So many of us still have nightmares of WannaCry and NotPetya. Those are the malware viruses that nearly crippled British computer systems back in May 2017. But now Atlanta is under the gun. Ransomware hacks Atlanta: Is it SamSam?
Over the past 24 hours, malware crept into Atlanta’s IT service systems. Because of this, the city government can’t even do simple things. This includes processing payments and getting court case information. Then, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms addressed the attacks. She assured the Atlanta people the government will be open the next day (which is today). She also said this malware didn’t attack airports, public safety or services.
Mayor Bottoms stated she’s working with federal agencies to see who compromised what data. But here’s what we do know. SamSam ransomware sent a note. The note demanded $51,000 in Bitcoin to let go of the systems.They’re also demanding certain files. I cringe to think what those files are and what they want with them.? That’s almost six Bitcoin. SamSam is just one of malware systems that attack government and health care systems. Furthermore, SamSam has been doing this since 2015. They deliberately target these systems because they know how critical gov’t and health care are to the people. Thus, leaders are more likely to pay the ransom. These hackers also know they have better means to pay than individuals or small businesses.
But immediately after the attacks started, Atlanta tweeted the people of what’s going on. The mayor followed that with a press conference, and got federal agencies like FBI and DHS involved. Microsoft also helped out in this. So I applaud Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms for how she handled Ransomware hacks Atlanta. Hopefully, all systems are normal in Atlanta. Why does what happen in Atlanta affect Boston, particularly near our Boston computer service shop? If it can happen in Atlanta, what makes you think it can’t happen in Boston?
So now, US officials say they found malware in computer systems we need for survival. These are the IT support systems that run our water, energy, nuclear power, and manufacturing. Furthermore, they trace the malware back to Russia. This doesn’t include other cyber attacks.? Therefore, the FBI and DHS (Dept. of Homeland Security) urged industry leaders, and their computer repair teams, to check their cyber security. These cyber attacks started in the spring of 2016, say US officials.
Then there are the motives and results. US officials say one motive is surveillance. They want info on our energy and computer systems. One US official said these actions are troubling. They also say Russian cyber hackers, backed by the Russian government, were behind the attacks. An alert went out. It accused Russian government cyber spies of malware, phishing and gaining remote access to networks. So what are they doing about it? The US is now passing yet more sanctions against Russia. These sanctions target Russian government organizations and even certain hackers and their bosses. But some even say that’s not enough. Because one said these sanctions, “…fall far short of what is needed”.
However, here is what is more disturbing. This comes at a time when Russian troops and ships are already on the move. Also, Russian President Vladimir Putin literally brags about having nuclear weapons that no nation can stop.? That interview Putin had with US journalist/talk show host Megan Kelly is absolutely chilling. Here is some of it. Now, rumors and articles abound that Russia is throwing propaganda out there to accuse the USA of war crimes in Syria, and make themselves look like Syria’s savior. Some call Russia the most dangerous nation on Earth and Putin the most dangerous man on Earth. The US vs Russia drama is getting too real for me. What do you make of this international cyber warfare?
So by now, most of us know about Elon Musk sending cars into space. Some believe he’s crossing into the next plane in IT support. But there could be a more grim reason for why Musk is doing what he’s doing. This is a question to Elon Musk: Will Mars save us?
So at a SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, tech billionaire Elon Musk paints a pessimistic picture of our future. In fact, he fears we’re heading for the new ‘dark ages’. A couple of things that concern him are World War 3 and climate changes. Musk also suggests a Mars colony will keep human beings safe from war and natural disaster. When the war ends, then people on Mars can come back to Earth and rebuild.
But WW3 and the environment aren’t Musk’s only concerns. His biggest worry is AI technology and robots. He urges the US government to pass some regulation that will control AI. Last summer, Musk called AI, “…a fundemental risk to the extinction of civilization”. That’s a fancy way of saying the end robots could end the world as we know it. It’s not that fantastic. I read an article where AI technology already develops language that us as humans can’t even read. However, these AI robots can read and speak this language to each other.
In fact, Musk just straight up told the Austin crowd AI is far more dangerous than nuclear war. He wasn’t just talking about robots threatening and taking our jobs.?This even means computer repair jobs. He wasn’t just talking about people choosing marriages and sexual relationships with robots over real humans. Both those things are happening. But Musk’s visions of what AI may do is far more deadly. That’s why his company builds these cars and robots to save us from these apocalyptic dangers. He also told them his spaceship to Mars will be ready next year. Add to that the million people he wants to take to Mars. I doubt you’ll be in that million if you’re in the 99%. Would you even want to go to Mars. My question to Elon Musk: Are you going crazy?
So the small nation on Myanmar is in crisis. It will take this whole page to explain, but here is a link that tells it. The photos and articles are heartbreaking. But what does this have to do with IT service? Some accuse social media sites of pumping up the hatred. Facebook and Myanmar crisis and falsehood.
