spike

@spike@infosec.exchange

I am a meat popsicle.

This is Andrew Brandt's non-work profile, where I may discuss information security topics as well as non-infosec things that are on my mind.

I'm a malware researcher and writer about security topics for an infosec vendor, and a volunteer docent at the Media Archaeology Lab retrocomputing lab (https://post.lurk.org/@mediaarchaeologylab) at the University of Colorado, Boulder. I hack old stuff and also, occasionally, fix it. Drinker of beer, player of videogames, and nerdcore enthusiast.

Earlier in my career I was a journalist, but always a technologist. I worked for PC World and MacUser magazines as an editor. I was also a staff writer for the UC Berkeley student-run newspaper, the Daily Californian. In the mid-90s I worked for KRON-TV in San Francisco on a tech magazine show called Next Step that was syndicated internationally on Discovery networks.

For purely malware- and security-related toots, please follow https://infosec.exchange/@threatresearch

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

spike, to random

Hi @jcs - I'm using a BlueSCSI in a very old PowerBook, and I found your WiFi Desk Accessory download. Thanks for releasing that. According to my BlueSCSI log file and the DA, the laptop is connecting to the WiFi network preconfigured in the bluescsi.ini file, and things like the Lynx browser actually work!

However, I cannot figure out why, when I try to install the DaynaPORT software, it displays this weird error message during install.

I also can't figure out why (despite the browsers being able to load websites) the router that I am connecting to does not seem to show the Pi W MAC address (also configured in the bluescsi.ini file) in its admin interface's list of connected devices. Do you have any advice?

taylorlorenz, to random
@taylorlorenz@mastodon.social avatar

The former BlackBerry addict in me desperately wants to try this https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/4/24024957/clicks-iphone-keyboard-case-iphone-14-15-lightning-usb-c

spike,

@taylorlorenz one of the most common reactions people have to the @mediaarchaeologylab mobile phone collection is the visceral joy when they pick up a Blackberry or the G1 and touch a physical phone keyboard for the first time. I know I prefer using them as well. I'm surprised these aren't more common.

BleepingComputer, to random

Hackers are increasingly targeting verified accounts on X (formerly Twitter) belonging to government and business profiles and marked with 'gold' and 'grey' checkmarks to promote cryptocurrency scams.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-hijack-govt-and-business-accounts-on-x-for-crypto-scams/

spike,

@BleepingComputer criminals. You mean criminals.

BlackAzizAnansi, to random
@BlackAzizAnansi@mas.to avatar

Drop one of your family secrets.

spike,

@BlackAzizAnansi my mother had a sister, older than her, who ran away from home at age 18. Nobody had seen or heard from her since. My generation often wondered about her, but then we found out that she was extremely abusive towards her siblings, a bit of a sadist, and the reason nobody talked about her was that she was so reviled everyone was relieved when she finally ran away.

spike, to random

Pretty good turnout for our @mediaarchaeologylab demo/hangout party with @Leeborg showing off the Slow Scan Selfie Station

image/jpeg
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catsalad, to random

Be the reason someone close this app...

spike,

@catsalad bah dum psssh 🥁

jerry, to random

I look forward to the day that we can get back to arguing about things like why vim is so much better than emacs.

spike,

@jerry oh no, the argument nobody knows how to exit from?

spike, to random

It has been incredibly cool to have the Trans-Harmonium set up in the front room of @mediaarchaeologylab this month. Everyone who walks in is transfixed by it. No surprise that it ended up on Hackaday today.

I wanted to share this short video clip of what 70+ clock radios look like in a darkened room. I shot this video yesterday in the MAL and it reminded me of a holiday light installation.

https://hackaday.com/2023/12/13/the-trans-harmonium-is-a-strange-kind-of-radio-musical-instrument/?replytocom=6707647#respond

The Trans-Harmonium in

ai6yr, to random
@ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org avatar

Another local radio amateur down with COVID-19.... appears to be a local surge within my social circle (got it from his wife, who caught it at a funeral... or he got it at the same funeral and only showing signs now). Worth missing this one, mask up. No one is enjoying being sick, and we already have a number of folks with long COVID, no need to add more. #covid19

spike,

@ai6yr People who have been following author @violetblue and her Pandemic Roundup newsletter are not surprised by any of this. https://www.patreon.com/posts/pandemic-roundup-94248334

#COVIDIsNotOver and the new variant, while perhaps less deadly than previous ones, is no less pernicious

jerry, to random

Ok, y'all shamed me into switching to Firefox on my personal computers and on my phone.

spike,

@jerry welcome to my world!

lcamtuf, to random

Every time you see a headline about "shoppers spending record amounts", "a film grossing the most in history", "companies having record profits", and so on... yes, but that's also just how inflation works.

spike,

@lcamtuf I recognize that "top grossing film" PR teams never, ever disclose ticket sale quantities, only numbers involving dollars.

