text:
Bees: Providing Nutrition, Generating Income and Conserving Biodiversity
In nearly all countries of the world, bees and their products are not only common and have wide consumer demands, but such activities provide sustainable livelihoods to many small-scale farmers and other business people.
Beekeeping (apiculture) is the practice of managing honey-bee colonies to collect honey for consumption, marketing, pollinating crops, and getting advantage of other products that the hive produces such as the beeswax, propolis, pollen, and royal jelly or even producing bees for sale to other beekeepers, says Mr. Zaid Tekle, an expert and manager of Bee and poultry reproduction in the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). In Eritrea, there are thousands of subsistence and commercial beekeepers.
As in many other countries in the world where honey bees naturally occur, Eritrean communities have had a long history of harvesting honey from the wild or in traditionally managed colonies. During the Feudal era, local lords used honey as a tax. Italians also engaged in honeybee production activities. But in a more integrated, commercial wax bee farming started after independence. After the 1998 initiative, a sound and practical study started in the areas where bee reproduction is suitable to practice. Farmers began to be introduced to modern and economically efficient bee farming. The MoA launched a campaign to augment honey production in the country by supporting farmers with the necessary equipment for beekeeping start-up. The objective was for every family to have its own bee colony to produce for its own consumption and the market. During the initial period, the project went through several setbacks. But after the year 2000 specialists in bee farming began to get training and the sector experienced a significant leap forward. As the honey reproduction centers of the MoA has been giving trainings and extension services to several farmers, the number of beekeepers has been increasing. As a result, commercial beekeeping in Eritrea has been improving in quality and increasing in quantity in nearly the last two decades.
The Ministry of Agriculture encourages bee farming especially because hives can be placed anywhere convenient and it do not use up land that can be used for cultivation. Bees collect nectar and pollen wherever they can find it, including wastelands.
"The main mission of bees in our planet is not merely honey production but has to do with cross pollination and conserving nature" says Mr. Zaid. Nectar and pollen are not used by other livestock: only bees use these resources. Therefore bees can freely use the nutrients of the plants. Pollination of plants increases their seed production and, thus, contributes to their maintenance, increase in agricultural production, conservation of natural biodiversity and its sustainability. Their role is not readily recognized, even though bees are needed for the pollination of many crops and for maintaining biodiversity. Usually a honeybee can visit between 50 to 1000 flowers in one trip, which takes between 30 minutes to 4 hours. A colony with 25,000 forager bees, each making 10 trips a day, is able to pollinate 250 million flowers. Without bees, all valuable agricultural resources could not be harvested.
According to Mr. Zaid, there are over 20,000 species of bees in the world, all of which belong to the super-family Apoidea. Most of them lead solitary lives. A few species, however, are social, leading a community life in a colony. The most common "domesticated" honey bees are not more than four to five sub-species known for producing honey, making it worthwhile to keep them. Apis is, furthermore, the only genus in the Apinae subfamily among whose species Apis mellifera is of greatest economic importance that is common in Eritrea. These species are commonly known around the world and most studies are made on them. These include Apis mellifera, A. m. scutellata, A. mellifera yementica, A. serrna, A. dorssata, flore. These sub families have been found to have specific behavioral and morphological characteristics, and their variation has some implications for bee-keeping practice. The MoA regularly conducts researche and surveys on the best type of species suitable to Eritrea and introduces them to the farmers.
According to Mr. Zaid Apis mellifera is one of the honey producing bees and has been introduced in most regions of the world. This species has African origin. Another species which has economic value in Eritrea is Apis serana. Apis serana migrated from the Middle East and can also be found around Europe. It is confined in this places. Apis dorsata is another bee species that is found in southern Asia. This species is much harder to keep in one place, but farmers collect the produce areas where the colony is found. The fourth species is known by the name flore. Flore is found in Afghanistan and Iran but has migrated to our country in the last three years. Similarly, this species is also difficult to keep in hives. It lives in trees and caves.
There are also stingless bees in our country. Bee species known by the local name "Teqeray" is one of them. A. mellifera yementica species lives in the eastern lowlands of Eritrea all the way up to Yemen but A. m. scutellata is mostly found in the highlands. In Eritrea the most commonly reared bee species are known by the local names "Teqeray" and "Tsgenay" which represent Apis mellifera mentcosa and A. m. yemenitica sub-species of honeybee. Regarding their behavior and morphological characteristics, Mr. Zaid says, "the former make home in the ground and big tree holes. In spite of limited research, the honey harvested from this species is very low compared to the latter. From one colony of this species a quarter of a kilo honey can be harvested". For this reason Eritrean farmers do not prefer to keep the Apis mellifera mentcosa. The traditional and most commonly kept bee species in the highlands is A. mellifera from which most of the honey we get comes.
Eritrea is one of the largest honey producing countries in Africa and has favorable climate for bee farming. The southern region is the most endowed in agro-ecology for bee farming in Eritrea. A study conducted by the Ministry found that the vicinities of Tsaeda-Qelay, Endagergsh, May-alba, Tserona, Hazemo, Deqi-lefay, Hademti, Mayaini, Qelay-beatit, Segheneiti, Ala, Adi-felesti, and Areza in the southern region are conducive for bee farming. However, deforestation and chemical use in agricultural fields remains a concern. This can damage honey production at national level. Trees make good places for bees to live and give wild bees nesting places, plenty of food to eat and shade. Therefore, preserving existing forest areas and enriching the environment with a variety of wild vegetation is of paramount importance in enhancing the sector.
In total, around 16 thousand traditional and 7 thousand registered bee-colonies in modern hives exist in the country. There are also estimated thousands of unregistered hives throughout the rural area. An increasing number of beekeepers associations are supplying their products to the market. An organized way of doing the activity is enabling the farmers to command market prices, share experiences and provide quality products. Mr. Zaid says that the Ministry regularly conducts research on the behaviors and adaptability of certain kinds of species with the aim of enhancing honey production both in quality and quantity which can be helpful economically to farmers. Based on the research conducted, the Ministry gives training to farmers on management and colony splitting, proper hive making and seasonal bee colony management practices. The adoption rate of modern beekeeping has been improved substantially after skill development training took place and appropriate beehives were produced.
Honey has been valued highly as a sweetener since early times in human history. The content and color of honey is influenced by the kind of forage the bees extract. This product can be consumed as it is as table honey, and also as an ingredient for making candies from wax, conserved fruits, juices, cakes and cooked foods. It has a long history of a very wide range of use. In our communities a respected guest is provided with honey and "Kicha", a traditional staple. It is also used to make beverages like Brzi, a drink made up of Siwa and honey. But this is used in holidays and special occasions, mostly in the rural area.
Honey, like other bee products, has a tasty and nutritional value and contributes to the overall health of farm families. In many societies bee products are used in traditional medicine and are an integral part of traditional health care. Bee products provide improved nutrition, and consequently, better health for farm families and others in local communities. Honey is a useful source of high-carbohydrate, and contains a rich diversity of minerals, vitamins and others, adding nutritional variety to human diets (FAO, 2009). Honey provides improved physical performance, resistance to fatigue and improved mental efficiency (FAO, 2006). Honey also is said to improve food assimilation (FAO, 2006). It is commonly indicated as a 'lifesaver' for people in critical health (CTA, 2005). Similar to Eritrea, bee brood and adult bees are consumed in many countries and in some are considered a treat. Brood and adult bees contain reasonable amounts of protein (FAO, 2006).
Many bee products have a good value in local markets and are easily tradable. Honey, for example, requires few inputs and has a good cash value related to bulk and weight. Honey is also easy to transport to distant markets. If appropriately extracted and processed, it can become a nonperishable providing sales of the product well beyond the main harvest times. This can provide a more constant and regular income for the farm families. Beekeeping is a fairly easy activity to start and this can benefit the disadvantaged sections of a society, for example, females and people with disabilities. Furthermore, traders and others benefit from a strong beekeeping industry. Other local traders benefit by making hives and other equipment, and from using and selling the products. Thus, it creates employment and mitigates poverty level.
In Eritrea, in many rural areas, various forms of beekeeping have been in practice for many years. One of the future aims of the Ministry of Agriculture is to improve honey production by forming associations, conducting research and giving training to farmers. By introducing beekeeping as a business and building on pre-existent skills it will improve the knowledge and capacity of small-scale farmers. This will enhance local traditions in beekeeping while developing such an enterprise for the benefit of many in the local community. This is not meant to deviate from the use of acquired techniques and equipment in the locality, but enhance and improve them.
The Shining Forth
The Last Black Unicorn is in Eritrea
Eritrea: Date Palm Plantations Progressing to Semi-Commercial Stage
Urban Transportation: The Case of Asmara
Water Resources Development in the Southwest Gash-Barka Part II and Final
Water Resources Development in the Southwest Gash-Barka – Part I


