Denial of Service Attack on Dyn!

Boy, that does sounds like the title of a sci-fi flick.

Anyway.

I'm sure many of you have heard about the massive DDoS attack on Dyn by now. You know, the one that caused several Internet services to be unavailable for extended periods of time? Services like PayPal, Amazon and Twitter? It happened just around the third week of last month and caused quite a stir.

Dyn themselves released a statement on this attack. The details are interesting. Apparently, while Dyn employs safety and security features such as load-balancing and malware protection, the attack that occurred was of an unprecedented scale and sophistication, and actually caused them some concern. Dyn is a Domain Name Server (DNS), which basically means they help map URLs to numbered IP addresses, the kind only computers can read without great discomfort. And the attack caused those addresses to go AWOL for the duration.

OK, so what's a DDoS?

For those who aren't sure what a DDoS is, it stands for Distributed Denial of Service. What happens is that attackers make use of several computer terminals to send requests over the Internet to their target, flooding it with traffic and eventually causing it to stumble (or even crash) under the load. Mothers would probably understand this one - imagine feeding a  baby, talking to the mother-in-law on the phone while five other kids clamor for your attention. Now imagine juggling five babies, ten phone conversations and twenty kids. And then multiply that stress level by several millions.

That's what Dyn's servers had to deal with - a motherload (pun intended) of spam in one go, drowning out the legitimate users of their services.

Now, while the attacks were of an extensive scale, the nature of the attack was DDoS, which has existed for as long as - well, let's just say that DDoS ain't the new kid on the block. If I were to say it has been around for 30 years, that wouldn't be stretching the truth.

Yep, older than this.

The mode of attack wasn't new - it was the implementation that gives one pause.

The Internet of Things

Unlike the old days, in this particular assault, venues of attacks weren't restricted to computer terminals with an Internet connection. Now many things have Internet connections - mobile phones, copiers, webcams, smart toasters, the list of devices goes on. Now with the Internet of Things being in vogue, Dyn was under siege from all manner of devices. And that's a scary thought. Imagine Twitter being brought down by your refrigerator.

A group that calls themselves New World Hackers has claimed responsibility behind the attack, and stated that it was their intent to bring awareness to the vulnerability. Whatever their intentions really were, I say bravo - it certainly accomplished that. A great many people have been shaken out of their complacency.

I think many people constantly underestimate just how dangerous the Internet is. It's a useful tool, yes, and at times an untamed and unpredictable one. Who's to say the device you're reading this blogpost on, isn't at this moment being compromised for nefarious purposes? You think that nifty new antivirus program you bought last year, or even last week, is bulletproof? Please. As long as you're connected to the Internet, you're vulnerable. Don't ever forget that. The worst thing is, dependency on the Internet is growing as we speak. Can't log into your computer without a Microsoft account? Gotcha. When's the last time you used your phone for, I dunno, making a call instead of surfing the net?

If you've gone this far without any obvious signs of having been compromised, it's not because you're good, it's not because you're well protected, it's not because God is smiling on you after you gave up your seat to the old lady on the train today, and it's certainly not because hackers are afraid of you. It's because you've been lucky. Simple as that.

Ya feelin' lucky, punk?

There anything you can do about it? Sure. Don't use the Internet. But please don't heed my advice, because that would eventually put me out of a job.

Seriously, though.

The Internet is a useful tool (did I just say that twice in one blogpost?) but don't ever let it be more than that. Exercise due caution. Don't get over-dependent on it, because I'm pretty sure this historic attack isn't a one-off thing. I mean, really, do you absolutely need a smart toaster? The capability is in place, and the potential to do a great deal of harm on a massive scale is there, and has been there a while now. This attack shouldn't have surprised anyone. It was a matter of when, not if.

At your (denied) service,
T___T

Film Review: I.T

Now with Internet of Things being a, well, thing, this movie was just begging to be made. I.T is a techno-thriller (no relation to the horror thriller, Stephen King's It) that lives up to its billing, albeit barely.

The synopsis sounded promising - rich dude pisses off tech support guy and techie gets his own back through an escalating series of IT-related pranks. Also, as an ex-desktop support office drone, I felt compelled to check this out. Plus, it starred Pierce Brosnan! How bad could it be?!

Well, I was about to find out...

Warning - many spoilers ahead and possibly objectionable content!

I'm going to shamelessly spoil this one, because the plot is so utterly predictable you could see every twist and turn a mile off. No shit; the plot could have been written by a primary school punk, it's that simple. Trust me, I'm doing you a favor and saving you the money.

Also, if profanities and partial nudity offend you, sod off from here, you oversensitive wanker.

The Premise

Mike Regan is the head honcho of a large tech corporation, husband to Rose and father to teenager Kaitlyn, whose troubles begin when he makes an enemy of his IT guy. His smart home, wired with gadgets of all sorts and run with computer intelligence, becomes a ripe battlefield for the wronged techie.

