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Kremlin security agencies buying typewriters "to avoid leaks"

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Kremlin security agencies buying typewriters "to avoid leaks"

#11

Post by _b8r0 »

sheri wrote: post #7

I worked for a short while in a national lab. They used to call this "air-gap" security. i.e., there would be computers which would have no internet connection and no usb/harddrive inputs etc. If they needed data in there, they would have one person read data from one computer and type it into the secure one. Essentially there would be a literal air-gap between the secure computer and the non-secure ones.

The modern way of doing this is to have something called a 'sheep dip' station. This is an unconnected system that's used to check the contents of any import/export. The idea is that you cryptographically sign the material you want to import/export, burn it to write once media, pop it in the sheep dip box, confirm it's all hunky dory and if it is, import/export to/from the network. The media is then archived so it can be traced back.

Typically the sheep dip station has AV and some other antimalware tools, but depending on what you're trying to do you might have a dedicated sheep dip person that manually checks the content of what you're importing/exporting (particularly for sensitive IP in large engineering and research organisations). When this happens, it usually takes weeks to get anything approved for import/export.

Re: Kremlin security agencies buying typewriters "to avoid leaks"

#12

Post by johnchristopher »

JackpotDen wrote: post #9
olegbl wrote: post #3

Before: copy file to thumbdrive/cellphone. Now: take picture with cellphone.

there is significant time overhead and increased visibility/decreased quality(in terms of usability) in this method. a 100 page document would take a long time to photograph, but not as long to transfer, and you'd be less visible.

Yes, but that would make spy movie believable and thrilling again.

Re: Kremlin security agencies buying typewriters "to avoid leaks"

#13

Post by eksith »

Somehow I felt like network/usb disabled computers and typewriters would have sudden spike in sales. How long that will remain is the question unless there's an ink reservoir feed system for the print head (cause everyone hates ribbons).

Now there's a Kickstarter project waiting to happen!

Edit: Just found a very old model that had an ink roller system. http://machinesoflovinggrace.com/ptf/Sun.html (First one, Sun Standard No.2 )

Surely, some industrious person(s) can come up with a more elegant way to do away with ribbons.

Re: Kremlin security agencies buying typewriters "to avoid leaks"

#14

Post by vilda »

A friend of mine worked for defence research center. He had two computers on the table, one with Internet access and one for intranet access. The intranet was a completely independent network with separate cable wiring. Even cables have different color.

I mindly remember that was based on some NATO requirements.

Re: Kremlin security agencies buying typewriters "to avoid leaks"

#15

Post by jabbernotty »

vilda wrote: post #14

A friend of mine worked for defence research center. He had two computers on the table, one with Internet access and one for intranet access. The intranet was a completely independent network with separate cable wiring. Even cables have different color. I mindly remember that was based on some NATO requirements.

I'm browsing from my separate internet-enabled machine right now. I'm not working in defense, but just a place that has secrets to keep. If you ask me, I'd say that is true for almost every organization, because most organizations have computer files on original research, sensitive sales-related or private information.

Re: Kremlin security agencies buying typewriters "to avoid leaks"

#16

Post by solomatov »

aaron695 wrote: post #5

"The FSO has not commented on why it needs the old-fashioned devices. But an agency source told Russia's Izvestiya newspaper the aim was to prevent leaks from computer hardware." So someone already leaked they are trying to stop leaks. Very "Yes Minister"

Nobody leaked it. The contract for buying typewriters was posted on the public board of government contract accessible to everybody.

Re: Kremlin security agencies buying typewriters "to avoid leaks"

#18

Post by nwombosi »

16s wrote: post #17
olegbl wrote: post #3

Before: copy file to thumbdrive/cellphone. Now: take picture with cellphone.

Collect cellphones at door. Put them in steel cabinet. When workers leave, they can get the phones on the way out.

How about one of the microfilm devices they used to use in 60s spy movies?

Re: Kremlin security agencies buying typewriters "to avoid leaks"

#19

Post by tonyedgecombe »

JackpotDen wrote: post #9
olegbl wrote: post #3

Before: copy file to thumbdrive/cellphone. Now: take picture with cellphone.

there is significant time overhead and increased visibility/decreased quality(in terms of usability) in this method. a 100 page document would take a long time to photograph, but not as long to transfer, and you'd be less visible.

Not only that but you need to be physically present to take photos, that isn't the case where hacking is concerned.

Re: Kremlin security agencies buying typewriters "to avoid leaks"

#20

Post by [deleted] »

solomatov wrote: post #16
aaron695 wrote: post #5

"The FSO has not commented on why it needs the old-fashioned devices. But an agency source told Russia's Izvestiya newspaper the aim was to prevent leaks from computer hardware." So someone already leaked they are trying to stop leaks. Very "Yes Minister"

Nobody leaked it. The contract for buying typewriters was posted on the public board of government contract accessible to everybody.

[deleted]
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