Airsoft suppressors can mount in different ways so it will depend on the model you pick and the host airsoft gun for compatibility. Screw on types will be in the common -14mm (CCW) thread though occasionally you will find +14mm (CW) thread guns and accessories as well. Research your gun carefully to determine the thread on the barrel before purchasing a mock airsoft suppressor.
The real Gemtech Blackside was designed specifically for the .45 caliber 1911s to be simple and ultra reliable. The name Blackside came from its background in being developed for reconnaissance missions as well as direct action for certain specific US military units who run the 1911. Though in airsoft terms, this can will work for any muzzle that is threaded 14mm counter-clockwise and can be used to enhance your rifles as well.
Gemtech in real life makes firearm suppressors for all types of weapons and have been doing so for the civilian and military community for many decades. Madbull produces high quality licensed aftermarket accessories for the airsoft world. You will find exciting replicas of Noveske, Daniel Defense, PWS, Gemtech and more from Madbull.


text:
Angela Hill & David Owen
Co-Founders, Idea Books
retailers 2018
The duo turned a niche fashion archive bookstore into a destination beloved by fashion insiders.
London-based Angela Hill and David Owen are the duo behind Idea Books, the industry's go-to for rare, vintage and out-of-print tomes on fashion, photography and design and an indispensable resource for creatives including Clare Waight Keller and Nicolas Ghesquière. What began as a niche fashion archive book retailer has transformed into a publishing house and a seller of books and merchandise, with a stand in Dover Street Market .
Hill came from a background in fashion, having previously worked for Comme des Garçons and Browns, as well as assisting fashion editors and stylists in the late 1980s. She went onto pursue a career as a photographer, co-founding a magazine in the 1990s. Owen began as a journalist and editor of magazines on graphic design, photography and advertising. He then turned to the music business, digital and television, co-creating a show called Flipside.
The pair turned to Idea full-time — having always collected numerous copies of their favourite books — when Colette's Sarah Andelman suggested selling some of Owen's books at her store. When Hill pitched the idea of a pop-up shop to the St. Martins Lane Hotel, Idea Books was born, an acronym of the first name initials of Hill and Owen's family. They began selling books at Dover Street Market in 2006 and now have a presence in, New York, LA, Tokyo and CdG Trading Museum Paris. Idea's e-commerce site also sells branded merchandise and they have published a number of books for photographers Collier Schorr and Willy Vanderperre and designer Gosha Rubchinskiy .
Bypassing traditional retail, the company's main communication channel with its clients is Instagram, where they advertise coveted books to it's 380,000 followers for purchase on on a first come, first served basis.
Hill and Owen live in London with their two children.
Former President of Tmall Fashion and Luxury, Alibaba Group
Tom & Ruth Chapman
Co-Founders & Joint Chairmen, MatchesFashion.com
Maria Luisa Poumaillou
Tiziana Cardini
Fashion Director, La Rinascente
instagram.com/idea.ltd
ideanow.online
Latest from BoF
Socialite Harry Brant Found Dead
Report: De Beers Raises Diamond Prices Most in Years
Is Hedi Slimane's Celine Working?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Martin Luther King Day 2023
The Stone of Hope, a granite statue of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., stands at his memorial in Washington, DC.
On the third Monday of each January, Americans honor the memory of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King.
On the third Monday of each January, Americans honor the memory of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was a Baptist minister from the southern state of Alabama, and a leader in the fight against racial inequality in the United States. On January 15th, he would have celebrated his 94th birthday.
The one hundred years or so that began in 1865 with the end of the U.S. Civil war and the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which outlawed slavery, and the upheavals of the late 1960s, when hundreds of thousands of Americans took to the streets to demand civil rights protections for politically under-represented groups including racial minorities and women, most of the African American population was subject to so-called Jim Crow laws.
These were state and local statutes that legalized racial segregation and blatant discrimination, which were then violently enforced by government authorities and civilian vigilante groups. African Americans who sought to change this system of virtual apartheid were met with disproportionate violence that all too often resulted in the activists' death.
In this atmosphere, Dr. King, who adhered to Mahatma Gandhi's doctrine of nonviolent protest, led his followers in staging mass-action boycotts, sit-ins, peaceful marches and other non-violent acts of civil disobedience. The frequently extreme retaliation against the protestors only served to demonstrate to the rest of the country the urgent need for change.
Dr. King's, and the Civil Rights Movement's years-long push for more equitable treatment under the law culminated in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed segregation in public places, as well as employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender or national origin.
Dr. King did not have the luxury of time to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968, at the age of 39. Nonetheless, within a decade, segregationist laws were repealed, and today discrimination is a reviled and legally punishable offence.
"Today, people of all backgrounds continue that march — raising their voices to confront abuses of power, challenge hate and discrimination, protect the right to vote, and access quality jobs, health care, housing, and education," said President Joe Biden. "On this day, we reflect on the legacy of a man who issued a call to the conscience of our Nation and our world."
Reflecting the Views of the U.S. Government as Broadcast on The Voice of America
Neglected Tropical Diseases Day 2023
Dealing With the New Face of Corruption
Austin on U.S. Assistance to Ukraine
Holocaust Remembrance Day 2023
Biden on the Future of U.S.-Japan Relations
An Opportunity for Peace in Yemen, But Concerns Remain
The United States and Japan Strengthen Their Alliance


Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the number of uninsured Californians before the Affordable Care Act. There were 6.5 million uninsured Californians in 2013. The article also referred to Orange County's safety net program as only serving U.S. citizens — it also serves legal permanent residents.
In the outpatient waiting room at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Spanish and Chinese chatter spills from pharmacy windows as other patients doze on chairs or play on their phones.
When the overhead speaker beckons, they step forward with stacks of paperwork and walk out with brown paper prescription bags. The room is bustling with patients using Healthy San Francisco, one of California's most comprehensive county health programs for people who don't qualify for state or federal insurance because of their immigration status. Other counties cover fewer people, offer only basic services, or exclude the undocumented entirely.
As California looks at how to care for its remaining uninsured, the shifting patchwork of local programs will play a bigger — or smaller — role depending on the success of Gov. Gavin Newsom's expansion plans. And while comprehensive care is elusive for the undocumented in all California counties, where a person lives can make all the difference in whether health care is available at all outside of emergency rooms.
Alice Kurniadi, a program manager with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, says getting people both preventive and follow-up care is key to bringing down costs and helping people live longer.
A new report released Thursday by the Insure the Uninsured Project, a nonprofit group pushing for universal health care, shows that county programs for the medically indigent are generally serving fewer people now than they did before the Affordable Care Act. At the same time, more counties are offering some level of care to their undocumented population than ever before.
Because health providers seldom ask patients about immigration status, there's no way to calculate how many undocumented people are served through county-run clinics and hospitals. But advocates say it's a small fraction of the state's 1.5 million undocumented and uninsured people in California, many of whom seek treatment only in emergency situations. Under state law, hospitals must treat all emergency patients.
Most counties provide primary care but getting care for chronic conditions that require specialists can be difficult. Counties with the leanest benefits leave people with untreated diabetes, hypertension or cancer — conditions that can lead to much more severe illness or even preventable death, according to Laurel Lucia, director of the Health Care Program at the UC Berkeley Labor Center.
Undocumented children are currently covered by Medi-Cal and the full cost of their non-emergency care is paid by the state.
But when it comes to undocumented adults, some counties are reluctant to cover non-emergency care because they would have to foot the entire bill. Others simply feel it isn't their responsibility.
Anthony Wright, president of the consumer group Health Access, says counties vary "widely and wildly" in what they offer this population.
Before the Affordable Care Act took effect in 2014, county health departments treated all sorts of people without insurance, including single adults, homeless individuals and people who made too much money to qualify for state programs. At that time, the state had 6.5 million uninsured.
But when California broadened Medi-Cal eligibility and created the Covered California health exchange, many of those people gained insurance coverage and stopped relying on their counties for free or subsidized care. The state also shifted the amount of funding going to counties to cover the medically indigent.
That opened a door for counties to either run smaller programs or start covering people they'd previously excluded. The number of county programs serving medically indigent adults regardless of immigration status jumped from 11 to 47 between October 2017 and July 2018, according to the report from the Insure the Uninsured Project.
Still, standards of care vary. Some counties provide people with a card, but it's not the same as having health insurance. It's just a way to show eligibility for subsidized care in a county clinic, a public hospital, or a provider the county is contracting with.
For instance, Sacramento County's Healthy Partners program launched in 2016 to offer services to the uninsured, regardless of immigration status. It was open to adults who are already enrolled in restricted scope Medi-Cal, younger than 64 and below a certain income bracket — roughly $16,548 a year for an individual or $34,638 a year for a family of four.
The program originally had a 3,000-patient cap, though there are an estimated 65,000 undocumented adults in the county. Immigrant advocacy groups successfully fought to raise the cap to 4,000 patients and remove the upper age limit in 2018, but it still falls far short of the requests for medical care.
Holandesa Lopez left Nicaragua 17 years ago. She sought a better life in California, but found herself longing for the family and career she had left back home. Though the shock of her new life often sent her into bouts of depression, her immigration status kept her from seeking help.
Five years ago, she developed a problem she couldn't ignore — an abdominal pain so intense she would lie on the floor until it went away. When it became unbearable, she went to the hospital for help in hopes of using her emergency Medi-Cal to receive care.
An exam and MRI showed she had a mass in her pancreas, but the hospital wouldn't take it out.
Back at the hospital a year later, doctors told Lopez the benign mass had doubled in size, but they couldn't operate because it wasn't an emergency. She eventually got pro bono surgery at another hospital through a charity program.
Now, she gets her care — including therapy —at WellSpace Health, a network of community clinics. But she worries that won't suffice if she ever needs surgery again. Sacramento County's Healthy Partners program covers specialty services and inpatient hospital care, but Lopez said she'd never heard of it.
If either of two bills moving through the legislature become law, Medi-Cal could expand to all income-qualifying adults. Lopez said she would sign up without a second thought.
Some counties band together to fund health programs for the undocumented. The state-funded County Medical Services Program is a collaboration of 35 rural counties that started offering primary care to this population in 2015, but they didn't cover maternity care, substance abuse treatment or specialty services such as long-term care facilities and mental health.
Starting this year, 13 of those counties are expanding their offerings through a program called Path to Health. By the end of August 2021, an additional 25,000 undocumented adults are expected to enroll. They'll have access to free primary or specialist visits, preventive screenings, minor office procedures and prescription drug services.
Teresa Tillman, interim CEO of the Redwood Community Health Coalition in Northern California, says her group is working quickly to get the word out about the expansion and start enrollment.
Some counties have been adamant that treating the undocumented is not their responsibility. Orange County's Medical Safety Net program, which serves low-income adults at hospitals and community clinics, only serves U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents. The county is home to 271,000 undocumented residents, according to the Migration Policy Institute — more than any county except Los Angeles.
Fresno County won a 2014 lawsuit concluding that it didn't have to cover the undocumented population. David Pomaville, director of public health administration for the county, said they simply couldn't pay for it.
"We would have had to make really draconian cuts to the rest of public health in favor of the undocumented program the way it existed," he said.
The county eventually created a new referral system, which directs patients to community clinics. It currently serves about 400 people. Pomaville said it isn't a sustainable solution.
There are a few different ways counties pay for these services. In San Francisco, care for the undocumented is supported by general fund dollars, and an ordinance requiring certain employers to contribute. There's also a "participant fee" based on a sliding scale. Los Angeles County's program is funded entirely through the county budget. It serves roughly 143,000 people, as of February 2019, and costs the county between $65 million and $67 million a year.
Within days of taking office, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared his ambitions to get all Californians insured, starting with expanding health coverage to undocumented immigrants age 19 to 26.
Financial analysts have estimated that the move will cost $250 million. Newsom has proposed recouping some of it from a cache of money collected through vehicle license fees that currently goes to counties for serving the uninsured.
But Wright, the advocate from Health Access, says that even if some undocumented adults move into Medi-Cal, counties will still need the state money to serve the rest of the uninsured population.
About eight in 10 undocumented immigrants in California are working-age adults who would remain ineligible.
He's part of a coalition of health advocates that's pushing to cover all undocumented people, rather than just young adults. Two bills in the Legislature this session aim to achieve that goal.
The state's Legislative Analyst's Office estimates that full expansion of Medi-Cal would cost nearly $3 billion a year. Newsom has said he doesn't want to overspend on health care just to have to make cuts in the event of a recession.
And opponents of universal health care question whether the medical system has the capacity to take on another influx of patients. After California's first Medi-Cal expansion, newly insured patients struggled to find doctors or waited months for care due to a supply and demand problem that continues today.
But, Wright argues, undocumented immigrants are already interacting with the health system.
"They're just getting care in the least efficient, most expensive way possible," instead of regular care that prevents health problems and treats them early.
Hearings about state funding for county programs serving the medically indigent will be held throughout the rest of March and in April.
This project results from an innovative reporting venture – the USC Center for Health Journalism News Collaborative – which involves print and broadcast outlets across California, all reporting together on the state's uninsured. Outlets include newspapers from the McClatchy Corp., Gannett Co., Southern California News Group, and La Opinion, as well as broadcasters at Univision and Capital Public Radio.
California's individual mandate: A fix for a broken system? Or a penalty on the poor?


And your favorite hot dog is?
What ballpark or dirt water dog will you be eating during the playoffs and World Series?
Pegeen, the food historian in me would like to know the answer to that question but I don't have it. I'm not from Chicago but I loved the city from the first time I set foot in it (unlike Dallas which I continue to hate. You would have to poke me in the eye with a stick to get me to go back there). Chicago has its own unique and wonderful traditions and I take great joy every moment I spend there---unless I get shot. That could happen.
I've lived here for more than 10 years and the only answer I've ever been given to the question of why no ketchup is "because that's how we do it." I sometimes sneak it on anyway. I get away with it as a non-native. People also feel very strongly about their Italian beef sandwiches. More variation is allowed there though (ie dipped or not, giardiniera or not).
Wow, no ketchup? I can live without it myself, mustard is king. But it's hard to believe generations of six-year-olds haven't rioted and burned down the stadiums. Do you happen to know the history behind the "no ketchup" story?
My favorite dog is an all beef kosher dog (usually Hebrew National, Sabarett or in a pinch Nathan's), lightly toasted roll with ketchup and yellow mustard - yep, I said it, Ketchup!
My problem with Nathan's is that where I live most of their brand is sold skinless. That's a hot dog atrocity. You need that "snap" when the skin breaks, which is why I like Gray's when I'm in New York.
As to ketchup, I think the ward bosses in Chicago enforce the rule of no ketchup within a half mile of any hot dog establishment. You won't find it at Wrigley or Comiskey. If you ask the server will just cross his arms and shake his head.
Being part of the Michigan Diaspora, I'll have a coney with onions and mustard while cheering on the Tigers. But that's actually my second-favorite hot dog, the first being a loaded-up Sonoran (wrapped in bacon, with refried beans, guacamole, crema, pickled jalapenos, and the hottest salsa on the cart).
Now the Sonoran dog, wow! That is uniquely Mexican. I'm surprised the Dodgers didn't work it in during the years of Fernando-mania. It's such a degenerate idea that I love it. I don't drink much beer but a bacon wrapped dog with a Corona on the side can't bad, can it?
littleman, fun read. Next time I'm lost in northern NJ will definitely look for Rutt's Hut.
Anything from Top Dog in Berkeley, CA.
Not baseball driven, but a hot dog at Katz's deli, with spicy mustard and sauerkraut. Don't even try to argue. On a different wavelength: the hot dog special at Westville (W. 10th or W. 18th, probably the other branch too) - a choice of 2 Niman Ranch or Hebrew National dogs with fries, salad or a veg side du jour. One of the best deals around and super delicious.
http://www.nicksnestholyoke.com/ The only hotdog I will eat :( so so far away.
And what, pray tell, is disagreeable about a hot dog from Coney Island? New York City includes Brooklyn. :-) I lived close to the Gray's at 72nd & Bway for many years and was a loyal customer. I can't explain why, but Nathan's are better. Maybe it's the Coney Island sand condiment or the ride on the Cyclone.
And you can buy Nathan's nationally.
If I'm going to eat encased meat - as someone here called it - the best is Hallo Berlin's bratwurst or weisswurst. It's not a hot dog - it's wurst. They had a lunch cart at 54th & 5th, and a restaurant on 10th Ave in the 40s. Awesome.
Vienna Chicago style minus the celery salt and onions, or a brat, grilled onions, or one of the really good foot-longs from the super secret hotdog stand near the upper levels on the south-ish side of Wrigley. Oh wait, that would necessitate the Cubs making it to the post-season. I'll stick with the first two.
I ate so many hot dogs (dyed as red as could be) as a kid and now they don't appeal to me. For some reason, I think American hot dogs contain a seasoning that I don't like, because I've had Frankfurters here in Germany that taste just fine. Can't imagine what the seasoning is because there are not many spices that I dislike. And there are very few sausages that I don't like.
Even though I spent half my life in LA (and I am a Dodger fan)I've always thought the Dodger Dog was a sissy dog. It might be a foot long but it doesn't taste like anything. For me the "gold standard" in terms of raw material is the Vienna Beef frank. Backup, Hebrew National all beef, kosher.
Nathan's is a Coney Island dog. For NYC I'm more inclined to go with Gray's Papaya. I just like the "snap" better. I love hot dogs.
My encased-meat-eating habits don't revolve around baseball, but I just had two Boccalone mortadella dogs for breakfast with pickled onions and spicy mustard. I wish I could do this every morning, but for several reasons I can't, including the fact that Boccalone only makes the dogs during baseball season.


text:
Protocol for gossiping "blobs", in no particular order. This is a plugin for [secret-stack](https://github.com/ssbc/secret-stack) and such general information about these type of plugins is [documented in `plugins.md` in that repository](https://github.com/ssbc/secret-stack/blob/master/PLUGINS.md).

