While it is rare considering the volume of e-mail I receive, I've noticed backscatter is gradually increasing. More and more admins are just installing anti-spam/anti-virus devices without learning which options to enable or disable.
so as long as your MTA is not allowing emails to arrive to nonexistant users I wholeheartedly agree, but SPF won't even allow it to get this far. Why should clueless admins expect me to pick up their slack?
Sure, I once got angry at people who sent me spam and bounced it back to the sender with a nastygram. But that was 1995. There wasn't SPF, and there weren't content filters. And most installations were open relays on Sendmail. Administering e-mail was simply giving someone a home directory and pine.
Nowadays, the e-mail administrators are the biggest enablers. If they just checked SPF records and stopped automated bounces after a content filter determines it's spam.... It's also up to the admin to educate their users. But, there will always be clueless new admins and new users.
I should have saved my reply for you. I had a few sentences about the mercury in CFLs, and three links to articles about CFLs.
Just in case you don't read the link, the conclusion was that the risk is overblown, an incandescent's power requirements cause more mercury to be released vs. breaking a CFL, and you should be recycling many other items in your home that may pose a greater danger to you than a CFL.
CFLs are an excellent answer. But don't take my word for it, follow the link.
I must have read at least 3 news stories about backscatter in the last week.
At least they're writing stories about it now. I'm glad they're finally publicizing this. I've published SPF records almost since SPF started, and it amazes me that people still don't set up their servers to check this before accepting a message -- which is the initial problem. The more publicity, the better.
Of course, CFL bulbs are not without a down-side, namely the mercury in side. Power companies are also stepping up to recycle those, but I bet most end up in the trash.
The mercury "downside" is usually overblown. When compared with the amount of mercury (or any other toxin) that would be released into the environment due to a standard incandescent's power requirements, the CFL actually comes out ahead. And for older folks, the mercury amount is magnitudes less than the amount in the old thermostats and thermometers. Did you call Hazmat when you broke a thermometer? I doubt it, even though we all knew about mercury poisoning.
Do handle light bulbs with care. However, clean-up procedures are fairly simple if one breaks. And bring old bulbs to a recycle center.
Also, don't forget to recycle all your appliances, electronics, and batteries. The chemicals and elements contained in those are just as hazardous to your health and to the environment, if not more so. The places that take these items also take the CFL bulbs.
> California has since realized that it needs more > of its own power generation facilities to protect > itself from its neighbors
But this is exactly what I was saying.
That CA needs to protect itself from states that shelter criminal operations?
it was effectively impossible to build new plants there.....This was done intentionally No, it was done to curb pollution. Previously, the environmental impact wasn't considered -- or hardly at all.
You do realize that CA prides itself on protecting and cleaning up its environment?
Why should Texas, who built and owned their own plants and transmission lines (and who, for a long time saw no need to tie into the national grid) be forced to deliver electricity to California No one forced Texas to do anything. Keep that in mind for my next counterpoint...
[Texas] had gas and coal fired plants belching 24/7.... No one forced Texas to do anything. Besides, you just effectively argued that Texas' environment (and consequently the health of its own citizens) comes secondary to heavy polluters.
California got exactly what it deserved. Now we see your true feelings. It's a blame the victim mentality. Enron felt the same way.
Washington, Oregon, and even Montana also faced increased rates due to California refusing to improve its infrastructure. Perhaps you missed where energy traders, such as Enron, were illegally gaming the market. Criminal acts drove up prices for everybody.
Once Enron imploded due to its sheer unsustainable greed, energy prices fell again. The fake power shortages went away. People went to jail. People lost their ill-gotten gains. Funny, I haven't seen a rolling blackout since.
Please read. It touches on all the points that concern you.
If you can back up your statements with facts, please cite your sources and provide links. But don't be too surprised if your sources' credibilities get challenged if they aren't using peer reviewed scientific studies.
Environmental-whackos.... Only when things started getting really bad, and California blacked out a couple times did the rules start to loosen.
No. Enron, amongst other crooked energy traders, and the states that enabled them (Hello Texas!) stepped up. California wasn't counting on being screwed over by its fellow states (as in transmission lines deliberately scheduled to block power going *into* CA during peak times).
