Stupid Security 81
Buck Mulligan writes "The folks at Privacy International are holding a stupid security contest to discover the "world's most pointless, intrusive, annoying and self-serving security measures." Nominations can be submitted by email: stupidsecurity@privacy.org.
My vote goes to the Ronald Reagan 'Free Trade' Center in Washington, where you have to show your driver's license to visit the food court. (Having a driver's license proves that you aren't dangerous!)"
How about ... (Score:3, Redundant)
Re:How about ... (Score:1, Insightful)
Stupid Security (Score:4, Funny)
How about...
Using a one million bit key and claiming it's uncrackable on Slashdot?
Signature via fax (Score:4, Insightful)
I've encountered both of those as some sort of "security"
Re:Signature via fax (Score:2, Funny)
Seems close enough to safe to me.
Rik
I got one. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:I got one. (Score:2)
How's that? I mean it would seem like an ID complements a secure, encrypted order form. The encrypted page just means that no one else can get your transaction. It has nothing to do with authenticating you. Every legitimate buyer is going to have access to their ID and credit card. At least if you are going to approve stolen CC #'s make sure that they stole the whole card, and not just a number out of a hack database someplace.
-BrentRe:I got one. (Score:1)
Re:I got one. (Score:3, Interesting)
Oh.
I missed the email part. I just saw fax and mailing, and thought that it was a physical copy that they actually wanted to receive. Obviously email a graphic isn't a very good idea, considering it's probably easy to photoshop a CC image to begin with.
-Brent(Chemical) labs at universities (Score:3, Informative)
Re:(Chemical) labs at universities (Score:2, Informative)
Re:(Chemical) labs at universities (Score:1)
Anyway, they wound up dropping acid on beetles. Of course, somebody knocked over one of the bottles, and it ate away a 6 ft^2 area of the carpet all the way to the concrete. before somebody got some baking soda to dump on it.
(voluntarily self-modded -1:OT by "No Karma Bonus")
Re:(Chemical) labs at universities (Score:2)
HN03 - Nitric acid. Need it, check.
H2S04 - Sulfuric acid. Need it, check.
HCl - Hydrocloric acid. Nope, don't need it.
The third ingredient you need is glycerine which I believe you can get at your local drugstore. It's insanely simple to make. You just mix the glycerine, nitric, and sulfuric acids and you get nitroglycerine as an oily liquid on top. The acids need to be very concentrated though.
You just have to mix it insanely carefully. The sulfuric acid generates heat. Heat is bad when you are making nitroglycerine. Very very bad. Even if you try to keep it cold the sulfuric acid tends to generate hot-spots. Did I mention hot-spots are bad? Very very bad. Don't try this at home. It will most likely blow up in your face.
IANAChemist either, for all I know it may blow up just because it doesn't like the color of your shirt.
-
Re:(Chemical) labs at universities (Score:1)
Airport questions (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Airport questions (Score:3, Funny)
Are there any kids who went to a public school in the 70's who remember the Redlight-Greenlight movies? I know I must have seen one every friday in the cafetorium from K through 4th grade. I won't even look at strangers after seeing those movies. Nevermind accepting presents from them.
Re:Airport questions (Score:2)
"What's the Pythagorean Theorem?" (Score:3, Funny)
My friend (who is Australian but of Indian decent) recently re-entered the country from a vacation Down Under. At the airport, the guards put him through all sorts of questions. Among them was "How did you get your Green Card?". When my friend, a professor of Mathematics, replied that he got it through an Outstanding Researcher program, the guard asked him "So, are you an outstanding researcher in mathematics?". My buddy, groggy from a double-digit-hour flight, replied "Well, I guess I am." The guard then asked him "What's the Pythagorean Theorem?" to test him. My friend couldn't believe his ears. This question was supposed to determine whether my friend really was a mathematics professor? Every kid who went through high school math knows that one!
I feel safer already knowing we've got such intelligent guards monitoring our borders...
GMD
Re:"What's the Pythagorean Theorem?" (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Airport questions (Score:2)
Huh? How the he11 would I know?
Good thing the last few time I've flown, it's been on a charter. I bring my own flats of beer. Note to the community: Don't drink lots of beer on a 4 hour flight in a plane with no 'facilities'.
Network Solutions takes the cake (Score:3, Insightful)
Like nobody could possibly fake that.
--
When transferring a domain to another party, I had to have the form notarized, then fax it in.
What's the point of the notary seal (embossed) when I'm going to fax it?
