Military Bans Disks, Threatens Courts-Martial to Stop New Leaks • Hacker News Board

Re: Military Bans Disks, Threatens Courts-Martial to Stop New Leaks

#51

Post by krschultz » Fri, Dec 10, 2010, 1:41 PM UTC

rbranson wrote: post #9

eli wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not low bandwidth link; it's intentional design. Secure computers are not able to connect to the outside world.

From the article: "...classified computers are often disconnected from the network, or are in low-bandwidth areas ."

I think Wired is confused.

Classified computers are almost always disconnected from the internet. In fact I haven't seen a computer with the combination of internet connection and approval to access classified documents.

So yes, they are low bandwidth. But all of the classified computers are networked together. Recall Pfc Manning pulled the files from a database that he leaked.

The bandwidth between the classified network and the nonclassified network is almost always zero or extremely limited (or might have to go through a person who literally weeds through the files one at a time and could accurately be described as "low bandwidth").

So any time you are circumventing that protection using removable media you are breaking the protocol. Just look at Stuxnet for the reason why other that Wikileaks.

Re: Military Bans Disks, Threatens Courts-Martial to Stop New Leaks

#52

Post by krschultz » Fri, Dec 10, 2010, 1:44 PM UTC

nhangen wrote: post #12

When I was overseas, we had a difficult time trying to transfer secret data between DoS and DoD terminals...I can imagine this is going to make it much more difficult. Flash drives have always been disallowed because of malware and virus issues, but CD's and DVD's were what we used to move data between non connected systems. This could be a real pain in the ass. I'd think that all of these problems could be solved by…

They should combine a flash drive with an RFID tag, the pc would need to make sure the RFID is present to use the flash drive, and if anyone tried to walk out with them they would set off an RFID detector.

Ok so who wants to charge the gov't $65 million+ for that? Throw encryption on it and charge $150 million.

Re: Military Bans Disks, Threatens Courts-Martial to Stop New Leaks

#53

Post by epo » Fri, Dec 10, 2010, 2:41 PM UTC

sciolistse wrote: post #40

epo wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or post-hoc rationalization. "Oh yes, that is what I intended all along"

The quoted article ( http://web.archive.org/web/20070129125831/iq.org/conspiracie... ) was written the same month as the launch of Wikileaks, that seems a fully appropriate time to have made his mission clear.

My mistake (and laziness). Mea culpa.