It’s probably the story of the week: Sony’s movie house was hacked, just in time for the Christmas season movie releases. Coincidentally, it was hacked just as a movie called The Interview is getting press.
This movie is a blatant spoof of North Korean dictator Kim Jung Un. But North Korea denies they had anything to do with any hack…sort of. But they’re sure not sympathetic toward Sony. They even called it a ‘righteous deed’ and said some…ahem…sympathizers may have been inspired to do damage. A statement by the Korean Central News Agency says they believe the film was instigating a terrorist act at a time when US and North Korea relations are already hostile. This news agency warned more hacks to come and, “The righteous reaction will get stronger to smash the evil doings.” Other movies hacked include ‘Annie’ and ‘Fury’, allowing them to be seen for free even before their release date. The Interview is still scheduled for release Christmas Day 2014.
First off, you can’t trust a thing North Korea says. Not one thing! This is the same oppressive government that tells their people, “Everything is going to be all right,” when in reality, they’re literally starving to death. And even by their own statement, they seem a little too giddy at Sony’s misfortune. It sounds like they’re backing these hackers so much they have a certain relationship with them. Their statement even commands the hackers to do such deeds in the future. No, I’m not buying North Korea’s claim they had nothing to do with it. At best, they may have sympathizers around the world (I don’t know why) who carried out the hack, and were inspired by North Korea’s communist regime to carry out the malicious attack. At worst, they’re flat out lying and this dictatorial regime did the whole thing themselves. How far deep do you think North Korea is involved?
Europeans and Americans are different. We’re different in our language, our food, and how we deal with technology and privacy. Here’s another example about the relationship between Europeans and privacy.
There is a group called the Article 29 Working Party. The issue, among others, is device fingerprinting, like the ones offered in newer Apple phones. They declare that this app, and all other apps that can gather info about a user, should be scrutinized with the same level as cookies, which can track users across the Internet. For now, fingerprinting isn’t under the same strict constraint as cookies. In Europe, companies must ask for consent before applying bits of information on people’s computers for settings and identity purposes. The cookies legislation has only been in place since 2012. But Article 29 Working Party is already lobbying for legislation to protect privacy for fingerprint use, even if it means going from country to country and the European Union.
That’s the situation between Europeans and privacy. Americans aren’t there yet, but we’re getting there. But prior to the NSA scandal of 2013, not too many Americans cared? about online privacy. Immediately following Edward Snowden’s revelations, Americans took to the streets insisting their 4th Amendment rights and other privacy rights be protected. Now there’s the issue of net neutrality. So this is a start. I’d like to see an organized party like Article 29 going to Washington to ensure our privacy rights are being respected. I’m optimistic this will happen, and in some cases, it already is. How can we improve the relationship between Americans and privacy?
Can China shut us down? That question was asked at a House intelligence committee meeting in Washington, DC. The answer is a disturbing yes.
According to US Cyber Command top leader Admiral Michael Rodgers, China and a couple of other nations have the potential to cyber attack our electric grid and other major computer systems. The danger of a major foreign cyber attack has been fairly well known for years, but this is the first time it’s been confirmed by a major cyber security leader. We’re not just talking something that can disrupt a computer, but can disrupt treatment facilities, even nuclear plants, and entire online retail networks. Admiral Rodgers warns these powerful hackers can virtually do anything they want with little trace or consequence. the Admiral also warns cyber economic espionage has gotten so strong, skilled and sophisticated that their ability can do intense damage to our economic future. And the hackers have little to fear because there’s so much allusiveness and very little accountability.
I’m not writing this to scare anybody nor am I fear peddling. I believe this issue should be addressed sooner than later. But I thank Admiral Rodgers for letting us know about this potential threat. Knowledge is the first step. He also says things can be done to combat the threat. He urged Congress to pass a bill allowing companies to share online threats with the government and each other. But that’s going to be a difficult to pass in the wake of the NSA’s Edward Snowden scandal last year. But something has to be done. Imagine going hours, or even days, without any electricity, nuclear power or Internet connection all over America. Imagine the economic and social calamities a major power grid hack could cause. One Asian country had to endure that several weeks ago. What can we civilians do? One thing we can do is call our state and federal representatives and call on them to the proper steps necessary to protect our infrastructure, without putting our civil liberties or civil rights at risk. What else can be done to protect our cyber entities?
The debate and conversation seems to have no end in sight.? More than a year after the Edward Snowden revelations, instead of making technology more private, some government leaders are calling for the exact opposite.
James Corney, the current FBI Director, wants to require all technology companies to provide law enforcement easy access to encrypted information without the people’s knowledge. Mr. Corney argues without this, criminals and terrorists will escape justice and run rampant. Apple and Google are encrypting data on smartphones that can’t be decrypted. That’s only adding fuel to Corney’s fire. Now the FBI director is calling on congress to address the issue and update laws and is going on the lecture circuit to win people over to his decrypting cause. He knows the opposition is intense, thanks to the Edward Snowden scandal. And he has a ready response for such critics: “?Have we become so mistrustful of government and law enforcement in particular that we?re willing to let bad guys walk away?? FBI Director Corney talked about a Louisiana case to illustrate. In that case, cell phone records and text messages led to a successful capture and prosecution of a sex offender’s murder of a 12-year-old boy. He talked about other cases in which this technology has helped arrest and lock up the bad guys.
These cases are absolutely horrifying! They’re so horrifying in fact that the FBI Director is kind of winning me over to his side. But infringing on the civil liberties and civil rights of innocent human beings isn’t right. I wish I could totally trust our authorities that they would use wiretapping to target criminals and terrorist, but after the past several years, I’m sorry to say I can’t. How do you draw the line between using technology to lock up the bad guys while respecting innocent people’s civil liberties and rights?
When will it ever end? First there was TJ Max and Marshalls, then Target, then Neiman Marcus, then Home Deport. Now, Kmart has been hack attacked.
Yesterday, Kmart’s parent company Sears released information to the public claiming between September and early October 2014, Kmart’s payment system was compromised. The source was a strengthened malware that couldn’t be detected or beaten by Kmart’s antivirus system. The malware was removed, but a little too late. Debit and credit card numbers were already hit. We don’t know how many cards were affected or the specific malware used. Nor do we know who the hackers are.? Those who shopped Kmart online aren’t affected. Social security numbers, pin numbers, email addresses and other personal information wasn’t targeted. It’s just credit and debit card numbers of those who shopped Kmart between September and early October 2014 that were targeted.
This is the worst time this can happen to Kmart. This discount department store chain, which has been part of the American fabric for decades, will be closing down many stores and costing many jobs. So it’s time to call your credit and debit card company, again. It’s something I suggest we do regularly. Check your bank account often; don’t wait for potential chaos to strike.? I say we should even use cash when we can. I don’t see this hacking trend going away any time soon. Then again, I hope I’m wrong. When will it ever end?
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