Category: essays

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On the Dangers of Cryptocurrencies and the Uselessness of Blockchain

Posted on By infossl
bitcoin, blockchain, cryptocurrency, essays, Security technology, Uncategorized

Earlier this month, I and others wrote a letter to Congress, basically saying that cryptocurrencies are an complete and total disaster, and urging them to regulate the space. Nothing in that letter is out of the ordinary, and is in line with what I wrote about blockchain in 2019. In response, Matthew Green has written—not … Read More “On the Dangers of Cryptocurrencies and the Uselessness of Blockchain” »

Why Vaccine Cards Are So Easily Forged

Posted on By infossl
cheating, COVID-19, essays, forgery, Security technology, security theater, Uncategorized, vulnerabilities

My proof of COVID-19 vaccination is recorded on an easy-to-forge paper card. With little trouble, I could print a blank form, fill it out, and snap a photo. Small imperfections wouldn’t pose any problem; you can’t see whether the paper’s weight is right in a digital image. When I fly internationally, I have to show … Read More “Why Vaccine Cards Are So Easily Forged” »

Vulnerabilities in Weapons Systems

Posted on By infossl
cyberattack, cyberwar, cyberweapons, essays, military, Security technology, supply chain, Uncategorized

“If you think any of these systems are going to work as expected in wartime, you’re fooling yourself.” That was Bruce’s response at a conference hosted by US Transportation Command in 2017, after learning that their computerized logistical systems were mostly unclassified and on the Internet. That may be necessary to keep in touch with … Read More “Vulnerabilities in Weapons Systems” »

The Misaligned Incentives for Cloud Security

Posted on By infossl
certificates, cloud computing, cyberattack, cyberespionage, essays, externalities, hacking, russia, Security technology, Uncategorized

Russia’s Sunburst cyberespionage campaign, discovered late last year, impacted more than 100 large companies and US federal agencies, including the Treasury, Energy, Justice, and Homeland Security departments. A crucial part of the Russians’ success was their ability to move through these organizations by compromising cloud and local network identity systems to then access cloud accounts … Read More “The Misaligned Incentives for Cloud Security” »

AIs and Fake Comments

Posted on By infossl
artificial intelligence, essays, fake news, Security technology, social media, Uncategorized

This month, the New York state attorney general issued a report on a scheme by “U.S. Companies and Partisans [to] Hack Democracy.” This wasn’t another attempt by Republicans to make it harder for Black people and urban residents to vote. It was a concerted attack on another core element of US democracy ­– the ability … Read More “AIs and Fake Comments” »

When AIs Start Hacking

Posted on By infossl
artificial intelligence, essays, hacking, Security technology, Uncategorized, vulnerabilities

If you don’t have enough to worry about already, consider a world where AIs are hackers. Hacking is as old as humanity. We are creative problem solvers. We exploit loopholes, manipulate systems, and strive for more influence, power, and wealth. To date, hacking has exclusively been a human activity. Not for long. As I lay … Read More “When AIs Start Hacking” »

Illegal Content and the Blockchain

Posted on By infossl
bitcoin, blockchain, botnets, censorship, cryptocurrency, economics of security, essays, Security technology, tor, Uncategorized

Security researchers have recently discovered a botnet with a novel defense against takedowns. Normally, authorities can disable a botnet by taking over its command-and-control server. With nowhere to go for instructions, the botnet is rendered useless. But over the years, botnet designers have come up with ways to make this counterattack harder. Now the content-delivery … Read More “Illegal Content and the Blockchain” »

National Security Risks of Late-Stage Capitalism

Posted on By infossl
china, cybersecurity, essays, hacking, national security policy, russia, Security technology, Uncategorized

Early in 2020, cyberspace attackers apparently working for the Russian government compromised a piece of widely used network management software made by a company called SolarWinds. The hack gave the attackers access to the computer networks of some 18,000 of SolarWinds’s customers, including US government agencies such as the Homeland Security Department and State Department, … Read More “National Security Risks of Late-Stage Capitalism” »

On the Twitter Hack

Posted on By infossl
bitcoin, encryption, essays, hacking, nationalsecuritypolicy, scams, Security technology, socialmedia, twitter

Twitter was hacked this week. Not a few people’s Twitter accounts, but all of Twitter. Someone compromised the entire Twitter network, probably by stealing the log-in credentials of one of Twitter’s system administrators. Those are the people trusted to ensure that Twitter functions smoothly. The hacker used that access to send tweets from a variety … Read More “On the Twitter Hack” »

The Security Value of Inefficiency

Posted on By infossl
covid19, economicsofsecurity, essays, Security technology

For decades, we have prized efficiency in our economy. We strive for it. We reward it. In normal times, that’s a good thing. Running just at the margins is efficient. A single just-in-time global supply chain is efficient. Consolidation is efficient. And that’s all profitable. Inefficiency, on the other hand, is waste. Extra inventory is … Read More “The Security Value of Inefficiency” »