Previous discussion (October 17th): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45613898
Also a good video from Scott Manley: https://youtu.be/qMUjCZ7MMWQ
NTSB report: Decryption of images from the Titan submersible camera [pdf] (2024)
11–20 of 100 posts
Re: NTSB report: Decryption of images from the Titan submersible camera [pdf] (2024)
#12Wow. SubC’s software engineering needs some work. They thought the camera’s file system was unencrypted, when it was encrypted. They didn’t know where the keys were to decrypt it. It turned out the key was written unencrypted to a UFS storage device. There was a file written to /mnt/nas/Stills, which indicates that the camera was to writing to a remote file system that wasn’t mounted.
They thought the camera’s file system was unencrypted, when it was encrypted.
Unfortunately this situation is likely to get more common in the future as the "security" crowd keep pushing for encryption-by-default with no regard to whether the user wants or is even aware of it.
Encryption is always a tradeoff; it trades the possibility of unauthorised access with the possibility of even the owner losing access permanently. IMHO this tradeoff needs careful consideration and not blind application.
Re: NTSB report: Decryption of images from the Titan submersible camera [pdf] (2024)
#13There's a fascinating and redacted interview with an "anonymous" subject about the disaster. To say the least it's an unsuccessful attempt to hide the identity of the individual:
"Q. So how did you get yourself started into submersible operations?
A. Well, I'm sure you're familiar with my film Titanic. When I set down the path to make that film, the first thing that I did was arrange to be introduced to the head of the submersible program at the P.P. Shirshov Institute in Moscow, a guy named..."
https://media.defense.gov/2025/Sep/17/2003800984/-1/-1/0/CG-...
Re: NTSB report: Decryption of images from the Titan submersible camera [pdf] (2024)
#14There's a fascinating and redacted interview with an "anonymous" subject about the disaster. To say the least it's an unsuccessful attempt to hide the identity of the individual: "Q. So how did you get yourself started into submersible operations? A. Well, I'm sure you're familiar with my film Titanic. When I set down the path to make that film, the first thing that I did was arrange to be introduced to the head of t…
Let’s hear from L Simpson. No, that’s too specific. Let’s hear from Lisa S.
Re: NTSB report: Decryption of images from the Titan submersible camera [pdf] (2024)
#15Wow. SubC’s software engineering needs some work. They thought the camera’s file system was unencrypted, when it was encrypted. They didn’t know where the keys were to decrypt it. It turned out the key was written unencrypted to a UFS storage device. There was a file written to /mnt/nas/Stills, which indicates that the camera was to writing to a remote file system that wasn’t mounted.
They thought the camera’s file system was unencrypted, when it was encrypted. Unfortunately this situation is likely to get more common in the future as the "security" crowd keep pushing for encryption-by-default with no regard to whether the user wants or is even aware of it. Encryption is always a tradeoff; it trades the possibility of unauthorised access with the possibility of even the owner losing access permane…
This is why I always shake my head when the Reddit armchair security experts say "The data wasn't even encrypted!? Amateur hour!" in response to some PII leak.
Sure, sure buddy, I'll encrypt all of my PII data so nobody can access it... including the web application server.
Okay, fine, I'll decrypt it on the fly with a key in some API server... now the web server had unencrypted access to it, which sounds bad, but that's literally the only way that it can process and serve the data to users in a meaningful way! Now if someone hacks the web app server -- the common scenario -- then the attacker has unencrypted access!
I can encrypt the database, but at what layer? Storage? Cloud storage is already encrypted! Backups? Yeah, sure, but then what happens in a disaster? Who's got the keys? Are they contactable at 3am?
Etc, etc...
It's not only not as simple as ticking an "encrypted: yes" checkbox, it's maximally difficult, with a very direct tradeoff between accessibility and protection. The sole purpose of encrypting data is to prevent access!
Re: NTSB report: Decryption of images from the Titan submersible camera [pdf] (2024)
#16Wow. SubC’s software engineering needs some work. They thought the camera’s file system was unencrypted, when it was encrypted. They didn’t know where the keys were to decrypt it. It turned out the key was written unencrypted to a UFS storage device. There was a file written to /mnt/nas/Stills, which indicates that the camera was to writing to a remote file system that wasn’t mounted.
They thought the camera’s file system was unencrypted, when it was encrypted. Unfortunately this situation is likely to get more common in the future as the "security" crowd keep pushing for encryption-by-default with no regard to whether the user wants or is even aware of it. Encryption is always a tradeoff; it trades the possibility of unauthorised access with the possibility of even the owner losing access permane…
[deleted]
Re: NTSB report: Decryption of images from the Titan submersible camera [pdf] (2024)
#17The SD card on the camera was intact but encrypted. Decrypting the data required a key stored on a separate SOM board, but the SOM was damaged. The investigation team delivered the SOM and SD card to the camera manufacturer in Newfoundland, and they were able to decrypt the card. They found a couple of images, but No data with a timestamp after May 16th was found on the camera, so it is likely that none of the data r…
> No data with a timestamp after May 16th was found on the camera, so it is likely that none of the data recorded on the SD Card were of the accident voyage or dive.
Evidently the camera data was recorded to an external SSD card in the mission computer when the accident occurred.
The investigation team actually managed to salvage the PC as well:
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19169363&Fi...
Sadly it turned into a compressed ball of metal...
Re: NTSB report: Decryption of images from the Titan submersible camera [pdf] (2024)
#18There's a fascinating and redacted interview with an "anonymous" subject about the disaster. To say the least it's an unsuccessful attempt to hide the identity of the individual: "Q. So how did you get yourself started into submersible operations? A. Well, I'm sure you're familiar with my film Titanic. When I set down the path to make that film, the first thing that I did was arrange to be introduced to the head of t…
"I think the most dangerous part of our whole operation was these young software engineers puking over the railing in a high sea."
Re: NTSB report: Decryption of images from the Titan submersible camera [pdf] (2024)
#19> Removed SD card. The manufacturer of the camera had requested certain components of
the device be redacted. Portions of this image have been redacted.
And so it is, but anyone who has ever seen a Sandisk SD card knows what they're looking at. I can even tell it's not the fastest V90 speed.
The things companies try ineffectually to keep out of public view are weird.
Re: NTSB report: Decryption of images from the Titan submersible camera [pdf] (2024)
#20What's with the entire dev board crammed in there? Is that... normal? What board is it?
I have seen engineers slap Teensies on a PCB and call it a day, so it’s definitely normal. It’s faster than having to route your MCU, USB, debugger, etc. manually, so there isn’t really a drawback as long as it physically fits there.