3 ms·
One thing the author seemingly didn't address - the overlap in entropy between the different mistakes. For example, Mistake 2 in timing leaked 6 bits, but those
by teej 7y ago
One thing the author seemingly didn't address - the overlap in entropy between the different mistakes. For example, Mistake 2 in timing leaked 6 bits, but those same 6 bits got leaked as a part of Mistake 4 in using confidential police information. Mistake 4 on its own is possibly the worst, but if you consider what L already knows, it's only 5 incremental bits lost.
Despite that, loved the article.
- mjevans 7y agoThe two mistakes corroborated each other and the second was only possible to observe based on the refining characteristic intrinsic to the earlier mistake. Additionally the second wouldn't have necessarily invalidated the first six bits, though it would strengthen refinement along a different path.
- gwern 7y agoInformation is defined as relative to existing sets. Mistakes can change how many bits they leak if other mistakes didn't happen - but they did. And in a broader sense, most of these mistakes are dependent on a prior mistake: the FBI team wouldn't've been there if not for the Tailor mistake, and so on.