[art_director]

WHY exactly are these computer systems even connected tot he internet?

It doesn't take an IT professional to see the practice is dangerous, negligent even.

This is a problem that should have long since been fixed. I place the blame squarely on both the Dems and the Reps.

I'd also like to point out that the Chinese seem to be putting their hackers to work while we incarcerate ours. Who's the smarter country?

[Dakar]

Originally Posted by art_director

I place the blame squarely on both the Dems and the Reps.

Ok, that's starting to get boring, nancy.

[art_director]

Originally Posted by Dakar

Ok, that's starting to get boring, nancy.

Can you set down the bong and clarify?

[Dakar]

I would if I had a bong to set down.

[marden]

Originally Posted by art_director

WHY exactly are these computer systems even connected tot he internet?

It doesn't take an IT professional to see the practice is dangerous, negligent even.

This is a problem that should have long since been fixed. I place the blame squarely on both the Dems and the Reps.

I'd also like to point out that the Chinese seem to be putting their hackers to work while we incarcerate ours. Who's the smarter country?

2002
http://www.insightmag.com/

Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center (NPEC), has both praise and criticism for the Bush administration concerning technology transfers to China. He says Undersecretary of State for Arms Control John R. Bolton has "made a point of enforcing nonproliferation sanctions" [see picture profile, July 22]. He credits Bolton with putting a stop to U.S. satellite launches in China. However, the Chinese firms sanctioned by the Bush administration for proliferation activities never made the Commerce Department's dual-use watch list of companies with which U.S. businesses should avoid dealing, Sokolski tells Insight. This might not be the result of conscious policy decisions, he adds, but at best it reveals a "lack of due diligence."

A big problem, says Sokolski, is that we not only are transferring militarily useful end-products, but that we also are giving the Chinese "the tools for them to be able to make their own." A GAO official tells Insight that in addition to technology we are transferring know-how to the Chinese. However, he can't comment in detail because the GAO review on this problem still is ongoing.

Sokolski also points out that a major cause of the China export troubles is the fact that U.S. companies dealing in high-tech satellites, computers and telecommunications not only see a market in China, but a cheap manufacturing base. Hughes and Loral, two of the main culprits, wanted U.S. satellites to be made in China, Sokolski says. This was blocked, thanks in part to Sokolski blowing the lid on the matter.

Most defense experts with whom Insight spoke for this special report agree that the Bush administration has been far better on national-security issues than the Clinton administration, even on technology transfers. As Jack Spencer of the Heritage Foundation points out, however, the best guarantee of U.S. security in the long run is "a democratic China." But then, as Sen. Helms used to put it, "We'd have some ham and eggs — if we had some ham and if we had some eggs."

I'd say since the Chinese are trying to hack our systems that means that our secrets may not be just handed over as in previous administrations. What do you think?

[marden]

The Epoch Times | Chinese Regime Talks Peace but Supports Terror

Chinese Regime Talks Peace but Supports Terror
Terrorists and rogue states find friend in Chinese regime

By Ben Kaminsky
Epoch Times Israel Staff
Sep 07, 2006


An Iranian Noor missile is launched during military manoeuvres at Jask peninsula in the Gulf. (-/AFP/Getty Images)
Is China a possible partner in the war against terror, as it depicts itself? Or is it on the other side of this war?

In a meeting between President Bush and the former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Jiang Zemin in February 2002, Jiang made a clear point of being against terror, and assisting the global efforts against terror. In a meeting in April 2006 between President Bush and the current head of the CCP, Hu Jintao, Hu made similar statements. However, a look at the CCP's actions offers a different picture.

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Originally Posted by art_director

I'd also like to point out that the Chinese seem to be putting their hackers to work while we incarcerate ours. Who's the smarter country?

That's pretty baseless. I somehow doubt the NSA is lacking for computer 'hackers'. And any other hacker will only be incarcerated if convicted of breaking the laws. And even then -if good enough- will probably emerge with job opportunities abounding as an expert in security keeping others from exploiting whatever they did.

Meanwhile, I shudder to think of the dark holes a Chinese citizen would be tossed into for merely being suspected of hacking a sensitive Chinese system.

[probablecause]

None of our spyplanes have had an emergency landing in China lately, so I would say you are correct.

[dcmacdaddy]

Why are their machines even connecting directly to the Internet and not through a proxy server and firewall? What is wrong with these people? The CIO at Commerce should be fired for allowing this type of network connectivity to take place. It violates every tenet of industry best-practices for network security and goes against the rules for Federal agency IT departments as outlined by OPM and the Federal CIO Council. Hell, I am at the Smithsonian, a backwater when it comes to Federal agencies, and we have multiple redundant firewall and proxy servers, along with a WebSense content-filtering system.

to the Commerce Department.

[art_director]

Originally Posted by CRASH HARDDRIVE

That's pretty baseless. I somehow doubt the NSA is lacking for computer 'hackers'. And any other hacker will only be incarcerated if convicted of breaking the laws. And even then -if good enough- will probably emerge with job opportunities abounding as an expert in security keeping others from exploiting whatever they did.

Meanwhile, I shudder to think of the dark holes a Chinese citizen would be tossed into for merely being suspected of hacking a sensitive Chinese system.

It took US law enforcement five years to catch Kevin Mitnick. He was then thrown in jail. While he did commit crimes, we would have been smarter to get him to teach his tricks to us rather than putting him in solitary confinement for baseless accusations about his abilities.

There are kids in the country who are running circles around NSA 'experts.'

