Spooks, encryption and you.

“Nice one! What was the password? 12345?”
The quote is from the drama series Spooks. In the latest episode a laptop was stolen from an MI5 courier and the encryption was broken using bots. I think they meant that the botnets were used to decipher data using brute-force, rather than internet bots. Simply put – number-crunching is done using computers, the owners of which were dumb enough to download, install and run a computer virus!
It may seem vital to the security of sensitive information, but one aspect of data (de)encryption we simply can’t avoid – a human element. Whether we use a too simple of a password, misconfigure the software/hardware installation or simply use our position (with or without necessary clearance) to access protected data.

Data encryption is not the domain of only security forces any more. I would think that corporate world sees far more action in terms of industrial espionage. Reportedly, up to 71% of  companies use some sort of encryption on data transfer and storage. After all, you get paid for this activity, whereas trading state information gets you killed or imprisoned, if we believe the TV drama. We won’t stop there. The progress made in the open standards enables us, ordinary users, to benefit from publicly available (de)encryption software tools.

Quick note on encryption. The encryption is the process of transforming information into incomprehensible blocks of data using some sort of algorithm. The only way to decipher the information one has to have the right key. Passwords (or memorable phrases) are often used as encryption keys, but they have to go through key derivation function, by adding random bits of information through one-way function.

“12345” as a password would be an option but only if you are trying to hide your porn from mum or a girlfriend.

Cryptography is highly mathematical in nature. In fact it is a product of the coding theory (http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/course/m836.htm) and has its roots in a branch of mathematics called number theory, . If you would like to read more about mathematics of cryptography then read it here: http://www.snellgroup.com/documents/white-papers/white-paper-Good-Old-Mathematics.pdf.

The science of data encryption is abstracted from the user by the means of graphical interfaces, thus making it far easier to create encrypted files, folders, partitions and even pen and hard drives. All forms of disk encryption.

I personally like the idea of pen drive encryption.

In fact I am going to create one before going on a business trip, where there is a real chance of loosing the disk full of sensitive information. Because I am concerned for the safety of the data, I am sure to use 2048 bit encryption key. Paranoid? Well, yes. Unfortunately that’s the least of my problems.

I am not going to prepare the HOW-TO on encryption but you can get more information from the following sources:

1. Linux users:
1. TrueCrypt tutorial from HowToForge
2. Encrypted USB Pen Drive with GNU/Linux Ubuntu 8.10 Installed
3. Discussion on LinuxQuestions
2. Windows users:
1. http://ranjanajain.wordpress.com/2009/04/25/bitlocker-to-go-windows-7/
2. http://dotexe.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/keep-your-data-private-with-diskcryptor-free-disk-encryption-for-windows/

There is a lot of money to be made in encryption business, let alone in decryption, but it may one day become totally irrelevant with the advent of cloud computing and cloud encryption management (http://www.law.com/jsp/cc/PubArticleCC.jsp?id=1202516998090&Desktop_Encryption_Moves_to_the_Cloud).

Safe encryption everyone,

p.

Microsoft buys ReactOS

Mark my words, this is epic! This, ladies and gents, is where Windows is going to toy around with the idea of Linux-like community. Not necessarily to develop a new OS, nor will it be to provide an incentive to Linuxoids to get back to Vista. Neither will it be some sort of advertisement power trip. No. Perhaps this is an attempt to develop a new kind of society where shareware ideology, closed source development and freedom of communities will merge together to produce uber-Windows. If not that, then definitely to provide Microsoft with better market-reaction or feedback on the new features of their flagship operating system.

If I am wrong, then this was a simple move by Microsoft to “silence” another “threat”. So, if you are looking to extortion the MS, then find the same legal loophole the ReactOS did and enjoy stress free life somewhere on the islands of Bahamas.

p.

Do we (Linux herd) really want to become Mac-Like operating system?

HI!

Today started not so well. To begin with it was raining when I got up. Then I turned on telly and watched an advert from Which? about their PC troubleshooting mag. This made me think why do people think of Microsoft when they hear the word PC. I looked it up and there it was; PC stood for Personal Computer. Yet when I speak of my computer, it pains to say ‘my PC’. I don’t know why though.

I then decided to check out the, and I mean THE, competition – Mac OS. To my surprise, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mL1k4Zwf1I, it was not that impressive as I thought it would be.
Well, to get started with, the launch bar is just like Cairo dock in Gnome. The theme is just like what we have on gnome-looks and all the 3D effects are just like that of Compiz box. I should probably say Cairo dock is just like launch bar, etc… Still, I am appalled at the state of the Lion.

“Reboot if your computer freezes…”

I know it is at the development stage but it seems quite buggy even for Mac OS. I am sure they will iron small annoyances out, but whenever I see “Reboot if your computer freezes…” option in the Power management window of ANY system, then I raise my eyebrows. I hope this feature does not make it into the final release version. It says that the developers aren’t sure of their work or doe it simply say that our system has got so many features that you’ll run into some problems from time to time.

So, here is the question: do we really want to become Mac OS or not? I hope not. Linux has got so much going for it. I am not purist but I have been using Linux for the last three years now and the only time I see Windows is when I visit my folks. DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT WE WANT LINUX TO BE?????

p.