Comments on: Brochures from the companies that sell malware to governments http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 25 May 2013 18:28:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Jay Stephens http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1288092 Jay Stephens Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1288092 Kanellos says "Woof, I bite you". Kanellos says “Woof, I bite you”.

]]> By: Guest http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287824 Guest Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287824 nope. They're nowhere near that simple these days.  nope. They’re nowhere near that simple these days. 

]]> By: Cowicide http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287546 Cowicide Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287546 So... does everybody still hate Wikileaks? So… does everybody still hate Wikileaks?

]]> By: rabidpotatochip http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287465 rabidpotatochip Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287465 On the other end of the spectrum I've seen people pull over and get out of their vehicle to jump on the hoses as much as possible.  I've always wondered whether it worked. On the other end of the spectrum I’ve seen people pull over and get out of their vehicle to jump on the hoses as much as possible.  I’ve always wondered whether it worked.

]]> By: stuck411 http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287437 stuck411 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287437 Ever see those two rubber hoses they'll put on a street that leads to a box at the curb, which they use to track car traffic and speed? Whenever I see one I make a note to slow down an extra five to ten miles during the week long tracking period and to use the street as often as possible. I don't need a camera box here, thank you. Ever see those two rubber hoses they’ll put on a street that leads to a box at the curb, which they use to track car traffic and speed? Whenever I see one I make a note to slow down an extra five to ten miles during the week long tracking period and to use the street as often as possible. I don’t need a camera box here, thank you.

]]> By: Yacko http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287358 Yacko Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:25:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287358  Indeed, why even wait for the spyware, everybody should be voluntarily sending as much electronic gibberish as possible to these various "security" companies. Perhaps that is one answer, sort of like how military chaff protects vehicles, there just isn't an app for it yet.  Indeed, why even wait for the spyware, everybody should be voluntarily sending as much electronic gibberish as possible to these various “security” companies. Perhaps that is one answer, sort of like how military chaff protects vehicles, there just isn’t an app for it yet.

]]> By: phisrow http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287350 phisrow Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287350 Unfortunately, if these companies depended on being stocked with sociopaths, they'd have much greater recruiting difficulty and probably much nastier and more self-destructive internal politics. I suspect that they survive just fine indeed on a mixture of morally flexible executives, generic coder geeks who could recite the yuppie Nuremberg defense in their sleep "It pays the mortgage, and if I weren't doing it somebody else would be." Along with some not-sociopathic; but somewhat amoral, hacking enthusiasts who are just delighted to have a niche were they can break shit without getting sent to prison. Systems that depend on cartoonishly evil people are unstable because those are in moderately short supply, and don't really get along well with one another. Systems that manage to deliver cartoonishly evil results by systematic and banal applications of Just Average Joes Doing Their Job, on the other hand... Unfortunately, if these companies depended on being stocked with sociopaths, they’d have much greater recruiting difficulty and probably much nastier and more self-destructive internal politics.

I suspect that they survive just fine indeed on a mixture of morally flexible executives, generic coder geeks who could recite the yuppie Nuremberg defense in their sleep “It pays the mortgage, and if I weren’t doing it somebody else would be.” Along with some not-sociopathic; but somewhat amoral, hacking enthusiasts who are just delighted to have a niche were they can break shit without getting sent to prison.

Systems that depend on cartoonishly evil people are unstable because those are in moderately short supply, and don’t really get along well with one another. Systems that manage to deliver cartoonishly evil results by systematic and banal applications of Just Average Joes Doing Their Job, on the other hand…

]]> By: Guest http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287337 Guest Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287337 Easy, just use it on most people.  Easy, just use it on most people. 

]]> By: Daniel Smith http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287305 Daniel Smith Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287305 I wonder how hard it would be to develop an app that spoofs the system, giving them tons and tons of complete crapola to wade through. I wonder how hard it would be to develop an app that spoofs the system, giving them tons and tons of complete crapola to wade through.

]]> By: Guest http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287279 Guest Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287279 I'm almost more offended by the idea of paying for my own surveillance than I am by the notion that a government would want to observe just how boring I am.  I’m almost more offended by the idea of paying for my own surveillance than I am by the notion that a government would want to observe just how boring I am. 

]]> By: Chris Merkel http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287209 Chris Merkel Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287209 It's funny that this is news. Anyone who works in corporate security is familiar with tools like these for spying on corporate owned assets (within the bounds of the law). The fact that they market to governments, who are free to spy on people (within the bounds of the law) shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Why does it take an organization like Wikileaks to "discover" what's freely available on the web to anyone who cares to look, or show up at trade shows, etc? It’s funny that this is news. Anyone who works in corporate security is familiar with tools like these for spying on corporate owned assets (within the bounds of the law). The fact that they market to governments, who are free to spy on people (within the bounds of the law) shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.

