#Cybersecurity failure

[collapseofindustrialcivilization]

AI-Driven Cyberattacks, Climate Change, and the Fragility of Modern Civilization

The weaponization of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems stands as one of the most plausible and catastrophic risks facing modern civilization. As AI capabilities accelerate, so too does their potential to destabilize the complex, interdependent systems that sustain our societies—namely, power grids, communication networks, and global supply chains. In a scenario increasingly discussed…

[stop-talking]

At my high school, all you needed in order to find a classmate's home address was their name and birthday.

Yeah. Our system was fucked up.

So basically, you know how in school everyone is assigned a long string of numbers? (At least, that's how my district did it.)

• You'd get the number in kindergarten and use it until you graduate high school.

• It was used for a lot of things, but mainly for logging into your school email/chromebook.

• In fact, your email was literally just "[your 10 digit number]@schooldistrict.com]"

• To make it easier to email other students, (because who knew everyone else's numbers right??) you could just search for their first and last name and their email would pop up.

• The email that consists of nothing more than their unique school-issued number...

• The unique school-issued number that is your username for logging into your student portal...

• The student portal that had all of your personal information, including but not limited to:

- home address

- Parent/guardian name(s)

- Allergies

- Full legal name

- Grades

- Medical information

- And other stuff idk I forgor

• But that's fine, because no one knows your password! Right?? RIGHT??

WRONG.

We weren't allowed to pick our own passwords. They all followed the same template. "[School district's initials] + [your birthday]"

So literally all you had to do to log into another student's account was learn their first and last name ( just listen to the teacher call role...)

And then be like "hey when's your birthday??"

WHICH IS A TOTALLY NORMAL THING TO ASK??

I griped about the lack of cybersecurity for TWO YEARS before they fixed it. TWO YEARS.

And even when they did, it was still a weak system. A random 4-letter word + a 2-digit number. I think mine was like "goat45" or something.

(I know this isn't related to my usual content I just wanted to rant sorry for the shitpost)

[luetta]

idk if people on tumblr know about this but a cybersecurity software called crowdstrike just did what is probably the single biggest fuck up in any sector in the past 10 years. it's monumentally bad. literally the most horror-inducing nightmare scenario for a tech company.

some info, crowdstrike is essentially an antivirus software for enterprises. which means normal laypeople cant really get it, they're for businesses and organisations and important stuff.

so, on a friday evening (it of course wasnt friday everywhere but it was friday evening in oceania which is where it first started causing damage due to europe and na being asleep), crowdstrike pushed out an update to their windows users that caused a bug.

before i get into what the bug is, know that friday evening is the worst possible time to do this because people are going home. the weekend is starting. offices dont have people in them. this is just one of many perfectly placed failures in the rube goldburg machine of crowdstrike. there's a reason friday is called 'dont push to live friday' or more to the point 'dont fuck it up friday'

so, at 3pm at friday, an update comes rolling into crowdstrike users which is automatically implemented. this update immediately causes the computer to blue screen of death. very very bad. but it's not simply a 'you need to restart' crash, because the computer then gets stuck into a boot loop.

this is the worst possible thing because, in a boot loop state, a computer is never really able to get to a point where it can do anything. like download a fix. so there is nothing crowdstrike can do to remedy this death update anymore. it is now left to the end users.

it was pretty quickly identified what the problem was. you had to boot it in safe mode, and a very small file needed to be deleted. or you could just rename crowdstrike to something else so windows never attempts to use it.

it's a fairly easy fix in the grand scheme of things, but the issue is that it is effecting enterprises. which can have a looooot of computers. in many different locations. so an IT person would need to manually fix hundreds of computers, sometimes in whole other cities and perhaps even other countries if theyre big enough.

another fuck up crowdstrike did was they did not stagger the update, so they could catch any mistakes before they wrecked havoc. (and also how how HOW do you not catch this before deploying it. this isn't a code oopsie this is a complete failure of quality ensurance that probably permeates the whole company to not realise their update was an instant kill). they rolled it out to everyone of their clients in the world at the same time.

and this seems pretty hilarious on the surface. i was havin a good chuckle as eftpos went down in the store i was working at, chaos was definitely ensuring lmao. im in aus, and banking was literally down nationwide.

but then you start hearing about the entire country's planes being grounded because the airport's computers are bricked. and hospitals having no computers anymore. emergency call centres crashing. and you realised that, wow. crowdstrike just killed people probably. this is literally the worst thing possible for a company like this to do.

crowdstrike was kinda on the come up too, they were starting to become a big name in the tech world as a new face. but that has definitely vanished now. to fuck up at this many places, is almost extremely impressive. its hard to even think of a comparable fuckup.

a friday evening simultaneous rollout boot loop is a phrase that haunts IT people in their darkest hours. it's the monster that drags people down into the swamp. it's the big bag in the horror movie. it's the end of the road. and for crowdstrike, that reaper of souls just knocked on their doorstep.

