12/26/2014

A new world order, a new asymmetrical warfare


The movie, ‘The Interview’ by Sony Pictures has given rise to a new phenomenon in interstate rivalry and warfare. Anyone can now conduct a war from the comfort of his bedroom in any corner of the world, if he is connected to the internet. Sony Pictures or the Americans, were blackmailed by some unknown hackers, could be another false flag incident, to abandon the screening of the movie in American theatres and theatres around the world. The threats from the North Korean side could be real. The actual execution of the threat is suspicious. Are the North Koreans that sophisticated? What happens to all the derogatory comments and analysis by so called great analysts that this is a very backward country? How could they become so intelligent and sophisticated in leading edge technology overnight? To make this look real, some great western minds were tasked to paint a different picture that the North Koreans are really very smart people and can do the damage that was done. Anyone smell a rat? Anyway this is another issue.
 

The new threats did not come from the possession of WMD but a computer and a set of keyboards. With the knowledge of computer technology and hacking, the hackers can declare war on anyone anywhere.
Sony Pictures was defeated. The mighty American movie industry was defeated. The Americans were defeated. Who says you can have your freedom and do whatever you want, anywhere you want? You cannot even have your freedom of choice to watch a movie the Americans produced in America. The ballgame has changed.
 

Yes, the North Koreans said so. What, who? You mean the North Koreans can now censor the movies to be screened in American cities? In a way, yes. Sony Pictures and the theatres were held at ransom by the North Koreans, one of the poorest and technologically deprived nation in the world, particularly in internet and computer technology. North Korea did not have the Silicon Valley, Microsoft, IBM, HP, and all the software giants with leading edge computer technology. How could they do it, to bring Sony Pictures and the Americans on their knees? How could they have the audacity to tell the Americans and Sony Pictures not to screen the Interview and both quietly acceded to their demands?
 

The fact that Sony Pictures made a slight change to release the movie online and limited screening told of another story. This threat was so important that even Obama was involved. And Sony changed its mind after a big hacking took place in North Korea when most of they computer networks were down, to prove a point. Sony felt safer that the Americans could do the damage to the North and Sony needed not fear. But not all the theatres are willing to take the risk. What was America and Obama telling Sony and the rest of the world, Who done it in the ‘attack’ by the North Koreans and the counter attack by the Americans?
 

The power of the internet has reached another level. Controlling the internet is going to make a difference in world affairs. Your freedom, or the American freedom, is now limited by the very people who feel offended or victimized by American freedom to do as they pleased. And in an all out electronic warfare, the Americans are going to be on the wrong side of the equation when everything in America is hooked onto the computers.
 

A country like North Korea ironically would end up the upper hand by not having all their systems hooked up on the computers. It is like being hooked on the power grid. Switch off the power or interrupt the power will stall the whole system and network. The manual system, not on the power grid, not dependent on electrical power, not hooked onto the computer system, will continue to function normally.
 

The whole of the western world, computerized and connected, will become as vulnerable as the weakest link in the system. The enemy only needs a young boy or girl and a keyboard to bring down the mighty systems and networks from his/her bedroom. Yes it can be done.
 

Welcome to the brave new world of computer technology and internet. The rules of the game have changed and the entry barrier is quite low. The little nerd can control everything in your system and wreak havoc if he is able and capable of doing at minimal cost. The whole American military system, nuclear system, financial system, power grid, transportation, communications, etc are vulnerable to hacking threats and can all be accessed and be brought to a halt by the press of a few buttons.
 

This is asymmetrical warfare at its best when the gap of military power, technology and hardware can be narrowed and bridged by the intelligence of software and clever little schoolboys and girls. The North Koreans have found a way and is showing the world how it can be done. Or are the Americans showing the world that it can be done? The full potential of this warfare has yet to be determined and exploited.

Kopi Level - Yellow

20 comments:

  1. "Welcome to the brave new world of computer technology and internet. The rules of the game have changed and the entry barrier is quite low."
    RB

    Then why is the Sinkie opposition not making use of it to become strong and ready to be govt?

    How come the internet did not cause PAP to be voted out even in the worst of times for daft Sinkies, eg in GE 2011 when almost 100% seats were contested?

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  2. For PAP to be voted out, the Sinkie opposition must contest 100% seats as one party, not many parties like in 2011.

    In Sinkieland, parties can only win big, or lose big. No such thing as in between one.

    Because in a GE, majority (aka 60%) Sinkies will only make a party win big if they can contest 100% seats as one party, never mind even if they have candidates like feet stomping Tin Tin or Ah Lian insurance trainer.