The California blackouts were caused solely by criminals doing criminal acts. There was plenty of power otherwise.
If anything, California has since realized that it needs more of its own power generation facilities to protect itself from its neighbors that would sell it down the river (more literal than you know) in no time flat.
Yes, I agree. Acid rain was real. It still is, but we've put scrubbers on stacks and really cut down on what's being belched into our atmosphere. I remember only just 20 years ago when I was visiting Eureka, CA, the local pulp mill was so kind as to bury everyone's car by morning in an inch of ash and soot. Maybe they had a deal with the car washes.
What the OP said and what I quoted: If they heard one and they couldn't get the owner to shut it off, they would try and surge the line locally into the house and blow the generator/fuses.
The utility KNOWS which house it is by that statement. If they did as you say: "Why should they bother tracking down the specific house that's causing the problem?" then they'll fry every single house on that block as all those houses still have loads attached. Do you unplug your refrigerator (among other appliances) in a power outage?
Since the utility KNOWS which house it is, the answer is to pull the switch, not SURGE the house or, as the case where you live, the entire neighborhood. Intentional surging is incredibly hazardous and unnecessary.
But don't tie your homebrew hacks into the same wiring that I depend on in my house. I'll assume that just because you misread the post it doesn't mean you're accusing me of this activity, and that "you" is directed at people in general.
...When the [Detroit] lineworks got to a downed neighborhood, they would first try to listen for the buzz of a generator. If they heard one and they couldn't get the owner to shut it off, they would try and surge the line locally into the house and blow the generator/fuses.
Or just turn the switch on the side of the house to OFF? I'm glad I don't live in Detroit.
I'd love to see a real professional burglar who could neutralize all of those fancy new countermeasures and waltz out with whatever he wanted.
Jon does appear to be a very professional burglar. One episode, he picked a lock. In another he used a bump-key. In yet another, he broke in and disabled a monitored alarm by busting the alarm control box (owner left the key right on top of the box). He hires accomplices, and even bribes employees (in the episode with the auto repair shop) for the alarm code.
I believe the main problem with the "Final Test" segment, is that the producers don't want Jon to break a window, and if there's an alarm, to attempt to disable that too -- whereas this is all fine in the initial break-in. However, both Jon and Matt do enter with the owners and check to see if all those security measures that they were given are being used: alarm being set, safe being locked up with new code, lock-box for keys, locks on doors and windows, captive keys being removed on windowed doors, etc.
But, how many in the population of burglars would fall into Jon's category of a well-funded adversary? Personally, I rely on locks, a monitored alarm system, and advertising that system with signs to scare away the Bruno type of burglar, which is 99%. Even the well-funded adversary would make a better profit going to the unalarmed houses down the block with all the fancy motorcycles, TVs, and game consoles on public display.
You've heard the joke about the two hikers and the bear? "Why are you tying your shoes?" "I don't need to outrun the bear, just you!"
Common mistakes: 1) My dog will deter intruders, guard the house. No. You likely have a doggy door that the thief will use, and the (most times, happy) dog will not bother the burglar.
2) Not locking all the doors and windows. Duh.
3) Not having an alarm system (or one that isn't monitored). Your neighbor isn't your security system. Burglars pass up houses with security signs. And if a burglar breaks a window and tries to get in, the alarm will go off and the burglar will scurry away.
4) Not having a safe. Or it's unlocked. Or the key is in the dresser drawer. Or it's not bolted down.
5) Leaving keys all over the place for a burglar to quickly grab. Use a key holder box that locks with a combination.
Of all these things, a modern, monitored alarm system is the most important. The show infrequently installs camera systems. And from my own personal experience, cameras are easily defeated. Also, take this into account: if there isn't an alarm, and the burglar cleans your house, why wouldn't he just take your recording equipment too?
For autos, boats, and motorcycles, I've seen the show install GPS trackers with kill switches that alarm (and send a signal) if the vehicle is moved more than 30 feet.
Start with the basics, then worry about security cameras.
