Forum: Off-topic

Facebook and Twitter hacked and in all likelihood Russia was behind it. Should the US and perhaps other nations send a message that attacking companies and causing financial damage within our sovereign nation is not OK? I think I would send the message that perhaps we can't defend against these attacks, but a good offense is sometimes better than a good defense...

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Financial damage? WTF

If it were the Fed or BoA or AMEX I'd be peeved. But Twitter was down for a few hours because it's firewalls weren't up to it. Facebook got real slow. Both were back up within 12 hours. Neither spelled an impending apocalypse.

Not talking about the failbook and twitter case but I've heard it enough from the US in official statements over the past years that "we will physically attack cyber attackers" yet it never ever happens. Bit of, well a massive joke really - you'll keep getting hacked and keep having vast amounts of information stolen and never do sod all about it. I have no sympathy if you're daft enough to put up with this crap.

Forum Veteran Joined: Dec 15, 2006 - 12:28 AM Posts: 760

LinkF16SimDude wrote:

Financial damage? WTF

If it were the Fed or BoA or AMEX I'd be peeved. But Twitter was down for a few hours because it's firewalls weren't up to it. Facebook got real slow. Both were back up within 12 hours. Neither spelled an impending apocalypse.

While at first I tend to agree with you and at first scoff at the claims; with deeper reflection there is a threat to be taken seriously. Though the immediate financial damage could be peanuts compared to the established companies; it could still damage the reputation of facebook and twitter; thusly drive down future prospects. In addition they’re liable to have to pay overtime or even hire more people for technical support and/or customer service. Put yourself in the victims shoes. If it was your company or you somehow financially vested; don’t you think you would take it seriously?

I also agree that the repercussions and implications are not as severe as if a government agency or an entity that had to do with national security was hacked. However the implications could be severe as this could be a stepping stone and/or a training/learning experience so they can launch future attacks against our financial institutions, government agencies, ect… or other entities that have to do with national and/or world security.

Learn from mistakes that have been made in the past. Even information that was in the public domain has been used for intelligence to launch military attacks. Study history.

Some of the worst and most damaging criminals often started with minor crimes. Allegedly Saddam Hussein was a chicken thief. Allegedly Hitler was a male prostitute…...

So there is even a remote possibility that face book and twitter being hacked could be a sign of a coming “Apocalypse”.

Before World War II many scoffed at any threat by Japan and Germany. Before September 11 many scoffed at any threat by OBL (Al Qaeda). Be careful not to underestimate an enemy or a threat.

I would consider terrorists to even be a threat to national and world security in Iraq and Afghanistan. Part of their strategy may seem absurd but is still is dangerous and could lead to the Apocalypse. The strategy that seems to be employed at the moment is what I would call metaphorically “death by a thousand pinpricks”.