Re: Ideas for school project...

["-osgo-" <osgo () hotmail com>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron" <iago () valhallalegends com>
To: <full-disclosure () lists grok org uk>
Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 12:04 AM
Subject: [Full-disclosure] Ideas for school project...

> Hi everybody,
>
> I'm taking a fourth year University course called "Topics in Computer
> Security."  One of our assignments is a "major project" (probably a 10
> or so page report, although she hasn't been very specific on the
> requirements) that's due in a few weeks.  We have been given a choice of
> topics, and we are required to do research on what we choose.

When I want to wake up and realize there's always a little urine with
the sugar, my mind tends to meander towards "End of Civilization"
scenarios.  No killer asteroids, PMS'ing girlfriends, or the eventual
takeover of the earth using clones from the "I've fallen, and I can't
get up!" commercial...  That's too dramatic.  What I'd be writing about
would simply be about how vulnerable we are to utility disruption via
SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system compromise.

I participated in a number of audits last year and came away with an honest
feeling of dread.  Numerous points of entry, legacy platforms, IR, easily
determined
RF, and readily available software equate to mammoth disruptions ahead,
perhaps
to be repaired by inadequate staff who, at their best, were quite befuddled
once
they lost their GUI.

Furthermore, a reliance on one particular OS platform certainly guarantees
everyone going to hell in a bucket, baby, when that one potential tie in,
kernel flaw,
or misguided youth high on Qat figures out a way to bring down the Great
Satan
and everyone else while they're at it by letting the levy run dry, amock, or
just
palin FUBAR'd.

Studies show that most Western cities could go about 3 weeks (pls. don't ask
me to ref., OK, Google It) before complete and total anarchy would ensue.
Combine lack of power, lack of water, Chevy Camaro/Opel Manta drivers, lack
of SCADA-driven sanitation and we have a city-by-city collapse that would
make
the Blitz seem like a holiday in Cambodia. (courtesy of the Dead Kennedy's)

BOHICA (Bend Over, Here It Comes Again)...gotta die of something, right?

Tschus,
-osgo-
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