! Maybe the expiry date was the giveaway?
I am still waiting for israel to spend tens of millions of dollars doing something nice for us.
I don't suppose the computer you used to write that message contained Intel chips? You may find Israel's contribution to that was pretty "nice". Don't get me started on pharmaceuticals and other research Israel has done of direct benefit to the US. They are hardly lying there accepting handouts like much of the Arab world whose last significant contribution to science was hundreds of years ago in the form of algebra (and on behalf of students everywhere, gee thanks a lot for that!)
And speaking of nice, have a read of this amongst other articles that suggest Israel has done PLENTY for the free world.
Why would a defensive weapon consititute the start of an arms race? Who can out-defend themselves?
The fact is, Israel is surrounded on all sides by sucicidal people who would happily snuff it out given half a chance. Why wouldn't a weapon like this be a good thing?
The idea of making information more expensive to crack than it's worth depends on your being attacked by people with economic motives.
I understand what you are saying, however it's besides the point. In protecting anything you need to assess what (or who) exactly the threat is, including their motivation, be it social, political or financial for example. Even if, in your scenario, its a bunch of challenge-happy hackers, then you merely protect your information according to this different threat. This may or may not involve crypto.
My reference to making information "more expensive" could also have be phrased: "making protected information way too much bother to crack before people lost interest and chased poodles with puffy tails instead while someone beat the information out of you".
It tells us HOW MANY machines we need to throw at the challenge.
The whole key to protecting information is to make it cost more to recover the information than it is worth.
For example, if information is going to need to be kept secret for twenty years, projects like this help you learn based on current technology, how much crypto is sufficent (or overkill).
Shortly after the news conference, Lockheed then announced its plan to create a moon base, from where it will fire the "laser" on Earth's major cities. The "laser," was created by Dr. Parsons and shall be known as "The Alan Parsons Project." according to confidential reports.
Lockheed's shares closed at one hundred million dollars...
Nothing like a "You suck" email sent from a users account to the boss, to make them realise that may it's not such a bad idea.
Nothing like a: "You may all take Monday off" email sent from the boss's email account to all the users to get that security budget increase you wanted...
Although only useful for fun, and not serious network analysis, have a play with Etherpeg
EtherPEG works by capturing unencrypted TCP packets off your local network, collecting packets into groups based on TCP connection (determined from source IP address, destination IP address, source TCP port and destination TCP port), reassembling those packets into order based on TCP sequence number, and then scanning the resulting data for byte sequences that suggest the presence of JPEG or GIF data.
Or in other words, fire it up, plug in a data projector and watch everyone's porn. Interesting side-effect: It makes (most) people a lot more careful what they browse if they know the results will be displayed for everyone's amusement. Mercifully, it's also a lot less likely these days to see The Goatse flying across the screen.
"Is anyone else reminded of the blipverts from the Max Headroom series?"
No, but I am reminded of the "Want more?" hyperlink which appeared on the futuristic televisions in Starship Troopers.
Damn... Now I am also reminded of Denise Richards in Spandex.
I disagree with the article - obviously written for a non technical audience.
Although I hate calling a bug a "feature", the fact is that blackouts are often a testament to fault-detection which could otherwise overload a grid and cause more substantial problems that would take longer to resolve.
When ever there is a power outage, a grid must be brought back up slowly. Otherwise, all the lights, motors, air-conditioners, fridges etc. switched on will overload the system and shut it down again - bunnyhopping.
Moreover, grids are deliberately designed (1950s or not) to channel energy where it's needed. This prevents overloading or underpowering.
It just saddens me how absolutely dependent we are on electricity/technology that in an emergency we cannot possibly do without it. How many people have been frustrated that their mail server is down, yet not realised they can WALK over to their colleague and TALK to him?
It's funny you should ask:-)
Actually, the "--" is a throwback to Usenet signatures.
The link is my Father's website. He's a doctor and it's a genuine information resource about snoring (i.e. it's not selling miracle cures etc. like most snoring related websites.)
If you do a Google search for Snoring, snoring.com.au is one of the highest ranking sites given the quality of its information and how long the site has been around (5 years - forever in Internet time).
The Spammers have tried to benefit from the high Google ranking and a number of sites selling sleeping pills and miracle snoring cures (snake-oil!) have inferred an association with our site in their keywords to try and spoof Google. It's a little hard to explain, but it seemed to work briefly. Then Google got wise and changed the algorithm to penalise such spamming attempts.
When that happened though, our site was apparently penalised for it by the reverse association (i.e. to the spammers).
I guess that's why I'm acutely aware of search engine spammers and the depths some of them will go to.
Slashdot Mirror
I followed your instructions to the letter and constructed the following valid VISA number:
4111 1111 1111 1111
I don't know how, but even though the checksum computes, everyone I have given it to so far recognised it as a fake! Maybe the expiry date was the giveaway?
...his thoughts on negritude ultramarine
Now I can produce drink coasters even faster!
I don't suppose the computer you used to write that message contained Intel chips? You may find Israel's contribution to that was pretty "nice". Don't get me started on pharmaceuticals and other research Israel has done of direct benefit to the US. They are hardly lying there accepting handouts like much of the Arab world whose last significant contribution to science was hundreds of years ago in the form of algebra (and on behalf of students everywhere, gee thanks a lot for that!)
