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Much like the physical world reached MAD, the digital world is well on its path too. Except this MAD is of a softer kind, where the destruction can be perpetuat
by dj_mc_merlin 5y ago
Much like the physical world reached MAD, the digital world is well on its path too. Except this MAD is of a softer kind, where the destruction can be perpetuated over and over. I cannot decide whether this brings more power into the fold of citizens or governments however.
It is undoubtedly possible to secure systems to the degree hacks are impossible, but it requires effectively banishing any degree of convenience which computers bring. True security requires years long development and testing efforts, and no lock is secure to someone smarter or more determined than the people who made it. This allows governments to effectively deploy surveillance on their entire populations, and allows populations to hack their governments if they wish so and are willing be to bear the risks. The same system that holds power over people also has a gun pointed at the same people holding power.
Good job to the Belarusian hackers, they have done what was needed of them to preserve their freedom. If recent history has taught us anything, it's that there's no way to win in a direct stick contest with a greater enemy. The only way is to use subterfuge to hit the enemy where it hurts until they are no longer willing to fight. Threatening the people who are continuing the cycles of suppression and their families is the only way forward, a government whose supporters are afraid for their lives cannot last long. Furthermore, this is proof that such a thing can and will continue to happen.
This era may seems dystopian, but it seems information is a double-edged sword, there is no way to grasp it without hurting oneself too.
- TrainedMonkey 5y agoI feel like MAD comparison is interesting, but not accurate. The whole point of MAD is that there is nothing left afterwards. That is not what I see happening. For example a lot of terrible things that country leaders did hit the news and ... nothing happened for the most part. If we are doing analogies, allow me to compare modern digital world to a feudal age. The companies wage war to capture land, prestige, and peasants^w users. Users are then exploited for their data so the companies can sell it and use the monies to wage advertisement wars to capture more users... Alas, the analogy is not perfect for it does not account for hackers stealing the data or peasants revolting and overthrowing the kingdom.
- IfOnlyYouKnew 5y agoA “softer kind of MAD” isn’t MAD. The whole point is that there’s mutual destruction, and that it be assured and devastating. Just the fact that these attacks happen shows that it doesn’t follow the logic of MAD. Considering the are attacks from Russian state-sponsored/run/tolerated groups against important US targets makes it more sensible to note how unlike MAD this battlefield is, even in contrast to, for example, conventional warfare, which isn’t core to the mechanism of MAD but has, in the past, been subject to the restrictions that follow from it.
- calgoo 5y agoI still think it’s a kind of MAD. Maybe not at a global / national level. But if you are someone who hurts / torture people for a regime, you and your family is normally protected by being anonymous. So releasing their info gives the people the power to hunt down the state actor and not let them hide.
- adventured 5y agoIt's not MAD at all. It's akin to perpetual proxy war, which has rarely stopped between all the various powers. It's Iran killing US soldiers in Iraq. It's the US killing Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan. It's China or the USSR killing US soldiers in Vietnam. And so on.
- baybal2 5y ago> It's China or the USSR killing US soldiers in Vietnam. And so on. In that case, there was very clear troop presence on the ground by both of them.
- mbergal 5y ago> Belarusian hackers I think this is a very naive assumption
- proxysna 5y agoCould you please elaborate on that?
- mbergal 5y agoSee the comment by s0q
- proxysna 5y agomostly just an icorrect assumption. This is a group, that was performing attacks on gov sector since the end of 2020, this one just made the news.
- mbergal 5y agoSo what if they did. Does not prove anything. Is Bellingcat an independent investigation organization? Why would this one be any different?