Cyber Security levels

Hannibal7 · Oct 19, 2013

Does anyone know the level of security that is used at places like NSA and the Pentagon (in terms of encryption and code)? I'm looking for appropriate jargon a character uses to illustrate the complexity of his hack.
E.g. The character performs a hack and the results are questioned. He replies " You try hacking a 123 HEX encrypted code". Obviously I've made this type of code up, but am looking for accurate jargon that would show the high level of security in place and it's difficultly to hack.

Any help? Thanks

Bufty · Oct 19, 2013

"You try hacking a 123 HEX encrypted code".

That type of phrase would work for me. I don't know exactly what codes they use in the Pentagon or NASA - why should I?

Williebee · Oct 19, 2013

Spend a bit of time at slashdot.org, looking for encryption stories. You'll get several examples to choose from.

wendymarlowe · Oct 19, 2013

The really secret stuff is behind an air gap - literally in labs where the computers have no access to the internet and there are no cameras, cell phones, thumb drives, etc. allowed. You need security clearance to get into the lab at all, and you can only take data IN, not OUT - meaning programmers make changes on a test copy of a program, take it in to the lab, run the program with the secret data, see what works, destroy the disk, then go back to their office empty-handed and either use the changes they already wrote (since they still have a copy of the program, minus the secret data, in their own computers) or modify further.

benbradley · Oct 19, 2013

Read "The Code Book" by Simon Singh. Read up on PGP. Read up on its author and what happened to him.

To be frank, you must intimately know the relationship between Bob and Alice.

Cyber Security levels

Hannibal7

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Williebee

Capeless, wingless, & yet I fly.

wendymarlowe

writer, mother, geek

benbradley

It's a doggy dog world