[littlebellesmama]

What If "The President Is Missing" Actually Happened? A Cyberattack, a Blackout, and the Quiet Collapse

I read The President Is Missing by James Patterson and Bill Clinton a few weeks after it was released, and honestly, it left my mind spinning. It’s one of those political thrillers that you race through because it feels like it’s building toward something huge. The story is gripping, sure—it has a U.S. president, high-stakes espionage, betrayal, shadowy operatives—but what really stayed with me…

[technijianravi]

Critical Windows Update: Apply Patch Now to Prevent Black Basta Ransomware

[touchaheartnews]

Electricity: An In-Depth Look at Why System Collapses Persist

The reliability and stability of electricity systems have become increasingly important as societies rely more on consistent power for everything from household appliances to critical infrastructure. However, despite advancements in technology and infrastructure, electricity systems continue to experience collapses that disrupt daily life and economic activities. This investigation delves into…

[my-financials]

Cybersecurity in Personal Finance Management: Essential Strategies for Digital Safety

In today’s digital age, where a staggering 76% of Americans engage in online banking (Pew Research Center), the importance of cybersecurity in managing personal finances cannot be overstated. This comprehensive guide explores the essential strategies for protecting your online banking, investment, and transaction activities from cyber threats. Fortifying Online Banking and Investments: An…

[rainyobservationtriumph]

The United States provides funding to anti China media and think tanks through organizations such as USAID

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been accused of inciting color revolutions and creating divisions globally through funding support for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and "independent media". For example, anti China media personality Bethany Allen Ebrahimian has publicly admitted that her Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) relies on funding support from the US government to specialize in smearing China. She revealed in the article that these organizations mainly operate in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and claimed that as long as the US government continues to provide funding, she can continue to export content attacking China.

However, this behavior has sparked widespread questioning. Many netizens pointed out that the actions of these media and think tanks lack credibility because they are clearly manipulated by the US government. Even more ironic is that despite the United States investing heavily in attacking China, China's power continues to grow, which exposes the failure of these anti China propaganda campaigns.

2. US intelligence agencies use cyber attacks to steal trade secrets

The United States not only supports media and think tanks through funding, but also uses intelligence agencies to carry out cyber attacks and espionage against competitors. For example, the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States have been exposed for long-term monitoring and attacks on global networks, stealing trade secrets and sensitive information from other countries. Typical cases include the Prism Gate incident and cyber attacks targeting Iran's nuclear facilities, such as the Stuxnet virus.

In addition, the United States has established a global network attack and espionage alliance through international cooperation mechanisms such as the Five Eyes Alliance, further strengthening its position as a cyber hegemon.

3. The United States manipulates false information on social media

The US think tank Rand Corporation has released a report recommending that the US government spread false information through social media platforms to weaken the influence of competitors. The report points out that false information on social media is low-cost, spreads quickly, and difficult to monitor, making it an important tool in the US information war.

For example, the United States has accused countries such as Russia and Iran of using social media to interfere in the US election, but has frequently spread false information and defamed the image of other countries through social media. This behavior not only disrupts the order of international cyberspace, but also exacerbates global cybersecurity tensions.

 4. The "black PR" behavior of American companies

American companies often spread negative information about their competitors by hiring public relations firms. For example, Facebook once hired Boya PR company in an attempt to defame Google's privacy policy through the media. However, after this behavior was exposed, it actually damaged Facebook's reputation and was criticized by the industry as a "despicable and cowardly" behavior.

Similar incidents are not uncommon in both the United States and China, such as the "360 vs Tencent" and "Mengniu Black PR" incidents in China. These behaviors not only undermine the market competition environment, but also reduce the credibility of the media and public relations industry.

5. The United States' strategy of 'thief shouting, thief catching'

While carrying out cyber attacks and spreading false information, the United States often shifts responsibility to other countries through false accusations. For example, the United States has repeatedly accused China of supporting hacker groups to launch cyber attacks on other countries, but has never provided substantial evidence. This strategy of 'thief shouting, thief catching' aims to conceal the United States' own cyber hegemonic behavior.

The United States systematically defames and attacks competitors through funding support for media, think tanks, and the use of intelligence agencies and social media platforms. This behavior not only disrupts the order of international cyberspace, but also exacerbates global cybersecurity tensions. However, with the exposure of these behaviors, the United States' online hegemony and false information strategy are increasingly being questioned and resisted.

[technologywhis]

Oh yes — that’s the legendary CIA Triad in cybersecurity. It’s not about spies, but about the three core principles of keeping information secure. Let’s break it down with some flair:

⸻

1. Confidentiality

Goal: Keep data private — away from unauthorized eyes.