The pranks begin harmlessly enough with the sound system blaring music in the middle of the night, appliances turning themselves on and off, etc. But they soon progress to the malicious (falsifying evidence of corruption via forging emails sent from the company's server), the sadistic (falsifying Rose's mammogram report results and making viral a video of Kaitlyn diddling herself in the shower) and the outright psychotic (taking control of Mike's smart car while he's driving).

Mike needs to fight back, and does so by engaging his own security expert who helps him take his life back, bit by bit.

This culminates in a showdown as the enraged nerd breaks into his home with a gun...

The Characters

Pierce Brosnan as Mike Regan. Something of a technophobe who ironically owns a tech company and wants to launch the aviatory version of Uber. He has trouble with basic IT security and yet wires his entire mansion with all manner of gadgetry. He's portrayed as a bit of an asshole (Getting your IT guy to do free work for you on the weekend? Really?) who wears his power way too easily. Also, the first time Ed broke the employer-employee boundaries and the way Mike put him down, was unnecessarily high-handed. Made it hard for me to sympathize when the techie started getting his revenge. Still, he's also portrayed as a devoted family man who stops at nothing to protect his wife and kid. Pierce Brosnan's a fine actor with one hell of a resume. I've been watching him since his days as James Bond, and flicks such as Mrs Doubtfire and The Thomas Crown Affair. He projects the layers which make up Mike Regan, quite effectvely. Affable tycoon? Sure. Arrogant bastard? Oh yeah. Aplopetic rage? No problem. Loving husband and father? You know it. Alpha male? In spades, brother. Unfortunately, he's also let down by a really crap script.

Anna Friel as Rose Regan. Other than looking worried and fretful, she didn't have much to add to the plot. It wasn't too believable anyway. One moment she's greeting Ed cordially and next moment, she looks concerned when he shows up. Doesn't add up at all. The producers must have sensed this, because they seemed to be getting her to contribute more near the end of the movie, with gratuitous cleavage shots.

Stefanie Scott as Kaitlyn Regan, the bratty daughter. Having seen Stefanie Scott's restrained performance in Insidious: Chapter 3, I believe she can do way better. Why she would even bother with this movie is a mystery to me.

James Frecheville as Ed Porter. Guy overacts. To be fair, with a script this bad and a character this stereotypical, he might as well have fun and really ham it up. He did a credible job portraying dorky friendliness, cool intensity, neurotic fragility... and really ramped it up when putting on the "psycho face". Eye candy for the ladies - big on the jaw and kind of pale, but tall and well-built, a right pretty boy.

Michael Nyqvist as Henrik. He's the guy Mike turns to when he needs a tech security expert to counter the hostile actions of the geek he pissed off. And counter Henrik certainly does, with a composed, grandfatherly air reminiscent of Albus Dumbledore. I almost expected him to break out a wand at some point. Nyqvist is a pretty versatile actor and I rate him higher than even Brosnan in this cast. Which is why, though he nails the damn role with near zero effort, I can't help but think he's really slumming it here. This is the guy I watched in The Millennium Series, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and John Wick? He's far too cool for this shit.

When I was watching him, however, it occurred to me that he and Pierce Brosnan have something in common. Both have had movie franchise characters taken over by suave, macho Daniel Craig - in Nyqvist's case it's the role of Mikael Blomkvist in The Millennium Series, and in Brosnan's case it's the role of James Bond.

The Mood

This was supposed to be a techno-thriller. They got the "techno" part down, but the "thriller" part? Yawn city. The miserable excuse of an utterly unimaginative plot didn't raise my heartbeat a tick. All I felt was disgust. I didn't care what happened to Mike, Rose and Kaitlyn. Whatever, kill them all. They suck.

What I liked

Production was slick, man. Gorgeous visuals of the Regan home and the surrounding scenery, and the glass tower office. Insane lightning and grimy feel when around Ed's crummy apartment.

Michael Nyqvist was a welcome presence. He just somehow made everything less depressing simply by being there.

What I didn't

Ed being a psycho with a history of mental instability, abused as a child, etc. Real original, dudes. You think only psychos could pull this shit? Guess again, morons. The average computer nerd has the ability and connections to make your life utterly fucking miserable, given enough motivation. Sure, a non-psycho wouldn't (intentionally) put you in harm's way, but the rest of it? All too possible.

The progress of Ed and the Regans' relationship from trusted employee to outright hostility went too fast to be believable.

What's up with Kaitlyn's Stars And Stripes bikini? Gaudy much?

I'm supposed to believe that an old rich fuck could consistently beat up taller, younger and buffed dude?

