Re: "Have you ever put something apparently useless to good use"
I was expecting some comments about repurposing managers and bean counters. Something useful like a doorstop or counterweight or in true BOFH-style, compost heap.
229 publicly visible posts • joined 23 Mar 2007
Well, I've just tried the demo available at www.realuser.com. I hope a real system isn't like the demo 'cos it's rubbish. I tried logging in several times and every time my browser sent the same data to the server ... the number 000600100019.
The JavaScript doesn't even send the position of the pictures (which will change each time). This dumb application merely replaces digits with pictures. While this may be easier to remember, it is vulnerable to a replay attack as it's the same data every time.
No mention has been made of other parts of the message.
Why does it include a "Time of origin 1522" yet the Originator's Date is left blank? Could they be certain the pigeon would arrive home the same day ... unlikely. Could the date be taken from other messages ... unlikely, why would those message be certain to arrive. Could the date be in the encrypted text ... possibly, but why not encrypt the time. Why was the time important, but not the date?
What does the "1525/6" mean? Is it just coincidence that 1522 (time of origin) is close to 1525. Is it a time and date ... 15:25 on the 6th. Is it a reference number of the encryption scheme ... pad number and page.
What is the bit that looks like "lile 1625"?
Why is it written with two different colours?
Why is it written by two different people? The "time of origin 1522" and "1525/6" are different from the "lile 1625".
The message is on a pre-printed form. Presumably the message follows a standard format. These other parts of the message should have a standard meaning ... what are they?
Just because a communication between two people counts as "published" (for the Obscene Publications Act) it doesn't automatically mean that the material was obscene. There is existing case law where the interpretation of "obscene" has depended on the actual or intended recipient of the material. There existing cases where the recipients were deemed to be of a sufficiently robust nature that the material would not deprave or corrupt them and thus it was not obscene.
I suspect GS was given the wrong advice. He should have continued to plead not guilty and allowed a jury to decide whether the one recipient was going to be depraved or corrupted by the material. I imagine there was a preceding dialogue that would demonstrate that the recipient was a like minded individual and hence not corrupted by the material.
Of course, it's possible that the material fitted within some definition of child pr0n. But if that was the case then some other legislation should have been used rather than the Obscene Publications Act.
While it would be nice to think that the Enigma should fetch more than the Apple 1 this doesn't reflect either the significance or scarcity of the items.
There were only 200 Apple 1 machines made and I doubt if there are more than a handful still in existence. Thousands of Enigma machines were made and I expect more have survived than the Apple 1.
Both machines had a significant impact on the 20th century. The widespread use of Enigma and its flaws may have changed the outcome of WW2. While the Apple 1 may have triggered the personal computer revolution. Both items have had a profound impact and lead to the world we see today.
Remeber, truth is beauty and beauty is truth.
Real life isn't beautiful and threfore cannot be true.
So if The Netherlands winning is a more beautiful result it must be true.
Anyway, the American's aren't known for maintaining historical accuracy. C.f. the film U-571. If the American's want to believe that The Netherlands won, then it must be true. Just like Saddam and his weapons of mass destruction.
This is no different from any other case in England. The fundamental freedom is the right to a fair trial. Trials should be conducted in court and not in the presss.
While a case is before a court (sub judice) it is inappropriate to comment on the details of the case. Such comments could prejudice the case and be contempt of court
Other hardware based encrypted drives have been around for a while.
One example is http://www.ioraid.com/
This uses a hardware token with the encryption key. If the token's not present when you power on the drive it doesn't appear on USB .... don't know about Firewire.
Again, expensive, but the drive seems fast, doesn't need any effort from the host system, and does have both USB and Firewire interfaces.
I'd like to see an El Reg review.
"a publication is obscene if its overall effect is to 'tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely ... to read, see or hear' it"
So that would include the rules for MP's expenses then. Many MPs have certainly been corrupted by rules for expenses. Although I'm not sure they've all become depraved.
"DST is more trouble than it's worth. It should be boycotted, who's with me?"
Excellent idea.
But let's go one better and do away with all time zones. Everyone uses GMT.
Then the UK works 9am-5pm, Europe 8am-4pm, New York 2pm-10pm and so on. No more worrying about what time to ring the US office .... I want to ring the LA office and I know they work 5pm-1am. Easy.
"Wow are you seriously suggesting that those with access to the data should be trained to read encrypted data directly?"
Not only that, any letters will have to printed with the personal details encrypted. We all know that names and addresses should be kept away from the prying eyes of the Post Office.
The organiser of the event was interviewed on Radio 4 this morning.
Yes, the problem is with the number of people who turned up to watch creating a concern for public order and health and safety. Even that wasn't the reason to cancel this year's event.
The proposal is to make it a ticket-only event (like many other gatherings). To control the numbers of people attending the organisers need to close off the land and control access. Unfortunately, Coopers Hill is common land with public footpaths. These can't be closed (even for one day) without the necessary permissions. Closing the common land and footpaths requires permission from councils. There isn't time to get the paperwork sorted for this year's event. So, ultimately the problem is bureaucracy.
As the organiser admitted: a victim of its own success.
I doubt if the CVV codes persist. Except in the email. It's probably a monolithic application that writes some details for order shipping to one database, payment details to another database, generates and confirmation email and ends.
This looks like development code that was not removed.
I'm testing my shiny new application. I want to know exactly what values are being processed. I know, I'll copy all the user's input into hidden fields in the email. Solved.
Waddyamean I should have removed the diagnostic code?
"So if I publish something on my private, globally diverse server system, that nobody but me has access to, I could be held in account for that material"
Read the article again.
The penultimate paragraph says:
"the material was generally accessible to all or available to or was placed before or offered to the public "
So in what way does publishing something in private make it generally accessible?
If it's a Nook-e reader then will technical manuals have to read like this example I found.
"As he stared at her ample bosom, he daydreamed of the dual Stromberg carburetors in his vintage Triumph Spitfire, highly functional yet pleasingly formed, perched prominently on top of the intake manifold, aching for experienced hands, the small knurled caps of the oil dampeners begging to be inspected and adjusted as described in chapter seven of the shop manual."
"The more I hear from Nuremberg^WBrighton, the more I'm beginning to think that assassination as a political tool might have some mileage in it yet."
Well, to put it absolutely bluntly. Confidential investigations have revealed the existence of certain documents whose providence is currently unestablished but whose effect if realised would be to precipitate a by-election.
What do you mean?
You're on a death list Minister.
[Yes, Minister - Series 2 episode 7]
Don’t you realise that SatNavs are sentient creatures. This one was obviously tired of life (it had been to London too many times). It had heard about lemmings and decided to leap off a cliff.
Mr Jones should take his SatNav for a restful holiday in Morocco where the navigating instructions are much simpler.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/3605343/Taken-for-a-ride.html
Waddyamean "Beancounters and bricks don't mix" ?
Yes they do. I've seen it with my own eyes when they were pouring the foundations for the motorway.
It was late at night and I was on my way home from the pub. I saw this cement mixer full of bits of brick and beancounter empty its load into the trench for the foundations. Trust me.
"sounds like SU is trying to spread FUD"
Maybe. But isn't it simpler to have a uniform policy to reserve the copyright etc in all documents rahter than trying to create a list of which documents do and don't require IP control. It avoids the opportunity of junior staff making the wrong decision.
In a similar way the civil service should use encrypted media for all documents rather than saying the canteen menu can be unencrypted while the tax credits database must be encrypted.