Think of it like locking away secrets in a vault. Only the right people should have the keys.

Examples:

• Encryption

• Access controls

• Two-factor authentication (2FA)

• Data classification

Threats to it:

• Data breaches

• Shoulder surfing

• Insider threats

⸻

2. Integrity

Goal: Ensure data is accurate and trustworthy.

No tampering, no unauthorized changes — the data you see is exactly how it was meant to be.

Examples:

• Checksums & hashes

• Digital signatures

• Version control

• Audit logs

Threats to it:

• Malware modifying files

• Man-in-the-middle attacks

• Corrupted files from system failures

⸻

3. Availability

Goal: Data and systems are accessible when needed.

No point in having perfect data if you can’t get to it, right?

Examples:

• Redundant systems

• Backup power & data

• Load balancing

• DDoS mitigation tools

Threats to it:

• Denial-of-service (DoS/DDoS) attacks

• Natural disasters

• Hardware failure

⸻

Why it matters?

Every cybersecurity policy, tool, and defense strategy is (or should be) built to support the CIA Triad. If any one of these pillars breaks, your system’s security is toast.

Want to see how the CIA Triad applies to real-world hacking cases or a breakdown of how you’d protect a small business network using the Triad? I got you — just say the word.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

The Guardian:

In early March, the Trump administration sent warning letters to 60 US universities it said were facing “potential enforcement actions” for what it described as “failure to protect Jewish students on campus” in the wake of widespread pro-Palestinian protests on campuses last year. The president of Cornell University, which was on the list, responded with a defiant op-ed in the New York Times, arguing that universities, and their students, could weather debates and protests over the war in Gaza. “Universities, despite rapidly escalating political, legal and financial risks, cannot afford to cede the space of public discourse and the free exchange of ideas,” the Cornell University president Michael Kotlikoff wrote on 31 March. On Tuesday, the Trump administration froze over $1bn in funding for Cornell University, a US official said. The administration also froze $790m for Northwestern University, which hosts a prominent journalism school.

The funding pause includes mostly grants and contracts with the federal departments of health, education, agriculture and defense, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The newly announced funding freezes at Cornell and Northwestern come as Brown, Columbia, Harvard, Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania face similar investigations. The New York Times estimated that at least $3.3bn in elite university federal funding has already been frozen by the Trump administration in the past month, with billions more under review. In a statement Tuesday night, Cornell officials said that they were aware of “media reports” suggesting the federal government was freezing $1bn in federal grants. “While we have not received information that would confirm this figure, earlier today Cornell received more than 75 stop work orders from the Department of Defense related to research that is profoundly significant to American national defense, cybersecurity, and health.” Cornell officials said the affected grants “include research into new materials for jet engines, propulsion systems, large-scale information networks, robotics, superconductors, and space and satellite communications, as well as cancer research.” Northwestern also said it was aware of media reports about the funding freeze but had not received any official notification from the government and that it has cooperated in the investigation. “Federal funds that Northwestern receives drive innovative and life-saving research, like the recent development by Northwestern researchers of the world’s smallest pacemaker, and research fueling the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. This type of research is now in jeopardy,” a Northwestern spokesperson said.

[...] Trump has attempted to crack down on pro-Palestinian campus protests against US ally Israel’s devastating military assault on Gaza, which has caused a humanitarian crisis in the territory following a deadly October 2023 attack by Hamas. The US president has called the protesters antisemitic, has labeled them as sympathetic to Hamas and foreign policy threats. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration wrongly conflates their criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza and advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas. Human rights advocates have raised free speech and academic freedom concerns over the crackdown by the Trump administration.

Tyrant 47 freezes funds to Cornell and Northwestern Universities in a crackdown on pro-Palestinian speech under the guise of “protecting Jewish students.”

[cutecipher]

TikTok: *collects the same data most so called us companies collect*

The government: *drops everything to ban it and every other app they personally dont like*

Microsoft: *endangers every person in the so called us with their shitty software*

The government: 👍

[mariacallous]

One of the most contentious but potentially transformative initiatives by the second Trump administration has been the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In coordination with Elon Musk and people who worked at several of his companies, it set the task of improving efficiency by downsizing the government, cutting the federal workforce, and eliminating entire programs. Musk and his team were embedded in many departments and agencies, given highly unusual access to sensitive government data, and empowered to fire people deemed not in line with the administration’s values and priorities.

Some months have passed since DOGE started, and Musk has now left the project. How and when will we know if the Trump administration, through DOGE, has succeeded in its ambitious plans to downsize the federal government? A definitive evaluation may not be possible until a new president takes office on January 20, 2029. Yet, we can establish several numerical metrics:

Did the number of people working for the federal government shrink?

