Russian spies protect info with old-school tech

[jes]

Russian spies protect info with old-school tech

Russian security services prefer old-fashioned technology over computers when dealing with sensitive information

 

[Ninja'd]

I thought it was because they were so far behind with all the technology.


Who am I to talk. I live in SA.

 

[MKFrost]

Is this forum available in paper format?

 

[BeVonk!]

Well, paper has worked in this regard for a very long time. When few people need access - and the use is very limited - it works just fine. It is when you want to distribute information widely that it cannot work, and that is not what you do with secrets.

 

[BeVonk!]

Will the Russians start training carrier pigeons also? For those that do not know what I'm referring to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_pigeon LOL!

 

[Ninja'd]

Will the Russians start training carrier pigeons also? For those that do not know what I'm referring to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_pigeon LOL!

Who wouldn't know?

 

[ToxicBunny]

I can guarantee you this is not new, and every government is doing it this way.

 

[BeVonk!]

Who wouldn't know?

Was a joke. Obviously everybody knows. This is thread is about secrets ...

 

[Ninja'd]

Was a joke. Obviously everybody knows. This is thread is about secrets ...

Oh

In Soviet Russia jokes get you.

 

[lucifir]

reminds of the space race, where the USA was investing millions to get a pen that can write in space, while the Russians used a pencil .... sometimes, the simply things work best

 

[BeVonk!]

It is not what is "smart", but what is wise. This is where so many technology things go wrong.

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Do they encrypt the words before setting them down on paper?

 

[Ninja'd]

Do they encrypt the words before setting them down on paper?

Their alphabet.

 

[BeVonk!]

Do they encrypt the words before setting them down on paper?

They mix up the keys every day. They have ex-Olivetti mechanics that do that. The reader must know the date to know the key sequence for that day. LOL!

 

[Cloud]

Do they encrypt the words before setting them down on paper?

They write them backwards so people cannot read it.

HINT: Use a mirror. Shhht....

 

[BeVonk!]

They use a computer algorithm to do the typing ...

 

[ChocolateBadger]

if you burn paper, it's gone forever. Smash a HDD and there's still a chance for that info to be recovered.

 

[InvisibleJim]

I can guarantee you this is not new, and every government is doing it this way.

Maybe for the most exceptionally sensitive data but for day to day secret stuff many (most) would have dedicated, isolated and strictly secured systems.

The Russians have good reason to be wary though. They have their own track record or executing technical attacks over the years and also probably have a pretty shrewd idea of the capabilities arrayed against them from other nations.

 

[grim]

Our own government also does this with very sensitive info

 

[Dolby]

WTF do they find typewriters to order?

On another note, I'd hate to be the typrewriters manufacturers sales rep ...