So when I say some, I’m mainly talking about the United Nations. They accuse Facebook of enabling hate speech and the talk of ethnic and religious violence in Myanmar. Furthermore, other social media outlets like Insatgram and WhatsApp are under the same accusations. In fact, Sri Lanka wants to ban these social media sites altogether. Leaders say it’s because these sites are promoting hatred and violence. India also struggles with false info through social media, and extremist groups using it as a tool. In fact, it has lead to riots and murders.
But let’s get back to Facebook and Myanmar. Some UN activists warn that Myanmar’s extremist are usings Facebook to incite hatred against ethnic and religious minorities. The hatred is so bad that in summer 2017 alone, over 650,000 fled to Bangladesh and other neighboring countries. One UN leader told media that Facebook does indeed play a role in hate speech. This leader even targeted a certain person. He accused one popular uber nationalist monk of using Facebook to preach hatred and sow seeds of division. However, some UN investigators say they erased or blocked this nationalists’ page. But others say that’s not enough.
Like guns, it’s not the social media site itself. It’s the person using it. It’s the human heart that’s behind the keyboard. Some use Facebook and social media for good. But there are always some evil souls who use it for evil. But for a nation to cancel Facebook, or any social media site, or any IT support site, is censorship. Then the government gets all the power. And that’s just as evil as the evil they’re facing now. Why should they censor everybody and make everybody suffer just because of a few evil hearts and minds?
So for IT service, one of the greatest services is social media. In some cases, it’s also the most destructive. But how do we wrestle with this? It’s the one hour rule for Europe’s social media.
So what is ‘one hour rule’? According to the European Commission, tech companies in Europe have one hour to take down illegal content. This one hour begins the second someone reports such content to the tech company. But what is illegal content? They say it includes: terrorism, child pornography, hate speech, hacking/online scams, and even copyright violations. However, the EU commission doesn’t limit it to those five categories. They gave this time frame because it’s critical to cancel such threats before they spread even further.
As early as fall 2017, British leaders insisted tech companies remove extreme content in a shorter time. Prior to this, it was 36 hours. It’s just a rule. It’s not a law…yet. But at least the EU is somewhat clear on what ‘extremist content’ is. To me, it sounds like they’re targeting radical jihad, like ISIS. Plus, there are some extreme hate groups the EU want to silence. In fact, the UK is paying an AI companies for machine learning to combat ISIS propaganda.
For that part, I applaud them. Because we know by now ISIS and other terrorists groups, and extreme groups, use social media for recruiting. However, there is an elephant in the room. What if someone calls a disagreeable opinion ‘extremism’? This is 2018. So yes, this can and will happen. The question we wrestle with is ‘what do you call extremism’? We must be very careful this doesn’t lead to censorship. Then you have the AI factor. In computer repair, we often ask, “How much will AI control our lives?” How will machine learning tell what is extremism and what isn’t? Are you ready to put your safety, and your online freedom, in the hands of machines and robots?
So yesterday, this country endured another mass shooting. This one took place at a high school in Parkland, Florida, a suburban town just west of Fort Lauderdale. So now, 17 are dead and 15 are still fighting for their lives. Social media reveals Florida shooter’s mind.
On Instagram, there are photos of the Florida shooter, Nikolas Cruz, posing with guns and knives. Between 2015 and 2016, he also posted pictures and ads of weapons he wanted to buy. One such weapon was the Maverick 88 Slug. He even asked his followers for advice about gun costs and passing background checks. Then there are the knife pictures. In January 2016 alone, Cruz posted countless Instagram photos of him holding knives like trophies.
I also notice how in many of these photos, Cruz covers his face with a mask or bandanna. In fact, in most of his pictures, he covered his face. He posted photos of dead animals. When anybody talks about killing animals, or posts pictures of dead animals, that’s a huge sign of trouble. In fact, that’s how many serial killers get started. Furthermore, he commented on You Tube videos about killing people. Several months back, on an Antifa You Tube video, he commented, “…I wish to kill as many of you as I can”.? Then there was a You Tube video that talked about the?1966 sniper shooting at U-Texas-Austin. He commented, “I’m going to do what [the shooter] did”.
IT support may have dropped the ball, but Cruz’s classmates and peers saw this coming. One tweeted, “Everyone predicted it”. Then, another student revealed Cruz always had guns on him. Even the mayor of Parkland confirmed Cruz was a mental health patient who underwent treatment. So IT service wasn’t the only one who dropped the ball here. The mental health facility did; they should have kept him there. I’m not one for extreme gun control, but how did a boy in his late teens get access to so many guns and knives? Furthermore, when he posted these disturbing, perverse posts, why didn’t anybody intervene? It seems the only ones hip to what this guy was about was his fellow teens. The adults in Cruz’s life seemed asleep at the wheel. Social media revealed what was on the Florida shooter’s mind. Why didn’t anybody listen?
We at Geek choice want to extend our thoughts, prayers, and condolences to all affected by tragic shooting.
