I'm With Illegal Spying

from here (source image)

I don't know who came up with the idea to fly a blimp over the NSA data center in Utah but it's hilarious.

We Don't Need No Stinking Warrants

found on truthdig

Thanks to Paul Ferguson for drawing my attention to this cartoon commenting on the impact (or lack thereof) of the supreme court's decision to require search warrants for searching cell phones.

These Shot Glasses Just Won't Fly

from here (source product page)

Yes, these are shot glasses that could get you shot under the wrong circumstances. With increasingly militarized authorities, you do not want to try to take these on a plane.

Good Enough For A Zombie Attack

found on the meta picture

On second thought, considering the zombies in World War Z created a tower of flesh to get over a wall, I don't think this would even slow them down. When mindless automatons can breach your security, you're doing it wrong.

Don't Worry About Logging Out

from here (source image)

Really, don't worry about logging out. It almost certainly won't stop the police from finding you if you logged in. That information will still be in the computer in various other places.

I'm tempted to set up an easy to use computer in plain sight specifically to use as a honeypot for stupid burglars like this one.

Lorrie Faith Cranor: What's Wrong with your pa$$w0rd?

I always cringe whenever people talk about choosing passwords, but this has some interesting insights into the strengths and weaknesses of various techniques, and it even mentions some I've not heard of before.

Aside from that, though, get a load of these neat bad password textiles she's created:

source article

Apparently you can actually buy that fabric to make your own garments, should you wish to do so.

Don't You Ever Say I Just Clicked Away

from here (source image one and two)

There are limits to the benefits of isolation-based security strategies. Eventually you cut yourself off from being able to do anything useful or meaningful.

There Is Not Such Thing As Free In This World

found on the meta picture

I can't say I'd trust it either. Anything "free" generally makes me think it's too good to be true.

Open Wireless Movement

from here (source image)

I'm not sure why the EFF thinks open WiFi is a great idea. It kinda seems like they're only considering the security risks to the WiFi owners and not those to the WiFi users who are being encouraged to perform the networking equivalent of getting into a stranger's car.

Keren Elazari: Hackers: The Internet's Immune System

A really interesting perspective on vulnerability researchers.

Support The Dark Side

from here (source image)

I guess we know who the congresscritters responsible for overseeing the NSA answer too.

Brace Yourselves For Exploits

tweeted by Brady Willis

Thanks to Brady Willis for tweeting this picture as well as a link to news about vulnerabilities found in OpenSSL. On the one hand, this is a little late, but on the other hand people affected by OpenSSL vulnerabilities appear to be even later because those people seem to have given up trying to patch against Heartbleed.

Can They Really Be Called Backups Then?

from here

Code Spaces, a code sharing service, was basically wiped out by a cracker who broke into their Amazon Web Services account. Them's the breaks when you keep your backups in the same place as the originals.

Catching Bad Guys Back In The Prohibition Days

found on the meta picture

This actually seems like a pretty clever way to hide things. I wonder how the authorities figured it out.

It's All In The Deployment

from here

The caption comes mostly from a tweet by Dave Marcus. Considering the ease of using Windows Update versus the difficulty of upgrading the version of OpenSSL used by untold numbers of apps and hardware, I can kinda see how patching OpenSSL might be a bigger deal.

Encryption: The Insomnia Cure

tweeted by Simon PG Edwards

Thanks to Simon PG Edwards for tweeting this bitstrip cartoon about how explaining encryption to normal people can put them to sleep. I suppose we need to find a way to make security concepts more engaging... Oh, wait.

(2016/04/02: I didn't realize it at the time but Simon actually posted this on his blog as well.)

I Can't See The Difference. Can You?

from here (source image one and two)

There's a reason they're so similar - they both do the same thing. Facebook is tracking you where ever you go, and sites that use that "like button" are helping them.

NSA vs USA music video

found on boingboing

Who'd have thunk the mass surveillance controversy would inspire a dance music video? If you're like me you'll probably want to read along (as best you can) because the bass frequently overpowers the vocals.

Catch Me If You Can

from here (source article)

He's got an ankle monitor so he's already been in trouble with the cops, he ran from them successfully, and then he posts the video evidence for the world to see. Some folks are just too stupid to stay out of jail.