Finally, if you live someplace where you're not allowed to install an alarm system, move.
CBC with a predictable IV......is really just ECB.
Not really. An IV is expected to be known. All it does is function as a salt, much the way password storage works: salt + hash function + password (BTW, all hash functions start with a built-in IV).
Your first block of CBC data may be somewhat more predictable if the same IV was used for every first block in the chains, and if you had a rainbow table (which would be huge!). But we know what is actually being used: ECB, due to the independence of blocks. However, this same convenience always produces the same cipher text with the same plain text -- which is very bad when your plain text has huge swaths of redundant data, such as zeros or file system formatting.
CBC is actually a good mode; it's just not very convenient for random access.
So that excludes everything else he said? You obviously know that he means "[some great music composer] was deaf" which conveys the same message, even if he got the name wrong. It doesn't change his argument. He wasn't saying anything about where they were born, or favorite foods -- just that a hugely famous composer was deaf. OTOH, your reply simply makes you out to be a jerk.
Network guy chiming in here: Grassroute may work with those who pronounce it as "root," but in network terms, it's generally pronounced "rowt" (rhyming with chow, not row).
I gave up the former pronunciation because of how most people say router. When I try to say "rooter" I think of Roto-Rooter (and then Dirty Jobs). Because of that, I limit the "root" pronunciation of route to highways where router doesn't apply.
(hmm, reading over the above sounds like a Dr. Seuss book... sorry)
Slashdot Mirror
While it is rare considering the volume of e-mail I receive, I've noticed backscatter is gradually increasing. More and more admins are just installing anti-spam/anti-virus devices without learning which options to enable or disable.
so as long as your MTA is not allowing emails to arrive to nonexistant users
I wholeheartedly agree, but SPF won't even allow it to get this far. Why should clueless admins expect me to pick up their slack?
Eternal September.
Sure, I once got angry at people who sent me spam and bounced it back to the sender with a nastygram. But that was 1995. There wasn't SPF, and there weren't content filters. And most installations were open relays on Sendmail. Administering e-mail was simply giving someone a home directory and pine.
Nowadays, the e-mail administrators are the biggest enablers. If they just checked SPF records and stopped automated bounces after a content filter determines it's spam.... It's also up to the admin to educate their users. But, there will always be clueless new admins and new users.
I should have saved my reply for you. I had a few sentences about the mercury in CFLs, and three links to articles about CFLs.
Just in case you don't read the link, the conclusion was that the risk is overblown, an incandescent's power requirements cause more mercury to be released vs. breaking a CFL, and you should be recycling many other items in your home that may pose a greater danger to you than a CFL.
CFLs are an excellent answer. But don't take my word for it, follow the link.
I must have read at least 3 news stories about backscatter in the last week.
At least they're writing stories about it now. I'm glad they're finally publicizing this. I've published SPF records almost since SPF started, and it amazes me that people still don't set up their servers to check this before accepting a message -- which is the initial problem. The more publicity, the better.
Of course, CFL bulbs are not without a down-side, namely the mercury in side. Power companies are also stepping up to recycle those, but I bet most end up in the trash.
The mercury "downside" is usually overblown. When compared with the amount of mercury (or any other toxin) that would be released into the environment due to a standard incandescent's power requirements, the CFL actually comes out ahead. And for older folks, the mercury amount is magnitudes less than the amount in the old thermostats and thermometers. Did you call Hazmat when you broke a thermometer? I doubt it, even though we all knew about mercury poisoning.
Ask TreeHugger: Is Mercury from a Broken CFL Dangerous?
Urban Legends Reference Pages: CFL Mercury Light Bulbs
Why Use CFLs? Environment
Do handle light bulbs with care. However, clean-up procedures are fairly simple if one breaks. And bring old bulbs to a recycle center.
Also, don't forget to recycle all your appliances, electronics, and batteries. The chemicals and elements contained in those are just as hazardous to your health and to the environment, if not more so. The places that take these items also take the CFL bulbs.
it was effectively impossible to build new plants there.
No, it was done to curb pollution. Previously, the environmental impact wasn't considered -- or hardly at all.