## Protocol

When two peers connect, they request the blobs they "want" from each other.
They do this by sending a JSON object that is a map of
`{<blob_id>: -hop_count}` (note, the hop count is negative) to the peer.
If they have a blob wanted by the peer, they respond with the size they have
for that blob: `{<blob_id>: size}` (note, size is positive - this is how sizes
and blobs are distinguished).

Peers can only request blobs they know about. In the legacy
[scuttlebot/plugins/blobs](https://github.com/ssbc/scuttlebot/tree/99fad7c5f6e436cbd670346b4da20c57222a1419/plugins/blobs)
peers would request blobs that where mentioned in an
[ssb-feed](https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-feed) but this approach
means they cannot know about (encrypted) blobs shared in private
messages, or about blobs recursively linked from other blobs.

This protocol addresses that by implementing _sympathetic wants_.
If a peer requests a blob that you do not have, you start to want it too.
To prevent these requests from flooding the entire network, you signal how much
you want a blob with a hop count.
If you want it for yourself, you use a `hop_count` of -1.
If you want it for a friend, you use a `hop_count` of -2 (and so on..)

This allows you to publish a secret blob, without creating
a permanent cryptographic record of that blob.

However, this alone would mean that to upload a blob,
someone else needs to request it from you, which requires
both peers to be online at the same time.

To address this, we have a `push` method. "pushing" a blob,
just makes a peer "pretend" that they want a blob,
triggering sympathetic wants from intermediate nodes,
ensuring that there are at least some peers that will have the blob.
(currently, your peer will continue to pretend they want the
blob until at least 3 peers report having it)

## API

### `ssb.blobs.add(blobId, cb) => sink`

Creates a pull-stream sink that works well with e.g. `pull-files`
- `blobId` *String* - (optional) the hash id of the blob you're adding. If the hash of what arrives in the stream doesn't match this the add is aborted
- `cb` *Function* - a callback which is run which reveives `err, blobId`

Note: as of 2.0.0 any blob you try to add with size >= max (set in config) will result in an Error.
The error message will say something about can't write to tmpfile, but if you look in the stack trace
you will see an error about file size

### `ssb.blobs.push(blobId, cb)`

Push a blob out to other peers. This is useful for blobs which are attached to encrypted messages.
(Because pubs will generally not know about blobs attached to encrypted messgages so won't replicate)
You will keep pushing the blob out until `pushy` (see config) peers have taken it.

### `ssb.blobs.has(blobId, cb)`

Find out if you have a copy of blob locally

### `ssb.blobs.want(blobId, cb)`

Declare that you want a particular blob. `cb` will be run once the blob arrives

### `ssb.blobs.get(blobId) => source`

Creates a pull-stream source of a blob

### other methods

The following are less commonly used externally but are available:
- `ssb.blobs.getSlice`
- `ssb.blobs.rm`
- `ssb.blobs.ls`
- `ssb.blobs.meta`
- `ssb.blobs.changes`
- `ssb.blobs.createWants`
- `ssb.blobs.help`

you can read about these in the source code or `./help.js`

## Configuration

By changing `.ssb/config`, you can control how generous
ssb-blobs will be. These are the default values:

``` js
"blobs": {
  "stingy": false,
  "sympathy": 3,
  "pushy": 3,
  "legacy": true,
  "max": 5 * 1024 * 1024 // 5MB
}
```

### `stingy` (default `false`)

Enabling `stingy` mode will make your pub pretend it does not have blobs
unless it _wants_ to push those blobs to the network. (because you have uploaded that file)

### `sympathy` (default `3`)

When a peer asks for a blob, if you do not have it, then out of sympathy you'll
ask for it from your other peers.
The value for `sympathy` determines how many hops away from you that peer may be.
Note that this depends on hops on the current network topology, not the follow
graph: `ssb-blobs` is actually completely independent of the ssb logs.

Set this to 0 to never request a blob that someone else has asked for, unless _you_ want it too.

### `pushy` (default `3`)

When you publish a blob, tell everyone about it, until at least this many peers have taken it.
Of course for this they will need a setting for `sympathy` > 0.

### `legacy` (default `true`)

Whether you support the legacy style blob replication or not.
It's probably safe to disable this now since most pubs will have updated by now.

### `max` (default `5MB`)

Maximum size of blobs to replicate.
Notes:
- blobs of size >= this max cannot be added using `blobs.add`
- if you request a blob and discover its size is >= max, you will not replicate it from other peers

## Usage

This plugin is required by default by [ssb-server](https://github.com/ssbc/ssb-server) and doesn't need to be added to your system if you're using a standard Secure Scuttlebutt install. If you're rolling your own, please refer to [the documentation in `plugins.md` in the `secret-stack` repository](https://github.com/ssbc/secret-stack/blob/master/plugins.md) for how to create your own peer-to-peer solution that uses this plugin.

## License

MIT

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Modi is master communicator at work: Shashi Tharoor
NEW DELHI : Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who only recently earned the party's wrath for praising Narendra Modi, says in the Prime Minister "we are all seeing a master communicator at work" but hit out at BJP for "promoting a nakedly bigoted Hindutva agenda".
Noting that communication has been a major strength of the NDA government, particularly Modi, he said, "The Prime Minister is very effective in speech-making, comes up with slogans, sound bites, photo ops in quite an unparalleled way.
"There is no question that we are all seeing a master communicator at work. And that has its merits but it is not enough."Tharoor has praised Modi quite a few times recently which was frowned upon by Congress. Last year, he was removed as party spokesperson for his praise of Modi.
He, however, said not much of what Modi has promised has been implemented."After all, the people who voted for Modi thought they were voting for a man of action. So far instead of a man of action, the nation has got a man of words and the real question that comes is when these words get translated into results," the former diplomat-turned politician told this to a News Agency pti.
"Consciousness raising is fine and the Prime Minister has raided consciousness on some issues but implementation is essential. The gap between rhetoric and results in Modi's government is wide enough to drive a rath through," he said.
He also dismissed rumours that he is cosying up to BJP, saying he will remain a Congressman.Tharoor, who has recently come out with a book "India Shastra: Reflections on the Nation in Our Time", took strong exception to some saffron leaders' recent comments.\
"The party and the political machinery that Modi is riding to get to his goals is a profoundly illiberal. The language used by RSS and saffron leaders is simply divisive and not unifying.
"You can't say 'sabka saath sabka vikas' and then have ministers using outrageous language. You can't have leading lights of the party hailing (Nathuram) Godse and talking about how many children women should bear," he said.
"Your party is simply promoting a nakedly bigoted Hindutva agenda," Tharoor said.He also questioned Modi for not taking a tough stand on his ministers for their comments, saying, "Instead of silencing them, Modi himself is silent on the issue.
"This silence of the Prime Minister tantamounts to condoning it and if you condone it you are undermining your own declared objective."Tharoor said he would have probably delayed publishing his
new book, which has two sections devoted to Modi, had the last Lok Sabha election not so overwhelmingly favoured BJP."I probably would not have published the book right now because honestly 'India: From Midnight to the Millennium' was my look at the whole 50 years of India's independence, society, politics, culture, economics; and the 'The Elephant, the Tiger and the Cellphone' was a 10-year update on the 60th anniversary.
"I would probably waited for the 70th or the 80th anniversaries to conclude the trilogy. But when this election result happened, David Davidar (of publisher Aleph) said this is the perfect time for stock-taking — where India has headed and where we have come."
He said so the timing of this book has definitely been prompted by this watershed election and the emergence of the Modi era.
Asked whether he would write a book exclusively on the Congress and the UPA government, he said, "What I needed to say has been said in this book.
"I don't think I have anything enough to add to make it worthwhile. So to my mind let others who are not as caught up in the internal politics of the country, outside scholars, observers analysts take a look at that."There is a section in "India Shastra" called 'The Legacy' which is about the "legacy left" to this government by Congress and UPA.
"So there are chapters not only on the earlier legacy from the 40s onwards, Nehruvian legacy, the hijacking of history and Sardar Patel. There is also material on Nehruvian socialism or Nehruvian consensus which has been challenged by the Modi government.
"And on the rule and achievements of the UPA government under Manmohan Singh. Plus there is a chapter on steps forward for the Congress party to take as it seeks to revive itself in the new era," he said.
"Don't Insult Common Man" ,Kejriwal Targets PM Modi Over 'Revdi' Jibe
NEW DELHI : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday targetted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "revdi" jibe asking why individuals...
Kejriwal's Minister Gautam resigns amid row over conversion event
NEW DELHI : Aam Aadmi Party leader Rajendra Pal Gautam resigned from the Delhi cabinet on Sunday after his presence...
Congress Considering "G-23" Leader Mukul Wasnik for party Presidential poll
NEW DELHI : After Shashi Tharoor, a second G-23 leader could be part of the race for the Congress top...
Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann to visit Ahmedabad Sunday
NEW DELHI : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will visit Ahmedabad in Gujarat on...
KCR Takes "Divisive Politics" Swipe At Home Minister Amit Shah
HYDERABAD:: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao ('KCR') today accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of "doing divisive politics"...
Rahul Meets controversial Pastor George Ponniah, Triggers "Bharat Jodo" vs "Todo"
CHENNAI: Rahu l Meets Pastor, Triggers "Bharat Jodo" vs "Todo" Rahul CHENNAI: Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to a pastor...
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nicocicconep, I don`t know how to support better than Fernanda Alves already did, because direct contact with promoters is really best way in this situatuon, but I`d like to cheer you up with own little example: last year my two friends visited two different events organized by same promoter and had same problem (Russian post works not so fast also ().
So they wrote to promoter and asked if they can pay for the ticket online but take it in the office on the day of the show. Both times it worked! I`m not sure if it is common practice, but still you may ask about this variant too.
And also you may try to write to promoter not only on e-mail, but also (if this concert has page in Facebook) in social net. Sometimes it is even faster... GOOD LUCK!!!
You gave a good advice, in fact. I have bought the tickets 4 months before the Septemberw concert, because Brazilian mail service is not good as well. So I was a little worried about arriving too late or get lost inside the company. They asked me to contact them if the tickets didn't arrive a month after the post. It arrived about 2 weeks after my contact. So, I think they are very atencious and open to find a solution!
Very nice concert! Thanks Tilo!
timomosa, thank you so much for the setlist!
Can you tell, did Black Moon Secret play after Lacrimosa again, like in Hamburg and Berlin?
I want to share my impressions from the Concert in Leipzig. It was a rainy Sunday afternoon my Partner and I went to the Location Werk II at 17.30 in the evening. We meet very nice people and we talk about different things and about Lacrimosa. And before the Entry at 19.00 we meet Anastasia and Ekatarina from St. Petersburg it was very nice to talk with the two Girls. The time for the Entry comes and so we went in to the Location and I standing in the second row. After one hour waiting Canterra ( The Support Band) beginns to play and I must say there Show was very good. On 20.50 there Set ends and it was time for Lacrimosa. Few Minutes flying away and on 21.30 the Intro starts and I was so excited. The first Song "Der Kelch der Hoffnung" beginns. ( The complete Setliste I´ll write at the End of my Impressions). And during their Show they played newer and older Songs like "Flamme im Wind". The Set ends with " Irgendein Arsch" but we want more and Lacrimosa coming back for the first encore with three Songs: " Apeiron", " Alles Lüge" and "Keine Schatten mehr". And after the first encore Lacrimosa leave the Stage again and we calling for the second encore and they coming back for two Songs: " Der Morgen danach" and " Ich bin der brennende Komet" and so they leave the Satge for the second time and we called again for an encore with the Wish to play "Copycat" and they are coming back for the third time and play " Copycat" it was so great and after this Song the Concert Ends. Tilo and Anne were very touched. I think for myself that we were a great audience in Leipzig. ( Tilo wrotes this on Facebook too with the words Love, Power and Emotion.! Thank you Leipzig!!) It was a very amazing concert and after the Show I was full of new Energy and very flashed and when I was at home in this night I´d miss Lacrimosa so much. I had no time to speak with Tilo and Anne after the show it was a bit said for me but it was not the last concert they Lacrimosa gave in Leipzig.Tilo said they are coming back. I hope that the moment comes for me that I could speak with Anne and Tilo after a Concert.
Thanks for sharing your impressions, dear Ulrike I'm glad you enjoyed the concert!!
Thank you, Ulrike, for your impressions.
Thank you Fannie, Asphodel and Arkana for your kind words. I really miss Lacrimosa Live on Stage.
Thank you very much, Schwarze Seele, for your impressions. I am so glad you had such a great night!!!
Thank you very much Ella for your words. And Yes I had a great Night. I´m so happy that Lacrimosa coming back for a Concert on 15th May at the Wave Gotik Treffen.
"Depende de cuál lado del espejo estés ahora..."


