Round two.

This specific vulnerability target Windows computers only, in this case this vulnerability doesn't exist in Mac, yet you're trying to prove there are related vulnerabilities for Mac systems. Of course "If you search, you'll find". That's another saying, b-t-w. Hence, You're looking for fault where there is none.
Do you run Boot Camp with Windows so that you can run most SEO software? If so, then you are vulnerable.
 
Code:
https://www.rt.com/usa/388187-leaked-nsa-exploit-ransomware/

Read up on it.

No shit Sherlock. I was referring to your resulting argument, which makes no sense.
 
No shit Sherlock. I was referring to your resulting argument, which makes no sense.

What argument?? Other than saying this could have been avoided had the NSA alerted Microsoft to the vulnerability instead of exploiting it themselves? Then having their shit leaked and now we have global problems because of pure stupidity?
 
What argument??

"It's all NSA's fault"

Other than saying this could have been avoided had the NSA alerted Microsoft to the vulnerability instead of exploiting it themselves? Then having their shit leaked and now we have global problems because of pure stupidity?

There is a big market (both with a legal and an illegal side) in 0-day vulnerabilities. Tons and tons of them exist and have historically existed a step ahead from the patches. You're just feeling the pain on this one simply because it's news worthy in terms of views/clicks/ad revenue + that it was used in a blanket targeting style instead of spearfishing one.
 
Do you run Boot Camp with Windows so that you can run most SEO software? If so, then you are vulnerable.

I don't. I use an old windows laptop for that but my main files are on my Mac and backed up in the cloud. :)
 
Whats discerning about this is not the fact thats its being exploited. I agree with you that exploits have always existed and always will and will be used by numerous hacking groups. But what I do not agree with is the NSA using this exploit to their benefit instead of doing the right thing and reporting it to Microsoft so shit like this could have been avoided. There is a fine line in protecting your country and using exploits for your own purposes. When it comes to a government being the guilty party in this case and causing global instability yet again, thats what I have a problem with. The NSA could have stopped this long before it started, yet they decided to include it in their weaponized exploit kits instead. You don't see a moral dilemma there? It had zero to do with protecting the American people or national security, rather they were serving their own selfish needs in this case.
 
Whats discerning about this is not the fact thats its being exploited. I agree with you that exploits have always existed and always will and will be used by numerous hacking groups. But what I do not agree with is the NSA using this exploit to their benefit instead of doing the right thing and reporting it to Microsoft so shit like this could have been avoided. There is a fine line in protecting your country and using exploits for your own purposes. When it comes to a government being the guilty party in this case and causing global instability yet again, thats what I have a problem with. The NSA could have stopped this long before it started, yet they decided to include it in their weaponized exploit kits instead. You don't see a moral dilemma there? It had zero to do with protecting the American people or national security, rather they were serving their own selfish needs in this case.

What's the point of being a spy when you intentionally destroy your own spying tools? The whole point of buying/creating 0-days is to have the advantage over your targets because they a) have no idea about it and b) can't defend against it.
 
But the dilemma is that the government has a responsibility to protect the public, not exploit them like common criminals.
 
the government has a responsibility to protect the public

Perhaps in Disney movies. :p

not exploit them like common criminals.

The NSA didn't extort the hospitals and the average Joe whose PC got infected. The actual criminals who orchestrated the operation did.
 
Perhaps in Disney movies. :p



The NSA didn't extort the hospitals and the average Joe whose PC got infected. The actual criminals who orchestrated the operation did.


Alright, with that in mind, how many innocent Americans get spied on daily in dragnet surveillance that aren't criminals? Remind me again who the authors were of the Stuxnet virus that almost took down 75% of the internet?
 
I don't. I use an old windows laptop for that but my main files are on my Mac and backed up in the cloud. :)
So you use Windows. That means you are vulnerable. It also means that you are using a Mac as a token popularity piece, and then storing your files in one of the worst places you can. The cloud, which most governments have laws that allow them to access the material. This in turn means that there is some master key that others can find and use.

Mac is not all that, and it is missing the box of chocolate. If you have work to do, you will find that for the most part it is done on Windows. This is immaterial of whether you use a virtual machine on Linux or OSX, or outright use a Windows box.
 
Alright, with that in mind, how many innocent Americans get spied on daily in dragnet surveillance that aren't criminals? Remind me again who the authors were of the Stuxnet virus that almost took down 75% of the internet?
You are barking up the wrong tree. The US has a law that requires ISP's to give them back door access. AT&T was busted, but the law extends to all ISP's operating in the U.S. The Cyber warfare tools are for non-U.S. countries. Some are more effective and some are less effective, but in the US the government does not need to deploy those tools.
 
Alright, with that in mind, how many innocent Americans get spied on daily in dragnet surveillance that aren't criminals? Remind me again who the authors were of the Stuxnet virus that almost took down 75% of the internet?

