51–60 of 85 posts
Classifying such technology as military weapons would begin to address a number of international and national concerns with for-sale-malware (aka spyware). The use of such military weapons by civilians (or civilian police) against civilians become more obviously ban-able.
Not sure it would stop the police part. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militarization_of_police
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> 20 years ago I discovered antivirus software did not detect spyware by design... Can you provide evidence to back up this statement? I'm not disputing your claim outright, I'd just like to see your evidence.
Obviously FOSS software is bug less and totally secure by "design" ...
Yes, I know it's a decade old, but it's a great example of „open source is better/safer/whatever”.
I would like to point out that this kind of tech isn't only used by state sponsored operations. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50166147 Lone wolf creepers or quasi legal harassment companies have access to similar tools. https://www.nefariousjobsmain.com/the-works https://www.vice.com/en/article/ppmpe8/a-revenge-for-hire-bu... Although of course the state sponsored aspect of this is very real too, and the greate…
> Lone wolf creepers or quasi legal harassment companies have access to similar tools. I would take that for granted, as I do with any government, including mine. But thinking that you're more likely to be kept under surveillance by the same government -no matter the color- you fund with your taxes, than some private or foreign entity, makes this even more revolting. Makes one think if nationalism was invented as a t…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Obviously FOSS software is bug less and totally secure by "design" ...
Every single time I read about how safe and secure FOSS is, I think about this small issue: https://github.com/MrMEEE/bumblebee-Old-and-abbandoned/issue... Yes, I know it's a decade old, but it's a great example of „open source is better/safer/whatever”.
Classifying such technology as military weapons would begin to address a number of international and national concerns with for-sale-malware (aka spyware). The use of such military weapons by civilians (or civilian police) against civilians become more obviously ban-able.
While I agree that the trade in these tools is reprehensible, I worry about creating a new class of software that is prohibited to possess or trade in. It wasn't so long ago that strong encryption was labelled a 'dual use technology', and moving it across national borders was non-trivial. How long will it take for pentesting tools and end-to-end encryption to be labelled 'military weapons' under such a scheme?
Here's what we will find next: military and political leaders' phones have also already been compromised by NSO Group tools. I feel confident it has happened at a higher rate than among journalists. Imagine both your favorite and your most hated political firebrands: how will their rhetoric sound when they realize they've been pwned by the opposition for the past year using COTS tools?
As the government that allows itself to use this spyware will always have an advantage over the government that does not, it will never be banned.
Like chemical weapons?
Think about the Tokyo metro attacks and, not to minimize the tragedy, but how many more lives would have been lost if they had detonated similar quantities of explosives instead of spreading sarin gas - and that is inside a closed tube, with no protection whatsoever and with most victims receiving no medical care until many hours later, as hospitals were entirely unprepared for a gas attack.
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We've got to get to them before microsoft and google do. Teach Linux in schools and about the importance of FLOSS. In my school in California it was all windows in the 1990's and 2000's.
> In my school in California it was all windows in the 1990's and 2000's. Yeah, it was that way even before that. Microsoft and Apple got into a "donation war" tryin'a get their corporate garbage into schools back when I was a kid. Looks like Microsoft largely won that war. Hard to fight multiple generations deep corporate brainwashing.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Obviously FOSS software is bug less and totally secure by "design" ...
Every single time I read about how safe and secure FOSS is, I think about this small issue: https://github.com/MrMEEE/bumblebee-Old-and-abbandoned/issue... Yes, I know it's a decade old, but it's a great example of „open source is better/safer/whatever”.
I would like to point out that this kind of tech isn't only used by state sponsored operations. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50166147 Lone wolf creepers or quasi legal harassment companies have access to similar tools. https://www.nefariousjobsmain.com/the-works https://www.vice.com/en/article/ppmpe8/a-revenge-for-hire-bu... Although of course the state sponsored aspect of this is very real too, and the greate…
How is parler kicked off its hosting but a site plainly advertising criminal acts for hire is up and has a US domain name?
Edit: "Severe psychological warning, this package is only available for use on clients over 30 years of age."
...because a 26 year old can't handle getting a dildo in the mail?
Classifying such technology as military weapons would begin to address a number of international and national concerns with for-sale-malware (aka spyware). The use of such military weapons by civilians (or civilian police) against civilians become more obviously ban-able.
Pretty hard sell that it's a "military" weapon when you can carry it around on a thumb drive.