text:
Home » Articles » Enterprise Computer Forensics: A defensive and offensive strategy to fight computer crime
Enterprise Computer Forensics: A defensive and offensive strategy to fight computer crime
12th May 2020 12th July 2011 by Forensic Focus
First published January 2007
Fahmid Imtiaz
School of Computer and Information Science
As days pass and the cyber space grows, so does the number of computer crimes. The need for enterprise computer forensic capability is going to become a vital decision for the CEO's of large or even medium sized corporations for information security and integrity over the next couple of years. Now days, most of the companies don't have in house computer/digital forensic team to handle a specific incident or a corporate misconduct, but having digital forensic capability is very important and forensic auditing is very crucial even for small to medium sized organizations. Most of the corporations and organizations are still not aware of the risks and this can be very harmful in the long run. This paper will particularly focus on examining different aspects of enterprise computer forensics with in-house forensics capability. It will also try to clarify some of the issues that surround enterprise computer forensics.
Enterprise computer forensics, computer crime, digital forensics.
In today's fast growing economy, a company's IT infrastructure controls a significant part of business and communication needs. The needs are obvious but often companies misunderstand or sometimes deliberately ignore the need for proper security measures to secure the company's network resources and intellectual property. A single security breach or an attack can cause great financial and reputation loss, which can be devastating for a well-known organization. As security experts are trying their best to defend against the latest forms of attacks, attackers are moving on devising plans and potentials for more sophisticated attacks. This causes growing concerns for security experts around the world. That is why organizations really have to realize the risks before an actual attack or security breach. Therefore, both internal and external threats should be considered and a significant portion of the IT budget of an organization needs to be devoted for hiring security experts and taking proper security measures. Now days, security experts prefer detecting and tracing attacks before an actual attack and they also try to motivate the organizations to think about the post attack scenario. A certain security breach can leave different trails and clues, which helps forensic experts to identify the person/s responsible for the incident. Of course, external forensic teams can be brought in and they can solve a certain case/security breach. Nevertheless, companies have to understand that this is an ongoing problem and it repeats over time. Often the company looses control of the case or hide information from the third party forensics examiners as sensitive internal issues/secrets can be revealed. Having in-house forensic team can save both time and money and it would reduce the chance of information leakage about any internal matters. Therefore, having an in-house forensic team to validate and gather information that can have forensic value will help a company to defend against attacks and prosecute attackers; as a result, save the company from financial loss. Companies and organizations that deal with sensitive customer information like credit card numbers; health records, mortgage information etc. are particularly vulnerable to attacks. Other companies no matter what type of business they do are not safe because IT is almost an essential part of every business now days. Every company deals with sensitive business information no matter how small and regardless of what business they do. Attacks and intellectual property theft is more common these days as it was couple of years ago. A company would be fortunate if they were able to recover the financial loss caused by an attack/ breach but their reputation will be at stake and what if the attack comes from an external source, which sometimes makes prosecuting the attacker even more difficult. This is where enterprise computer forensics comes in with in-house forensic experts and save a company from disaster. Forensic audits can reveal information that would be some intruder's nightmare. To be very specific, in-house forensic teams can save a company from both financial and intellectual property losses in most cases. Forensic audits are vital to analyze and validate information that enables experts to scientifically and forensically analyze and reconstruct the events that took place. This paper examines how enterprise computer forensics can help to trace and deal with attacks and intellectual property thefts when applied in-house. It will also identify some important issues related to enterprise computer forensics.
THE ROLE OF COMPUTER FORENSICS
"Computer forensics is the collection, preservation, analysis and court presentation of computer related evidence. In addition to civil and criminal jury trials, computer evidence often is presented in arbitration, administrative and mediation proceedings, congressional/government hearings and presentations to corporate management. Accordingly, the proper collection and analysis of computer evidence through accepted computer forensic protocols is a critical component to any internal investigation or audit where the results have at least the potential to be presented in legal proceedings" Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). According to S. Barish, "We have to take every precaution to make sure the data we collect is accurate, trusted, and is not modified from the time of collection onward. By recording each step in the collection and processing of forensic data, and tracking its movement, who accessed it, and what was done to it, we help preserve the 'Chain of Custody'". Computer forensics is a used not only for internal investigation, compliance due diligence and law enforcement, it can be also applied as a counter-measure to detect and stop computer crimes. In brief, Computer forensic is a scientific approach that is used to process computer related attacks/security breaches and misconducts. By using proper forensic tools and tests, forensic examiners are capable to prove and validate certain actions (misconducts) in the court. It is important to understand that computer forensic methodologies are applied not only to prove guilt; it can also be used to prove innocence as well. Besides that "Forensics methodology can be applied for operational troubleshooting, log monitoring, data acquisition, data recovery and due diligence" K. Kent and T. grant (2006).
THE REAL PICTURE
"In 2006 Total average annual losses for electronic attack, computer crime, and computer access misuse or abuse increased by 63% to $241,150 loss per organization compared to 2005" says AusCERT. According to CSI/FBI computer crime and Security Survey 2006 "Virus attacks continue to be the source of the greatest financial losses. Unauthorized access continues to be the second-greatest source of financial loss. Financial losses related to laptops (or mobile hardware) and theft of proprietary information (i.e., intellectual property) is third and fourth. These four categories account for more than 74 percent of financial losses". The information is relevant and not very surprising. However, the 2005 and 2006 CSI/FBI Computer Crime and Security Survey claims that the total dollar amount of financial losses resulting from security breaches had a substantial decrease in year 2004 and 2005 respectively. According to The Internet Crime Compliant Centre (IC3), it is true that the financial loss decreased in 2004 but in 2005, it did not. The CSI/FBI survey conducted in 2004 reported that the number of cyber crime incidents has dropped. The CSI/FBI 2004 survey and IC3 report 2005 contradict each other although they both provide information based on actual complaints. IC3 complaints are reported through their web site and their report shows that cyber crime is on the rise and there is no reason to believe that cyber crime incidents are decreasing. According to Michael Arnone (2006) "Cyber crime increased dramatically in 2005 and 2006 promises even more incidents, a panel of federal cyber security experts said. Driven by profit, cyber criminals in 2006 will use the massive increase in malware variants created in 2005 to initiate even more insidious and hard-to-detect attacks, said Dave Cole, director of Symantec Security Response at Symantec. Botnets – remote-controlled networks of hijacked computers – will grow in size and popularity, said Cole, who moderated the discussion that Symantec sponsored in Washington, D.C". This is not good news and it conflicts and disagrees with the CSI/FBI 2004 findings. Moreover, the IC3 Internet Crime Report 2005 agrees with Michael and mentioned in their report "From January 1, 2005 – December 31, 2005, The Internet Crime Compliant Centre (IC3) website received 231,493 complaint submissions. This is an 11.6% increase over 2004 when 207,449 complaints were received. These filings were composed of fraudulent and non-fraudulent complaints primarily related to the Internet". The CSI/FBI 2006 report claims that 80% of the organizations perform security audits comparing to that of 2005, which was 87%. If this is true, the number of security breaches and complaints should have decreased in 2005 if not in 2006. This enables us to conclude that the security audits are not enough to stop computer/cyber crime. Moreover, how effective and successful security audits do majority of the organizations perform that is questionable. These finding has reasons to believe that internet and computer crime is on the rise, the computer security audits are not enough to stop computer crimes. Moreover, security precautions are reasonably weak, which allows intruders and frauds to continue with their activities. Therefore, instead of depending on third party security experts and security audits only, it is time that organizations think about enterprise computer forensics strategies and therefore, have in-house forensic experts. This will enable an organization to gather intelligence on its own computer and network systems resources. It will also enable tracking of staff activities and how they are utilizing the company's computer resources. Talking about security audits, forms and methods of forensic auditing has to be included within the security audit. Otherwise, there is no likelihood of decrease in cyber crime and financial loss.
ENTERPRISE COMPUTER FORENSICS
