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  • My reaction to this NYT article:

    I was shaking my head when I read it.

    Not because I find the whole article unbelievable but rather because it brought back memories of how incredible stupid some people can be...and I don't mean the DNC or any of it's personnel in general.



    The following has nothing to do with the content of the article so don't read it if you don't want to:



    Back about 20 years ago when most people were not on the net and the only thing most Americans knew about the "Internet" was a company called "America Online", my sister' son, who was all of 14 year old at the time, was getting checks in the mail of over $20,000 a month.

    Now my sister found this really strange (to say the least....lol) and she didn't believe his explanation that he was doing something for an online company and her son wouldn't give her specifics so after 4 months of the checks, she finally asked me to confront him since he never lied to me.

    Well, after cajoling him and threatening him and pleading with him, he not only told me but he showed me how he was making money.

    First he join a private channel on a specific server on IRC called "WAREZ" and downloaded a AOL massmailer. A AOL Massmailer is basically a program where your account goes from chatroom to chatroom on AOL and collects all the names in the room and adds it to your email database. It then cc the email to about a thousand people at a time every 3 seconds.

    So a few hours of leaving this program on while the kid was in school and he can literally get hundreds of thousands of AOL email address.

    There were many start up webpages at the time that would pay you (I think) about a half a cent for every click you directed their way.

    So sending out hundreds of thousand, even million of AOL emails saying "Click this button for free membership to XXX porn site" was bound to create some revenue for my sister's son, and others like him, especialy since online porn was a big WOW to many people when the Internet started taking off.

    But AOL had a problem with individual accounts sending out so many emails. I think anything over 100 at a time got you an inquiry from them and anything over 1000 a time would get you kicked off AOL.... with your account cancelled. They would send the e-mails...but your account gets cancelled a few hours afterwards.

    So what to do?

    You obviously can't use your own AOL account.

    If you remember AOL, each account could generate 5 screenames.

    So some smart ass thought up the idea of making up a second screenname in his real account. Something like...oh I dunno....A0L SECURITY or A0L ADMIN (AOL wouldn't let you use "AOL" as part of your screenanme so these kids just spelt "AOL" with the number zero.

    They also made programs, called "MASS PHISHER" at the time, the program would go into chatrooms after chatrooms and mass instant message everyone with the A0L ADMIN screename and basically say:

    "Hi, this is the America Online security, we have reasons to believe you are using an account that has been compromised.* Please respond to this message with your screen name and password and the name this account is registered to so we can verify the authenticty of your account"

    Well, this generated thousands of authentic logon names and passwords.

    My mouth dropped open and I remember thinking "Omg...how stupid are these people. Do they not have common sense??"

    So what happens after that is these kids used these accounts to send out literally millions of "click here for porn" emails to generate a lot of money for themselves and their account was perfect safe since they used everyone else's account.

    So there:

    I basically gave you a history lesson of how junk emails and "Phishing" started. :P

    The hackers at the time (called themselves "Phreaks") felt that all softwares (they called it WAREZ) should be free of charge so their motto at the time was "KEEP IT PHREE" using the "PH" instead of "F".

    That's how "Fishing" got transformed into "Phishing".

    Phishing wasn't limited to logon and passwords but also asked for CC numbers and you'd be surprised how many people passed those out.


    LoL.....

    ................


    Sorry for the useless story.

    This article brought back memories of that for some reason.

    Anyway, this article, if anything close to the truth, it tells me people aren't getting any smarter.

    Simple common sense will go a long way to avoid instances like this in the future.

    Didn't add any new revelations for me other than that we have to firm up our security and teach the people that has access to sensitive material some common sense.

    Sorry...just felt like typing and blabbing.....LoL.
    Last edited by YellowFever; 14 Dec 16,, 09:25.

    Comment


    • Report: Russia hacked emails associated with RNC
      By Mallory Shelbourne - 12/12/16 08:47 AM EST
      http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign...iated-with-rnc

      RNC E-Mail Was, In Fact, Hacked By Russians
      Despite party denials, evidence shows breach of party server
      http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documen...-hacked-901763


      and, my favorite:

      LIBERAL MEDIA Refuses to Report that Republican Emails Were Hacked Too Just Like the Democrats
      Dec 10th, 2016 7:56 am
      http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016...ike-democrats/
      Trust me?
      I'm an economist!

      Comment


      • YF,

        Sorry for the useless story.

        This article brought back memories of that for some reason.

        Anyway, this article, if anything close to the truth, it tells me people aren't getting any smarter.

        Simple common sense will go a long way to avoid instances like this in the future.

        Didn't add any new revelations for me other than that we have to firm up our security and teach the people that has access to sensitive material some common sense.

        Sorry...just felt like typing and blabbing.....LoL.
        yeah, to go off on a tangent a bit, the next real development in cybersecurity is whenever we can finally get a good replacement for user-generated passwords. most passwords suck and are vulnerable to social engineering.

        two-bit authentication is about as good as we can get within those constraints but people don't use it because it's a general pain in the arse.
        There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "My ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."- Isaac Asimov

        Comment


        • Originally posted by JAD_333 View Post
          GV, can you explain that for a layman like myself?




