Silly question but you know how on TV where anyone who can operate a computer can "hack" and get the phone records and credit card activity of anyone or anything? That's not like...a real thing right? Location tracking, that's a real thing...
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(This has been another installment of "Xenocrypt catching up on Killing Eve on Monday night".)
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Even in most vaguely "realistic" shows they use these basically magical "hackers" to get whatever information the plot demands on cue. But TBH I have no idea what actual "hackers" can or can't do, despite whatever my computer abilities may or may not be.
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So IDK maybe the right "hacker" can easily get all of the phone calls to a given bakery in ten minutes. I don't even know where one would find out if that's possible. Is there a Coursera.
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Replying to @xenocryptsite
You can assume that any state-backed actor can get to any data of this sort they want, but it may not be possible on short notice, and it may not be possible without detection/losing years of painstakingly gathered access. It's that second part that makes the shows unrealistic.
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Replying to @Pinboard @xenocryptsite
But also the process probably begins with budgeting and a staff meeting, which does not make for the most compelling television.
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Replying to @Pinboard @xenocryptsite
A way it was described to me is that stealing data is like being a thief in a dark warehouse. You have a flashlight, and if you are after something specific, you can find anything. But you can't turn the lights on and see everything, and the flashlight can make you conspicuous.
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(Also the warehouse is on fire and has no doors, because we have no ability to write correct code or secure data collections, but at this point the metaphor starts to feel the strain)
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