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09-11-2015, 10:43 PM | #1 | |
The future is unwritten
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Next Threat; Data Manipulation
We've long heard about the danger to the US power grid, so many times I've wondered why don't they fix it if they know the danger exists?(answer, money) We also heard how Iran's centrifuges were sabotaged. But mostly, what we've heard about so far, is stolen data apparently for profit, and rumors of military secrets being pilfered. Next up, not stealing data, but changing it, like student grades in the school data base has been done.
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09-13-2015, 08:03 AM | #2 | |
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The problem and solution was well defined by William Edward Deming long ago. Cost of averting future problems or damage is irrelevant. The cost of not averting that damage is relevant. Security of the grid is robust. Security in the credit card industry has been a joke. Credit card industry still does not use a 25 year old technology called smart cards that would have made most data breaches and monetary thefts impossible. That industry fears spending on innovation rather than understand the costs of not doing so. Another joke is our use of Social Security numbers due to no system that works to protect you and that makes possible for you to protect yourself. We discussed this what - a decade plus ago? Deming clearly defined a seriously flawed management mindset that now applies to protection of digital data in some industries. Only cost that matters is one incurred if solutions and protection are not implemented. Cost of implementing those solutions and protections are irrelevant - except to bean counter type management that only sees costs today rather than future costs. BTW, the recent intrusion into the networks of the Office of Personnel Management may have compromised every US spy in the world. The damage might have been that massive because that office did not have minimal security systems. |
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09-21-2015, 09:53 PM | #3 |
Lecturer
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It comes down to operational management
TW/Bruce,
If you don't budget for actually designing and maintaining a system properly, failures happen. The problem isn't management. It's management being ignorant of these issues and thinking they can cut corners to increase margins. The most dangerous thing to good security in private industry has been quarterly results and the dangerous desire to cut all costs not directly related to costs of goods sold. The most dangerous thing to good security in the public sector has been that expenditures over a certain amount have to go to Congress, where many of the organizations' budgets get cut to the bone due to politics and the ignorance of Congress to issues not packaged with lobbyists or not giving money to their districts. Security will not change unless there is incentive to do so. Unless there is a guaranteed focus from multiple agencies on implementing business processes the right way, there will be multiple levels of fail. I spend my days working through these issues. I also present on them semi-regularly. I speak with executives and directors from my employer's vendors on a daily basis. They are starting to get it, only because they know it's their wallets if they don't. That's their incentive. |
09-22-2015, 07:51 AM | #4 | |
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Just another example of why the spread sheets can never measure what current exists and what future costs will really be. Just another example of why management must come from where the work gets done; not from business schools. |
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09-22-2015, 07:58 AM | #5 | |
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I'm not sure if the cheating was done at the direction of management or if an engineer piped up in some meeting that they can beat the test with a little code. |
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09-22-2015, 08:24 AM | #6 |
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GM did things similar to cover up their bad gas mileage numbers. For example, a Corvette would detect less acceleration, then assume this was an EPA mileage test. Computer would change engine parameters and bypass second gear to make their mileage appear higher.
I routinely exceed Honda's EPA highway mileage numbers in local driving. But I could never obtain GM's highway mileage in their cars. All consumers could see this. But most consumers ignore facts and numbers (observe so many who pay the highest prices for gasoline in Wawa, Sheets, Costco, Hess, US Gas, Giant, Turkey Hill, Valero, etc). This particular VW event is not observable by consumers. However, how many spend massively on a surge protector for their computers ... that does not even claim to protect from destructive surges. How many buy probiotics that have no proven benefits. Or supplements in health food store when most do not even have what they claim on the label (that lie is legal). How many buy something because it creates a healthy heart? That only means it does not kill you; never says it improves health. Scams are easy. Consumers would not know about VWs fraud. But then consumers even ignore scams that should be obvious to them - if for no other reason because they demand numbers. Why did so many GM owners just assume EPA highway mileage could not be obtained - and call that acceptable? Most all but set themselves up to be scammed. Need we cite Listerine? Apparently the VW scam was identified by researchers in the University of West Virginia by doing testing on platforms different from what the EPA uses. Later it was exposed that the computer intentionally changed engine parameters to 'fake' emission tests. This is apparently different from the Toyota brake problem that was created by bad engineering – in the tenure of Wantanabe who wanted to increase sales rather than make better products. |
09-22-2015, 09:18 AM | #7 |
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Not yet. The recall of these cars and the "fix" for the problem will almost certainly be observable. Either by poor vehicle performance as the software patch dials down engine performance and improves engine emissions, or by the addition of hardware in the car in the form of a new adblue tank taking up space in the trunk. And don't forget the decrease in resale value.