Re:Network Solutions takes the cake (Score:2)
Like nobody could possibly fake that.
Yeah, I actually had to create my company letterhead when they asked me to do this (can you tell I don't communicate much by snail mail?).
What's the point of the notary seal (embossed) when I'm going to fax it?
The notary also signs it, but faxed signatures are being derided elsewhere in this thread...
Identification (Score:3, Informative)
No, of course not, but showing a DL makes you somewhat accountable -- would you rather chase "Caucasion male between 5'6" and 6', with brownish-blondish hair and average build", or "John Smith, 123 Maple Sreet, Clevland OH"?
Sure, credentials can be forged, but at least you've raised the bar.
Re:Identification (Score:2)
Probably you just flash your ID, and a bored guard looks at it, and waves you on in. Meantime, your jacket full of jellybean-explosives...
Re:Identification (Score:1)
The other thing is that they're not likely to remember anything on the license more than a minute later.
Besides, the guys who hijacked the planes on 9/11 didn't use fake ID. A suicide bomber doesn't care as much about hiding his identity.
All this fake security depresses me.
Re:Identification (Score:3, Insightful)
As for what security guards will remember, you never know. Ask one of them sometime. Some of those guys are ex- or off-duty cops, and cops often have remarkable memories. Furthermore, there may be a camera in the ceiling overhead.
Re:Identification (Score:2)
Agreed. I always thought one of the stupidest rules they came up with after 9/11 was "Only ticketed passengers past security".
HELLO! The hijackers had tickets! This is just part of the mentality to show that they're Doing Something! Anything(tm)...
Re:Identification (Score:2)
Since they became a lot more through about security checks after 9/11, the "Only ticketed passengers past security" rule was designed to lighten the load on the checkpoint personnel.
Before 9/11 - two passengers + four friends = 20 minutes. After - two passengers = 45 minutes.
Protect the sandwiches! (Score:2)
No, of course not, but showing a DL makes you somewhat accountable
I take it then, the policy of showing a driving licence (What if I don't drive?) has drasticly reduced the theft of pork pies and people punching each other in the dinner line?
(Some people need to get a life and stop invading others privacy for there own power games)
Re:Protect the sandwiches! (Score:2)
As for not driving, I know Maryland has ID cards for those who don't drive, and I'm sure other states do as well. "Drivers license" is generally short-hand for "driver's license or other state- or Federally-issued photo ID". Even non-drivers have the option to write checks at the grocery store.
Re:Identification (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Identification (Score:2)
Besides, I'll lay money that there is, in fact, a John Smith living in Cleveland, and a Maple Street.
Re:Identification (Score:2)
Not to mention, one assumes that you were already in the building. Do they figure that the food court is a particularly attractive target?
JavaScript (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:JavaScript (Score:3, Funny)
The early 90's are calling. THey want their phrase back.
Sorry, couldn't help it
Re:JavaScript (Score:1)
XP explorer (Score:3, Informative)
Turning on the computer (Score:1)
Going into the JFK Federal building in Boston, one of the security guards told me that they had it because of the Oklahoma bombing. Yes, if they had Timothy take the truck through the metal detector, they would have caught him.
Mother's maiden name (Score:2)
"What's your mother's maiden name?"
"31337h@ck3rm0m"
Drivers licence discrimination (Score:2, Funny)
you have to show your driver's license to visit the food court.
Heh
Being blind this _really_ anoys me. The number of places that won't accept anything other than a drivers licence as a form of identity.
Before now I've had to explain to people _why_ I don't have a drivers licence!
Re:Drivers licence discrimination (Score:2)
I'm working a cash register these days, and we see these all the time. No fuss, no muss.
Re:Drivers licence discrimination (Score:1)
(I'm not blind, I just don't drive.)
Re:Drivers licence discrimination (Score:1)
If you're that stupid, how did you work out how to post?
Re:Drivers licence discrimination (Score:1)
Google [google.com] can clue you in.
The VISA application for the US (Score:3, Interesting)
- I am a member of a violent terrorist organization yes / no
- I am trafficking drugs/weapons/any sort of illegal substances into the US yes / no
- I am an active member of a hate/racist group involved in violent attacks of minorities yes / no
- I engage in satanic rituals.... etc. etc.
I'm not kidding you. This is the sort of things the form actually asks. I guess there may be a legal precedent as to the need for these questions, but it's funny as hell anyway. Or maybe it actually works for stopping extremely stupid hatemongers / drug dealers from travelling into the country.