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  3. One likely scenario. North Koreans very angry with the movie and threatened Sony but no capability to do anything. The Americans took advantage and hacked into Sony. Sony panicked as the attack was devastating and only the Americans expertise could break through. Anyone in the electronics industry would know that the North Koreans could threaten but not capable of doing any damage to Sony.

    So the Americans quickly got an expert to paint a different picture that the North Koreans were more expert than the Americans and so able to hack into Sony.

    When Sony backed out, the Americans now use the opportunity to hack into North Korea to prove to Sony it has nothing to fear as the Americans are in control and could turn the tide and stop the North Koreans from doing any harm.

    The Americans are killing two birds with one stone. Now the North Koreans got whacked and also earned the bad name of being a trouble maker for hacking into Sony which they did not and are incapable of doing.

    This is likely what had happened. The North Koreans were the bad guys and the Americans the good guys, very innocent, never do anything.

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  4. /// The new threats did not come from the possession of WMD but a computer and a set of keyboards. ///

    Of course the new threats come from the possession of WMD - Weapons of Movie Destruction!

    ;)

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  5. /// Unfortunately with quarreling societies the political class does not fight its own battles.
    They send their soldiers out to kill and be killed on their behalf.
    You can be certain if the killing and being killed was to be done by those cowards making the decision to war with Russia and ultimately China, that the passing of the torch would be a very quiet and uneventful one.
    But unfortunately the massacre will be of the working class while the political class remains warm and well fed in their thrones and castles. ///


    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-12-25/russia-china-or-america-oppressed-people-ruled-others-others

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  6. /// I find it so disturbingly illogical that we Americans are willing to die so that our political class can enjoy ill gotten riches and power yet we cower when it comes to defending our great nation against the political class, something our founding fathers pleaded for us to do.

    The truth, which the political class legislates so hard for us to overlook, is that they are powerless without us.
    It is us that fight their fights, fund their wars and enforce their laws that enslave us yet we bow down and call them Mr. President and Madame Secretary.

    And so I ask each and everyone of you, when will we wake up and recognize that we are the power and the wealth and that the political class has only managed, through deception, to harness our strengths and pass them off as their own?
    For until that day of awakening, we will continue to live as an oppressed people ruled by others for others. //////


    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-12-25/russia-china-or-america-oppressed-people-ruled-others-others

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  7. Part 1\2

    @RB

    Using Sony Entertainment as an example of a successful hack is probably not the best choice you could have made to illustrate the idea of asymmetric warfare. However, it is current and many lessons can still be learnt (but they won't).

    The reason: This is not the first time Sony Entertainment has been hacked and walloped fucking nicely. IMO, they had it coming, if not for "The Interview" for something else -- PlayStation gaming networks for e.g., DDOS (Distributed Denial Of Service), DOXING (making public personal particulars and sensitive information of personnel ), Identity Theft...and other associated examples of cyber-inflicted mayhem. The bottom line is this: Sony's cyber-security IS SHIT and apparently they never learn any lessons from being hacked over and over again. For e.g. Sony has passwords in PLAIN TEXT (i.e. unencrypted) on its servers. C'mon lah, what the fucking fuck fuck?!?

    If DBS or POSB ran their internets like Sony, they'd would have been sued by thousands of customers already, and gone bankrupt...plus there could even be rioting and bank runs! (dun pray pray when it comes to Singaporeans and their money. You will die brutally and without mercy)

    The Sony Entertainment PlayStation network (as well as MS Xbox network) was hacked again yesterday to purposely fuck up Christmas for gamers.

    The idea of Sony Ent. hack being a "false flag" is probably untenable. Why? Mainly because hacker (especially "black hat" hacker) lore and culture is the BEST example of what an unregulated, borderless MERITOCRACY looks like, and how it functions. i.e. if you claim a hack, you have to be able to prove to the entire global community that you actually HAVE THE SKILLS to have done it, and then actually did it. If you can't, you would be "penalised" by the community, and outed (DOXED) and probably hacked yourself and even have your physical being threatened...for e.g. you might find drugs sent to your house, and the police alerted.

    Hacker "meritocracy" only respects skills, ability, and balls. No one gives a shit about "morality" or "ethics" or the rule of law!

    The group apparently responsible for the latest Sony hacks seem to be Lizard Squad (look them up). They're now targets of RETALIATION by other hackers who are very pissed off that their gaming systems went offline during Christmas. Now the group apparently known as "Anonymous" are right on the heels of Lizard Squad with a fatwa for REVENGE. see Anonymous vs Lizard Squad

    >> With the knowledge of computer technology and hacking, the hackers can declare war on anyone anywhere.

