Category Archives: Security

Whistler Avalanche Deaths

The warnings for avalanche have been high, and many in-bound areas have been closed. Nonetheless, even experienced and prepared adventurers are losing their lives to the mountain. The Vancouver Sun has provided some details on a rescue operation for one of twelve recent deaths; ten in just six days. Eight died on snowmobiles while four skier/snowboarders have died in the past ten days.

Police liaised with the male’s cell phone service provider and were able to utilize a GPS function on phone to confirm that he was still on Blackcomb Mountain. At 09:35 a.m., Blackcomb Ski Patrol, a Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association dog and handler as well as Whistler Search and Rescue located the male’s body.

The mountain has since posted guards to the entrance of runs like Spanky’s Ladder, Blackcomb Glacier, Harmony Bowl and Symphony Bowl to prevent anyone from entering.

Cyberwarfare and Gaza

Jose Nazario is on the case again, this time as Israel and Hamas fight in Gaza. Nothing jumps out so far, other than a site that advertised a DDoS effort:

we have been told about a website, “Help Israel Win”, that is using DDoS and a simple to use Windows tool to target PS and related websites. Users can download and “join the cause”, just like we’ve seen elsewhere (RU-GE, RU-EE, CN-CNN, etc).

The site is down now, perhaps due to a TOS violation?

Meanwhile, Gary Warner suggests on his blog that efforts by “Radical Muslim Hackers” have been successful:

This weekend more than 300 Israeli websites have been defaced in a period of 48 hours.

That seems like an incredibly small number to me. He says he will forward you evidence of the defacement if you send him an email. You can also go to a 1990s gamer-looking site arabic-m.com to see the reported current tally of “defacements”, “special defacements” and who is rated “best defacer”. Examples of defacements include a webpage for a small agency in Israel from 2001, which for some reason brings to mind the term “best lint picker” rather than a WWF-like “defacer” title.

Hier Kommt Alex

by Die Toten Hosen

Hier Kommt Alex

In einer Welt, in der man nur noch lebt,
damit man täglich roboten geht,
ist die größte Aufregung, die es noch gibt,
das allabendliche Fernsehbild.

Jeder Mensch lebt wie ein Uhrwerk,
wie ein Computer programmiert.
Es gibt keinen, der sich dagegen wehrt,
nur ein paar Jugendliche sind frustriert.

Wenn am Himmel die Sonne untergeht,
beginnt für die Droogs der Tag.
In kleinen Banden sammeln sie sich,
gehn gemeinsam auf die Jagd.

Hey, hier kommt Alex!
Vorhang auf – für seine Horrorschau.
Hey, hier kommt Alex!
Vorhang auf – für ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau.

Auf dem Kreuzzug gegen die Ordnung
und die scheinbar heile Welt
zelebrieren sie die Zerstörung,
Gewalt und Brutalität.

Erst wenn sie ihre Opfer leiden sehn,
spüren sie Befriedigung.
Es gibt nichts mehr, was sie jetzt aufhält
in ihrer gnadenlosen Wut.

Hey, hier kommt Alex!
Vorhang auf – für seine Horrorschau.
Hey, hier kommt Alex!
Vorhang auf – für ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau.

Zwanzig gegen einen
bis das Blut zum Vorschein kommt.
Ob mit Stöcken oder Steinen,
irgendwann platzt jeder Kopf.
Das nächste Opfer ist schon dran,
wenn ihr den lieben Gott noch fragt:
“Warum hast Du nichts getan,
nichts getan?”

Hey, hier kommt Alex!
Vorhang auf – für seine Horrorschau.
Hey, hier kommt Alex!
Vorhang auf – für ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau.

  Here Comes Alex

In a world designed by the men in grey
who decide how we live and breathe,
there’s a masterplan for the company man
from the cradle to the company grave.

They thought that you’d be happy
with your place in the national scheme
and your carefully measured freedom
to conform to the corporate dream.

But there’s a virus in the software here
that shows like a cancer trace.
When you thought it was safe to relax,
it’s back right in your face.

Hey, here comes Alex –
and there’s nowhere left for you to go.
Hey, here comes Alex –
yes it’s true, your darkest nightmare, horrorshow.

There’s something here can’t be denied
to satisfy their greed,
if they say we don’t care what you want
’cause we know what you need.

As history will repeat itself
and hate on violence feeds,
in every man a darker side
just waiting to be freed.

Hey, here comes Alex –
and there’s nowhere left for you to go.
Hey, here comes Alex –
yes it’s true, your darkest nightmare, horrorshow.

So you watch the meters ridin
and the silent pressure grows,
the hate inside is rising,
the one you’ve always known.

When the time is passed for talking
and you’ve stepped across that line,
I will return – vengeance will be mine.

Hey, here comes Alex –
and there’s nowhere left for you to go.
Hey, here comes Alex –
yes it’s true, your darkest nightmare, horrorshow.
Hey, here comes Alex –
and there’s nowhere left for you to go.

Planes on vegetable oil

BBC News reports that Air New Zealand has followed Virgin Atlantic in biofuel tests:

A passenger plane has successfully completed a two-hour test flight partly powered by vegetable oil.

Interesting to note that the test used fuel derived from jatropha fruit, whereas Virgin used oil from babassu nuts and coconuts. Jatropha is considered a superior oil, with zero impact on food-grade products:

…jatropha can be grown in soil that is not suitable for most food crops.

“Even under harsh drought conditions with minimal amount of water or moisture, it will survive,”…