4 ms·

They Hack Because They Can

30 points by ca98am79 12y ago

jjguy 12y ago
Most organizations, especially government, have a remarkable inability to man up, say "we fucked up" and take responsibility for their mistakes. Reports like this emerge, in an attempt to obscure the truth with sheer volume.
- thefreeman 12y ago
  Instead they are apparently blaming it on the release of Watch_Dogs (a gta style game with a focus around hacking)
  - thrillgore 12y ago
    Ah yes, blame the media or culture. My favorite false flag approach.
rdtsc 12y ago
> “a Saudi Arabian actor who is also responsible for several SQL injection compromises of databases in foreign countries over the past several years and has demonstrated an interest in the ‘Internet of Things’ by posting ompromises/instructions on compromising light bulbs and car radios, in addition to the road signs.” I bet you they searched far and wide to find someone from that part of the world so they can link it with 9/11 somehow. Everything is about "terrorism". No link to terrorism = no contracts = no business coming their way. There could be a bored Romanian teenager encrypting everyone's Documents folders, controlling bots in Europe and US, but well, that doesn't play into the narrative so they find someone from Saudi Arabia interested in the "Internet of Things". [Note: talking about the CIS report not, not a Krebs report or article -- http://krebsonsecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/malicious_cyber_actor_targeting_eletronic_road_signs.pdf http://krebsonsecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/malici...] I guess CIS is in the business of drumming up scary cyber boogeyman stories. Let's see its scope ( from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Internet_Security https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Internet_Security ) -- "enhance the cyber security readiness and response of public and private sector entities, with a commitment to excellence through collaboration". Yap, the scarier the boogeyman in the bushes the more business coming its way.
- jonnybgood 12y ago
  >I bet you they searched far and wide to find someone from that part of the world so they can link it with 9/11 somehow. Everything is about "terrorism". No link to terrorism = no contracts = no business coming their way. Where did they say anything about 9/11? Where did they say anything about terrorism? There's not one mention or implication of terrorism anywhere.
  - rdtsc 12y ago
    > There's not one mention or implication of terrorism anywhere. That is why you have to read between the lines. Anyway, in this case, reading between the lines and having at least a mild interest in cybercrime, you'd realize that most cybercriminals, and what public and press consider "hackers" don't come from Saudi Arabia or Middle East. The fact that in this "Cyber Alert" by CIS they picked a Saudi Arabian "malicious actor" attacking our road signs is probably not a coincidence. Well it could be, but I suspect it is not.

30 points by ca98am79 12y ago

jjguy 12y ago

Most organizations, especially government, have a remarkable inability to man up, say "we fucked up" and take responsibility for their mistakes. Reports like this emerge, in an attempt to obscure the truth with sheer volume.

thefreeman 12y ago
Instead they are apparently blaming it on the release of Watch_Dogs (a gta style game with a focus around hacking)
- thrillgore 12y ago
  Ah yes, blame the media or culture. My favorite false flag approach.

rdtsc 12y ago

> “a Saudi Arabian actor who is also responsible for several SQL injection compromises of databases in foreign countries over the past several years and has demonstrated an interest in the ‘Internet of Things’ by posting ompromises/instructions on compromising light bulbs and car radios, in addition to the road signs.” I bet you they searched far and wide to find someone from that part of the world so they can link it with 9/11 somehow. Everything is about "terrorism". No link to terrorism = no contracts = no business coming their way. There could be a bored Romanian teenager encrypting everyone's Documents folders, controlling bots in Europe and US, but well, that doesn't play into the narrative so they find someone from Saudi Arabia interested in the "Internet of Things". [Note: talking about the CIS report not, not a Krebs report or article -- http://krebsonsecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/malicious_cyber_actor_targeting_eletronic_road_signs.pdf http://krebsonsecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/malici...] I guess CIS is in the business of drumming up scary cyber boogeyman stories. Let's see its scope ( from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Internet_Security https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Internet_Security ) -- "enhance the cyber security readiness and response of public and private sector entities, with a commitment to excellence through collaboration". Yap, the scarier the boogeyman in the bushes the more business coming its way.

jonnybgood 12y ago
>I bet you they searched far and wide to find someone from that part of the world so they can link it with 9/11 somehow. Everything is about "terrorism". No link to terrorism = no contracts = no business coming their way. Where did they say anything about 9/11? Where did they say anything about terrorism? There's not one mention or implication of terrorism anywhere.
- rdtsc 12y ago
  > There's not one mention or implication of terrorism anywhere. That is why you have to read between the lines. Anyway, in this case, reading between the lines and having at least a mild interest in cybercrime, you'd realize that most cybercriminals, and what public and press consider "hackers" don't come from Saudi Arabia or Middle East. The fact that in this "Cyber Alert" by CIS they picked a Saudi Arabian "malicious actor" attacking our road signs is probably not a coincidence. Well it could be, but I suspect it is not.