And speaking of nice, have a read of this amongst other articles that suggest Israel has done PLENTY for the free world.
Care to rethink your comment?
Why would a defensive weapon consititute the start of an arms race? Who can out-defend themselves?
The fact is, Israel is surrounded on all sides by sucicidal people who would happily snuff it out given half a chance. Why wouldn't a weapon like this be a good thing?
I understand what you are saying, however it's besides the point. In protecting anything you need to assess what (or who) exactly the threat is, including their motivation, be it social, political or financial for example. Even if, in your scenario, its a bunch of challenge-happy hackers, then you merely protect your information according to this different threat. This may or may not involve crypto.
My reference to making information "more expensive" could also have be phrased: "making protected information way too much bother to crack before people lost interest and chased poodles with puffy tails instead while someone beat the information out of you".
And they're still selling your same address...
No.
It tells us HOW MANY machines we need to throw at the challenge.
The whole key to protecting information is to make it cost more to recover the information than it is worth.
For example, if information is going to need to be kept secret for twenty years, projects like this help you learn based on current technology, how much crypto is sufficent (or overkill).
Google search for the letter "a" resulted in 3,530,000,000 hits [search took 0.12 seconds].
Until homeless bums jump in front of your clockwork car at traffic lights, start cranking and then demand five bucks...
Shortly after the news conference, Lockheed then announced its plan to create a moon base, from where it will fire the "laser" on Earth's major cities. The "laser," was created by Dr. Parsons and shall be known as "The Alan Parsons Project." according to confidential reports.
Lockheed's shares closed at one hundred million dollars...
Nothing like a: "You may all take Monday off" email sent from the boss's email account to all the users to get that security budget increase you wanted...
It's still interesting to see that in two years of cybercrime and media frenzies that nothing has really changed...
I am reminded of a geek friend who got really excited when he acquired a raised-floor system being thrown out of an ex-server room.
He told me his wife had even agreed to let him install it in their bedroom.
I said to him "why do you need a raised floor? I know how few cables you are running and you certainly don't have gas fire suppression or HVAC".
He looked at me like an idiot and said "yeah, but dude... It's a RAISED FLOOR!"
Sadly, I could totally see his point...
EtherPEG works by capturing unencrypted TCP packets off your local network, collecting packets into groups based on TCP connection (determined from source IP address, destination IP address, source TCP port and destination TCP port), reassembling those packets into order based on TCP sequence number, and then scanning the resulting data for byte sequences that suggest the presence of JPEG or GIF data.
Or in other words, fire it up, plug in a data projector and watch everyone's porn. Interesting side-effect: It makes (most) people a lot more careful what they browse if they know the results will be displayed for everyone's amusement. Mercifully, it's also a lot less likely these days to see The Goatse flying across the screen.
It's hardly a new problem on the Internet that one can't delete messages from the past...
No, but I am reminded of the "Want more?" hyperlink which appeared on the futuristic televisions in Starship Troopers.
Damn... Now I am also reminded of Denise Richards in Spandex.
Why don't you stick your pee-pee in the light socket and report back to us?
I disagree with the article - obviously written for a non technical audience.
Although I hate calling a bug a "feature", the fact is that blackouts are often a testament to fault-detection which could otherwise overload a grid and cause more substantial problems that would take longer to resolve.
When ever there is a power outage, a grid must be brought back up slowly. Otherwise, all the lights, motors, air-conditioners, fridges etc. switched on will overload the system and shut it down again - bunnyhopping.
Moreover, grids are deliberately designed (1950s or not) to channel energy where it's needed. This prevents overloading or underpowering.
It just saddens me how absolutely dependent we are on electricity/technology that in an emergency we cannot possibly do without it. How many people have been frustrated that their mail server is down, yet not realised they can WALK over to their colleague and TALK to him?
Powers out... Grab the shotgun!
I'm just going...out to....stalk....Lenny and...Carl......
In Soviet Russia... We hang the losing candidate.
I warned them Avian Carriers couldn't survive in a vacuum.
So if Michael Dell is stepping down and Kevin Rollins is taking over, does this mean I will soon be able to buy a PC with Rollins written on the case?
Awesome!
Until this came along.
A special setting will allow owners of 3G phones to select the video background of their choice before answering a call.
"Hi honey... I'm just in church. Be home soon."
The link is my Father's website. He's a doctor and it's a genuine information resource about snoring (i.e. it's not selling miracle cures etc. like most snoring related websites.)
If you do a Google search for Snoring, snoring.com.au is one of the highest ranking sites given the quality of its information and how long the site has been around (5 years - forever in Internet time).
The Spammers have tried to benefit from the high Google ranking and a number of sites selling sleeping pills and miracle snoring cures (snake-oil!) have inferred an association with our site in their keywords to try and spoof Google. It's a little hard to explain, but it seemed to work briefly. Then Google got wise and changed the algorithm to penalise such spamming attempts.
When that happened though, our site was apparently penalised for it by the reverse association (i.e. to the spammers).
I guess that's why I'm acutely aware of search engine spammers and the depths some of them will go to.