Enterprise computer forensics is a strategic security measure that not only ensures integrity and availability of the corporate information system but also saves millions of dollars if applied in-house. In general, an organization's security strategy reflects their willingness to secure their systems. In Australia, the picture is frightening because "More than half of the organizations in Australia do not follow any form of IT security standards at all", says AusCERT. "In the U.S. 38% of the companies use forensic tools and techniques as a form of security strategy, whereas in Australia it is only 6% and only 5% companies spent 43% of their IT budget for IT security in a whole year in Australia" (CSI/FBI Computer Crime and Security Survey 2006 and AusCERT Computer Crime and Security Survey 2006). Enterprise computer forensics team will not only need to deal with all the computing resources used by an organization, it also has to forensically audit whether the employees are following the organization policies or not when they are using these resources. The threat against cyber crime, no matter it is from external or internal forces, can be reduced by taking measures that is capable of dealing with both pre and post attack situations.
There is a growing phenomenon among the top managements of enterprises, which is to detect sophisticated attacks through real-time analysis, detection and prevention strategies, which is good. However, often companies would not think about the scenario after the attack. Incident response plan and post analysis and discovery of the intrusions are equally important. Enterprise computer forensics is about getting all these bits and pieces together and this enables an organization to be capable of handling any computer related incidents. Today there are network and host based computer forensic tools that are used for forensics analysis of different events. Encase is one of the network based forensics analysis tool that is being widely used now days. Besides that, there are host based analysis tools as well like Autopsy. Often the scope and the geographical distance involved in external attacks make it impossible to take legal actions against the intruders. Therefore, there is likelihood that attackers cannot be prosecuted due to the local law from where they originate. In some countries, there is no telecommunication and interception law at all. Nevertheless, in near future these restrictions and situations will change and computer forensics methodologies will enable enterprises to get the intruders/attackers behind the bar regardless from where they are operating.
Incident response facilitates an organization by taking quick pre-planned actions after a certain security breach/ incident. Enterprise computer forensics needs integration of forensic techniques in incident response and this will enable prompt response and action after a certain incident in a forensic manner. As soon as a security breach occurs, the evidence and scene is to stay as it is for forensic analysis and this is a part of the computer forensics methodology. "Understanding the methodology and technology behind computer forensic investigations is of critical importance to those interested in protecting their assets both from internal and external forces", says J. Patzakis, President and CEO of Guidance Software. The use of proper forensic methodology quickly and correctly in case of a security breach is crucial to determine the force behind the breach and it should be a part of the organizations incident response plan. All employees must know where to contact when a certain breach or misconduct occurs. Before anyone else gets to the scene the forensic experts needs to search and seize the evidence and use it to backtrack the intruder or to reconstruct the event that took place. A company's incident response strategy needs to detail the structure, alert mechanisms, reporting and personnel involved in incident response. According to the AusCERT Computer Crime and Security Survey 2006, "Only 51% companies used incident management procedures this year". Therefore, there are many companies still out there, which do not have any incident response plans.
Forensics analysis is the heart of enterprise computer forensics because through analysis forensic experts are able to track the origin and time of an incident. Analysis of the evidence is required to identify the perpetrator, claim damages and defend copyrights. Enterprise computer forensic team needs to analyze and search for clues in deleted information, web activity logs, Internet traffic logs, hard drives etc. These things are very important part of enterprise security. The audit logs and incident reports need careful analysis in order to find clues or trails of attacks or breaches. In a post-incident situation, it is important to make sure that the evidence has not been altered. "The most critical part of electronic evidence is the need to adopt sound forensics processes that guarantees the reliability, and therefore the admissibility, of the data collected", says R. McKemmish, Director of eforensics. Seizing and acquiring evidence is very critical because there might be backdoors that are still open if the system connected to a network. While copying/imaging the storage media, it is important for the forensics examiners to make sure that every media image is validated and the evidence is recoverable. Careful observation is required for anything unexpected or suspicious in the compromised system's image.
Digital evidence has both physical and logical aspects. It is vital for forensic examiners to understand that evidence and data may not always be in digital format. In some cases, the clues and the evidence may be in different format other than digital. For, example interviews and involved system surroundings can sometimes help in a certain investigation. Forensic analysis today is so advance that even after information has been deleted traces and clues about the deleted information is recoverable. Therefore, if advanced methods of forensic analysis are applied at enterprise level, it would definitely enhance the chance to recover from disaster and data loss and prosecuting the criminals would become easy. By analyzing the forensic audit logs, attacks can be traced early and precautions can be taken well before the attack. One of the facts about forensics analysis is that it costs a lot when it comes to time and money. At the beginning of this paper it was mentioned that a significant portion of the IT budget needs to be devoted in computer forensics activities in order to get the full advantage of computer forensic techniques and methodologies. Therefore, companies need to consider about the budget at very first before taking any enterprise forensics initiatives.
Forensic Discovery
Discovery on computer evidence forensically retrieved should have compelling information about the intrusions and attacks. After careful analysis, the forensic discovery findings should be able to back trace and justify what actually happened. This will make sure the enterprise is capable of standing up straight in court. Moreover, in certain cases proper forensic discovery will enable a company to get rid of its cheating employees. During the forensic discovery process, every step has to be documented precisely, so that any evidential information can be reported and verified; in certain cases, a witness can sign the forms/documents. The forensic discovery process is primarily dependent on the skill and knowledge of the forensic expert who is conducting a certain analysis or discovery. For example, a forensic expert who is specialized in magnetic data storage and magnetic disks is likely do a better forensic discovery and analysis on hard disks and storage medias. These things need to be considered carefully at enterprise level. An enterprise forensic team will need to have people with different forensic expertise to solve the different corporate computing misconducts. There is an interesting old phenomenon about computer-based discovery, which may be still bouncing inside the head of the top managements, is cost. "The discovery of computer based information seem to cost more, take more time and create more head-aches than conventional paper based discovery" said K.J. Withers. This concept cannot be applied in modern era. The thing that needs to be considered now is that almost 90% of information is written and stored in digital format and this helps to reduce the huge amount of paperwork. Therefore, believing and hanging on to the old principals is just not an option today.
The way to enterprise forensics is full of challenges and complications, but still it is a subject of interest to security professionals and forensics experts. As new computing, communication and storage devices come out and take over the market forensics examiners have to find new tools and techniques for forensic analysis and discovery. Forensics methodology and practices for analyzing Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and portable devices such as mobile phones are still a challenge and the evolving nature of these products make it even more complicated in certain aspect. In future, these devices will replace desktop computers and therefore, digital forensic will have to cope and evolve with what the future has to offer. It will not be an easy task for forensic examiners and experts. Researchers and practitioners who deal with these devices know that there are many complications in acquiring the images of these devices.
The main problems are that these devices have very small storage space and they run on battery. As their memory is volatile and it runs on battery a successful data acquisition is always a challenge. Some smart phones have power saving mode but limited power supply remains an issue. There are different tools and software available in the market to acquire the information stored in PDAs and cell phones but none of them are useful enough because none is capable of acquiring the information from a single vendor product, let alone all products. Different versions of a product have different ROM and firmware. The firmware and ROM can be different even in the same model of a specific product. These issues make things challenging and complicated. However, an enterprise should decide carefully and analyze these issues before giving corporate phones to their employees. Phone and PDA's now days have extended storage capacity and have Bluetooth capability. The storage space, although very small, a lot of information can be stored and transferred via Bluetooth. Again, these issues need careful consideration and a company should only hand over such phones to their employees, which the company is capable of analyzing forensically.
EMPLOYEES WITH CRIMINAL INTENT
