Cybersect

Cybersect explores various facets of cybersecurity, touching on historical technological advancements, ethical considerations in the field, the complexity of cyber threats, and the criticism of cybersecurity practices and regulations. It debates mainstream cybersecurity narratives and offers insights into software development, network security, and the ethical and security implications of digital and political events.

Cybersecurity Software Development Network Security Ethical Considerations in Technology Digital and Political Security Events

The hottest Substack posts of Cybersect

And their main takeaways

Software Liability for Armchair Quaterbacks

78 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24

Armchair experts in both football and software development have strong opinions without real expertise.
Software bugs are complex and not solely due to moral weakness, but rather the inherent difficulty of preventing them.
Proposed software regulations may not improve cybersecurity but instead burden smaller companies and benefit larger corporations.

No, you can't hack vote tallies with a pen

78 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Cybersecurity Voting Machines

Georgia Secretary of State is negligent in ignoring important election problems
Demonstrated hacks with voting machines are complex but need to be addressed
Raffensperger's response to election security concerns is criticized by cybersecurity experts

Notes on Microsoft's Midnight Blizzard attack

39 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24

🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Cloud Services

There was no product flaw exploited in Microsoft's Midnight Blizzard attack.
Legacy systems are common targets for hackers due to potential security weaknesses.
Optional security features from Microsoft may be expensive but not necessary for basic protection.

A computer history deprogrammer

176 implied HN points • 24 Jul 23

🕹 Technology Computer History

Aristotle's teachings were influential in history, but many advancements had to challenge and go beyond his ideas.
The foundation of computer logic actually started with figures like Shannon, rather than traditional thinkers like Aristotle or Boole.
The evolution of computers and networks, from steampunk devices to the rise of personal computers, significantly changed how we interact with technology.

Notes on Volt Typhoon

19 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24

🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Network Security Threat Detection Vulnerabilities

Warnings about hackers targeting critical infrastructure may not always be accurate.
Defenders should stop relying on source IP addresses to detect attacks.
Hackers are exploiting vulnerabilities in public-facing products quickly, so prompt patching is crucial.

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Hunter Biden vs. the drive forensics

137 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Investigation Forensics Conspiracy Theories Technology Journalism

To take a forensics image of Hunter Biden's laptop drive, a similar model MacBook Pro is needed with a non-standard hard-drive connector.
Experts can provide inaccurate opinions when not directly involved or without thorough research.
Asking techies to comment without detailed work can lead to biased conclusions and contribute to the spread of conspiracy theories.

Mobile cybersecurity advice

78 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23

🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Journalism Privacy Mobile devices

Non-tech journalists may misinterpret tech advice by assuming premises and seeking confirmation rather than prompting for refutation.
Cybersecurity is about tradeoffs, not following simple hygiene guides, but updating critical software and avoiding password reuse.
Monitoring and controlling location tracking on apps is crucial, along with considering the minimal impact of power cycling on security against attacks.

A software-engineer's view on OceanGate

78 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23

🕹 Technology Software Engineering Testing Safety Patents

Modern software engineering focuses more on testing than on writing code.
Software engineers create tests to make the software both succeed and fail.
Testing to failure is crucial to ensure the reliability and safety of software and products.

What the heck is "Media Access Control" or "MAC"????

98 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23

🕹 Technology Networking Data

MAC addresses are essential for networking and have a long history of evolution and usage.
Understanding the concepts of Data Link Control and Network Layer is crucial for comprehending the development of networking protocols.
MAC addresses need to be globally unique to ensure efficient communication in diverse network environments.

Why Biden's 'Cyber Trust Mark' is nonsense

58 implied HN points • 21 Jul 23

🕹 Technology Cybersecurity IOT Cloud Security

Mainstream news stories about the 'Cyber Trust Mark' lack critical viewpoints.
The cybersecurity industrial complex prioritizes control over actual security.
There is no significant IoT cybersecurity issue; security is a tradeoff that the industry overlooks.

Some notes about cybersecurity ethics

78 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23

🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Ethics Politics Professionalism Academia

Ethics discussions often derail into politics and self-serving arguments.
Professional ethics are about setting good examples, not academic philosophy.
When violating ethics, it should be for a significant cause worth the consequences.

What we know about the provenance and authenticity of "Hunter Biden Laptop"

78 implied HN points • 22 Apr 23

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Authenticity Emails

The origin of the Hunter Biden laptop is believed to be true.
The path the laptop image/files took is unclear with potential changes due to mishandling.
Some emails have been authenticated through cryptographic signatures, proving their authenticity.

"Technical Debt" is a bad metaphor

39 implied HN points • 31 May 23

🕹 Technology Software Engineering Business Cybersecurity Refactoring

Technical debt is misused and misunderstood in software engineering, often seen as a moral crusade against bad code.
Refactoring is essential for addressing technical debt, focusing on making code more readable and maintainable.
The concept of technical debt is not about avoiding problems but understanding the ongoing costs of decisions in software development.

Why 8(to)7 encryption is snake-oil

39 implied HN points • 28 May 23

🕹 Technology Crypto Encryption Algorithms Cybersecurity Innovation

People often invent new encryption algorithms without solid evidence of effectiveness.
Be cautious of encryption claims that use buzzwords and make unreasonable promises.
It's important to seek technical explanations and benchmarks to evaluate the validity of encryption algorithms.

The .zip domains are a good idea

19 implied HN points • 12 May 23

🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Internet Innovation Encryption

Google offering .zip domains sparked outrage in the cybersec community.
Intolerance for security issues can lead to positive changes in cybersecurity practices.
Challenging the status quo in cybersecurity can drive improvements over time.

Notes on yesterday $5 million judgement against Mike Lindell

19 implied HN points • 21 Apr 23

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Fraud Legal system Media Coverage

The contest against Mike Lindell was rigged and un-winnable.
Lindell surrounded himself with incompetent individuals who couldn't defend him.
The data Lindell provided was fake and wrapped up in technical flim-flam.

Explainer: Dominion vulns reported by Halderman

2 HN points • 16 Jun 23

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Vulnerabilities Denial Security Updates

Just because something can be hacked doesn't mean it will be, there are multiple hurdles involved.
Fixing the problems before the 2024 election is crucial to prevent vulnerabilities being exploited.
Georgia's denial of vulnerabilities and resistance to updates is irresponsible and increases risks.