China’s Reverse Engineering of Military Technology
Published on Jan 16, 2013
STEM degrees
“Every year U.S. schools grant more STEM degrees than there are available jobs. When you factor in H-1B visa holders, existing STEM degree holders, and the like, it’s hard to make a case that there’s a STEM labor shortage.” Even in the IT industry, which employs the most tech workers and is expected to experience the most growth over the next decade, not everyone who wants a job can find one. Anecdotal evidence, the article points out, is piled high on the side of there being a glut instead of a shortage. “If there was really a STEM labor market crisis, you’d be seeing very different behaviors from companies,” Ron Hira, an associate professor of public policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology, in New York state told IEEE Spectrum. “You wouldn’t see companies cutting their retirement contributions, or hiring new workers and giving them worse benefits packages. Instead you would see signing bonuses, you’d see wage increases. You would see these companies really training their incumbent workers.” In a related opinion piece, “Is a Career in STEM Really for Me?” an 8th grader ponders her options, and finds science and engineering far down on the list.
anonimized run
The Amnesic Incognito Live System or Tails is a Debian based Linux distribution aimed at preserving privacy and anonymity.[1] Actually, it is the next iteration of development on the previous Gentoo based Incognito Linux distribution.[2] All its outgoing connections are forced to go through Tor,[3] and direct (non-anonymous) connections are blocked. The system is designed to be booted as a live CD or USB, and leaves no trace on the machine unless explicitly told to do so. The Tor Project has provided most of the financial support for development.[4]
Tails is a live system that aims at preserving your privacy and anonymity. It helps you to use the Internet anonymously almost anywhere you go and on any computer but leave no trace using unless you ask it explicitly.
It is a complete operating-system designed to be used from a DVD or a USB stick independently of the computer’s original operating system. It is Free Software and based on Debian GNU/Linux.
Tails comes with several built-in applications pre-configured with security in mind: web browser, instant messaging client, email client, office suite, image and sound editor, etc.
the Stuxnet computer worm
When first discovered in 2010, the Stuxnet computer worm posed a baffling puzzle. Beyond its sophistication loomed a more troubling mystery: its purpose. Ralph Langner and team helped crack the code that revealed this digital warhead’s final target. In a fascinating look inside cyber-forensics, he explains how — and makes a bold (and, it turns out, correct) guess at its shocking origins.
Ralph Langner’s Stuxnet Deep Dive is the definitive technical presentation on the PLC attack portion of Stuxnet. He did a good job of showing very technical details in a readable and logical presentation that you can follow in the video if you know something about programming and PLC’s.
The main purpose of Ralph’s talk was to convince the audience with “100% certainty” that Stuxnet was designed specifically to attack the Natanz facility. He does this at least four different ways, and I have to agree there is no doubt.
Ralph Langner is a German control system security consultant. He has received worldwide recognition for his analysis of the Stuxnet malware.
- Stuxnet worm hits Iranian centrifuges – from mid-2009 to late 2010
- Iran complains facilities hit by Stars malware – April 2011
- Duqu trojan hits Iran’s computer systems – November 2011
- Flame virus targets computers in PCs across the Middle East, including Iran and Israel – June 2012
- Iran says Stuxnet worm returns – December 2012