N. Korea hacks Sony in revenge for Seth Rogen's film "The Interview"

[DontSayBanana]

The attack that officials fear is an all out hit on the electrical grid that could bring down regions of the nation for weeks or a lot longer, for months. One report talked about the hidden hacks they found that would cause generators to burn out, needing to be replaced. There aren't necessarily a lot of spare generators sitting ready. And our main supplier is probably China, who may commit the attacks in the first place. 

Yes, I seem to recall that stuff being mentioned during all those DHS briefings and disaster recovery tabletops I participated in while working in corporate security for a power company.  But thanks for refreshing my memory.

Yeah, I figured that was nothing new to many people but I wanted to mention/remind us all of it since some of the scenarios are so damn scary and destructive. And quite possible to pull off, apparently.

Long story short, everything can be sabotaged.  Unless you're turning the crank yourself, there'll be some more or less likely way to remotely cut it off.  And if you are turning the crank, they can always try social engineering to convince you to stop turning the crank.

[garbon]

Has the White House made any sort of announcement about this?

A statement, yes.

[Ideologue]

That's good.  I mean, it's actually kind of a big deal.  I know no one was hurt (physically) but we are talking eight or nine figures of damage.

[garbon]

Obama recommended that we go to the movies.

[Ideologue]

Django Unchained or Ride Along?

[frunk]

Texas Theater to Show 'Team America' In Place of 'The Interview'

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/texas-theater-show-team-america-759037

The Alamo Drafthouse movie theater in Dallas, Texas, will be showing Team America: World Police in place of The Interview on Dec. 27 at 7 p.m. Wallace says that the Dallas/Fort Worth location is the only location as of now that is planning to screen the replacement film.

In a note on its website, the theater added: "THAT is how true American heroes will be celebrating this year, but if you want to let the terrorists win...well, that's your prerogative."

Paramount stopped them from doing the screening (along with several other theaters).

[Siege]

The attack that officials fear is an all out hit on the electrical grid that could bring down regions of the nation for weeks or a lot longer, for months. One report talked about the hidden hacks they found that would cause generators to burn out, needing to be replaced. There aren't necessarily a lot of spare generators sitting ready. And our main supplier is probably China, who may commit the attacks in the first place. 

Yes, I seem to recall that stuff being mentioned during all those DHS briefings and disaster recovery tabletops I participated in while working in corporate security for a power company.  But thanks for refreshing my memory.

Yeah, I figured that was nothing new to many people but I wanted to mention/remind us all of it since some of the scenarios are so damn scary and destructive. And quite possible to pull off, apparently.

Long story short, everything can be sabotaged.  Unless you're turning the crank yourself, there'll be some more or less likely way to remotely cut it off.  And if you are turning the crank, they can always try social engineering to convince you to stop turning the crank.

Something like this would definitively stop the Technological Singularity.
We a strong AI fast,  so she can take care of all these hackers. Incredible that some fat kid in a basement can potentially become the biggest killer in human history.

[Ed Anger]

Django Unchained or Ride Along?

An Ayn Rand movie.

[lustindarkness]

Texas Theater to Show 'Team America' In Place of 'The Interview'

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/texas-theater-show-team-america-759037

The Alamo Drafthouse movie theater in Dallas, Texas, will be showing Team America: World Police in place of The Interview on Dec. 27 at 7 p.m. Wallace says that the Dallas/Fort Worth location is the only location as of now that is planning to screen the replacement film.

In a note on its website, the theater added: "THAT is how true American heroes will be celebrating this year, but if you want to let the terrorists win...well, that's your prerogative."

Paramount stopped them from doing the screening (along with several other theaters).

[Ideologue]

Django Unchained or Ride Along?

An Ayn Rand movie.

I'm thinking about setting aside a pain day to watch the Atlas trilogy.

[celedhring]

Django Unchained or Ride Along?

An Ayn Rand movie.

I'm thinking about setting aside a pain day to watch the Atlas trilogy.

Why? Even if you dug the philosophy, the films look tremendously awful.

[Ideologue]

Because they exist, and it's important to watch terrible films too. Arguably.

[Admiral Yi]

FBI is now saying no doubt it was NK.

[derspiess]

Obama is using the Sony-Nork thing as an excuse to call for more internet regulation.

http://gizmodo.com/obama-sony-made-a-mistake-pulling-the-interview-1673268761

This surely gave Seedy a cybersecurity boner.

[Ideologue]

New Regency's canceled Gore Verbinski and Steve Carrell's adaptation of Pyongyang.