7 ms·

I'm talking about from MY or YOUR perspective. Let's first set up the stage: -Snowden hands you paper/digital files, possibly with no trail that you can verif

by MWil 13y ago

I'm talking about from MY or YOUR perspective. Let's first set up the stage: -Snowden hands you paper/digital files, possibly with no trail that you can verify (besides govt. acknowledgment of any specific document) - You (likely) immediately make (many) digital copies, this is a trail others can verify later - like with an md5 sum or something (not my forte, obviously). - Before you assist with releasing the whole cache and risk another wikileaks-style attack for not being more sensitive to the content in each document, you start the long process of reviewing each document. - You find acceptable publications - You publish the documents from step 2 (which have a digital trail to verify they were handed to GG from Snowden at the time they say they were) That last step hasn't happened as far as I know, we're getting pictures of documents...

rdl 13y ago
From what Schneier and others have published, the documents are being handled in an offline "data room" way. You do have to trust both Snowden and some subset of {Greenwald, Poitras, Unindicted co-conspirators in Berlin}, but I don't see any particular reason not to do so in this case.
- MWil 13y ago
  I'll hold off until I learn more about the way they've set that up then. Surely, they've been transparent about it and haven't just said "we do it in an offline data room way." I could google but if you wouldn't mind linking anything you might have offhand in that regard, I'd appreciate it.
  - rdl 13y ago
    https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/10/air_gaps.html https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/10/air_gaps.html
    - MWil 13y ago
      "never directly connect it to the Internet again" but not, "never directly connect it to the Internet"? Seems odd to me since you can use the same air-gap to configure the computer for your needs in the first place instead of turning a networked computer into an air-gapped one. "But for Windows full-disk encryption it's that..." But not an open-source operating system with access to the exact same security solutions? Why isn't using Tails or other Linux something that's at a minimum instead of a "you could if you like". No mention of better air-gapping the computer by keeping modules attached to the motherboard to a minimum (usb cd-drives, removable 3.5" media readers). Overall: I am by no means a security expert, but as a lawyer who has to do due diligence on cloud providers (most fail as far as what they advertise or in being truly eligible), I would consider his described setup as very weak if the motive that makes you consider air-gapping in the first place is your first priority. It seems more like his second or third priority...
      - rdl 13y ago
        1) It's a huge pain to set up a single Windows system for offline updates now. 2) My opinion of Schneier's technical competence, at least on a tactical level, is not actually (nor has it ever been) particularly high. He's a Windows guy, and "management level". He is a good politician and spokesperson. He's still good enough for this particular thing, and much better at the human side, and essentially famous/rich enough to be immune from legal action as long as he's careful, and well known to people like GG. So, a good choice.
        MWil 13y ago
        "He's a Windows guy" simply does not sit well with me in that scenario. What does it say that he can't be either inconvenienced or convinced by Greenwald or convinced by the very documents he's examining or recognize in the process of writing his post to take more precaution. It's like he's trying to air-gap in the way that I try a tomato every 7 years to see if my taste buds have changed. They haven't, so I'll stick to what tastes good. But if a famine overtakes the world and tomatoes are somehow part of a new staple diet, I'll allow myself to be inconvenienced if it means that much to my survival.

by MWil 13y ago

rdl 13y ago

From what Schneier and others have published, the documents are being handled in an offline "data room" way. You do have to trust both Snowden and some subset of {Greenwald, Poitras, Unindicted co-conspirators in Berlin}, but I don't see any particular reason not to do so in this case.

MWil 13y ago
I'll hold off until I learn more about the way they've set that up then. Surely, they've been transparent about it and haven't just said "we do it in an offline data room way." I could google but if you wouldn't mind linking anything you might have offhand in that regard, I'd appreciate it.
- rdl 13y ago
  https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/10/air_gaps.html https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/10/air_gaps.html
  - MWil 13y ago
    "never directly connect it to the Internet again" but not, "never directly connect it to the Internet"? Seems odd to me since you can use the same air-gap to configure the computer for your needs in the first place instead of turning a networked computer into an air-gapped one. "But for Windows full-disk encryption it's that..." But not an open-source operating system with access to the exact same security solutions? Why isn't using Tails or other Linux something that's at a minimum instead of a "you could if you like". No mention of better air-gapping the computer by keeping modules attached to the motherboard to a minimum (usb cd-drives, removable 3.5" media readers). Overall: I am by no means a security expert, but as a lawyer who has to do due diligence on cloud providers (most fail as far as what they advertise or in being truly eligible), I would consider his described setup as very weak if the motive that makes you consider air-gapping in the first place is your first priority. It seems more like his second or third priority...
    - rdl 13y ago
      1) It's a huge pain to set up a single Windows system for offline updates now. 2) My opinion of Schneier's technical competence, at least on a tactical level, is not actually (nor has it ever been) particularly high. He's a Windows guy, and "management level". He is a good politician and spokesperson. He's still good enough for this particular thing, and much better at the human side, and essentially famous/rich enough to be immune from legal action as long as he's careful, and well known to people like GG. So, a good choice.
      - MWil 13y ago
        "He's a Windows guy" simply does not sit well with me in that scenario. What does it say that he can't be either inconvenienced or convinced by Greenwald or convinced by the very documents he's examining or recognize in the process of writing his post to take more precaution. It's like he's trying to air-gap in the way that I try a tomato every 7 years to see if my taste buds have changed. They haven't, so I'll stick to what tastes good. But if a famine overtakes the world and tomatoes are somehow part of a new staple diet, I'll allow myself to be inconvenienced if it means that much to my survival.