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Also, why is it so hard for them to track down ransomware perpetrators? Doesn't the NSA have back doors and gag orders to everything? Are the ransomware people

by dheera 5y ago

Also, why is it so hard for them to track down ransomware perpetrators? Doesn't the NSA have back doors and gag orders to everything? Are the ransomware people really not using any Google/Microsoft products that can be used to track them down and banish them? Can we not hard fork Bitcoin to make ransomware wallets inactive?

SV_BubbleTime 5y ago
The problem with hacking, and call criminal activity really, used to be “getting your money out”. Yea. You have money somewhere, but when you go to get it they’ll find you. Crypto laundering has made that trivial now. So, no, I don’t believe the NSA has back doors in “everything”. (Nor would I consider the NSA to be unequivocal “good guys” who selflessly help businesses and employees)
- brandon272 5y ago
  It's an interesting point: governments have invested untold billions [1,2.3] into internet surveillance of the entire population but these crypto teams elude them. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Data_Center https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Data_Center [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_641A https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_641A [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM_(surveillance_program) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM_(surveillance_program)
  - markzzerella 5y ago
    Because the surveillance is nothing but a tool for control and compliance. Solving crimes was never the point. It would not surprise me in the least if we found out in 50 years that these crypto groups were just another government team hoovering up data and getting more off the books funding.
secfirstmd 5y ago
The NSA has actually lost some of its tools (Shadowbrokers) and backdoors (Juniper Networks)
astrange 5y ago
> Also, why is it so hard for them to track down ransomware perpetrators? Doesn't the NSA have back doors and gag orders to everything? The first thing being hard is evidence that the second thing is not true, and people just like saying it because they enjoy posting the most cynical take they can.

by dheera 5y ago

SV_BubbleTime 5y ago

The problem with hacking, and call criminal activity really, used to be “getting your money out”. Yea. You have money somewhere, but when you go to get it they’ll find you. Crypto laundering has made that trivial now. So, no, I don’t believe the NSA has back doors in “everything”. (Nor would I consider the NSA to be unequivocal “good guys” who selflessly help businesses and employees)

brandon272 5y ago
It's an interesting point: governments have invested untold billions [1,2.3] into internet surveillance of the entire population but these crypto teams elude them. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Data_Center https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Data_Center [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_641A https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_641A [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM_(surveillance_program) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM_(surveillance_program)
- markzzerella 5y ago
  Because the surveillance is nothing but a tool for control and compliance. Solving crimes was never the point. It would not surprise me in the least if we found out in 50 years that these crypto groups were just another government team hoovering up data and getting more off the books funding.

secfirstmd 5y ago

The NSA has actually lost some of its tools (Shadowbrokers) and backdoors (Juniper Networks)

astrange 5y ago

> Also, why is it so hard for them to track down ransomware perpetrators? Doesn't the NSA have back doors and gag orders to everything? The first thing being hard is evidence that the second thing is not true, and people just like saying it because they enjoy posting the most cynical take they can.