4 ms·
This is actually the quasi-solution to a lot of problems. e.g. If you've got a database full of your employee's info, populate it with made-up info for a bunch
by happywage 8y ago
This is actually the quasi-solution to a lot of problems. e.g.
If you've got a database full of your employee's info, populate it with made-up info for a bunch of fake employees. When you use the database, use some secret method to distinguish which employees are real (maybe the sum of their employee ID number and birthdate is divisible by 197). If you ever get hacked and the database is stolen, good luck to the hackers selling a database where 99.5% of the info is fake.
If you're a defense contractor, add a bunch of made-up project files for fake programs, complete with plans, designs, drawings, etc. If a foreign government manages to break in and steal them, they'll still have to try to figure out what's real and what's fake.
For press releases, it's a lot simpler. You compose the press release and pre-upload it for release after an embargo date. But the salient details are obfuscated. "Our net income for this quarter were [ $1 million dollars | $100,000 | a loss of $500,000 ]." "We will be [ constructing a new facility in Phoenix, AZ | purchasing and renovating a facility in Boise, ID | demolishing our warehouse in Denver, CO ]" etc. When the embargo is up, instead of just automatically releasing the pre-prepared press release, you simply edit out the fake info then give the OK to release it.
Security through obscurity isn't true protection. But it can make the thieves' jobs a lot harder.
- troels 8y agoYes, it's the good ole "trap street". Works for combating scrapers too.