    Actually the skill set is much more DIVERSE now. Just a good knowledge of computers will not make you a successful hacker. You must have social engineering skills, or you will not even get out the gate as a "hacker".

    >> The little nerd can control everything in your system and wreak havoc if he is able and capable of doing at minimal cost.

    Except for the occasional "outlier" which will succeed solo, the days of a single hacker thrashing a large corporate or govt network are probably gone. Most large hacks are the result of teamwork. The best part: the team members need not be even physically close to each other. Their locations can be anywhere in the world.

    EOF Part 1\2

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  8. Part 2\2

    >> the Americans are going to be on the wrong side of the equation when everything in America is hooked onto the computers.

    Not just America. In less than 5 years nearly EVERYTHING (emphasis on "THING") IN THE WORLD will be hooked to a network. This is called: The internet Of Things--embedded computing goes ubiquitous, connected, cheap...and with a whole lot of potential security problems--some which we can predict, others which no one has a FUCKING CLUE about! (the game changer for anyone aspiring to asymmetric warfare is still IMO, social engineering aka humans-hacking-other-humans)

    We already use embedded computing with FitBit watches, smart watches which reflect your tablet or phone, and soon to come clothing embedded with connected computers (Arduino is becoming quite popular here)

    Anyway, below are some resources and tools:

    Books on hacking: Books by Kevin Mitnick--legendary hacker, " We Are Anonymous: Inside the Hacker World of LulzSec" by Forbes journalist Parmy Olson, and the MUST READ "Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking" by Christopher Hadnagy and Paul Wilson

    Tools which you can use to protect yourself:

    Secure cloud: Spider Oak

    Secure communications:

    1. CYPH
    2. CYBER DUST (by gazillionaire all-round very smart guy Mark Cuban)

    Suggest you get an old $50 (or less--Sim Lim is good place to find hacker hardware) Pentium 4 and configure if with free Linux to function as a stand alone firewall for your home network. (Don't trust the firewall in your router...it can be bypassed as most blur people don't even change the factory default password of their router!!! (again, what the fucking fuck fuck??)

    Block out your computer webcam if you're not using it for Skype, FaceTime, Messenger etc. I use a very "low tech" piece of black paper and scotch tape ;-)

    Finally, ENCRYPT EVERYTHING you can -- computer, tablet, phone, hard drives, flash drives as well as CONNECTIONS using SSL and/or VPN (USD 10-20 per month will give you enough strong SSL or VPN to protect all your devices). In fact many companies are now offering VPN bundled with their internet service--for e.g. in Singapore: Viewquest, My Republic

    Stay safe, play safe.

    EOF

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  9. why north korean suddenly technology so good?

    maybe north and south good frens?

    maybe pap and wp good fren?

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  10. The Americans have been conning the whole world for so long. And the daft are very happy to believe them and praise them like angels.

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  11. That uncle die_lah_Singapore is full of himself - like my local public toilet when the auto-flush failed to work.

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  12. A country like USA afraid of a small country like NK - dunnoe why so many people out there believe in such rubbish.

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  13. What an appropriate describing.

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  14. Small countries labelled as evil are just perfect to start a one sided war and to sell more weapons. Lucky they have Russia and China or else one by one would end up like Iraq.

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  15. /// A country like USA afraid of a small country like NK - dunnoe why so many people out there believe in such rubbish. ///
    December 26, 2014 9:33 pm

    A big political party like PAP afraid of a small political party like WP - dunnoe why so many people out there believe in such rubbish.

    December 26, 2014 9:33 pm

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  16. Sony Picture asked for it.

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  17. A big political party like PAP afraid of a small political party like WP - dunnoe why so many people out there believe in such rubbish.
    Anon 8:56 am

    Tiok. It's rubbish and also a joke. Just like vote PAP out is a joke.

    With kaki lang Teochew Ah Hia as leader, why should PAP be afraid of WP?

    It is not as if Aung Juan Soon Chee is leader of the WP. Then PAP will be afraid, very afraid. It's no joke.

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  18. PAP is not afraid of WP but rather sometimes like to wayang with WP. And vice versa.

    WP is also known as Wayang with PAP Party.

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  19. Wayang kulit an Indonesian cultural asset was accorded the status of Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2003. Name one cultural achievement that originates from Singapore that deserve such an accolade?

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  20. Garden by the Bay.

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