It doesn't matter because now you've abandoned your argument and steered to a different one, therefore conceding your point.
 
You are barking up the wrong tree. The US has a law that requires ISP's to give them back door access. AT&T was busted, but the law extends to all ISP's operating in the U.S. The Cyber warfare tools are for non-U.S. countries. Some are more effective and some are less effective, but in the US the government does not need to deploy those tools.

Do you really believe your own statement there that they don't deploy these same tools against Americans? If you really believe the government follows its own laws that it imposes on its citizens.....then may God help you. This is one of the main reasons tons and tons of Americans use vpn's, amongst many other reasons. Yes, AT&T got caught as being in collusion with the government, before public knowledge was available on this topic. Them getting caught was the only reason laws were drafted after the fact. Mass surveillance (dragnet surveillance) has proven time and time again to not be effective, and yet they continue to conduct it. Is this global surveillance stopping foreign terrorists? No. Is it stopping the global spread of propaganda on social networks? No. Is it stopping the spread of viruses and malware? No. What is this really about then?

Jazzc: I have not conceeded my original point. Yesterday and today's global issue are directly related to tools and exploits created by the NSA themselves. Its these tools that created this mess, which should never have been developed in the first place, as the U.S. is not the world's police and they violate every law in the constitution, not to mention international law as well. U.S. law is fine within the U.S., but the moment you force U.S. laws outside your own jurisdiction, thats exceeding your jurisdiction. It is a double standard for the government to create and launch malware, viruses, and exploits across the globe and completely say they it under the color of law, whereas a citizen would go directly to jail for 20 years for doing the same exact thing. What makes it correct for the government to be able to do this but not ordinary citizens?
 
Yesterday and today's global issue are directly related to tools and exploits created by the NSA themselves.

This premise is true.

Its these tools that created this mess,

The tools don't create a mess, just like a nuke doesn't fly at Hiroshima on its own will. The operators of the tools take the actions.

which should never have been developed in the first place,

They accomplice a goal. We might not agree with the goal, but as far as accomplishing it goes, it "should". I mean, assuming you want a spies being able to do spy stuff.

as the U.S. is not the world's police and they violate every law in the constitution,

I'm pretty sure the NSA is totally legal in spying the rest of the world.

international law

This is a sorry facade with no power.

U.S. law is fine within the U.S., but the moment you force U.S. laws outside your own jurisdiction, thats exceeding your jurisdiction.

We're talking about spying. It's obviously illegal in (say) Germany to be spied upon by other countries. Just like it's illegal in the US to be spied upon by (say) Germany.

It is a double standard for the government to create and launch malware, viruses, and exploits across the globe and completely say they it under the color of law, whereas a citizen would go directly to jail for 20 years for doing the same exact thing.

That is correct. It is a double standard. That is precisely how it works. The laws governing the ... government are different by those governing the citizens by the very design of governance.

What makes it correct for the government to be able to do this but not ordinary citizens?

Great question. The answer is that the government has a strict monopoly on law, justice and force. Think about it - the gov can legally take money from people while you'd go to jail. Can legally enslave people, while you'd go to jail. Can legally kill people, while you'd go to jail. And you're wondering if it can legally spy on other countries? :p
 
This premise is true.



The tools don't create a mess, just like a nuke doesn't fly at Hiroshima on its own will. The operators of the tools take the actions.



They accomplice a goal. We might not agree with the goal, but as far as accomplishing it goes, it "should". I mean, assuming you want a spies being able to do spy stuff.



I'm pretty sure the NSA is totally legal in spying the rest of the world.



This is a sorry facade with no power.



We're talking about spying. It's obviously illegal in (say) Germany to be spied upon by other countries. Just like it's illegal in the US to be spied upon by (say) Germany.



That is correct. It is a double standard. That is precisely how it works. The laws governing the ... government are different by those governing the citizens by the very design of governance.



Great question. The answer is that the government has a strict monopoly on law, justice and force. Think about it - the gov can legally take money from people while you'd go to jail. Can legally enslave people, while you'd go to jail. Can legally kill people, while you'd go to jail. And you're wondering if it can legally spy on other countries? :p

Is this what you call democracy?
 
Is this what you call democracy?

Absolutely, democracy is the system of governance that potentially cycles the top levels of its bureaucracy on regular intervals. There's no conflict with what I've said, actually I'm amazed by your question.
 
This isn't democracy at all. This is called an Authoritarian government.
 
This isn't democracy at all. This is called an Authoritarian government.

Any and all governments are authoritarian, by the definition of governance. The differentiating factor in a Democracy is that there are elections that cycle the top part of the government bureaucracy. Contrast that with (say) Absolutism which is hereditary and changes the bureaucracy of its government on the will of the monarch.
 
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