Why does it take an organization like Wikileaks to “discover” what’s freely available on the web to anyone who cares to look, or show up at trade shows, etc?

]]> By: Craig Woods http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287197 Craig Woods Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287197 I'm never buying a phone that I can't root again I’m never buying a phone that I can’t root again

]]> By: peterblue11 http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287199 peterblue11 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287199 i m not sure if we should be happy about the fact that high end surveillance and spyware is now privatized or not. surely it is better than governmental bodies which are even more secretive and dare i say it nearly impossible to infiltrate. though, i m sure the government's own surveillance departments also buy and employ lots of the direct techniques and people used by these companies. i m not sure if we should be happy about the fact that high end surveillance and spyware is now privatized or not. surely it is better than governmental bodies which are even more secretive and dare i say it nearly impossible to infiltrate. though, i m sure the government’s own surveillance departments also buy and employ lots of the direct techniques and people used by these companies.

]]> By: mguffin http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287191 mguffin Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287191 OK. Consider the appreciation backdated to March then. OK. Consider the appreciation backdated to March then.

]]> By: Marktech http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287192 Marktech Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287192 <blockquote>No Linux support! "Runs everywhere" my shiny a**! If they spend out tax money to spy on innocent citizens, at least they should support all operating systems :-P</blockquote> And does this mean that as a patriotic citizen, my duty is to switch to a commercial OS that my government can more easily spy on?

No Linux support! “Runs everywhere” my shiny a**! If they spend out tax money to spy on innocent citizens, at least they should support all operating systems :-P

And does this mean that as a patriotic citizen, my duty is to switch to a commercial OS that my government can more easily spy on?

]]> By: Marktech http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287189 Marktech Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287189 <blockquote>But more importantly FOUR STARS to Cory D for "vichy nerd". Doubleplusgood coinage if that's a first. </blockquote> Not a first, exactly: one hit on google from, er, <a href="http://boingboing.net/2007/03/03/help-bust-the-riaas.html" rel="nofollow">Cory Doctorow</a> Third re Disqus.

But more importantly FOUR STARS to Cory D for “vichy nerd”. Doubleplusgood coinage if that’s a first.

Not a first, exactly: one hit on google from, er, Cory Doctorow

Third re Disqus.

]]> By: Bob Motté http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287187 Bob Motté Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287187 Vichy Nerds. Pure genius! Vichy Nerds. Pure genius!

]]> By: The Life Of Bryan http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287186 The Life Of Bryan Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287186 Even if it works <em>twice as well</em> as any other app that claims such broad platform support, we’re golden. Even if it works twice as well as any other app that claims such broad platform support, we’re golden.

]]> By: mguffin http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287185 mguffin Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287185 Second the OT re:Disqus(t) But more importantly FOUR STARS to Cory D for "vichy nerd". Doubleplusgood coinage if that's a first. Second the OT re:Disqus(t)

But more importantly FOUR STARS to Cory D for “vichy nerd”. Doubleplusgood coinage if that’s a first.

]]> By: Volker http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287183 Volker Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287183 No Linux support! "Runs everywhere" my shiny a**! If they spend out tax money to spy on innocent citizens, at least they should support all operating systems :-P No Linux support! “Runs everywhere” my shiny a**! If they spend out tax money to spy on innocent citizens, at least they should support all operating systems :-P

]]> By: rwmj http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287179 rwmj Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287179 I wonder what kind of sociopath works for one of these companies? [OT] I also wonder why Boingboing will be getting rid of the Disqus comment system, and replacing it with one that takes less than 10 minutes to log in and load up ... I wonder what kind of sociopath works for one of these companies?

[OT] I also wonder why Boingboing will be getting rid of the Disqus comment system, and replacing it with one that takes less than 10 minutes to log in and load up …

]]> By: phisrow http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/brochures-from-the-companies-t.html#comment-1287178 phisrow Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132784#comment-1287178 My list of  "people who are Nth against the wall when the revolution comes" is starting to outgrow the constraints of a plaintext flatfile storage arrangement. Does anybody know of a robust, enterprise-ready solutions provider for keeping track of spook scum? My list of  ”people who are Nth against the wall when the revolution comes” is starting to outgrow the constraints of a plaintext flatfile storage arrangement.

Does anybody know of a robust, enterprise-ready solutions provider for keeping track of spook scum?

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