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Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil

cnn.com

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Re: Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil

#91

Post by pastakatsu »

WarOnPrivacy wrote: post #66

Disabling alerts is the second thing I do to a new handset (after rooting) - including Presidential alerts. The Amber alerts I got were often hundreds of miles away. But even if they were closer - say only 25 mi away, I'm still not going to be any help. Weather alerts weren't much better. Having my device sound the klaxons over Red Flag warnings conditioned me to ignore all alerts.

That's all well and good when you dont live in an earthquake or tsunami area I guess

(which is California, the world's 3rd largest economy)

Re: Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil

#92

Post by lukan »

vesche wrote: post #79
hollerith wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The name of the site you are writing this on is a usage of this "esoteric" meaning.

It was an intentional, near-archaic throwback even at the time HN was founded. Paul Graham has written about it, you can probably still find his blog written about it 20 years ago.

But that is serves as a valid counterargument to your claim is something you agree with?

Re: Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil

#93

Post by jen729w »

WarOnPrivacy wrote: post #66

Disabling alerts is the second thing I do to a new handset (after rooting) - including Presidential alerts. The Amber alerts I got were often hundreds of miles away. But even if they were closer - say only 25 mi away, I'm still not going to be any help. Weather alerts weren't much better. Having my device sound the klaxons over Red Flag warnings conditioned me to ignore all alerts.

We, tourists, were driving in one helluva rainstorm in Texas back in 2017. It was all I could do to focus on the road. (And yes, we found a spot and pulled over. A Denny's, IIRC.)

Anyway, midway through this hellish journey, the car was filled with terror. What the hell? Just pure raw audio chaos. Neither of us knew what was going on.

It was my phone, of course. Helpfully telling me that it was raining, via some absurd bust-through-my-DND 'alert'.

Not helpful.

Re: Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil

#94

Post by hnlmorg »

vesche wrote: post #76
initramfs wrote: post #38

"The message sent was of the ‘Extreme Alert’ type and contained the word ‘misanthropy’ – which means hatred towards humanity. It is probably a hacker attack,” the agency’s statement said." As this happens whenever there is an intrusion reported in the press, the word "hacker" is often misused: "There is another group of people who loudly call themselves hackers, but aren't. These are people (mainly adolescent males)…

No one has used the word “hacker” with this esoteric / old school context in over 30 years.

the internet would disagree with you. For example the following search term finds hundreds of results from the last few months alone.

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22i%20hacked%20togeth...

Re: Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil

#95

Post by sneak »

fc417fc802 wrote: post #71
WarOnPrivacy wrote: post #66

Disabling alerts is the second thing I do to a new handset (after rooting) - including Presidential alerts. The Amber alerts I got were often hundreds of miles away. But even if they were closer - say only 25 mi away, I'm still not going to be any help. Weather alerts weren't much better. Having my device sound the klaxons over Red Flag warnings conditioned me to ignore all alerts.

While I understand how we arrived at this point I find these centralized systems with special privileges frustrating. That they have repeatedly exhibited severe vulnerabilities and mismanagement is just the cherry on top. There ought to be a specification of an open protocol that includes certificate based authentication. I should be able to have my pick of which app to use and then subscribe to whatever feeds I'm in…

Users have no interest in sysadminning their phones in this manner.

Re: Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil

#96

Post by hdgvhicv »

danillonunes wrote: post #63
neko_ranger wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

lets play a game HN, what would be the best alert to send? mine would be something scifi, like "ALIENS HAVE LANDED" or "PLUTO DECLARES WAR"

Not a message, but a date. There's this huge national exam called ENEM that is like SAT that every Brazilian in age to enter a college takes. Millions of students are taking it every year at the same date and time, as its result is what determines who enters in the best universities. Obviously, security against cheating is a huge concern and so everyone must have their phones turned off and sealed in a bag that stays…

If they’re turned off presumably the alarm wouldn’t go off

Re: Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil

#97

Post by hdgvhicv »

danillonunes wrote: post #62
munchler wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This would create more chaos than any other suggestion so far. Well done.

Wouldn't. There isn't a single Brazilian who doesn't know Brazil's current world cup status. The entire country stops when there's a game. Nobody would fall for that.

Add “For cheating” (spying/drugs/whatever)

Re: Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil

#98

Post by gpvos »

sneak wrote: post #95
fc417fc802 wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I understand how we arrived at this point I find these centralized systems with special privileges frustrating. That they have repeatedly exhibited severe vulnerabilities and mismanagement is just the cherry on top. There ought to be a specification of an open protocol that includes certificate based authentication. I should be able to have my pick of which app to use and then subscribe to whatever feeds I'm in…

Users have no interest in sysadminning their phones in this manner.

I think it would increase their trust in the phone system if they could, even if they don't use it in practice.

Re: Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil

#99

Post by rvba »

zarflax wrote: post #45
neko_ranger wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

lets play a game HN, what would be the best alert to send? mine would be something scifi, like "ALIENS HAVE LANDED" or "PLUTO DECLARES WAR"

"Help I'm trapped in a broadcast center"

When I was around 8 years old I was browsing random channels on cable tv - and similar message was on an "infornation channel" (which consisted mostly of various scrolling texts). Hope the poor person stuck there was freed.

Re: Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil

#100

Post by fc417fc802 »

sneak wrote: post #95
fc417fc802 wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I understand how we arrived at this point I find these centralized systems with special privileges frustrating. That they have repeatedly exhibited severe vulnerabilities and mismanagement is just the cherry on top. There ought to be a specification of an open protocol that includes certificate based authentication. I should be able to have my pick of which app to use and then subscribe to whatever feeds I'm in…

Users have no interest in sysadminning their phones in this manner.

They wouldn't need to. By default the tower would send along the signatures for the proper local channel(s) and by default the OS would ship with an app that blindly subscribed to those. The difference out of the box would be that the sources were properly authenticated.

For users that wish to configure such things the difference would be that they could select the app of their choice (fixes the terrible UX), select the sources of their choice (not limited to those advertised by the tower), and filter as they pleased (fixes all the false alarms).

I think this is more useful that it might appear at first glance. Consider for example airports where the flexibility could be quite useful during an emergency response. Many venues would benefit from being able to send announcements of varying levels of importance. Nearly all of us walk around with network connected computers on our person yet our systems lack robust support for such basic functionality.

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