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Slovakia finds Russian backdoor in traffic speed cameras

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Re: Slovakia finds Russian backdoor in traffic speed cameras

#141

Post by tpm »

caminante wrote: post #42
bdhdhduuyd wrote: post #6

So they bought the cameras and some people pointed out they look exactly the same as Russian cameras. The government denied this but after they figured out the serial numbers matched the Russian cameras they started this investigation. Good they investigated this before using them, but this sounds like a big fu...

This would be far more impressive if not for: > multiple reports in Slovak media that linked the purchase to a Cyprus shell company with fake certifications. We're talking about this as if it's some precursor to a James Bond plot, but it really fizzles after learning Nina in the sourcing department skipped the compliance paperwork. James Bond doesn't need to leave the bed! Trojan exploits aside, I just assume that it…

> Nina in the sourcing department skipped the compliance paperwork.

Well the interior ministry didn't really demand one (yes really) but the opposition people have read the documentation for the cameras and the hash of the supplied software was exactly the same as the hash for the russian simicon camera.

Re: Slovakia finds Russian backdoor in traffic speed cameras

#142

Post by xX_Hacker_Xx »

Gud wrote: post #140
xX_Hacker_Xx wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

opposition to sanctions does not imply pro-Russia stance. slovakia also doesnt support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. you made that up. its crazy that such a lie is a top comment.

It is literally a pro Russian action, to be against sanctioning Russia for their war against Ukraine. Tell me how it’s not advantageous for Russia to enable trade with them.

it may be advantageous for Russia. thats true.

but it still doesnt imply that slovakia is therefore politically pro-russian.

they might care about pro-slovak advantages it brings. or they might think that sanction dont work as intendet. or they might think that sanction paradoxically cause too many problems in EU. or that it is not the right approach to resolve the conflict.

Re: Slovakia finds Russian backdoor in traffic speed cameras

#143

Post by ifwinterco »

xX_Hacker_Xx wrote: post #142
Gud wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is literally a pro Russian action, to be against sanctioning Russia for their war against Ukraine. Tell me how it’s not advantageous for Russia to enable trade with them.

it may be advantageous for Russia. thats true. but it still doesnt imply that slovakia is therefore politically pro-russian. they might care about pro-slovak advantages it brings. or they might think that sanction dont work as intendet. or they might think that sanction paradoxically cause too many problems in EU. or that it is not the right approach to resolve the conflict.

Or not be as willing (as the British state is for example) to sacrifice the entire male population of Ukraine to fight a war for them.

That makes you "pro Russian" apparently

Re: Slovakia finds Russian backdoor in traffic speed cameras

#144

Post by xX_Hacker_Xx »

Gud wrote: post #140
xX_Hacker_Xx wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

opposition to sanctions does not imply pro-Russia stance. slovakia also doesnt support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. you made that up. its crazy that such a lie is a top comment.

It is literally a pro Russian action, to be against sanctioning Russia for their war against Ukraine. Tell me how it’s not advantageous for Russia to enable trade with them.

lets say you have a digital privacy activist, and someone says their actions are literally "pro CP".

well technically, existence of some private messaging network can help predators. i dont know if there is a way around that.

but saying that the actions of the activist are "pro CP" is not fair IMO. its often a manipulative labeling. it might be what it motivates the activist or it might not be. they might have completely different reasons to advocate for digital privacy.

Re: Slovakia finds Russian backdoor in traffic speed cameras

#145

Post by like_any_other »

PinkSheep wrote: post #124

Over 100 comments, zero mentions that government funds should be spent on devices with auditable open-source firmware. Anyone here? No? Then I'm the first one to say this. SecureBoot is a funny one. It should be signed with the deployer's keys (Slovak), not the manufacturer's. Trusted boot probably wasn't a consideration here, really. Ironically, a custom firmware can now be used thanks to the lack of a digital lock.…

Maybe you trust the hardware and software and firmware to not be malicious or negligent (currently such assurances are extremely rare [1], so it's hard to overstate what a step up in security just this bare minimum would be), but what if it simply gets hacked by a nation-state level opponent? And there are so many ways to hack it - hardware and software supply chains, interdiction and replacement with compromised parts, attacking the software systems connected to it (maybe the camera is secure, but what about the computers it sends its signals to?), or the human systems, blackmailing an employee to insert a backdoored USB key somewhere...

Are traffic cameras worth the risk of giving away the movement of your key personnel, military and political, in the age of drone warfare and targeted strikes?

