Text 13759, 149 rader
Skriven 2005-06-26 22:50:26 av Ed Hulett (1:123/789.0)
  Kommentar till text 13729 av Gary Braswell (1:123/789.0)
Ärende: KEEP THE PATRIOT ACT
============================
Gary Braswell -> Ed Hulett wrote:
 GB> Ed Hulett -> Gary Braswell wrote:

 EH>> level
 JB>>>> data and encryption technologies like SSL make it nearly impossible,
 JB>>>> except under some very specific conditions.  I believe the letter you
 JB>>>> forwarded was a hoax.

 GB>>> Depends on how its implemented.

 GB>>> ISP's can get into your email when they want, they can even place your
 GB>>> account under surveillance. Email can also easily be forwarded to
 GB>>> another address without the user even being aware. Unless of course you
 GB>>> use a third party encryption program. Then they would have a hard time
 GB>>> understanding the email.

 EH>> Back when I was doing Tech support for my firend's ISP there were
 EH>> several times when setting up or troubleshooting someone's account that
 EH>> when I asked them for their passward they would tell me it was secret
 EH>> and they didn't want me to get into their personal correspondance. I had
 EH>> a tough time explaining to them that in many cases it was me who gave
 EH>> them that password. I had to epxlain that it was only to make things
 EH>> easier and that if necessary I could just look it up in their account
 EH>> information.

 GB> Even when some ISP's need to get into your email, they have their own
 GB> high level passwords to get in. Like you said, it just makes things
 GB> easier for support when they are given the password.

Of course the ISP has their own high level passward. Tech Support isn't
concerned with using the high level passward, they are trying to troubleshoot
the problem the user is having. Can't do that with the ISP's passward.

Having been in the tech support business, I had access to all accounts and
could look up the username and passward, but that isn't the point of tech
support. You want to establish whether the user knows their own passward and if
they are indeed using it.

Some even tried to change their passward on their own. Our ISP wasn't set up
for users to change anything.

 EH>> I had at least one person ask that I delete their passward and that they
 EH>> would come up with another one on their own. It was always amusing to
 EH>> hear their explaination when I asked how they would set that password
 EH>> into the system. When explained to them that we owned the system and
 EH>> that they were merely renting access to it, they soon understood that it
 EH>>  we had access to all their information including charge card number in
 EH>> many instances.

 GB> I am sure it was an eye-opening experience for them.\

I ended up giving one particular user a "special" passward... "1vs3r"
pronounced "loser." :-)

 EH>> I would suggest they install PGP or some other incryption software if
 EH>> they wanted their emails to be private. Very few did.

 GB> Too much hassle.

Anyone who demands privacy will go through the hassel.

 EH>> Hardly anyone needs to have complete privacy with their email anyway.
 EH>> The majority of email they send and receive is silly jokes and other
 EH>> nonsense.

 GB> True.

 EH>> The only people who need to worry about someone looking in on their
 EH>> daily email are those who really do have something to hide. Of course,
 EH>> that is exactly what the Patriot Act was written for.

 GB>>> FTP is easy to crack. Of course you could use SSH.

 EH>> Few internet users even know what FTP is.

 GB> True again.


 GB>>> Spyware often routinely keeps track of where you surf, some ISP's even
 GB>>> have software you can install that keeps track of your average
 GB>>> connection speed to websites you travel too. They can easily set that up
 GB>>> without you even being aware.

 EH>> With 4 anti-spyware tools running at all times? ;-)

 GB> I can never be too secure!!!<g>

Me either. I got rid of the MS Anti-spyware, though.

 GB>>> As I am sure you know, SSL is not engaged and operating in most of your
 GB>>> web activity.

 EH>> Exactly.

 GB> I recently had to explain that to my boss. Boy did his eyes get wide.<g>

ROFLOL! Too much pr0n for him, eh? ;-)

 GB>>> Instant messengers are buggy as heck and have had all sorts of security
 GB>>> problems with people being able to take over accounts, or have simple
 GB>>> keystroke copiers send text to them of what you type.

 EH>> Yep. I use Trillian for all my IM needs and also run IMSecure from
 EH>> Zonelabs. Of course, nothing I have to say on IM is worth monitoring
 EH>> anyway. ;-)


 GB> I don't even use IM's myself at all.

That's one way of being safe.

 GB>>> And as you pointed out, they can find out where you go through IP's,
 GB>>> then request the ISP forward all incoming and outgoing email to them.
 GB>>> They could send you a trojan horse that could set up shop on your PC and
 GB>>> do or keep track of whatever, all with the cooperation of your ISP, not
 GB>>> to mention spyware they could create and use.

 EH>> Maybe on a case to case basis, but not on a large scale. Most computer
 EH>> savvy people have anti-trojan and anti-spyware software installed making
 EH>> that prospect a last resort at best.

 GB> True.


 GB>>> If you use PGP for your email, Adawre, Spybot, Spyware Blaster for
 GB>>> spyware, SSH for FTPing, firewall, anti-virus and just not use instant
 GB>>> messengers, you will probably be safe from their sniffing.

 EH>> At least that's the idea. There are other ways of getting into your
 EH>> system without your knowledge.

 GB> Ain't that the truth!

I don't worry about anyone getting into my computer, it doesn't have any
personal information on it.

 GB>>> But what average user will know to do even a small part of it?

 EH>> The average user has nothing to worry about. The average user isn't
 EH>> likely to be a terrorist.

 GB> Depends on what else they find that might be objectionable or illegal.

Mostly kiddy porn, in which case they need to be taken out.

Ed

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