          I sensed the guy fibbed.


          Well, that's two things in the NY Times article that don't ring true. The article, however, is more about the the timeline of the hack, when it was discovered, what was being done about it, who was involved and how, etc. I think it'll take more than a couple of technical errors to discredit it.
          In short, there are a series of cyber-attacks with custom-built malware written in Russian that occurs during Russia's normal working hours, exploiting previously unknown software vulnerabilities. "Zero-day" means the vulnerability is not publicly known and therefore has no effective protection. They also aren't finding one or two codes, in Ukraine they had six, all with custom-built malware, and adapted to the cyber responses quickly.
          They are also doing large-scale coordinated attacks and hop to cover their own tracks, occurring after months of reconnaissance.

          These particular series of attacks are concentrated among the Caucasus states, NATO, etc.

          So it's probably a Russian state-sponsored group. It's too much for one hacker or even a small group of hackers.

          There are believed to be two groups, Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear. Cozy Bear comes BEFORE Fancy Bear and looks like a normal intelligence operation. Fancy Bear looks like a cyber-warfare group with an agenda similar to twitter trolls. NY Times has the timeline reversed on those two.

          I am not saying the NY Times is all wrong or the Russians didn't attack, but I'm not an expert, so I don't know to what extent stuff is wrong or right. I'm saying I don't trust the narratives that the NY Times creates or all the facts in their story, and some of those incorrect facts might be material: the difference in Aleppo being the Syrian capital, the ISIS capital, or just a battleground is a material difference, for instance, even if the NY Times point was just that Gary Johnson is a dummy.


          BTW, I also saw a great NY Times article the other day that said guys on Tinder are mostly interested in getting "physically intimate" and not having an actual relationship. Oh. My. GOD.
          Last edited by GVChamp; 14 Dec 16,, 15:34.
          "The great questions of the day will not be settled by means of speeches and majority decisions but by iron and blood"-Otto Von Bismarck

          Comment


          • Originally posted by DOR View Post
            Report: Russia hacked emails associated with RNC
            By Mallory Shelbourne - 12/12/16 08:47 AM EST
            http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign...iated-with-rnc

            RNC E-Mail Was, In Fact, Hacked By Russians
            Despite party denials, evidence shows breach of party server
            http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documen...-hacked-901763


            and, my favorite:

            LIBERAL MEDIA Refuses to Report that Republican Emails Were Hacked Too Just Like the Democrats
            Dec 10th, 2016 7:56 am
            http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016...ike-democrats/
            Dude, stop reading fake news.

            Priebus and Spicer said the RNC was not hacked and Priebus even said he can't vouch for consultants and affiliates of the RNC.

            He only said that the FBI said the RNC was not hacked.

            And none of the three links you posted said they were hacked.

            Go past the incendiary headlines and read the damn articles you posted.

            The headlines all say RNC was hacked but if you read it, it only mentions some individual Republicans (who were probably not involved with the campaign at all) and an "hack ATTEMPT of the RNC".

            Watch the videos yourself of what they said and don't just rely on fake news






            Last edited by YellowFever; 14 Dec 16,, 16:54.

            Comment


            • BTW, I also saw a great NY Times article the other day that said guys on Tinder are mostly interested in getting "physically intimate" and not having an actual relationship. Oh. My. GOD

              A whole article? Case study, a comment from Tinder, few casual users interviewed... I mean how did they come to that conclusion?
              No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

              To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

              Comment


              • Originally posted by astralis View Post
                YF,



                yeah, to go off on a tangent a bit, the next real development in cybersecurity is whenever we can finally get a good replacement for user-generated passwords. most passwords suck and are vulnerable to social engineering.

                two-bit authentication is about as good as we can get within those constraints but people don't use it because it's a general pain in the arse.
                I hear you man but the problem is no matter how sophisticated the passwords or firewalls or whatever get, it'll all be for naught if we have gullible people sitting in front of the desktops/laptops.
                Last edited by YellowFever; 16 Dec 16,, 01:45.

                Comment


                • Originally posted by DOR View Post
                  Report: Russia hacked emails associated with RNC
                  By Mallory Shelbourne - 12/12/16 08:47 AM EST
                  http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign...iated-with-rnc

                  RNC E-Mail Was, In Fact, Hacked By Russians
                  Despite party denials, evidence shows breach of party server
                  http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documen...-hacked-901763
                  If this is the best evidence of an RNC hack then I can understand why there is debate about it.

                  The first says the email in question was old and no longer connected to the RNC so federal authorities were unconcerned. I guess it's good enough to technically contradict Priebus, but if this was the RNC hack then it's really no wonder there's little out there.

                  The second is big on assertions and short on details, probably because it's written to be a "gotcha" for Priebus rather than actually providing much detail on an RNC hack. It really boils down to a single email sent to [email protected] that was allegedly picked up from a compromised server, and the author assuming that means RNC email must have been hosted by that server, therefore tons of RNC email must have been hacked too. A smoking gun it is not. Which is probably why this article is the only hit I get when searching for news connecting that email to an RNC hack.

