RANT: Regulate the inet when no one is watching

Thursday, December 23, 2010

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/20/nothing-neutral-about-this-unholy-scheme/

PRUDEN: Nothing neutral about this unholy scheme
By Wesley Pruden-The Washington Times6:06 p.m., Monday, December 20, 2010

OPINION/ANALYSIS:

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The new “net-neutrality” regulations here, which will have the force of law though Congress need have nothing to do with writing them, will be considered for a vote by the FCC on Tuesday. The rules being considered for the Tuesday vote are technical and complicated, and the timing of the vote clearly was arranged for Christmas week, when most people are delighted not to have to think about Washington and the trouble it makes for the rest of us.

*** and ***

One of those liberal Democrats is Al Franken, proving that even a blind pig can find an occasional acorn. He’s unhappy mostly that the FCC is moving toward approving a merger of Comcast, the ubiquitous cable provider, and NBC-Universal and enabling big corporations to pay extra for Internet “toll lanes,” which would speed transmission of messages with a higher priority over the rest of us.

*** and ***

Even now some of the busybody countries at the United Nations are working on setting up “a working group” to “harmonize” global efforts to regulate the Internet. Alas, this is scariest of all. “Harmony” suggests everyone singing together to a tune written to U.N. satisfaction. Nothing is broken about the Internet that needs fixing, which is why certain cunning saboteurs are so eager to “fix” it.

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Amazing how the bureaucrats pick this time of year to do their mischief!

As a little L libertarian, I don’t see ANY need for the FCC.

For example, how’s that junk phone rule working out for you. I still get them. Don’t you? I’ve complained. Hasn’t worked out to well for me.

For example, junk faxes. Should have been an easy one. My docs turn OFF their fax machines at night to prevent getting them. I find that annoying when I want to communicate with them. (“Federal Law” prevents them from doing email! But that’s another topic.)

SO when all the other bureaucrats are home on their Winter Solstice vacation (Their WHOLE lives are vacations!), these bureaucrats are using the holiday inattention of “We, The Sheeple” to steal “OUR” internet.

Argh!

Pitchforks and torches! Pitchfork and torches time.

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TECHNOLOGY: Questions about hardware / software engineering

Thursday, December 23, 2010

http://www.itnews.com.au/News/241265,techies-revenge-lands-her-in-jail.aspx

Techie’s revenge lands her in jail
By Liam Tung on Dec 10, 2010 9:25 AM

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Four days after being fired from the Suncoast Community Health Centers’ for insubordination, Patricia Marie Fowler exacter her revenge by hacking the centre’s systems, deleting files, changing passwords, removing access to infrastructure systems, and tampering with pay and accrued leave rates of staff.

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This story begs a number of questions about hardware / software engineering.

(1) Firewalls, hardware, and software are NOT designed to avoid the “King” effect. One example. The SWIFT funds transfer network in the 80’s had the concept of split authentication. The contract with SWIFT and the institution REQUIRED two separate “supervisors of an administrator” and “technology administrators”. There had to be collusion between FOUR people to subvert the security system. Bosses were NOT permitted to access the system but did receive the couriered envelop with their half of the institution’s code. They gave it to their administrator. Once the two haves were used, a new pair was generated and sent to the bosses. Either “administrator” could lock the “kingdom”. (I forget how long the “keys” were, but I remember typing it in was a giant pain.) Surprisingly, even honchos, who were openly hostile to “security”, meekly went along with this kabuki.

(2) It seems like there was very little separation of duties. The IT administrator apparently has access to the firewalls, other platforms, and data tables in applications. Seems like the place was an accident set up to happen. Where were the internal and external auditors? At the very least, with suitable automation, rebuilding components of the infrastructure should be near trivial. You wonder where was their disaster recovery plan; probably locked up in the head of the rogue administrator.

(3) “Passwords” in and around a serious “security” situation. Guess they never heard of two factor authentication?

Nice to know we don’t need no stinkin’ security!

Seasonal Greetings,
fjohn

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