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49248678

Re: Slovakia finds Russian backdoor in traffic speed cameras

#146

Post by like_any_other »

kakacik wrote: post #111
caminante wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This would be far more impressive if not for: > multiple reports in Slovak media that linked the purchase to a Cyprus shell company with fake certifications. We're talking about this as if it's some precursor to a James Bond plot, but it really fizzles after learning Nina in the sourcing department skipped the compliance paperwork. James Bond doesn't need to leave the bed! Trojan exploits aside, I just assume that it…

Current government is extremely pro-russian to the point of treason, and people involved in this case double so. This wasn't some oversight of the proverbial Nina in any way. They just did sloppy job from both sides covering tracks, not uncommon with current government. They are loud (and racist, xenophobic, and often dumb), not competent smart people.

If they're so pro-Russian, then they're not xenophobic enough.

Re: Slovakia finds Russian backdoor in traffic speed cameras

#147

Post by elisbce »

chimpontherun wrote: post #32
gumby wrote: post #16

[flagged]

I find it amusing that the biggest supporters or Russia in its current war of aggression against Ukraine are/were Hungary, Slovakia, and Serbia -- precisely the countries that should know better, since they were the principal recipients the "love and friendship" from Russia: - Hungary: November of 1956 - Slovakia: "spring" of 1968 - Serbia: the Stalin's betrayal at the end of WW2

No, it just means their governments are controlled by pro-russian people, or are simply Russian puppets installed years ago.

Re: Slovakia finds Russian backdoor in traffic speed cameras

#148

Post by like_any_other »

koonsolo wrote: post #84
kstenerud wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a pretty harsh and uninformed take. Russia operates by capturing foreign governments and making their leaders beholden to Russia's interests. When it succeeds, it happens regardless of what the populace actually wants. They've been grooming Trump (along with a dozen or so other potential up-and-comers) since the 80s (Trump was considered a long shot and too unpredictable, but fortune favors the prepared - bett…

In the case of Slovakia, it's purely Russian misinformation that was able to capture a large part of the population, mainly older people. First anti-EU, then anti-vax, and now anti-Ukraine and anti-EU.

> Russian misinformation that was able to capture a large part of the population, mainly older people.

'Capturing' the population is worthless. Anti-immigration sentiment has 'captured' the UK, to the point that in every election since 1964, the public voted against immigration [1]. Yet every time they got increased immigration instead.

[1] https://www.woes.blog/p/tgr-democracy

Re: Slovakia finds Russian backdoor in traffic speed cameras

#149

Post by yieldcrv »

FpUser wrote: post #66
yieldcrv wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

generalizations about a group of people are not “racist” when not talking about race, they’re also not inherently pejoratives either. reduction is to know what to expect still buy the cameras, still buy the natural gas just dont go on the public record saying its not backdoored knowing the supply chain but assuming there was some introspection you were hoping to reveal, which culture were you considering to be racist…

>"generalizations about a group of people are not “racist” when not talking about race" - cut the bull please.

I'm not going to be able to match your colloquialism on that, words have meaning and this one hasn't changed yet despite mods of illiterate people using it your way

Re: Slovakia finds Russian backdoor in traffic speed cameras

#150

Post by lenkite »

Paradigma11 wrote: post #134
lenkite wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would be extremely stupid of Russia not to spy on Slovakia. If they had properly spied on Ukraine, they could have turned around 2014 and all of Nuland's "regime change" machinations. They have learned their lesson well now - do as the Americans do and spy on everyone - and most especially the "friendly" nations - by any and all means.

That does not make much sense. In 2014 Yanukovic was in power, who had been bought off by Russia. Lets not forget that Yanukovic ran on a pro EU platform and then reversed a day or so before signing the EU association agreement. Naturally the people went to the streets and eventually Yanukovic fled. Not sure what you would have wanted to spy on.

> Lets not forget that Yanukovic ran on a pro EU platform and then reversed a day or so before signing the EU association agreement.

During his 2010 presidential campaign, Yanukovic promoted a "multi-vector" foreign policy that sought to balance relations with both Russia and the European Union. He explicitly campaigned on maintaining economic and diplomatic ties with Russia. Also, do note that he was elected by the Russian-ethnic regions that subsequently rebelled after their duly-elected and EU-observer vetted President was overthrown in a coup.

Nuland didn't want to wait for formal elections or even a formal impeachment under the Ukrainian constitution. Because she had already planned the replacement govt and even the people for specific roles. She actively glued the political transition together quickly before Russian backstage maneuvering could undermine the anti-Yanukovych movement.

It was the crowning glory of her state department career. Only the US can get away with this sort of shameless regime change and Americans pat themselves on the back for being the "good guys".

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