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Trump expresses doubts about security of all computers

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Trump expresses doubts about security of all computers

#31

Post by dingaling »

djaychela wrote: post #3

I think there's an element of truth to some of what he's said, but it's like a stopped clock telling the right time rather than a deep insight. I can't imagine that having messages couriered everywhere by hand will be a practical way for the US government to function unless this is part of his plan to get people back to work?

> I can't imagine that having messages couriered everywhere by hand will be a practical way...

I thought the same about large organisations until last week I saw a ward-sister with a transit envelope, one of those manila pockets on which you write the next destination and send it on through internal post.

Apparently they're still widely used within the UK National Health Service to send confidential paper records and other data-conveying objects.

Re: Trump expresses doubts about security of all computers

#32

Post by gaius »

origami777 wrote: post #26

Is it just me, or is it damn near impossible to not make fun of everything Trump does or says. Every time I see an article about him I feel like he's a real life Forest Gump. Hes just doing whatever, and no matter how dumb or idiotic it seems, it just works out for him.

Well, consider that that is entirely artificially created by a media establishment that ridiculed him relentlessly but he still ended up winning. It's actually nothing to do with him at all; it's that the media are presenting a view that is out of sync with reality.

Re: Trump expresses doubts about security of all computers

#33

Post by gaius »

jrapdx3 wrote: post #24
josh_fyi wrote: post #11

Hackers of various sorts have strong interest in hacking the Trump Organization to get dirt on him. Knowing how IT in that sort of medium-size sales-oriented low-tech business works, chances are they have very weak security procedures on their financial and other data. I wouldn't be surprised if hackers are having a field day.

Could be, but if that were true I would expect we would have seen a lot of publicity about such hacked info. Surely there's been no shortage of interest in finding "dirt" on Trump, his businesses, family, etc. The nasty political situation would be a great incentive for it. The absence of such data suggests decent security is in place. That makes sense insofar as Trump runs large operations that has to require consid…

Surely there's been no shortage of interest in finding "dirt" on Trump

They did - how do you think that 2005 video mysteriously surfaced at just the right time to do the most damage?

It only didn't work because people recognized it for the obvious tactic it was.

Re: Trump expresses doubts about security of all computers

#34

Post by origami777 »

gaius wrote: post #32
origami777 wrote: post #26

Is it just me, or is it damn near impossible to not make fun of everything Trump does or says. Every time I see an article about him I feel like he's a real life Forest Gump. Hes just doing whatever, and no matter how dumb or idiotic it seems, it just works out for him.

Well, consider that that is entirely artificially created by a media establishment that ridiculed him relentlessly but he still ended up winning. It's actually nothing to do with him at all; it's that the media are presenting a view that is out of sync with reality.

I get the same feeling when I see him talk at his rallies.

Re: Trump expresses doubts about security of all computers

#36

Post by facepalm »

cimi_ wrote: post #21
facepalm wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How so? The absurd thing is that it is news - it should just be common sense that computers are not secure. It shouldn't take a statement by the future US president to convey that message. Have you ever looked at a computer owned by one of your relatives (someone who is not a computer expert)?

I've not seen any numbers, but I don't think it's far fetched to say that the US probably has ridiculously large budgets for cyber security, military research in computing, cryptography etc. We're not talking about uncle Jim-Bob's computer here. Having the person that will lead all of that say he'd rather send couriers with hand written notes is horrifying for me. As a computer scientist I feel that this is yet anoth…

If you believe all that spending makes computer secure, you are fooling yourself. It is an incredibly complex environment - much more complex than the code for sending rockets into space, for example. And rockets still explode.

Besides, I don't think Trump will be using couriers all the time. Also, these days, email is not the only way to send digital messages.

Re: Trump expresses doubts about security of all computers

#37

Post by aceperry »

danso wrote: post #29

I don't particularly mind if Trump wants to stay off of email. What bothers me is that a lifetime of isolation against computers makes him almost entirely incapabale of understanding or prioritizing information technology, and I don't just mean things like Obama's fluff campaign for learn to code. This isn't a fault particular to Trump, of course. Anyone who isn't using technology will likely have just a facile under…

Trump lives among the 1% where they don't have to interact with computers to get around in society. He has aides and servants to conduct much of the routine paperwork and other things that ordinary people need to do to function with government and business. That includes email for communications. It doesn't surprise me that in his world, he uses phone calls and personal meetings to conduct most of his face to face business. It is definitely isolating and he lives very differently than most other people. Interestingly, I see the same situation with homeless or poor people who aren't as plugged in with everyone else.

Re: Trump expresses doubts about security of all computers

#38

Post by happynewyear »

djaychela wrote: post #3

I think there's an element of truth to some of what he's said, but it's like a stopped clock telling the right time rather than a deep insight. I can't imagine that having messages couriered everywhere by hand will be a practical way for the US government to function unless this is part of his plan to get people back to work?

He was communicating out of band to unknown parties that his communications are being monitored.

Re: Trump expresses doubts about security of all computers

#39

Post by sorokod »

aceperry wrote: post #37
danso wrote: post #29

I don't particularly mind if Trump wants to stay off of email. What bothers me is that a lifetime of isolation against computers makes him almost entirely incapabale of understanding or prioritizing information technology, and I don't just mean things like Obama's fluff campaign for learn to code. This isn't a fault particular to Trump, of course. Anyone who isn't using technology will likely have just a facile under…

Trump lives among the 1% where they don't have to interact with computers to get around in society. He has aides and servants to conduct much of the routine paperwork and other things that ordinary people need to do to function with government and business. That includes email for communications. It doesn't surprise me that in his world, he uses phone calls and personal meetings to conduct most of his face to face bu…

Seems to be pretty busy on Twitter.

Re: Trump expresses doubts about security of all computers

#40

Post by em3rgent0rdr »

aceperry wrote: post #37
danso wrote: post #29

I don't particularly mind if Trump wants to stay off of email. What bothers me is that a lifetime of isolation against computers makes him almost entirely incapabale of understanding or prioritizing information technology, and I don't just mean things like Obama's fluff campaign for learn to code. This isn't a fault particular to Trump, of course. Anyone who isn't using technology will likely have just a facile under…

Trump lives among the 1% where they don't have to interact with computers to get around in society. He has aides and servants to conduct much of the routine paperwork and other things that ordinary people need to do to function with government and business. That includes email for communications. It doesn't surprise me that in his world, he uses phone calls and personal meetings to conduct most of his face to face bu…

Hillary is also computer illiterate.
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