                  The last one offers nothing on an RNC hack but it's amusing how the last two articles conflate an RNC hack with some republicans being hacked to serve their own message.

                  Comment


                  • Originally posted by YellowFever View Post
                    [B]
                    What am I missing?
                    Lamest excuse ever?
                    In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

                    Leibniz

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by GVChamp View Post

                      There are believed to be two groups, Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear. Cozy Bear comes BEFORE Fancy Bear and looks like a normal intelligence operation. Fancy Bear looks like a cyber-warfare group with an agenda similar to twitter trolls. NY Times has the timeline reversed on those two.

                      I am not saying the NY Times is all wrong or the Russians didn't attack, but I'm not an expert, so I don't know to what extent stuff is wrong or right. I'm saying I don't trust the narratives that the NY Times creates or all the facts in their story, and some of those incorrect facts might be material: the difference in Aleppo being the Syrian capital, the ISIS capital, or just a battleground is a material difference, for instance, even if the NY Times point was just that Gary Johnson is a dummy.


                      Thanks GV. Technical mistakes in articles do make one wonder what else is wrong in them.

                      I am a little more tolerant of the kind of mistake you pinpointed because, having been heavily involved with news reporters, I realize some of the disadvantages reporters work under. Although, this has nothing to do with the article in question, I'll mention some of them, because it is important when reading the news to be aware of them.

                      Not only are reporters jumping from story to story and facing deadlines, but they are also on the outside looking in. Take the mistake you pointed out, it's very possible that the inside source for it made the mistake which in turn caused the reporter to make the mistake. It just shows that reporters are not experts in everything. This happens a lot. Reputable media outlets go to a lot of trouble to vet stories, but they tend to focus on validating sources and not so much on facts like which Bear came first, Cozy or Fancy. In reality, the fact may be significant, but a reporter or editor may not know it. So, it slips under the radar.

                      The fact that you caught that mistake, show you read a lot or do your own fact checking. I think those are among the best defenses (along with an open mind) against being misled by media reporting.
                      To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by GVChamp View Post
                        In short, there are a series of cyber-attacks with custom-built malware written in Russian that occurs during Russia's normal working hours, exploiting previously unknown software vulnerabilities. "Zero-day" means the vulnerability is not publicly known and therefore has no effective protection. They also aren't finding one or two codes, in Ukraine they had six, all with custom-built malware, and adapted to the cyber responses quickly.
                        They are also doing large-scale coordinated attacks and hop to cover their own tracks, occurring after months of reconnaissance.

                        These particular series of attacks are concentrated among the Caucasus states, NATO, etc.

                        So it's probably a Russian state-sponsored group. It's too much for one hacker or even a small group of hackers.

                        There are believed to be two groups, Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear. Cozy Bear comes BEFORE Fancy Bear and looks like a normal intelligence operation. Fancy Bear looks like a cyber-warfare group with an agenda similar to twitter trolls. NY Times has the timeline reversed on those two.

                        I am not saying the NY Times is all wrong or the Russians didn't attack, but I'm not an expert, so I don't know to what extent stuff is wrong or right. I'm saying I don't trust the narratives that the NY Times creates or all the facts in their story, and some of those incorrect facts might be material: the difference in Aleppo being the Syrian capital, the ISIS capital, or just a battleground is a material difference, for instance, even if the NY Times point was just that Gary Johnson is a dummy.


                        BTW, I also saw a great NY Times article the other day that said guys on Tinder are mostly interested in getting "physically intimate" and not having an actual relationship. Oh. My. GOD.
                        The problem with the narrative in the media now is that it's the equivalent of watching a close run world series, and in the 7th inning, a rowdy cubs fan throws some beer nuts onto the field. The commentators day : what an idiot.

                        But then, after two more innings, the cubs actually win!

                        The commentators, the fans, the sportscasters are at a loss as to how this could happen. They ponder, they debate, they search deep inside themselves and then they realize it: it was the guy with the beer nuts!!!

                        I mean, really???

                        And could you imagine how many beer nut guys there are going to be next game?

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by citanon View Post
                          The problem with the narrative in the media now is that it's the equivalent of watching a close run world series, and in the 7th inning, a rowdy cubs fan throws some beer nuts onto the field. The commentators day : what an idiot.

                          But then, after two more innings, the cubs actually win!

                          The commentators, the fans, the sportscasters are at a loss as to how this could happen. They ponder, they debate, they search deep inside themselves and then they realize it: it was the guy with the beer nuts!!!

                          I mean, really???

                          And could you imagine how many beer nut guys there are going to be next game?

                          Cit:

                          Creative analogy. I enjoyed it. Here's to beer nuts!!
                          To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by Parihaka View Post
                            Lamest excuse ever?
                            Thank you, Sir.

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by YellowFever View Post
                              Thank you, Sir.
                              His, not yours. You know I treasure you.
                              In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

                              Leibniz

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted by JAD_333 View Post
                                Cit:

                                Creative analogy. I enjoyed it. Here's to beer nuts!!
                                Ditto
                                In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

                                Leibniz

                                Comment

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