Comments on: Pentagon adding 4,000 more people to cybersecurity ranks http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 25 May 2013 00:37:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: AnthonyC http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1643028 AnthonyC Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1643028 I would have thought "immobile computer that has no hardware to connect to any network in a high-security building" might work, too. I would have thought “immobile computer that has no hardware to connect to any network in a high-security building” might work, too.

]]> By: TripleE78 http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1641426 TripleE78 Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1641426  And the file cabinet is in a no longer used room in the basement.  There's a sign on the door.  Something about beware of leopards.  And the file cabinet is in a no longer used room in the basement.  There’s a sign on the door.  Something about beware of leopards.

]]> By: Christine Task http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1640179 Christine Task Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1640179 So... actually?  The DoD seems to do pretty well for themselves on that, from my experience.  I think it might be because they're using the same general production standards for code that they use for everything else they do R&D on (submarines, airplanes, bombs, etc..).  There's not really a lot of fuck-up room on those, so their development cycles tend to involve a lot of collaboration and a *lot* of checks and tests.  There's not really the work environment that could support the sort of stuff that shows up on daily-WTF.   (Oh... and since it's notoriously hard to get profit-oriented industry companies to focus on security issues, often the best of the best in security *do* head out for defense industry jobs. Makes sense from etymological perspective too :-p ) So… actually?  The DoD seems to do pretty well for themselves on that, from my experience.  I think it might be because they’re using the same general production standards for code that they use for everything else they do R&D on (submarines, airplanes, bombs, etc..).  There’s not really a lot of fuck-up room on those, so their development cycles tend to involve a lot of collaboration and a *lot* of checks and tests.  There’s not really the work environment that could support the sort of stuff that shows up on daily-WTF.  

(Oh… and since it’s notoriously hard to get profit-oriented industry companies to focus on security issues, often the best of the best in security *do* head out for defense industry jobs. Makes sense from etymological perspective too :-p )

]]> By: Brainspore http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1640174 Brainspore Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:14:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1640174 Well, one lesson they could take from that movie <em>Skyfall</em> is [SPOILER] when you're holding a world-class superhacker prisoner, make sure that the containment cell he's in is secured with a padlock instead of a networked electronic device. Well, one lesson they could take from that movie Skyfall is [SPOILER] when you’re holding a world-class superhacker prisoner, make sure that the containment cell he’s in is secured with a padlock instead of a networked electronic device.

]]> By: Christine Task http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1640151 Christine Task Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1640151 So... this is the danger of being the first in the field; the name you pick might go out of fashion someday.   But as a grad student who works with CS security researchers, no one I know cringes at the government's cyber-security work.   So… this is the danger of being the first in the field; the name you pick might go out of fashion someday.   But as a grad student who works with CS security researchers, no one I know cringes at the government’s cyber-security work.  

]]> By: Christine Task http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1640144 Christine Task Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1640144 The problem is that not just our information and recreation sources are ending up connected to the network, but our infrastructure is too: power, defense, navigation, transportation, all communication.  And as we all know, anything connected to the network is vulnerable.  Remember how the stuxnet worm was designed to attack iran's nuclear facilities?   It's not like iran is the only place that can be targeted like that.  So, the pentagon has started looking into what we can do to protect ourselves.  And because there is an incredibly diverse set of vulnerabilities, and new ones popping up with every technological advance (smart grid anyone?), it's going to take a lot of people working on a lot of problems to do it right.   Not every step we take towards national defense is ridiculous, some are kinda important. The problem is that not just our information and recreation sources are ending up connected to the network, but our infrastructure is too: power, defense, navigation, transportation, all communication.  And as we all know, anything connected to the network is vulnerable.  Remember how the stuxnet worm was designed to attack iran’s nuclear facilities?   It’s not like iran is the only place that can be targeted like that.  So, the pentagon has started looking into what we can do to protect ourselves.  And because there is an incredibly diverse set of vulnerabilities, and new ones popping up with every technological advance (smart grid anyone?), it’s going to take a lot of people working on a lot of problems to do it right.   Not every step we take towards national defense is ridiculous, some are kinda important.

]]> By: Ryan Lenethen http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1640018 Ryan Lenethen Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1640018 The fact that they are using the term "Cyber" tells me how out of touch and ineffective this branch is likely to be. I wonder if any of these operatives cringe when their superiors tell then to attack "CyberSpace" or to put a roadblock on the "Information Super Highway". This sounds like more of a PR war against natives than anything else. "See how safe you are? Nothing to see here, don't worry, your tax dollars at work protecting you from more invisible threats!" The fact that they are using the term “Cyber” tells me how out of touch and ineffective this branch is likely to be. I wonder if any of these operatives cringe when their superiors tell then to attack “CyberSpace” or to put a roadblock on the “Information Super Highway”.

This sounds like more of a PR war against natives than anything else. “See how safe you are? Nothing to see here, don’t worry, your tax dollars at work protecting you from more invisible threats!”

]]> By: grimc http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1639866 grimc Tue, 29 Jan 2013 05:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1639866 Because those 4,000 new employees are going to help figure out its mission. DUH. Because those 4,000 new employees are going to help figure out its mission. DUH.

]]> By: Xploder http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1639856 Xploder Tue, 29 Jan 2013 05:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1639856  Then locked in a secure cabinet without letting anyone else read it.  Then locked in a secure cabinet without letting anyone else read it.

]]> By: Bloo http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1639811 Bloo Tue, 29 Jan 2013 03:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1639811 They need all those people, because they've discovered that the only information safe from cyber-warfare techniques is written on paper with a #2 pencil. They need all those people, because they’ve discovered that the only information safe from cyber-warfare techniques is written on paper with a #2 pencil.

]]> By: agonist http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1639794 agonist Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1639794 There is such a diversity of skill levels in IT I can't help but fear that the best of the best are not signing up for Pentagon duty. There is such a diversity of skill levels in IT I can’t help but fear that the best of the best are not signing up for Pentagon duty.

]]> By: Tom Leo http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1639739 Tom Leo Tue, 29 Jan 2013 01:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1639739 If the CIA only read The Mythical Man-Month.... If the CIA only read The Mythical Man-Month….

]]> By: sockdoll http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1639735 sockdoll Tue, 29 Jan 2013 01:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1639735 Maybe Anonymous is looking for work. Maybe Anonymous is looking for work.

]]> By: That_Anonymous_Coward http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1639727 That_Anonymous_Coward Tue, 29 Jan 2013 01:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1639727 Its all fun and games till some kid in China gets on their server and lets the lava loose... Its all fun and games till some kid in China gets on their server and lets the lava loose…

]]> By: Brainspore http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1639714 Brainspore Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1639714 It's cool, most of them are just playing Minecraft anyway. It’s cool, most of them are just playing Minecraft anyway.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1639707 Antinous / Moderator Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1639707 <blockquote>"I feel safer already." --  PFC William Hudson, Colonial Marines</blockquote>

“I feel safer already.”
–  PFC William Hudson, Colonial Marines

]]> By: creesto http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/pentagon-adding-4000-more-peo.html#comment-1639693 creesto Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=209183#comment-1639693 Hmmm..."cyber security" or perhaps more "cyber assault" Hmmm…”cyber security” or perhaps more “cyber assault”

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