Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Equifax takes down web page after reports of new hack

reuters.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 143 posts

Re: Equifax takes down web page after reports of new hack

#11

Post by Posibyte »

I feel like this has to do with Equifax basically not being punished in any major way over the last breach. Their stocks are still priced reasonably well, most of their board is still intact, and US citizens are still required to work with them for credit reasons.

And the worst part is, I have no idea how I as a person could say "I don't want to do work with Equifax because I don't trust them." And if anybody has suggestions on that, I'm totally open, because if Equifax was a dripping faucet, they'd be flooding the house by now.

Re: Equifax takes down web page after reports of new hack

#12

Post by dbmikus »

flachsechs wrote: post #5

it's amazing how much the finance industry can get away with. like honest-to-goodness amazing. it's really impressive how these people can have such a death-grip on society. honestly, i'm more curious than mad. how is such a thing even possible? i mean, wow.

Avoiding repercussions for bad security is pretty much consistent across all industries.

Re: Equifax takes down web page after reports of new hack

#13

Post by dsgfhasgjklas »

Posibyte wrote: post #11

I feel like this has to do with Equifax basically not being punished in any major way over the last breach. Their stocks are still priced reasonably well, most of their board is still intact, and US citizens are still required to work with them for credit reasons. And the worst part is, I have no idea how I as a person could say "I don't want to do work with Equifax because I don't trust them." And if anybody has sug…

> And the worst part is, I have no idea how I as a person could say "I don't want to do work with Equifax because I don't trust them."

Freeze your account and complain to the service that uses it.

Of course, you're not wrong—you have essentially zero leverage.

Re: Equifax takes down web page after reports of new hack

#14

Post by sidlls »

Arubis wrote: post #8
linarism wrote: post #6

The incompetence is mindblowing. Could this be a good argument for software engineers to get their professional license?

It seems abundantly clear that Equifax's incompetence is _systemic_. Under the presumption that they could have hired better engineers, I fully believe they would have managed them into submission.

The kind of licensing here would (or should) provide significant negative consequences for malpractice, possibly including revocation or suspension of the license (and therefore prohibition of working on projects requiring licensed engineers) and even civil or criminal penalties. It also carries credibility and protection: a licensed engineer has a duty to report employers' attempts to circumvent rules like Equifax hypothetically would have done, and legal protection for his livelihood when he does so.

It may not prevent truly unscrupulous or spineless engineers from capitulating, but it's better than the current situation.

Re: Equifax takes down web page after reports of new hack

#15

Post by kolbe »

flachsechs wrote: post #5

it's amazing how much the finance industry can get away with. like honest-to-goodness amazing. it's really impressive how these people can have such a death-grip on society. honestly, i'm more curious than mad. how is such a thing even possible? i mean, wow.

It's not "finance" per se. It's anyone granted a carte blanche privilege of some rent to exploit. This is almost always granted either directly or indirectly by the government.

How has finance made it possible? By getting the government to subsidize the industry for all existing entrants at the expense of people who may have better, more progressive ideas about how to manage the financial system. Also at the expense of people in general.

Re: Equifax takes down web page after reports of new hack

#16

Post by nrhk »

sidlls wrote: post #14
Arubis wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems abundantly clear that Equifax's incompetence is _systemic_. Under the presumption that they could have hired better engineers, I fully believe they would have managed them into submission.

The kind of licensing here would (or should) provide significant negative consequences for malpractice, possibly including revocation or suspension of the license (and therefore prohibition of working on projects requiring licensed engineers) and even civil or criminal penalties. It also carries credibility and protection: a licensed engineer has a duty to report employers' attempts to circumvent rules like Equifax h…

Or you know punish the managers for once instead of the footsoldiers...

When Wells Fargo had their credit scandal the salesmen shouldn't have been punished, their managers should've.

These things start at the top. When deadlines are pushed onto you, you don't have time to write unit tests, refactor, update dependencies.

Re: Equifax takes down web page after reports of new hack

#17

Post by rgbrenner »

Posibyte wrote: post #11

I feel like this has to do with Equifax basically not being punished in any major way over the last breach. Their stocks are still priced reasonably well, most of their board is still intact, and US citizens are still required to work with them for credit reasons. And the worst part is, I have no idea how I as a person could say "I don't want to do work with Equifax because I don't trust them." And if anybody has sug…

freeze your credit report with Equifax, and then if any company requests it, they'll be denied (because you have to request it be unfrozen for them to receive it).

If any company uses Equifax, you'll then be denied credit or they'll ask you to unfreeze it.. either way, you can complain to them, and make it clear you won't work with Equifax.

Of course, in practice, this will mean you'll get denied credit from any company that has a contract with Equifax.

Re: Equifax takes down web page after reports of new hack

#18

Post by jgladch »

We're just getting into an era where everything is hackable. We haven't even begun to understand the ramifications...! Privacy has been dead for a long time (did it ever exist?), but we're only just now being confronted with what this means. We have a choice to make: make the world work for everyone, or perish!

Re: Equifax takes down web page after reports of new hack

#19

Post by djb_hackernews »

rgbrenner wrote: post #17
Posibyte wrote: post #11

I feel like this has to do with Equifax basically not being punished in any major way over the last breach. Their stocks are still priced reasonably well, most of their board is still intact, and US citizens are still required to work with them for credit reasons. And the worst part is, I have no idea how I as a person could say "I don't want to do work with Equifax because I don't trust them." And if anybody has sug…

freeze your credit report with Equifax, and then if any company requests it, they'll be denied (because you have to request it be unfrozen for them to receive it). If any company uses Equifax, you'll then be denied credit or they'll ask you to unfreeze it.. either way, you can complain to them, and make it clear you won't work with Equifax. Of course, in practice, this will mean you'll get denied credit from any comp…

Doesn't this require you to trust Equifax to enforce and honor the freeze? I think the solution is "I don't want my report or any of my data in any sort of control or possession of Equifax". Where is that solution?

Re: Equifax takes down web page after reports of new hack

#20

Post by sidlls »

nrhk wrote: post #16
sidlls wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The kind of licensing here would (or should) provide significant negative consequences for malpractice, possibly including revocation or suspension of the license (and therefore prohibition of working on projects requiring licensed engineers) and even civil or criminal penalties. It also carries credibility and protection: a licensed engineer has a duty to report employers' attempts to circumvent rules like Equifax h…

Or you know punish the managers for once instead of the footsoldiers... When Wells Fargo had their credit scandal the salesmen shouldn't have been punished, their managers should've. These things start at the top. When deadlines are pushed onto you, you don't have time to write unit tests, refactor, update dependencies.

Licensing empowers the engineer to refuse to do something that violates sound engineering practice according to the license and have legal recourse against retaliation.

It isn't perfect, and the imbalance of power will certainly still be an issue. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

Post reply on HN