You do realize that CA prides itself on protecting and cleaning up its environment?
Why should Texas, who built and owned their own plants and transmission lines (and who, for a long time saw no need to tie into the national grid) be forced to deliver electricity to California
No one forced Texas to do anything. Keep that in mind for my next counterpoint...
[Texas] had gas and coal fired plants belching 24/7....
No one forced Texas to do anything. Besides, you just effectively argued that Texas' environment (and consequently the health of its own citizens) comes secondary to heavy polluters.
California got exactly what it deserved.
Now we see your true feelings. It's a blame the victim mentality. Enron felt the same way.
Washington, Oregon, and even Montana also faced increased rates due to California refusing to improve its infrastructure.
Perhaps you missed where energy traders, such as Enron, were illegally gaming the market. Criminal acts drove up prices for everybody.
Once Enron imploded due to its sheer unsustainable greed, energy prices fell again. The fake power shortages went away. People went to jail. People lost their ill-gotten gains. Funny, I haven't seen a rolling blackout since.
For your edification: Climate change: A guide for the perplexed.
Please read. It touches on all the points that concern you.
If you can back up your statements with facts, please cite your sources and provide links. But don't be too surprised if your sources' credibilities get challenged if they aren't using peer reviewed scientific studies.
Global warming is a myth, well, due to CO2 emissions anyway.
Ah, another anthropogenic climate change denier. Well, this article and the US Supreme Court disagree with you.
Environmental-whackos .... Only when things started getting really bad, and California blacked out a couple times did the rules start to loosen.
No. Enron, amongst other crooked energy traders, and the states that enabled them (Hello Texas!) stepped up. California wasn't counting on being screwed over by its fellow states (as in transmission lines deliberately scheduled to block power going *into* CA during peak times).
The California blackouts were caused solely by criminals doing criminal acts. There was plenty of power otherwise.
If anything, California has since realized that it needs more of its own power generation facilities to protect itself from its neighbors that would sell it down the river (more literal than you know) in no time flat.
Yes, I agree. Acid rain was real. It still is, but we've put scrubbers on stacks and really cut down on what's being belched into our atmosphere. I remember only just 20 years ago when I was visiting Eureka, CA, the local pulp mill was so kind as to bury everyone's car by morning in an inch of ash and soot. Maybe they had a deal with the car washes.
Ah, another anthropogenic climate change denier. Well, this article and the US Supreme Court disagree with you.
What the OP said and what I quoted: If they heard one and they couldn't get the owner to shut it off, they would try and surge the line locally into the house and blow the generator/fuses.
The utility KNOWS which house it is by that statement. If they did as you say: "Why should they bother tracking down the specific house that's causing the problem?" then they'll fry every single house on that block as all those houses still have loads attached. Do you unplug your refrigerator (among other appliances) in a power outage?
Since the utility KNOWS which house it is, the answer is to pull the switch, not SURGE the house or, as the case where you live, the entire neighborhood. Intentional surging is incredibly hazardous and unnecessary.
But don't tie your homebrew hacks into the same wiring that I depend on in my house.
I'll assume that just because you misread the post it doesn't mean you're accusing me of this activity, and that "you" is directed at people in general.
That conflicts with my source, who wrote a cake recipe.
Is that Celtic? Otherwise I think you just said "to the cake."
I'm sure he meant this.
But it is the RIAA who've sunk lower and lower in my opinion over the years, so that's my justification for reading it.
Couldn't NYCL have gotten a sock puppet to post this to soothe my feelings about conflict of interest? I keep hearing about a guy named twitter....
...When the [Detroit] lineworks got to a downed neighborhood, they would first try to listen for the buzz of a generator. If they heard one and they couldn't get the owner to shut it off, they would try and surge the line locally into the house and blow the generator/fuses.
Or just turn the switch on the side of the house to OFF? I'm glad I don't live in Detroit.
The court should have awarded each of the plaintiffs a calculator and a boot to the head.
It's been quite a while since I've heard that skit.
I'd love to see a real professional burglar who could neutralize all of those fancy new countermeasures and waltz out with whatever he wanted.