Conclusion

Could have been better. Way better. For a movie that dragged on almost two hours and boasted a cast consisting of Pierce Brosnan and Michael Nyqvist, I sure expected a hell of a lot more than tech-guy-makes-dick-boss's-life-miserable-because-he's-a-nutcase. Again, save your money. Watch something more interesting... like paint drying or grass growing.

My Rating

4 / 10

This film needs to be de-fragged, pronto.
T___T

TeochewThunder: Year Two (Part 2/2)

I’d love to report that the blogging year was a roaring success, but as with the previous year, it was a bit of a mixed bag.

Crash n' burn.

The first part of the year was rather slow, with viewership plummeting to dismal levels. Were readers tiring of web tutorials and the techy stuff? Well, too bad, then. This is what I do. This is what I like to talk about. Thankfully, I make no money from writing this shit, because if I did, I would feel pressured to write things that people like reading. As it is… 404: Fucks Not Found!

For some reason, I found myself writing quite a bit about Facebook. I wonder why.

Things picked up in the second quarter, rather inexplicably, I might add. Normally I’d think that Google's court case against Oracle is far more interesting than a mini-dissertation on the Three Great Virtues, but what the hell do I know, right? Rise of the Handphone Vigilante was the most popular post, followed by Social Media Mishap.

I’ve belabored to keep things short and in bite-sized chunks. Whereas in the past year I would simply cram stuff into one long blogpost, these days I segregate them into smaller parts. Examples: Data Passing Methods and Three Great Virtues. Some viewers may find this disconcerting, but trust me, it’s for the best. This blogging and stuff is pretty hard work. Gotta pace myself or burn the hell out.

Still, I’ve picked up some exciting new skills along the way and made plenty of interesting mistakes in the process. So web tutorials and the Spot the Bug series should really be a lot more varied.

Obstacles

Dollar Photo Club, the site where I got most of my images from, folded this year and handed my account over to Adobe Stock. I’m going to miss those really cheap stock photos.

Damn these hurdles.

Some of the content here is mirrored in http://www.teochewthunder.com, a site I sent up to lure in the head-hunters. Maintaining that in tandem with this blog, keeps me busy from time to time.

In the first half of the year, I was also busy with school (What, you think I got this awesome all by my lonesome?), final exams and getting laid off at work (Yes, that particular story will make its way onto this blog in due course. Watch for it!). All in all, it’s been quite an eventful year.

2017 beckons!

Things are looking up, on the professional front as I attempt to ride on the momentum of my modest accomplishments. I’m in another job, surrounded by people smarter than I am, and rediscovering the enthusiasm that so endeared me to my previous employers all those years back.

Thanks for reading. I’ll be write back in November! (heh heh)
T___T

TeochewThunder: Year Two (Part 1/2)

Happy 2nd anniversary!

It’s two years to the day I first bit the proverbial bullet and started TeochewThunder. As with yearly tradition, the month of October will be used for introspection, preparation, and, ahem, a little break.

Every once in a while, I find it prudent to remind myself - and others - why I chose to start this blog in the first place.

Someone told me that I should be spending more time honing my craft instead of little vanity projects like my blog. Blimey, mate. Is that what you think I’m doing, stroking my ego? If I needed an ego trip, all I need to do is stand in front of a mirror and flex my pectorals. I certainly don’t need to spend those hours writing code, making sure it works and making sure my tutorials make sense.

Check these out, baby.

When you’re writing code for your own amusement, you can be as sloppy as you damn well please. When you’re writing it for the public eye and have to explain every bloody line, that brings your game up to a whole new level.

Think I’m not honing my craft? You’re watching me do it, right under your nose.

I kid you not. Looking back at some of the tutorials I’ve written in the past year, some of it might be charitably described as “amateurish”. Riddled with bad practices and excruciatingly inefficient in parts. But if I hadn’t bothered with the blog; indeed, if I’d just been happy to work nine-to-five and call it a day, none of this terrible, terrible content would have been written and I wouldn’t have learned from it.

So understand this - if you like what I’ve written and get value from it, I’m happy for you. If you don’t; you think my writing is abysmal, and my insights are naive and misguided, that’s OK too. Make no mistake: Ultimately I’m not writing this blog for you. I’m doing it for me.

Speaking of which, you could be forgiven for thinking that some of the code is horrible and a castrated monkey could do much better. But the idea behind the code is what really counts; and if you can implement those ideas with better code, good on you. Do it, and share!

Some more feedback I’ve received pertain to certain observations I’ve made, particularly those in the category Life as An Economic Digit. Apparently, people enjoy the brutal honesty, but some think I could be hurting my professional opportunities with the public criticism I’ve leveled towards companies such as Fixx Digital, and towards practices in the industry I regard as fucking retarded somewhat antiquated. Apparently, prospective employers like their employees docile and neutered.

