On: Bunnie Huang and Edward Snowden’s Malware-Detectin...

[PhantomGremlin]

Articles like this make me wonder how journalists were able to do their jobs before the ubiquity of cellphones.

Here's an analogy to what's happening:

Since you're a high value journalist, a state actor has helpfully assigned an FBI-type agent as your minder. And now you're debating whether you should put a blindfold and earplugs on your minder before attending an important meeting with him in tow. Or, alternately, you're debating on whether you should add a gag to him to keep him from reporting back to his superiors.

But, the minder is resourceful. He has trained for the possibility of a blindfold. So he might remove it at opportune times and take a peek at what's happening. Or, when gagged, he is prepared to report back by tapping out a message with his fingers, using Morse code.

In short, I think it's a Sisyphean struggle to try to keep the minder from reporting back. Instead, just leave the minder elsewhere, far away from important discussions.

There is no way a few amateurs with soldering irons will be able to successfully and continually thwart state actors. Don't play their game!

[robert_foss → PhantomGremlin]

Do play their game. Raise the costs of your opponent.

[tedunangst → robert_foss]

What happens when the NSA's costs are doubled? Do they track half as many targets or do they spend twice as much money?

[happyopossum → tedunangst]

They likely do a bit of both, and do it all less well.