Anyone who works with Computer forensics and network security will agree that not only external attackers can compromise corporate networks and computer systems, staffs that work or use to work for the company can cause significant damage as well. According to AusCERT Computer Crime and Security Survey 2006 "In the year 2005 from the total number of attacks, 81% attacks were external and 37% internal". Because employees work within the internal network of the company, it is easier for them to access the computer systems inside. Since they already have the knowledge, and approved authentication and privilege needed, internal staffs can easily compromise systems that are sometimes impossible for external attackers to get into. Often organizations will take steps to safe guard their computer system from external sources but they forget that the so-called virus can be within the boundary of the enterprise. There are numerous examples where current or former employees have tired to cause damage to the protected computer systems. The website of Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section United States Department of Justice contains numerous incidents related to computer crime, one of the latest one is "Florida man sentenced for causing damage and transmitting threat to former employer's computer system". Organizations have to take measures to stop identity theft, trade secrets/intellectual property theft, financial theft, sabotage etc. and to do that they have to devote substantial amount of the IT budget to computer forensics, forensic audits and network security. "Now is not the time to be winding back on protective security countermeasures or reducing IT security budgets. Greater effort needs to be made at the organizational level and through computer security initiatives that benefit the broader Internet using community in general", says AusCERT. The way to overcome the problem is to enforce proper policies and having an incident response plan integrated with forensic techniques. According to AusCERT, "In 2006 only 54% companies applied business continuity management (BCM) policies and procedures". To secure the enterprise computer system small to medium sized organizations need in-house forensic experts and forensic audits are essential to gather intelligence about intruders and attackers both external and internal. This will consolidate the enterprise security system by enabling the organization to trace criminal intents and prosecute criminals.
CORPORATE ESPIONAGE VS ENTERPRISE COMPUTER FORENSICS
Corporate espionage can mislead or even destroy information that has forensic value. It is a very informal approach, to some it might sound ridiculous, but it does not solve the problem instead, it intensifies it. Often people in the higher order of the chain in an organization just ignore this fact and espionage is more acceptable to them instead of having policies that lawfully enables the organization to perform legitimate forensics analysis and audits. The fact is the analysis and acquisition of information that can have forensic value, should only be validated and tested by experts not the department heads or any other person. There are numerous examples where the human resource head or the IT manager responded to a corporate misconduct knowing or not knowing that a breach has occurred and destroyed the integrity of the actual forensics evidence. This makes the actual job harder for the computer forensics experts because what they could have proved and solved in days would take them weeks because of the so-called corporate espionage. Knowing that, just by putting effective policies in place a company legally has the right to forensically analyze and audit its computing and information resources would just amaze some people, but it is true.
COMMITMENT TO POLICIES
According to Roger Grimes, "This years IDG Security Research Report mentioned that 44% employees underestimate importance of following security policy and this is the one of the top challenges for enterprise security". To enforce enterprise forensic methodology, top to bottom level staffs in organizations need to be committed to follow and abide by the company policy. Warning about policy breaches are to be mentioned clearly within the policy statement. Policies clarify responsibility, expectations and acceptable use of company resources. Many companies have policies in place but top-level management just ignores the policy and policy changes are a boring topic for them in general or board meetings. Now days, companies should develop policies that can take advantage of forensics capabilities and methodologies. Ignoring these will leave a big hole in the security system of the company. If the proper policy is in place then an organization can legally make and store an image of the hard drive of an ex-employee for example. This will enable the company to prove or resolve any acquisitions that the company or the staff might have later after the dismissal. The use of policy not only prevents fraudulent activities, it also saves the company from potential liability. Therefore, to successfully deploy computer forensics methodologies at enterprise level, top to bottom level commitment towards policies and procedures are essential.
FORENSIC AUDITS
This study already has revealed that security audits are not enough to secure the enterprise computing resources and computer evidence if often ignored in security audits. According to Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), "University studies reveal that more than 90 percent of all information is now created in digital form. Therefore, when company auditors ignore computer evidence, they essentially limit themselves to 10 percent of the available information." Top-level managements need to understand that "audit is a process where a record is maintained of a particular series of events in order to provide evidence in the case of a dispute, to ensure compliance with certain rules and regulations, to check on the effectiveness of control systems, and to provide evidence in the case of criminal activity. These records are commonly known as audit trails or audit logs" C. Allinson (2000). By deploying various security tools and techniques but ignoring, the computer evidences such as audit logs (Firewall, IDS logs etc.); will not help an organization to completely secure their information system. "Employing preventive measures, such as the use of firewalls and intrusion detection devices to prevent data breaches and thwart external attacks, many organizations around the world have been using computer forensics to identify instances of computer misuse and illegal intrusion. The use of computer forensic techniques also has flourished in the internal audit profession. However, many internal auditors are unaware of the advantages that computer forensics can bring to audit investigations", says R. Purita. The development of forensic audits will contribute to effective and efficient incident handling. "Due to attitudes within Information Technology (IT) divisions not all organizations have comprehensive audit systems in place and in many cases there are no defined policy and procedure sets and very limited evaluation" says C. Allinson (2000). All the above information indicates that forensic audit is very important for an organization regardless of whether the company has forensics capability or not. Firewalls, intrusion detection systems, supported protocols with in the internal and external network, antivirus updates, applications/services and patches, software management system, backup processes and procedures, intranet and Internet activity and security all these needs to be audited on regular basis. Forensic audit therefore will enable the enterprise to verify whether the security standards conform to the IT policy and procedures that is in place.
USE OF OPEN SOURCE TOOLS
The use of open source tools is very common among forensics examiners and security experts. There is no reason to believe that open source tools cannot be used for enterprise forensics. People debate about the reliability and accuracy of using open source tools for computer forensics analysis and discovery. Enterprise forensic examiners will eventually come across someone either in the organization or in the court or some outsider, who will challenge the use of open source tools for forensics analysis and discovery. However, because an examiner used open source platform and tools to analyze and discover evidence, does not mean that the result is not reliable and accurate.
At the end, it comes down to the methodology and procedure used to carry out the forensics process. Open source tools are just as reliable as other tools and sometimes they offer even more flexibility than other platform tools. They enable forensic examiners to analyze and work on individual layers of a network, which the non-open source tools cannot provide. People forget and do not seem to understand that one of the most important purposes of using computer forensics is to prove that someone is innocent or guilty beyond reasonable doubt and that is the challenge. The debate about using open source tools is just a myth or an area which people comment on without understanding it properly. "Arguably the most important area to cover when presenting evidence to a court is that of continuity. It is absolutely critical to be able to account for what happened to an exhibit such as a computer from the moment it was seized to the moment it was examined by a forensic examiner." says Ian Kennedy. There should be no doubt that open source tools can be widely used for enterprise computer forensic purposes and in fact by using open source tools an organization can cut down a significant portion of the enterprise computer forensics and security budget.
The paper has tried to reveal that having enterprise computer forensics with in-house forensics capability helps in prosecuting and stopping computer crimes. It also helps to protect the integrity and availability of enterprise information system by tracing attacks using forensic auditing. Organizations in the U.S have already realized that they need in-house forensic capability at enterprise level as a form of security measure. However, in Australia, it is still a new concept and it is good to know that some of the companies have already started using enterprise computer forensics as a form of defensive and offensive strategy. The new regime of computer and communication technology has a lot to offer to us in future but the greatest challenge will always be to keep these systems secured. New techniques of securing devices might be used and currently used forensic techniques and methodologies will evolve in future. But understanding the need for security in the corporate environment will remain the most challenging issue for individual business. Part of the security strategy needs to be devoted towards enterprise computer forensics. This is a security measure that is fairly sophisticated and there can be issues if the proper tool, techniques and methodologies are not used. However, if people are aware and careful about selecting forensic techniques and methodologies as the technology progresses, the hazard should stay in the minimum.
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Fahmid Imtiaz ©2006.
