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A OTP is extremely easy to use for a terror network (just distribute several GB of pad on a thumb drive, have a shared secret for pad generation, etc) and compl

by kromem 7y ago

A OTP is extremely easy to use for a terror network (just distribute several GB of pad on a thumb drive, have a shared secret for pad generation, etc) and completely unbreakable in the perfect use case, and feasibly unbreakable before an attack in the lazy-use case. Just because they opted to go with low-hanging fruit doesn't mean the fruit needs to be low-hanging for them to make use of it.

ben_w 7y ago
I have tried arguing this directly with members of the British parliament and failed abysmally. with the benefit of hindsight, I suggest a different approach. Untested hypothesis: what we consider to be trivial, politicians consider to be advanced magic. Alternative hypothesis: politicians understand the skill level required perfectly, but they also have good reason to believe the terrorists are complete morons who wouldn’t be able to find, generate, or use a one-time pad if their life depended on it (and in this case their life literally would depend on it).
- ChrisCinelli 7y ago
  On average it is fair to assume, politicians do not know anything and just believe what they are told to by their direct reports and advisors. And it is fair to assume that some of those do not know a lot of what is going on in the trenches. I see a lot of analogies with what is happening in big corporations.
- pilsetnieks 7y ago
  There's a story from Daniel Ellsberg about how access to secret information can make politicians (seemingly) stupid. It's possible that it's still very applicable here. > “You will deal with a person who doesn’t have those clearances only from the point of view of what you want him to believe and what impression you want him to go away with, since you’ll have to lie carefully to him about what you know. In effect, you will have to manipulate him. You’ll give up trying to assess what he has to say. The danger is, you’ll become something like a moron. You’ll become incapable of learning from most people in the world, no matter how much experience they may have in their particular areas that may be much greater than yours.” https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/02/daniel-ellsberg-limitations-knowledge/ https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/02/daniel-ellsbe...
  - sitkack 7y ago
    As some wonk deep in the machine that wants to get their project pushed through, generate a fantastical story, mark it super extra unbelievably stop secret, and then parade around the politicians that have clearance. They _feel_ it, but can't share it and they use those thought terminating feelings to push through kooky-dooks legislation. Preferably using secret laws.

by kromem 7y ago

ben_w 7y ago

I have tried arguing this directly with members of the British parliament and failed abysmally. with the benefit of hindsight, I suggest a different approach. Untested hypothesis: what we consider to be trivial, politicians consider to be advanced magic. Alternative hypothesis: politicians understand the skill level required perfectly, but they also have good reason to believe the terrorists are complete morons who wouldn’t be able to find, generate, or use a one-time pad if their life depended on it (and in this case their life literally would depend on it).

ChrisCinelli 7y ago
On average it is fair to assume, politicians do not know anything and just believe what they are told to by their direct reports and advisors. And it is fair to assume that some of those do not know a lot of what is going on in the trenches. I see a lot of analogies with what is happening in big corporations.
pilsetnieks 7y ago
There's a story from Daniel Ellsberg about how access to secret information can make politicians (seemingly) stupid. It's possible that it's still very applicable here. > “You will deal with a person who doesn’t have those clearances only from the point of view of what you want him to believe and what impression you want him to go away with, since you’ll have to lie carefully to him about what you know. In effect, you will have to manipulate him. You’ll give up trying to assess what he has to say. The danger is, you’ll become something like a moron. You’ll become incapable of learning from most people in the world, no matter how much experience they may have in their particular areas that may be much greater than yours.” https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/02/daniel-ellsberg-limitations-knowledge/ https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/02/daniel-ellsbe...
- sitkack 7y ago
  As some wonk deep in the machine that wants to get their project pushed through, generate a fantastical story, mark it super extra unbelievably stop secret, and then parade around the politicians that have clearance. They _feel_ it, but can't share it and they use those thought terminating feelings to push through kooky-dooks legislation. Preferably using secret laws.