XSS Game

click here to go to the game

Since the recent twitter worm has put XSS into the news, now seems like a great time to point out this web-based game (apparently made by folks at Google) that teaches you XSS.

The Only Real Failure Is The Failure To Learn

from here

(Inspiration / explanation)

How The Self-Retweeting Tweet Worked

As disruptive as that twitter worm from last week was, this video doesn't make it sound terribly complex. Seems fairly simple, really.

Click It And See What Happens?

from here (source image)

Hard to believe this is the same basic strategy many people still use with downloads, links, and email attachments.

This Is What 100% Protection Looks Like

found on seriously for real?

Next time you hear someone talking about 100% protection, think of these shades.

Some Things Are Always Too Good To Be True

from here (source image)

I wouldn't go down there if I were you (or even if I were me).

Always Watching You

found on the meta picture

That's one way to get the word out. Unfortunately the NSA is just one of 17 different intelligence agencies in the US, and that doesn't include state and local authorities that employ surveillance techniques. It isn't so easy to put an end to domestic spying.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

from here (source image)

Some scams are so stupid, it's hard to imagine they could work. Incredibly, they often do work regardless of how dumb they are.

Privacy Box

found on the meta picture

Looks like the idea privacy is making a comeback in the hearts and minds of people.

Password Managers Shouldn't Be This Creepy

from here

I know it's a hassle to do it yourself and it's more convenient if someone else does it for you, but do you really want to leave your privacy or security in the hands of someone else?

Particular Hotel Room

found on the meta picture

There's nothing like the privacy of your own bathroom, and you'll find nothing like the privacy of your own bathroom here.

This Is What Spy Agency Oversight Looks Like

from here (source image)

I suppose he wasn't really instructing the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee to say "Let them eat cake", but should the business of an oversight committee really be done through whispers? Isn't secrecy how we got into the mess we're in right now in the first place?

I Now Know Where Not To Leave My Kid

found on the meta picture

If you're going to do something like this, why bother having a locked door in the first place?

I Spy With My All-Seeing Eye

from here (source image)

This surveillance camera birdfeeder is a real product that you can buy from ThinkGeek. I think this is a reflection of how ubiquitous surveillance has become. The cameras are so normal now that we've started making things that mimic them.

Overreaction

found on i can has cheezburger

I wonder if maybe training authorities to deal with incredibly violent situations also trains them to see incredibly violent situations (or the potential for them) even when they don't exist.

We've Come A Long Way From "Don't Shoot The Messenger"

from here

Isn't it interesting how times change? In the distant past if you pulled this kind of thing you could expect to be shot or suffer some other kind of untimely demise, but now the level of entitlement in some sectors is so high that people expect to be paid rather than prosecuted. That's not so say that vulnerability researchers shouldn't be paid, mind you, but that that kind of arrangement should be in place before hand (whether through some sort of contract or open bug bounty program), not after.

Love Is When Your WiFi Connects Automatically

found on the meta picture

You would probably be surprised how many ways you give away clues about things you probably would prefer to keep private. This is just one of many.

It Was A Lot To Take In

from here

You'd think Heartbleed would be old news by now, but there's still plenty of vulnerable machines out there.

Security And Liberty

found on the meta picture

As important as security is, it's not the most important thing. Especially when it comes to what the government wants to keep secure (their power) because that doesn't help most of us at all.

Keep Calm But Get Protected

from here

This phrase was originally tweeted by Lysa Myers about Android ransomware, but really, is there a context where this advice doesn't work?

Also, apparently the folks at the keep calm-o-matic have figured out how to turn these images into actual merchandise so if you want a mug or a coaster or something with this picture on it, click the link.

Tell Me More About How 1337 You Are

tweeted by @aloria

Thanks to @aloria for tweeting this image that puts what some might think is really advanced into it's proper perspective.

(Update: Apparently I forgot to give this post a title and that's making things difficult so now it has a title)

Social Media Privacy Protector

from here and here

I'm not sure if this is really funny haha or funny sad, but I guess that's what you get when the NSA steps their creepiness level up a notch.

Orwell Was An Optimist (by #privacyisaright)

tweeted by Privacy Is A Right

The quote originally comes from Mikko Hypponen (as shown) but the graphic comes from #privacyisaright. It's only one of many, and you can even submit your own quote which may get turned into artwork like this, so check it out.