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We deploy systems of a similar nature to protect our electrical grid, all the way down to individual outlets. Image if some agency had decided that knowledge o
by mikewarot 2y ago
We deploy systems of a similar nature to protect our electrical grid, all the way down to individual outlets.
Image if some agency had decided that knowledge of fuses and circuit breakers should be restricted in the national interest. This would make electo-security a Trillion dollar industry.
Just as cyber security is now.
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We let random people plug things into the electrical grid. We don't have to run an "electrical scan" for each item plugged in. We don't have central authentication of people and devices being plugged in. This is because the default is NOT to get all of the power in the US electrical grid in every outlet. It's a default deny policy. We all understand how it works.
When experts are required, they come in, make required changes, and leave. On site electricians aren't a common site except for weird things like McCormick place in Chicago, where they are required to plug ANYTHING in.
If a user wants to plug in an Electric Range, Electric Dryer, Welder, etc. they have to find an appropriate outlet. The capabilities of each outlet are defined in advance. There are widely respected standards.
On the other hand, we are forced to run virus scanners, and try to enumerate every piece of code before we use it to compute. If we run code, it can use all of the resources of the host it's running on, in almost all cases. The policy is default allow. We blame users, applications, and software vendors for mishaps. There are no standards. Everything is layers of band-aids on top of Operating Systems that are insecure by design.
This is madness.
- saagarjha 2y agoRunning attacks on the electrical grid is dangerous and expensive. This is nothing like how cyberattacks work.