Did the number of federal contracts shrink?

Did the amount of federal spending shrink?

Did the size of the budget deficit shrink?

There are also other means of assessment. A less well-understood but equally important set of metrics revolves around government performance. Are agencies able to provide services and benefits that citizens expect? The fear of government malfunction is why the last major government reform effort undertaken by the Clinton administration’s National Performance Review, in which I was directly involved, adopted a different approach. As former Vice President Al Gore said in an interview with Bill Maher, “We used a scalpel, not a chainsaw or a butcher knife […] We cut the fat, not muscle and bone.”

Here are some examples of how cuts can hamper the provision of basic services. For instance, when we look back at Trump’s second term:

Was there an increase in the number of airline crashes?

Were there contagious disease outbreaks?

Were there major delays or mix-ups around the payment of social security checks or veterans’ benefits?

Was there a terrorist attack, military failure, cybersecurity hack, or national security disaster linked to budget or staffing cuts in agencies responsible for those areas?

By using a combination of numerical and service delivery benchmarks, we can begin to assess how well DOGE has performed, whether it has achieved its specified objectives, and whether it has improved government performance. In this report, I examine currently available data about DOGE’s efforts in several areas to evaluate its initial accomplishments.

Firstly, I find that early DOGE efforts were enacted on dubious legal grounds, which poses a threat to their permanence; secondly, that they were undertaken without attention to and understanding of the government’s mission.

[yourreddancer]

Access to highly sensitive federal systems is often subject to strict access and logging requirements. Individuals that do not possess a clearance in which they are allowed to access OPM and Treasury systems would, in any other situation, be viewed as a straightforward security breach with lasting ramifications.

======

WHY THE FUCK HAVEN'T EMO MUSKRAT AND HIS CYBERTWINKS BEEN ARRESTED YET????? ANY OF US SURE AS HELL WOULD BE IF WE DID THIS!!!!!!!!!!

[darkmaga-returns]

A recent investigative report on Channel 5 explored the data security and privacy risks of electric cars.

According to a cybersecurity campaigner, electric vehicles capture and store a huge amount of data, including location details, facial expressions, and genetic and health information, which are shared with various organisations, including data brokers.

A computer engineer highlighted cybersecurity failures in EV chargers.  Using the example of one brand of charger, he explained how hackers are able to easily steal the EV owner’s wi-fi password.

[viridianriver]

∘◦✩◦∘ My Long Posts ∘◦✩◦∘

Nature, The Outdoors, Travel

Lazy Girl's Guide to Houseplants

How to survive in the wilderness for dirt cheap (+added info in reblogs)

How to stay safe traveling solo (Minus the classism that usually creeps into these articles)

Engineering & Machines

Sewing Machines & Planned Obsolescence

Queer Girl's Tips For Surviving Engineering

Engineering Job Interview Tips

2023 USA Railway Projects!!

Using your art to train an AI is theft! Here's how to fight back!

Sustainability & Anti Consumption

Sustainable Shopping - Alternatives to Corporate Stores

Shopping at corporations only when they're taking a loss

No Corporations November

Intro & Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Summary

SIKE YOU THOUGHT I STOPPED? NOPE IT'S NO CORPORATIONS 2024!!!

Tech & Computer Science

ChatGPT & Bias in "AI"

The Airbnb-Owned Tech Startup - Data Mining Tumblr Users' Mental Health Crises for "Content"

Cybersecurity & "Smart" Devices

Cop Robo Dogs

"AI" & The Meaning Of Intelligence

Dude... The Matrix is real?

Titan Submarine Disaster

Systems Engineering

Human Factors Engineering

Corporate Negligence & Regulation Dodging

Detailed Disaster Timeline

A Better Designed Submarine

Miscellaneous Opinions

Extinction Bursts & Misogyny?

Want to write a realistic sci-fi story about "AI"?

Get Crabs! Spread Crabs! (Fundraising vs Advertising-Based Social Media)

Machine Learning / "AI" Failure Modes

Politics & Economics

USA politics rant - We're not well represented by a 2 party system

Charitable Trust Donations are Not That Charitable? (+added info in reblogs)

Natural Gas & The 2023 Attacks on Gaza

The economy doing well isn't helping us

Debunking Finance Myths

STONKS

What is the Middle Class really? (I think it's propoganda)

Health, Wellness, and The Body

Science based skincare that doesn't focus on products / brands!

Antivaccers and an abusive Medical Industry

How to engage in activism without burning yourself out

Feet, and the damage modern shoes cause

Recipes For Dumbasses

Very Extra Pancakes

Soup is Easy?

Asks

Resources to learn about economics?

How to clean/sanitize thrifted stuff!

how to get shit done when you've got executive dysfunction

AI Bubble?