Jon does appear to be a very professional burglar. One episode, he picked a lock. In another he used a bump-key. In yet another, he broke in and disabled a monitored alarm by busting the alarm control box (owner left the key right on top of the box). He hires accomplices, and even bribes employees (in the episode with the auto repair shop) for the alarm code.
I believe the main problem with the "Final Test" segment, is that the producers don't want Jon to break a window, and if there's an alarm, to attempt to disable that too -- whereas this is all fine in the initial break-in. However, both Jon and Matt do enter with the owners and check to see if all those security measures that they were given are being used: alarm being set, safe being locked up with new code, lock-box for keys, locks on doors and windows, captive keys being removed on windowed doors, etc.
But, how many in the population of burglars would fall into Jon's category of a well-funded adversary? Personally, I rely on locks, a monitored alarm system, and advertising that system with signs to scare away the Bruno type of burglar, which is 99%. Even the well-funded adversary would make a better profit going to the unalarmed houses down the block with all the fancy motorcycles, TVs, and game consoles on public display.
You've heard the joke about the two hikers and the bear? "Why are you tying your shoes?" "I don't need to outrun the bear, just you!"
The reason people keep making car analogies is that they're better than hammer analogies ... But even the hammer can work
Growing up, I lived across the street from a family that seemed to only use hammers to fix their cars.
It Takes a Thief
You really need to watch that show.
Common mistakes:
1) My dog will deter intruders, guard the house.
No. You likely have a doggy door that the thief will use, and the (most times, happy) dog will not bother the burglar.
2) Not locking all the doors and windows.
Duh.
3) Not having an alarm system (or one that isn't monitored).
Your neighbor isn't your security system. Burglars pass up houses with security signs. And if a burglar breaks a window and tries to get in, the alarm will go off and the burglar will scurry away.
4) Not having a safe. Or it's unlocked. Or the key is in the dresser drawer. Or it's not bolted down.
5) Leaving keys all over the place for a burglar to quickly grab.
Use a key holder box that locks with a combination.
Of all these things, a modern, monitored alarm system is the most important. The show infrequently installs camera systems. And from my own personal experience, cameras are easily defeated. Also, take this into account: if there isn't an alarm, and the burglar cleans your house, why wouldn't he just take your recording equipment too?
For autos, boats, and motorcycles, I've seen the show install GPS trackers with kill switches that alarm (and send a signal) if the vehicle is moved more than 30 feet.
Start with the basics, then worry about security cameras.
Finally, if you live someplace where you're not allowed to install an alarm system, move.
Mmmmm, Street Fighter II. But how would that be different in space?
Without an atmosphere, Guile's special attack would be useless.
And without something to push against, Blanka would look silly as a spinning ball, going nowhere.
CBC with a predictable IV... ...is really just ECB.
Not really. An IV is expected to be known. All it does is function as a salt, much the way password storage works: salt + hash function + password (BTW, all hash functions start with a built-in IV).
Your first block of CBC data may be somewhat more predictable if the same IV was used for every first block in the chains, and if you had a rainbow table (which would be huge!). But we know what is actually being used: ECB, due to the independence of blocks. However, this same convenience always produces the same cipher text with the same plain text -- which is very bad when your plain text has huge swaths of redundant data, such as zeros or file system formatting.
CBC is actually a good mode; it's just not very convenient for random access.
So that excludes everything else he said? You obviously know that he means "[some great music composer] was deaf" which conveys the same message, even if he got the name wrong. It doesn't change his argument. He wasn't saying anything about where they were born, or favorite foods -- just that a hugely famous composer was deaf. OTOH, your reply simply makes you out to be a jerk.
Network guy chiming in here: Grassroute may work with those who pronounce it as "root," but in network terms, it's generally pronounced "rowt" (rhyming with chow, not row).
I gave up the former pronunciation because of how most people say router. When I try to say "rooter" I think of Roto-Rooter (and then Dirty Jobs). Because of that, I limit the "root" pronunciation of route to highways where router doesn't apply.
(hmm, reading over the above sounds like a Dr. Seuss book... sorry)