Spitballing IoT Security

Jim Hickstein jxh at jxh.com
Sun Oct 30 17:30:03 UTC 2016


On 10/30/16 06:35, Rich Kulawiec wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 28, 2016 at 12:07:17AM -0500, Jim Hickstein wrote:
>> A virus that kills its host (too much of the time) is not successful.
>
> True.  On the other hand:
>
> 	"Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money.
> 	They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with.
> 	Some men just want to watch the world burn."
>
> I have no doubt whatsoever that some of our adversaries fall squarely
> into this category.

i.e. vandalism.

Agreed, and the respondent who brought up rational actors has pointed 
out where the computer "virus" analogy breaks down: biological viruses 
have no rational actor and no premeditated goal.  Their success, as 
usually defined (maximum incidence in a population), emerges from the 
mathematics of their operation.

DDoS attacks are ultimately caused by humans (so far) and while we may 
not know clearly their goals or the values that underlie them, they 
exist.  This would seem to call for a different response.  I wish I knew 
what.



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