It’s not that I don’t see their point, or appreciate the concern… but really, what professional opportunities? Like maybe some hotshot company will be interested in hiring me, but drop the idea once they see what I really think of some industry practices that they may have adopted, and get all butthurt about it? Are such companies even worth wasting time on? Or maybe I’m hurting my chances of being hired with great pay and a senior-sounding title? Trust me, that particular ship pretty much left the harbor some time back. Years ago, I made the decision not to spend time climbing corporate ladders and chasing meaningless fancy titles, and instead invested that time into building stuff, like an actual developer.

Maybe if I pretend not to see it...

Let’s face it - none of the observations and comments I’ve made are particularly insightful or groundbreaking. It’s stuff most of us would have realized at some point or other. It’s simply that many choose to lay low and keep quiet about it, hoping that their patience will be rewarded if they suck it up long enough.

Rubbish.

Dudes, your roadmap to success and promotion was ordained the moment you joined the organization. Not getting into trouble isn’t going to significantly increase your chances of getting that raise or promotion. The best you could hope for is not to get fired.

I don’t have some fancy managerial position to lose, nor some glamorous job at a Fortune 500 company. Therefore I should feel free to call bullshit out as and when I fucking please. In fact, I don’t have an excuse not to. Because I care about this shit. Way more than I care about living in a nice house, driving a nice car and having a bombastic title on my calling card.

Phew!

OK, with those rants out of the way, it’s time to report on the highs, lows, hits and misses of late 2015 to the third quarter of 2016.

Next

TeochewThunder’s loosely presented statistics.

On the fast track: Project Nilgiri

At the beginning of the year, we took a look at Facebook's Free Basics, and how that initiative was panning out in India. As it happened, not very well. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a ban on Free Basics, leaving Facebook out in the cold and Mark Zuckerberg back to the drawing board.

Fast forward eight months later...

Google has had a great deal more success in India as Google Fiber and Indian Railways negotiated a partnership. This has recently come to be known as Project Nilgiri. (You were expecting something like "Goograil" or "Indian Fiber"? Dude...)

Free WiFi!

What's Project Nilgiri?

I'm going to keep it simple (and it really is that simple) and say that Google builds WiFi stations all throughout the train stations operated by Indian Railways. To date, it's covered 10 of these and looks to be building on that number by the end of this year. What this means is that passengers on the train now have access to free WiFi at staggeringly high internet speeds for about 30 minutes upon the issuance of a one-time password. The access persists after the time limit but at a reduced rate.

The target is 400 railway stations, making Project Nilgiri the largest WiFi network in India, ever.

That's not all. This is only Phase One. Phase Two involves providing WiFi to moving trains, not just train stations!

What's in it for Google?

I'd like to believe that it's purely because Google CEO Sundar Pichai  was born in India and thus would like to aid in its economic growth. But let's get real and look at the huge amount of exposure and potential deals Google is going to get from this. Already, usage has hit astonishing heights as users stream music, videos, even porn, at the railway stations. I bet this hasn't hurt Indian Railway's consumer rate either. And that's considering Google Fiber and Indian Railways are not even done yet!

There are licensing costs associated with being an ISP in India. With this partnership, Google probably will not have to be overly concerned about those costs. In short - brilliant!

Now the burning question...

Why did Google succeed where Facebook failed so spectacularly? I mean, approval from TRAI aside, the reception to the Project Nilgiri seems to have garnered much less controversy and way less resistance. I have some theories about this...

Nationality

It could all just boil down to skin color. Sundar Pichai is India-born. Mark Zuckerberg comes across as the white boy trying to muscle in on India territory. Personally, I think kind of mentality is so last century, but I won't discount the possibility.

Keeping it simple

Project Nilgiri is presented as a value-add rather than a product in itself. Take the train and you get free high speed WiFi. No fuss, no caveats, no conditions. Free Basics, on the other hand, makes someone jumps through a whole lot of hoops and then subjects them to restrictions. Buy a SIM card, register an account and only certain sites are free for access, yadda yadda.

No Preaching

Facebook makes an awfully big song and dance about eliminating poverty and bringing Internet access to the impoverished masses. That's a big dream, a noble dream. Always good to aim high. And no, I don't doubt Zuckerberg's sincerity. But yes, fairly or not, the whole thing does smack of condescension. And people react negatively to that.

Google has kept their aims manageable. Give train passengers free WiFi. That's all there is to it. No grand marketing campaign to sell the nobility of the enterprise, no epic scope, at least not on a moral level. Far more achievable, and something people can get behind.

The epic irony is, Google may have done more towards lifting India out of third-world status without actually even (apparently) meaning to.

Conclusion

Whatever the case is, Project Nilgiri appears to be going places. It'll be exciting to see how this impacts India as a whole eventually.

Is that railly cool, or what?!
T___T