Category: Security

THIS IS NOT 1984 — BUT YES, YOUR TV IS SPYING ON YOU!

There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU. — George Orwell, 1984 Shame on you, LG. And shame on the rest of the industry if this is where “smart” is taking us. I think it is class action suit time.  George Orwell made one small mistake in 1984. He imagined the government would have to install the telescreen in your house. Turns out we would happily drive to Best Buy, pay $2,000 for one, carry it into the living room ourselves, connect it to the Internet, … Continue readingTHIS IS NOT 1984 — BUT YES, YOUR TV IS SPYING ON YOU!

Are We Protecting the Castle, or Just Admiring the Fence?

Security built on the hope that your enemy is foolish is not security at all—it’s just a well-decorated illusion. — YNOT! This is one of those posts I am careful about writing, because the subject is serious, the stakes are high, and the fools on both sides of the internet are always standing nearby with a gasoline can and a match. But it needs to be said. When someone can apparently get close enough to a sitting president to attempt an assassination, the question is not just, “How did that happen?” The bigger question is, “What else are we … Continue readingAre We Protecting the Castle, or Just Admiring the Fence?

The New Cone of Silence – 2FA

“Security is like underwear — necessary, but best when you don’t have to show it to everyone”? –YNOT They tell us we’re safer now. Every app, every account, every digital door has its own secret handshake — “two-factor authentication,” they call it. A miracle of modern security! Just punch in your password, grab your phone, approve the notification, solve a riddle about stoplights, and boom — you’re protected from the evildoers of the internet. Except, of course, when you’re not. You see, 2FA is the new Cone of Silence. Like that ridiculous contraption from Get Smart, it was designed … Continue readingThe New Cone of Silence – 2FA