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Amazon Shuts Down NSO Group Infrastructure

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Re: Amazon Shuts Down NSO Group Infrastructure

#251

Post by justinclift »

neom wrote: post #8
justinclift wrote: post #2

Ouch. > The Amnesty report said NSO is also using services from other companies such as Digital Ocean, OVH, and Linode ... We've been using Digital Ocean for a few years now (sqlitebrowser.org), and they've been really good. Hopefully they look into this and take some useful action. :)

It's "DigitalOcean" - sorry to be pedantic, it drives me absolutely nuts when people put a space between, especially publications.

Oh, didn't realise. Sorry about that.

Ironically, I'm the same way with "PostgreSQL". There used to be _so_ many weird mis-spellings of it. eg "postGreSQL" seemed to be popular for some unknown reason

Re: Amazon Shuts Down NSO Group Infrastructure

#252

Post by ben_w »

funcDropShadow wrote: post #245
ben_w wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Obviously I am not in favour of that either. Making takedowns automatic on any user report means the dictators take down the apps of the dissidents. In the absence of AI that would necessarily have to be good enough to also radically change society and the economy, the only solution I can even think of is a big increase in funding for the policing of apps. Who exactly would fund that? Governments would want to use su…

Or we could use a different architecture for our applications that isn't so easily taken down. You know like locally installed apps, that can do something without the cloud overlord pushing new code with every pixel or character that is transmitted.

How would that stop, to go up-thread a bit, "an advertiser … that was using JavaScript … to fingerprint user's devices and if an Android device was detected a fake media player or fake CAPTCHA would trick user's into accepting push notifications for fake virus warnings to install questionable apps from the Play Store"?

Re: Amazon Shuts Down NSO Group Infrastructure

#253

Post by DSingularity »

mrits wrote: post #237
DSingularity wrote: post #232

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is besides the point. Just because the Middle East has been in turmoil since it was neo-colonized after WW2 doesn’t mean it’s okay for massive corporations to exert this much influence. Also, while we are on this subject, your language has some pretty orientalist vibes to it. I wonder who you think created these problems and who feeds them today?

You should have closed with "How do you like them apples?"

I’m confused. Do you support corporations having this kind of unchecked power or do you support the neo-colonial strategies that have left places like the Middle East in turmoil for the past century?

Re: Amazon Shuts Down NSO Group Infrastructure

#254

Post by midev »

wpietri wrote: post #247
midev wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What a cringe reply. I'd love to introduce you to a new word: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hyperbole

Oh no! Now an internet random thinks I'm cringe. Since we're criticizing other people's language choices today, I'll mention that everyone (absolutely everyone) thinks nobody older than 14 should use that word. Seriously, bub, my problem isn't the hyperbole. It's that you're universalizing your personal preference as a way to try to dominate people. It might work on others, but you won't find an old software develope…

> I'll mention that everyone (absolutely everyone) thinks nobody older than 14 should use that word.

Now you get it! It's kinda awesome I got to teach you a rhetorical device and you picked up on it so quickly.

> It's that you're universalizing your personal preference as a way to try to dominate people

My comment was dominating to you? Damn, I'm sorry.

> It might work on others, but you won't find an old software developer who minds being called "weird". We were all thought weird.

What does you being socially awkward have to do with this? You still need to spell company names correctly, regardless of whatever behavioral issues you have.

Re: Amazon Shuts Down NSO Group Infrastructure

#255

Post by perl4ever »

javajosh wrote: post #244
perl4ever wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The rejection rate, in a vacuum, isn't evidence that they are rubber stamping warrants. From a logical perspective, it could mean that those submitting requests are able to avoid sending weak ones and choose to do so. I'm not saying I believe you/the standard view is wrong, but there must be some other evidence.

On the contrary, a rejection rate that low implies rubber-stamping, prima facie . You would need positive evidence to support your assertion, e.g. that FISA submissions are unusually high-quality. The actual case is, I am sure, that the system was constructed to make allowing the warrant to be easy, rejecting it hard, and the people involved are just responding to incentives. Namely, since it's all secret they are on…

>a rejection rate that low implies rubber-stamping, prima facie. You would need positive evidence to support your assertion

I've deftly avoided ever taking a class in statistics, but I have gathered there are two schools - Bayesians, who are honest about having priors, and everyone else.

Re: Amazon Shuts Down NSO Group Infrastructure

#256

Post by perl4ever »

9935c101ab17a66 wrote: post #242
perl4ever wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People keep asking that. Seems like every few weeks for however long it's been, I see a comment like yours. I haven't seen anyone mention what news source meets the standard of never having published an article with insufficient evidence according to one or more people on the internet. I mean, obviously not the NY Times, for instance, right?

The combination of: the absolutely terrible article being an obvious hit piece, the potential damage of the claims with almost no real evidence to back them up, and the complete lack of contrition or accountability. I don’t think it ruined Bloomberg’s reputation entirely (I still love and frequently read Money Stuff), but it did eviscerate any credibility they had in highly technical, investigative technology reporti…

>pretty clear “whataboutism”

Whataboutism is when someone deflects accusations against themselves by pointing to others. I am not Bloomberg nor do I work for them, and accusing people of being shills is mentioned in the HN guidelines as being discouraged.

Re: Amazon Shuts Down NSO Group Infrastructure

#257

Post by igorzx31 »

bobthechef wrote: post #72
h1fra wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So should we consider the NSA a terrorism-aiding organization? edit: the tone is lost via internet; my own opinion on this: yes, it is.

Does terrorizing citizens through illegal spying and mass surveillance constitute terrorism ? Or does only setting off bombs in public spaces count?

The NSA does not illegally spy. Congress has given them large authorizations to collect data and they need FISA approval before tapping Americans. 99.9% of the good work that NSA does will never be seen by the public.

Re: Amazon Shuts Down NSO Group Infrastructure

#258

Post by throwaway675309 »

igorzx31 wrote: post #257
bobthechef wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does terrorizing citizens through illegal spying and mass surveillance constitute terrorism ? Or does only setting off bombs in public spaces count?

The NSA does not illegally spy. Congress has given them large authorizations to collect data and they need FISA approval before tapping Americans. 99.9% of the good work that NSA does will never be seen by the public.

How quickly we forget the massive warrantless wiretapping that occurred under the umbrella of the patriot act.

Re: Amazon Shuts Down NSO Group Infrastructure

#259

Post by igorzx31 »

whymauri wrote: post #95
blackearl wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this supposed to be some kind of "gotcha"? Both are despicable.

Exactly, lol. Not sure if the GP comment is trying to imply some sort of good comes out of the NSA.

Ummm, stopping terror attacks is pretty good.

Re: Amazon Shuts Down NSO Group Infrastructure

#260

Post by etherealG »

DSingularity wrote: post #230
ben_w wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Obviously I am not in favour of that either. Making takedowns automatic on any user report means the dictators take down the apps of the dissidents. In the absence of AI that would necessarily have to be good enough to also radically change society and the economy, the only solution I can even think of is a big increase in funding for the policing of apps. Who exactly would fund that? Governments would want to use su…

Why can’t we we reduce cloud provider margins and use that money to fund it! I mean — why is this not obvious? Force these companies to adhere to certain regulatory standards - the minimum of which is transparency and accountability.

I’m sad to see you being downvoted. I agree completely. Somehow the richest company in the world paying for this burden on us all is a bad idea :/
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