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We are heading into a world where we are co-living with computers and this won't change. I think it's fair to say that our societies have become dependent on co
by lifty 5y ago
We are heading into a world where we are co-living with computers and this won't change. I think it's fair to say that our societies have become dependent on computers and they improve our capabilities to such a high degree that it's not feasible to function without them.
So the only path forward is to radically improve the security of our software and hardware. There is just no way around it. So everything like memory safety, formally proven kernel OS's (seL4), capability based security etc... all these avenues need to be explored and adopted yesterday. I am honestly surprised that governments around the world don't have this as a top strategical priority.
- chopin 5y ago> I am honestly surprised that governments around the world don't have this as a top strategical priority. Snooping on their citizens is just too tempting... Just follow the various attempts of governments, even elected ones, to weaken security, not improving it. I am afraid we will end up with locked down boxes with only "trustworthy" parties able to access it.
- slver 5y ago> So the only path forward is to radically improve the security of our software and hardware. It's actually not the only path at all. Few other paths: 1. Outlaw cryptocurrency. Now it's much harder to pay digital ransoms. 2. Stop confusing "identification", "authentication" and "authorization". Me having Bob's SSN doesn't mean I'm Bob. Me having Bob's credit card number doesn't mean I'm Bob either. This is childish crap that we should have resolved decades ago. > So everything like memory safety, formally proven kernel OS's (seL4), capability based security etc... all these avenues need to be explored and adopted yesterday. None of this will stop thousands of MySQL installations listening to public IPs with login root/root dude. Most exploits are trivial human mistakes.
- lifty 5y agoI was making a general argument for improving security at all levels and the few examples that I gave were not meant to be an exhaustive list, in case that was not obvious. As for outlawing cryptocurrency, that's a very narrow minded approach and it's very similar to banning encryption because criminals use it to evade law enforcement. Crypto asset networks are protocols so don't expect applications to produce end user value over night, just like TCP and HTTP didn't produce value over night.
- slver 5y agoAll right, welcome your ransomware organized crime overlords then. BTW, I've never seen cryptocurrencies used for ANYTHING good yet. It's about hiring hitmen, buying drugs, buying child porn, stealing wallets from naive fools, stealing power by illegally hooking hidden mining centers to the grid, stealing power through mining malware, and so on and so on. Crypto is a pyramid scheme for idiots, and on top of those idiots is propped up an entire ecosystem of illegal activity. Since we already have enough currencies in the world, and decentralization only means theft can't be stopped at all and regulated, I'd say this mythical "value" of coins will never happen. The use case for regular law-abiding citizens buying shit online is already addressed. The use case for regular law-abiding companies doing large financial & asset transactions is also already addressed. What wasn't addressed is anonymous cash transactions for criminals online, and that's what coins addressed. We don't need that.
- martinko 5y agoThis is a very first world take.
- lifty 5y agoYou're right, and the Internet is a cesspool of imoral time wasters, supporting a whole industry of pornography sex deviants, child abusers and terrorists. We should ban encryption and mandate government issued Internet IDs /s If you supported something like a ban on encryption or government issues Internet ID, I would honestly be contempt and respect your principled view, but I doubt you do.
- dangerface 5y ago> 1. Outlaw cryptocurrency. Now it's much harder to pay digital ransoms. I buy bitcoin from a guy down the street how are you going to stop that? I don't think outlawing cryptocurrency will stop people from using it, same way outlawing alcohol and weed doesn't stop anyone just makes them "criminal" > 2. Stop confusing "identification", "authentication" and "authorization". Me having Bob's SSN doesn't mean I'm Bob. Me having Bob's credit card number doesn't mean I'm Bob either. This is childish crap that we should have resolved decades ago. This is based af identity theft shouldn't be as easy and rampant as it is.
- slver 5y ago> I buy bitcoin from a guy down the street how are you going to stop that? I don't think outlawing cryptocurrency will stop people from using it, same way outlawing alcohol and weed doesn't stop anyone just makes them "criminal" Outlawing coins won't stop people from using them. It'll however shut down: 1. All major blockchain servers. 2. All major trade exchanges. 3. All legal services like "bitcoin vaults, banks" and so on. 4. All legal mining operations. So with that, the foundation below crypto's value will collapse and it'll become basically worthless. And so you'll probably still be able to trade Bitcoin, if the blockchain exists at all. But it'll be worth zilch.
- dangerface 5y ago1. Piracy is outlawed doesn't stop top sites or bittorrent. 2. True, but peer to peer exchanges would just become the major exchanges. 3. There are plenty of tax havens that provide these legal services, many provide the same services for crypto. 4. Mining can be done anywhere with the final block being proxied, would make it very difficult to prevent miners. I am sure governments will try to outlaw it, I just don't think they have much of a chance of success.
- slver 5y agoYou can’t have a pirate blockchain. Rather, not one someone would invest serious money to buy from.
- hulitu 5y ago> So the only path forward is to radically improve the security of our software and hardware. There is just no way around it. So everything like memory safety, formally proven kernel OS's (seL4), capability based security etc... all these avenues need to be explored and adopted yesterday. I am honestly surprised that governments around the world don't have this as a top strategical priority. Governments are paid by big companies or controlled by the rulling party. Governments just want more power and control. They never learn from the past. And when they learn is too late because the dictatorship is already comfortably installed. Security vulnerabilities are for them just a good excuse to enact more oppressive laws. Just look at the reaction to Solar Winds attack. Or look at GDPR - it is just theater.