Digital DNA?

[AgentDarkApple]

Maybe you guys have already seen this story http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010...(Top+Stories+2)), but Darpa is trying to develop the “cyber equivalent of fingerprints or DNA” to identify criminal hackers. They are calling it the Cyber Genome project, and although it sounds fascinating, I am not sure how they are really going to implement this idea. I know someone would find a way around it. I found it to be intriguing because if this project is successful, it may have a significant impact on cyber terrorism and computer-based information warfare operations. What do you guys think about it?

[charliex]

Re: Digital DNA?

I can't see how its possible, anti-virus companies haven't been sucessful with even fingerprinting the simple stuff, maybe fingerprinting stupid mistakes like meta data thats been included unawares.

It'll still all come down to politics, I do find it a bit difficult to stomach the amount of faith they have in google engineers guesses being down to china and potentially miltary, seems more like an agenda, so it'll still be fit the evidence to the crime, regardless of any real data.

[xor]

Re: Digital DNA?

Maybe you guys have already seen this story http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010...(Top+Stories+2)), but Darpa is trying to develop the “cyber equivalent of fingerprints or DNA” to identify criminal hackers. They are calling it the Cyber Genome project, and although it sounds fascinating, I am not sure how they are really going to implement this idea. I know someone would find a way around it. I found it to be intriguing because if this project is successful, it may have a significant impact on cyber terrorism and computer-based information warfare operations. What do you guys think about it?

It's called IPV6; a mac address being stamped on your butt soon

xor

[sintax_error]

Re: Digital DNA?

It's called IPV6; a mac address being stamped on your butt soon

xor

so we'll be seeing more tattoo artists becoming familiar with "macchanger --mac <xyz> ass1" in the near future?

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: Digital DNA?

aside from possibly being, as xor pointed out, just IPv6 with lots of fluff padded around it... i'd say this proposal has enough buzzwords and wishful thinking to be worth at least 2 to 3 million in government funding thrown on their particular cash bonfire until someone pulls a plug somewhere. in this current shaky economic market, you get charlatans coming out of the woodwork from all angles trying to suckle at the taxpayer teat instead of doing real work... and it sounds like this tall tale fits that angle quite nicely for whomever invented it.

[AgentDarkApple]

Re: Digital DNA?

you get charlatans coming out of the woodwork from all angles trying to suckle at the taxpayer teat instead of doing real work... and it sounds like this tall tale fits that angle quite nicely for whomever invented it.

I suspected that may be the case, but IF they were able to pull it off I think it would change a lot of things as far as criminal hacking and cyber terrorism are concerned. Aside from IPv6, I could not think of many ways (at least not working with stuff already in existence) that they could effectively implement this. That is why I wanted everyone's input/opinions.

[hexjunkie]

Re: Digital DNA?

DARPA failure rate >90%... this is fluff. IMHO this will fall very quickly under the majority of their other projects.

[charliex]

Re: Digital DNA?

Even say they had a valid IPV6, the bad guy writes something, goes to an open wireless/public access point/stolen network/laptop, how could it be traced, even if it is traced and its in a country with limited access, what then ? I just don't see the difference to how it is now.

Aside from all the buzzwords and the current google got their ass kicked in china controversy this technology,if at all possible, would more than likely be used locally just to add to the evidence list.

Like DO says just a way of getting money, its a good time to do it with all the current talk of china and cyberattack this and that.

[AgentDarkApple]

Re: Digital DNA?

I think no matter what they do, the main people they are trying to stop (criminal hackers, terrorists, hackers working for enemy nations) will simply see it as another challenge to their skill or intellect and will find a way to overcome it. Maybe it is just meant to "comfort the American people" like so many of the other lies we have been told over the past decade.

[charliex]

Re: Digital DNA?

Yep I'd agree with that, i think its just a necessary part of the human psyche. Like positive reinforcement ( which i'm terrible at, i wonder if most hackers are ).

Unfortunately it probably is fairly vital to the economy as well, it does seem you can attract more bees with vinegar than honey when it comes to this type of thing. I'm off to register projectvinegarpot.org

[sintax_error]

Re: Digital DNA?

... Maybe it is just meant to "comfort the American people"...

I think you hit it right on the head, Apple. "Don't worry, we'll be able to trace them this time."