Page 199: MAD about stuff

[Mk_C]

The easiest solution to the whole question is everyone having access to efficient tight-beam communication - that way everyone in the same system usually can detect everyone else talking to each other and exchanging telemetry, but can't listen in, whatever the state of encryption and decryption tech is on either side. And the the same time, it is still possible for a sneaky beam interloper to be used for sniffing comms when the situation calls for it, and that's where all the cryptography autism kicks in.

[Overkill Engine]

I used to work in military satellite communications...everything was required to be bulk encrypted before being sent over broadcast, regardless of what was done at the trunk level already, *and* even then anything once it had sent over any broadcast medium was considered to be on a delay timer before it becomes known.

Even with recent modern advances, crypto is not the silver bullet it gets portrayed as. It is no substitute for proper comsec procedures.

[SVlad]

As the owner of a master's degree in computer technology, I must say that there is no reasons to believe that cryptography algorithms can be straightforwardly cracked, or would be in the future.
At least there is always one-time pads, that believed to be fundamentally unbreakable in current universe laws.

The most cases of security breaches is connected with stealing credentials or program errors.

[StarCruiser]

^ Human fallibility being one of the biggest weaknesses of any security system. Fishing attacks, exploiting people's greed or stupidity...etc...

[Krulle]

I'm currently reading a SciFi, where an AI is collecting all kinds of information.
This AI does find encrypted messages, but mainly checks who gets delivered them, and finds security cams to look over the shoulder of those reading the messages (on their mobile data pads/phones).

No need to crack the messages then....


I found that an interesting way to circumvent the necessity to hack into systems.

Knowing where the message will be delivered is often enough to find a way around.

And if a good camera hangs next corner, it may be worthwhile to find a way to delay the delivery of the message by n minutes instead of spending any efforts at cracking.

[Zarya]

+1 Krulle. Real world example is of course Fb/WhatsApp.

[Overkill Engine]

^ Human fallibility being one of the biggest weaknesses of any security system. Fishing attacks, exploiting people's greed or stupidity...etc...

Or overconfidence in the effectiveness of their technology leading to lax security elsewhere. Like allowing a remotely acessible recording device of any sort in what should be a secure area, per Krulle's example.

[Arioch]

Hacking isn't about cracking encryption, it's finding gaps in security protocols (both software and human).

[Zarya]

The problem here could have been caused by the Historian-in-the-bin chatting with the Barsam vessel. Whether adequately encrypted or not, it may have caused some unwanted attention à la WW2 U-boat hunting with HF/DF or "huff-duff".