MLE_online, to random
@MLE_online@social.afront.org avatar

ceramics class! I got two of my pieces back from glazing

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spike,

@MLE_online ooh cool! Did you swirl different clays or is that underglaze?

mcc, to random
@mcc@mastodon.social avatar

Me: Why the fuck is my RAM at 44% in use when no programs are running

Task Manager: So here's a list of electron apps that do nothing but display an icon in the task tray

spike,

@mcc jeebus, Dropbox, what is you doing?

GeForce "Experience" - experience the slow degradation of performance!

jerry, to random

There’s a lot of consternation in the fediverse lately about instances blocking each other, admins fighting, blocklists, and the like. If you’re on an instance that blocks other communities you want to participate in, politely ask your moderators/administrators to reconsider. If they disagree, I recommend moving to a different instance rather than a prolonged argument. Some administrators prefer erring on the side of over blocking and protecting their user base than being permissive and expose their userbase to riff raff or, in some instances, just to avoid the appearance of being too permissive to other instances.

Life is short. Find an instance that works for you.

(Edit: and the converse is true - if your instance is overly permissive and you are regularly being harassed or otherwise bothered and your moderators aren’t responding as you expect, find another instance that is better aligned to your needs. Life is still too short. Find an instance that works for you)

spike,

@jerry I recently discovered that this instance blocked one where I wanted to boost a post. It was disconcerting to not understand what was happening at first. I just assume you're using your best judgment, but I wish the experience was clearer.

spike,

@monkeyflower @jerry @threatresearch Same. I don't want this to come across of criticism of you, Jerry. It's the user experience that's a problem. Sometimes, stuff from another instance simply won't load in this instance's UI and I just cannot figure out why not.

ntnsndr, to random
@ntnsndr@social.coop avatar

Mastodon running on an Apple IIc at the @mediaarchaeologylab!!!

spike,

@ntnsndr @mediaarchaeologylab Nice work, Nathan!

spike,

@colin_mcmillen @andrewbrandt @ntnsndr @mediaarchaeologylab Thank you, that's very helpful. Since I'm also a MAL docent I'll reach out to Nathan to discuss the specific proxy settings/devices he used in the lab to accomplish this, so I can use it myself when I'm in the lab

spike,

@mediaarchaeologylab @colin_mcmillen @andrewbrandt @ntnsndr ah awesome! I regret that I missed this

billgoats, to random
@billgoats@bitbang.social avatar

newton tootin'

spike,

@billgoats Will you be posting a tutorial for others to follow? I'd love to try this with one of the @mediaarchaeologylab Newtons

spike,

@billgoats @mediaarchaeologylab It is, so I've got a little setup to do but that is precisely my level of kludge 😜​

spike,

@billgoats @mediaarchaeologylab One of my colleagues managed to get up on Mastodon today using an Apple II, so there's hope!

https://social.coop/@ntnsndr/111087487343826962

spike, to commodore64

Visiting artist-in-residence @raquelmeyers was at the @mediaarchaeologylab this past week, working on some #Commodore64 #Demoscene projects and I got to see up close how she creates visual graphics of incredible depth and richness using only a keyboard and #PETSCII graphical sprites.

#retrocomputing #retrogaming

Some of Raquel's PETSCII artwork
The laser cut offcuts from a PETSCII art project Raquel is working on for an exhibit installation

virtualbri, to StarTrek
@virtualbri@mastodon.online avatar

deleted_by_author

    •
    spike,

    @virtualbri @georgetakei may the force be with WGA & SAG-AFTRA

    spike, to retrocomputing

    SPACE - the final frontier #retrocomputing #TRS80

    ElleGray, to random
    @ElleGray@mstdn.social avatar

    deleted_by_author

    •
    spike,

    @ElleGray I knew it!

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