Re:The VISA application for the US (Score:2)
"Mr aWalrus, is it not true that on January 1, 1980, you submitted a signed statement asserting that you a not a member of a violent terrorist organizatino"
Proving that the accused is a liar is a powerful force in criminal trials.
Re:The VISA application for the US (Score:2)
Re:The VISA application for the US (Score:2)
Also probably helps that it's a federal crime to knowingly lie on one of them babies.
Re:The VISA application for the US (Score:2)
The relevant passage says:
Do you seek to enter the united States to engage in export control violations, subversive or terrorist activities, or any other unlawful purpose? Are you a member or representative of a terrorist organization as currently designated by the U.S. Secretary of State? Have you ever participated in persecutions directed by the Nazi government of Germany; or have you ever participated in genocide?
Re:The VISA application for the US (Score:2)
Windows 95/98 password (Score:2, Funny)
Stupidest security... (Score:3, Interesting)
My favourite as of late is applying to security-minded companies, and embedding an image in my email from a server that I have access to. I can watch it as my cover-letter is passed from one department to another. I get to see what systems they are using, and I've found that a lot of companies have their IT department running one version of OS with a Google browser, while HR runs another version of OS (usually XP), and internal managers or reviewers running yet again another OS...
Sillies. You want security, don't claim to be a security firm and yet allow people to view your internal operations... Sillies...
Google browser? (Score:2)
WTF is a "Google Browser"?? I thought Google was a search engine!
Invading Iraq... (Score:1)
(YOMV, but I suspect it will ultimately cause more.)
The Passport Bureau (Score:2, Interesting)
What they DID accept was my recently expired college ID. WHAT???
And if you want to call and complain to the passport office, it's a toll number!
Re:The Passport Bureau (Score:2)
Democracy is rarely free, it just makes you free.
stupid security (Score:1)
Are you or have you ever been a member of the Communist? yes/no
Have you ever advocated that violent overthrow of the government of the state of Georgia? yes/no
Besides being useless screening tools, the first is irrelevant, and the second, well, what the hell would you do if you did violently overthrow a state government?
On another note, I've worked at two companies where you could not change your Windows network password; only an Administrator could do that. Both required frequent password changes, and the protocol was to send a clear text email to a sys admin with your new password.
The last place I worked allowed you to change the Windows password yourself (and required a new one), but there was no mechanism for changing the VSS password. Again the mechanism was to send your new password in clear text to the guy that administered SourceSafe.
And what about using proprietary VPN solutions that require a Windows machine to connect to Unix boxes? Talk about a backdoor. Now you are relying on the impregnability of Windows 98/NT/2000 to keep people from accessing your network.
I worked for another company that required you to shut off your machine every night (can't just logout) for security purposes.
The list for this topic is sadly quite long.
Re:stupid security (Score:1)
I recall some campus rules where I study (they were ultimately changed :). They went something like this (I am -not- kidding):
Not a security measure... (Score:2)
Graduate students in the computing lab at Oxford University have swipe card access to the building 24 hours a day. University regulations stipulate that anyone who could be working alone must take a first aid course; consequently, all graduate students in computer science are required to attend this course.
The first aid course in question is basic CPR.
Securing the cafeteria is actually a good idea (Score:2)
I was a visitor at M$ corporate campus recently, and everyone has to "badge in" to the lunchrooms (guests must be escorted). The rule is "no tailgating" - one person, one badge swipe.
Cardiff Airport (Score:3, Funny)
The thing is though, is that the *only* ID they asked for was the boarding passes, with no corroboration that the names on them were our real names. Presumably the South Wales Police have come to an understanding with the IRA and UVF who've agreed that their guys would never dream of buying airline tickets cash and supplying a false name, or with a fake/stolen card.
How about... (Score:3, Funny)
You've got to be kidding. . . (Score:1)
Now, these may seem like normal rules at first glance, and most people at the school didn't find them odd. However, I was working in the IT department at the time and I know that these rules were only added after it was pointed out to the lead Network Administrator that the Computer Management Console was openly available to all accounts.
Funny thing is, the Computer Management Console remained open for the next few months.
->Fritz
EULA (Score:1)
Like reading a EULA has ever convinced someone to that they shouldn't install the software from the pirated CD they have.
I think MS should do usage statistics to determine how many people actually scroll down the EULA or just click Agree.
1 x 10^(-1000000)
MS Bob! (Score:2)
Only, that wasn't terribly user-friendly, so if you entered the wrong password three times in a row, Bob figured that you must have forgotten it, so it asked you if you wanted to change it.