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Originally Posted by dcmacdaddy

to the Commerce Department.

You expect efficiency and/or common sense from the Federal government? Did Hell recently freeze over?

[art_director]

Originally Posted by dcmacdaddy

Why are their machines even connecting directly to the Internet and not through a proxy server and firewall? What is wrong with these people? The CIO at Commerce should be fired for allowing this type of network connectivity to take place. It violates every tenet of industry best-practices for network security and goes against the rules for Federal agency IT departments as outlined by OPM and the Federal CIO Council. Hell, I am at the Smithsonian, a backwater when it comes to Federal agencies, and we have multiple redundant firewall and proxy servers, along with a WebSense content-filtering system.

to the Commerce Department.

You've hit on my original point: our federal government systems are being administered by idiots. The most comon sense security practices aren't even being followed. The Republicans in the room are blinded by devotion and cannot see this fact.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by dcmacdaddy

Why are their machines even connecting directly to the Internet and not through a proxy server and firewall? What is wrong with these people? The CIO at Commerce should be fired for allowing this type of network connectivity to take place. It violates every tenet of industry best-practices for network security and goes against the rules for Federal agency IT departments as outlined by OPM and the Federal CIO Council. Hell, I am at the Smithsonian, a backwater when it comes to Federal agencies, and we have multiple redundant firewall and proxy servers, along with a WebSense content-filtering system.

to the Commerce Department.

I seem to recall a story in the last couple years where some Army systems were compromised because some idiot decided to 'fix' the internet by bridging the secured and unsecured networks with an ethernet cable...

[art_director]

Originally Posted by CRASH HARDDRIVE

You expect efficiency and/or common sense from the Federal government? Did Hell recently freeze over?

I know, it's idealistic in a country full of apathetic people, but yes, I think American taxpayers should be demanding competence. How naive of me.

[art_director]

Originally Posted by nonhuman

I seem to recall a story in the last couple years where some Army systems were compromised because some idiot decided to 'fix' the internet by bridging the secured and unsecured networks with an ethernet cable...

That's precisely the sort of thing I'm referring to. Where do they get these morons?

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Originally Posted by art_director

It took US law enforcement five years to catch Kevin Mitnick. He was then thrown in jail. While he did commit crimes, we would have been smarter to get him to teach his tricks to us rather than putting him in solitary confinement for baseless accusations about his abilities.

And in China there plenty of people that didn't do anything more 'dangerous' than seek information, rotting in political prisons. Put these things in some perspective before making silly comparisons about which nation is 'smarter'.

There are kids in the country who are running circles around NSA 'experts.'

So?

[marden]

.....

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Originally Posted by art_director

I know, it's idealistic in a country full of apathetic people, but yes, I think American taxpayers should be demanding competence. How naive of me.

Too many Americans are just demanding, period. Competence, and least of all from the Federal red tape machine, doesn't even enter the equasion.

[art_director]

Originally Posted by CRASH HARDDRIVE

And in China there plenty of people that didn't do anything more 'dangerous' than seek information, rotting in political prisons. Put these things in some perspective before making silly comparisons about which nation is 'smarter'.


So?

First, my comments are related to computer hackers. I'm not speaking of human rights, etc. Let's try and stay on topic, eh?

Regarding the NSA, why are we paying for tech people who are less intelligent than the children they're trying to catch? Makes no sense.

[art_director]

To the Republicans who can't drop the partisan bulllshit...

I specifically said that I would place blame on both parties. He11, Louis Freeh, who served as FBI Director 1993-2001 and was nominated by Dollar Bill Clinton, is such a technophobe that he actually hindered the FBI. They're still trying to build a computer system that's up with the times.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by art_director

That's precisely the sort of thing I'm referring to. Where do they get these morons?

Public schools?

[art_director]

Originally Posted by CRASH HARDDRIVE

Too many Americans are just demanding, period. Competence, and least of all from the Federal red tape machine, doesn't even enter the equasion.

We shouldn't have to demand competence, we should just get it for what we pay in taxes. Saying we shouldn't expect competence is plain foolish.

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Originally Posted by art_director

First, my comments are related to computer hackers. I'm not speaking of human rights, etc. Let's try and stay on topic, eh?

Oh, you're right. The Chinese goverment grants a pass to computer hackers. On topic? How about not veering so far off course of REALITY?

Regarding the NSA, why are we paying for tech people who are less intelligent than the children they're trying to catch? Makes no sense.

The logical outcome of too much inefficiency and bureaucracy?

Aside: why anyone would want to trust their income, heathcare, and general wellbeing to the same bunch of dimbulbs is beyond me.

[art_director]

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Public schools?

Yes, from our public schools that rank 18th in the world for math and science test scores.

[art_director]

Originally Posted by CRASH HARDDRIVE

Aside: why anyone would want to trust their income, heathcare, and general wellbeing to the same bunch of dimbulbs is beyond me.

Add Social Security to that list and I'll give you a high five.

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Originally Posted by art_director

We shouldn't have to demand competence, we should just get it for what we pay in taxes. Saying we shouldn't expect competence is plain foolish.

No argument here, but wanting this and actually getting it are completely different things.

[art_director]

Originally Posted by CRASH HARDDRIVE

Oh, you're right. The Chinese goverment grants a pass to computer hackers. On topic? How about not veering so far off course of REALITY?

Not what I said. Kindly refrain from putting words in my mouth.

[art_director]

Originally Posted by CRASH HARDDRIVE

No argument here, but wanting this and actually getting it are completely different things.

Unfortunately that's too true.