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Nah. It will never stop. The problem is information density. So long as billions of records that are needed for the business exist in a device the size of a s

Nah. It will never stop. The problem is information density. So long as billions of records that are needed for the business exist in a device the size of a shoebox, we’re fucked. An insider can always take the shoebox, lock the shoebox, etc. Three stories of paper files in file cabinets can’t be ransomed short of a physical bomb threat. Don’t know what the solution is. But I do know the problem. Exfiltrarion is similar: the odd quirk of technology that has enabled these massive thefts is the ability to load millions of pages in a few seconds into a thumb drive. Odd pickle we’ve got ourselves into.

mrtesthah 5y ago
Your metaphor works both ways: the ability to fit billions of records in a shoebox means that it’s perfectly manageable to keep another shoebox as a backup, under independent control.
- lurquer 5y ago
  So now there are two shoeboxes. Hasn’t solved exfiltration. In fact, you’ve just doubled the risk. There may not be a solution if the problem is untrustworthy people. The custodians of your ‘independent control’ will eventually get ransomwared themselves. Then what? It’s like cash... If you are a sophisticated criminal, do you waste time burglarizing individuals? Or, do you rob the bank where the individuals keep their money for ‘safekeeping’? How many people at Amazon have access to the database other companies use to store info? 2? 20? 200? I don’t know, but I bet it’s a lot. And I doubt they get paid enough to make them immune to a generous offer (or a scary threat) from a bad guy. Seriously, how many individuals at Amazon have the ability — if they wanted - to irreparable corrupt, encrypt, or destroy data?
  - mrtesthah 5y ago
    I thought we were talking about denying access to important files. Data exfiltration is a different threat model than what I was addressing.
hellbannedguy 5y ago
There is a part of me that would like to go back to the way we dud business before the internet, and computers. I think three daily encrypted backups mandated by law would be enough to stop the multi-million dollar ransoms. We will still see companies paying ransom for a business days loss, but not complete shutouts? And infrastructure specific operations, like this pipe line, should be air gapped.
- lurquer 5y ago
  It’s good practice for a cash business to make daily runs to deposit daily at the bank. Stupid to leave cash laying in the till overnight. Which is why thieves rob banks. But, money is fungible... if it’s stolen, it can be replaced. If the bank can’t replace it without going broke, the FDIC steps in and, essentially, prints more money to make you whole (up to a point.) But, data is unique and irreplaceable. If everyone is backing up to a smaller and smaller number of ‘cloud’ companies, it’s just centralizing the problem... putting everyone’s eggs in one basket.

mrtesthah 5y ago

Your metaphor works both ways: the ability to fit billions of records in a shoebox means that it’s perfectly manageable to keep another shoebox as a backup, under independent control.

lurquer 5y ago
So now there are two shoeboxes. Hasn’t solved exfiltration. In fact, you’ve just doubled the risk. There may not be a solution if the problem is untrustworthy people. The custodians of your ‘independent control’ will eventually get ransomwared themselves. Then what? It’s like cash... If you are a sophisticated criminal, do you waste time burglarizing individuals? Or, do you rob the bank where the individuals keep their money for ‘safekeeping’? How many people at Amazon have access to the database other companies use to store info? 2? 20? 200? I don’t know, but I bet it’s a lot. And I doubt they get paid enough to make them immune to a generous offer (or a scary threat) from a bad guy. Seriously, how many individuals at Amazon have the ability — if they wanted - to irreparable corrupt, encrypt, or destroy data?
- mrtesthah 5y ago
  I thought we were talking about denying access to important files. Data exfiltration is a different threat model than what I was addressing.

hellbannedguy 5y ago

There is a part of me that would like to go back to the way we dud business before the internet, and computers. I think three daily encrypted backups mandated by law would be enough to stop the multi-million dollar ransoms. We will still see companies paying ransom for a business days loss, but not complete shutouts? And infrastructure specific operations, like this pipe line, should be air gapped.

lurquer 5y ago
It’s good practice for a cash business to make daily runs to deposit daily at the bank. Stupid to leave cash laying in the till overnight. Which is why thieves rob banks. But, money is fungible... if it’s stolen, it can be replaced. If the bank can’t replace it without going broke, the FDIC steps in and, essentially, prints more money to make you whole (up to a point.) But, data is unique and irreplaceable. If everyone is backing up to a smaller and smaller number of ‘cloud’ companies, it’s just centralizing the problem... putting everyone’s eggs in one basket.