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09-22-2015, 11:44 AM | #8 | ||
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So why is Clapper making an issue of it now ? The man is a known (shown to be) liar - to Congress. He's almost like J Edgar at the FBI - there's no firing him |
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09-22-2015, 12:17 PM | #9 | |
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That is speculation. But based in what seems reasonable. VW will install new software (without doubt) and may also need additional hardware. Estimated cost $7 billion. A recent and new trend exists. Top executives were previously exempt from prosecution if they admitted to the crime - and got stockholders to pay for it. A recent Federal court jury verdict against a Georgia Peanut processor puts that chief executive in jail for 28 years for murder. Because 85% of all problems are directly traceable to top management. The reason should be held criminally responsible - not just for Enron executives. Its about time we made chief executives responsible. Including their bonus is not paid for ten years - when spread sheets finally report whether those executives did anything productive. VW top management had plenty of time to come clean. They stalled. He clearly knew about the problem when he was negotiating for not fixing the problem - to deny it existed. That should be criminal. Opposite was Toyoda who testified before Congress on a Camry computer problem. He had already started a program to undo the major disasters created by Wantanabe. But as we know, that can take 4 to 10 years. Toyoda was only there for 1 year when he said bankruptcy is a 5 step process - and Toyota was already at step 3. He knew and was actively trying to undo many disasters. Toyoda was trying to undo damage when the Camry problem and Wantanabe's coverups were exposed - apparently even surprised him. We have no reason to believe top management in VW was doing anything but a coverup. They were negotiating this problem at least a year ago when even 2015 cars were sold with the problem. Expect this solution to have consequences because the software fraud was intentionally done to mask some sort of problem. Toyota's problem and VWs problem existed for two completely different reasons. Obviously we are discussing two different concepts - data manipulated by the powers that be and data manipulated by outside 'enemies'. The former is why companies need Inspector Generals. Latter is why companies need executive who empower the little people to make decisions - as William Edward Deming made obvious even 50 years ago. |
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09-22-2015, 01:23 PM | #10 |
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We own one of the affected VWs, and we have all ready taken steps to join the class action lawsuit. I'm not losing performance and economy, and not be compensated.
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09-23-2015, 04:17 PM | #11 | |
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Hackers Took Fingerprints of 5.6 Million U.S. Workers, Government Says
NY Times - DAVID E. SANGER - SEPT. 23, 2015 Quote:
and then says there's no evidence of tampering with financial or credit cards... I would add: Yet. And I wonder how Apple feels regarding it's use of fingerprints for access to iPhones, etc. |
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09-27-2015, 05:21 AM | #12 | ||
The future is unwritten
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There was no deception involved. Detect an EPA test? Even you aren't that dumb. Yes, it was to improve the gas mileage on the high performance models, and it worked, because it kept city drivers from running higher revs in a lower gear when they didn't need it. But if they seriously made an effort to do so, they could. There's also a bunch of aftermarket companies who sell a disabling tool for a few bucks. You see there's a lot of childish, unpatriotic, Americans who don't want to drive the crap you do. From the Corvette manual, hardly a secret... Quote:
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09-27-2015, 09:14 AM | #13 | |
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You have quoted from the wrong model year citing a completely different transmission. GM only offered automatics when and to subvert EPA mileage tests. Meanwhile, back to reality and intelligent concepts in the next post. Can you make the transition? It is hard for you. I understand. Last edited by tw; 09-27-2015 at 09:21 AM. |
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09-27-2015, 09:14 AM | #14 | ||||
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From the NY Times of 26 Sept 2015
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How long did it take for business school philosophies to corrupt the product line? Ten years? Business school graduates see short term gain and ignore the long term consequences. Consequences do not appear on the spread sheets. Quote:
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09-27-2015, 09:36 AM | #15 |
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VW scandel again opens a fundamental question. Once schematics were available for every appliance. Consumers could know what they purchased. Over the decades, that has changed. For example, EPA once agreed with automakers that computer code should be kept secret. Otherwise scammers would harm the emission and other safety standards by changing their code.
The VW scandel puts that argument on its head. IOW access to code means defects such as Toyota's Camry computer or VWs intentional fraud can be identified by the little people who work for mankind rather than for profits. I doubt things will change. But the underlying problem of no longer letting the consumer know what he has purchased is an ongoing and open discussion. |
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