Categories Articles Tags enterprise forensics
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Conditions were ideal for the attack. We could have gone to the objective, fired our rockets, and made our return, without once having been seen from the ground. It was an opportunity made in heaven, an Allied heaven. "But the infantry would not have seen it," said J. B.; which was true. Not that we cared to do the thing in a spectacular fashion. We were thinking of that decisive effect upon morale.
Two hours later we were pitching pennies in one of the hangars, when Talbott came across the field, followed solemnly by Whiskey and Soda, the lion mascots of the Escadrille Lafayette.
"What's the date, anybody know?" he asked, very casually.
J. B. is an agile-minded youth.
"It is n't the umteenth by any chance?"
"Right the first time." He looked at his watch. "It is now ten past ten. You have half an hour. Better get your rockets attached. How are your motors — all right?"
This was one way of breaking the news, and the best one, I think. If we had been told the night before, we should have slept badly. The two patrols of protection left the field exactly on schedule time. At 10.35, Irving, Drew, and I were strapped in our machines, waiting, with our motors turning ralenti, for Talbott's signal to start..
He was romping with Whiskey. "Atta boy, Whiskey! Eat 'em up! Atta ole lion!
As a squadron leader Talbott has many virtues, but the most important of them all is his casualness. And he is so sincere and natural in it. He has no conception of the dramatic possibilities of a situation — something to be profoundly thankful for in the commander of an escadrille de chasse. Situations are dramatic enough, tense enough, without one's taking thought of the fact. He might have stood there, watch in hand, counting off the seconds. He might have said, "Remember, we're all counting on you. Don't let us down. You've got to get that balloon!" Instead of that, he glanced at his watch as if he had just remembered us. "All right; run along, you sausage-spearers. We're having lunch at twelve. That will give you time to wash up after you get back."
Miller, of course, had to have a parting shot. He had been in hiding somewhere until the last moment. Then he came rushing up with a toothbrush and a safety-razor case. He stood waving them as I taxied around into the wind. His purpose was to remind me of the possibility of landing with a panne de moteur in Germany, and the need I would then have of my toilet articles.
At 10:54, J. B. came slanting down over me, then pulled up in ligne de vol, and went straight for the lines. I fell in behind him at about one hundred metres distance, Irving was two hundred metres higher. Before we left the field he said: "You are not to think about Germans. That's my job. I'll warn you if I see that we are going to be attacked. Go straight for the balloon. If you don't see me come down and signal, you will know that there is no danger."
The French artillery were giving splendid cooperation. I saw clusters of shell-explosions on the ground. The gunners were carrying out their part of the programme, which was to register on enemy anti-aircraft batteries as we passed over them. They must have made good practice. Anti-aircraft fire was feeble, and, such of it as there was, very wild.
We came within view of the railway line which runs from the German lines to a large town, their most important distributing center on the sector. Following it along with my eyes to the halfway point, I saw the red roofs of the village which we had so often looked at from a distance. Our balloon was in its usual place. It looked like a yellow plum, and no larger than one; but ripe, ready to be plucked.
A burst of flame far to the left attracted my attention, and almost at the same moment, one to the right. Ribbons of fire flapped upward in clouds 'of black oily smoke. Drew signaled with his joy-stick, and I knew what he meant: "Hooray! two down! It's our turn next!" But we were still three or four minutes away. That was unfortunate, for a balloon can be drawn down with amazing speed.
A rocket sailed into the air and burst in a point of greenish white light, dazzling in its brilliancy, even in the full light of day. Immediately after this two white objects, so small as to be hardly visible, floated earthward: the parachutes of the observers. They had jumped. The balloon disappeared from view behind Drew's machine. It was being drawn down, of course, as fast as the motor could wind up the cable. It was an exciting moment for us. We were coming on at two hundred kilometres an hour, racing against time and very little time at that. "Sheridan, only five miles away," could not have been more eager for his journey's end. Our throttles were wide open, the engines developing their highest capacity for power.
I swerved out to one side for another glimpse of the target: it was almost on the ground, and directly under us. Drew made a steep virage and dived. I started after him in a tight spiral, to look for the observers; but they had both disappeared. The balloon was swaying from side to side under the tension of the cable. It was hard to keep it in view. I lost it under my wing. Tipping up on the other side, I saw Drew release his rockets. They spurted out in long wavering lines of smoke. He missed. The balloon lay close to the ground, looking larger, riper than ever. The sight of its smooth, sleek surface was the most tantalizing of invitations. Letting it pass under me again, I waited for a second or two, then shut down the motor, and pushed forward on the control-stick until I was falling vertically. Standing upright on the rudder-bar, I felt the tugging of the shoulder-straps. Getting the bag well within the sights, I held it there until it just filled the circle. Then I pushed the button.
Seemed taking flight for heaven without a death."
And yet, "pious " is hardly the word. J. B. was swearing, drawing from a choice reserve of picturesque epithets which I did not know that he possessed. I regret the necessity of omitting some of them.
"I don't see how I could have missed it I Why, I did n't turn to look for at least thirty seconds. I was that sure that I had brought it down. Then I banked and nearly fell out of my seat when I saw it there. I redressed at four hundred metres. I could n't have been more than one hundred metres away when I fired the rockets."
"Circled around, waiting for you. I had the balloon in sight all the while you were diving. It was a great sight to watch from below, particularly when you let go your rockets. I'll never forget it, never. But, Lord! With out the climax! Artistically, it was an awful fizzle."
There was no denying this. A balloon bonfire was the only possible conclusion to the adventure, and we both failed at lighting it. I, too, redressed when very close to the bag, and made a steep bank in order to escape the burst of flame from the ignited gas. The rockets leaped out, with a fine, blood-stirring roar. The mere sound ought to have been enough to make any balloon collapse. But when I turned, there it was, intact, a super-Brobdingnagian pumpkin, seen at close view, and still ripe, still ready for plucking. If I live to one hundred years, I shall never have a greater surprise or a more bitter disappointment.
There was no leisure for brooding over it then. My altimeter registered only two hundred and fifty metres, and the French lines were far distant. If the motor failed I should have to land in German territory. Any fate but that. Nevertheless, I felt in the pocket of my combination, to be sure that my box of matches was safely in place. We were cautioned always to carry them where they could be quickly got at in case of a forced landing in enemy country. An airman must destroy his machine in such an event. But my Spad did not mean to end its career so ingloriously. The motor ran beautifully, hitting on every cylinder. We climbed from two hundred and fifty metres to three hundred and fifty, four hundred and fifty, and on steadily upward. In the vicinity of the balloon, machine-gun fire from the ground had been fairly heavy; but I was soon out of range, and saw the tracer bullets, like swarms of blue bubbles, curving downward again at the end of their trajectory.
No machines, either French or German, were in sight, Irving had disappeared some time before we reached the balloon. I had not seen Drew from the moment when he fired his rockets. He waited until he made sure that I was following, then started for the west side of the salient. I did not see him, because of my interest in those clouds of blue bubbles which were rising with anything but bubble-like tranquillity. When I was clear of them, I set my course westward and parallel with the enemy lines to the south.
I had never flown so low, so far in German territory. The temptation to forget precaution and to make a leisurely survey of the ground beneath was hard to resist. It was not wholly resisted, in fact. Anti-aircraft fire was again feeble and badly ranged. The shells burst far behind and above, for I was much too low to offer an easy target. This gave me a dangerous sense of safety, and so I tipped up on one side, then on the other, examining the roads, searching the ruins of villages, the trenches, the shell-marked ground. I saw no living thing, brute or human; nothing but endless, inconceivable desolation.
The foolishness of that close scrutiny alone, without the protection of other avions, I realize now much better than I did then. Unless flying at six thousand metres or above, — when he is comparatively safe from attack, — a pilot may never relax his vigilance for thirty seconds together. He must look behind him, below, above, constantly. All aviators learn this eventually, but in the case of many new pilots the knowledge comes too late to be of service. I thought this was to be my experience, when, looking up, I saw five combat machines bearing down upon me. Had they been enemy planes my chances would have been very small, for they were close at hand before I saw them. The old French aviator, worn out by his five hundred hours of flight over the trenches, said, "Save your nervous energy." I exhausted a three-months reserve in as many seconds. The suspense, luckily, was hardly longer than that. It passed when the patrol leader, followed by the others, pulled up in ligne de vol, about one hundred metres above me, showing their French cocardes. It was the group of protection of Spa. 87. At the time I saw Drew, a quarter of a mile away. As he turned, the sunlight glinted along his rocket-tubes.
A crowded hour of glorious life it seems now, although I was not of this opinion at the time. In reality, we were absent barely forty minutes. Climbing out of my machine at the aerodrome, I looked at my watch. A quarter to twelve. Laignier, the sergeant mechanician, was sitting in a sunny corner of the hangar, reading the "Matin," just as I had left him.
Lieutenant Talbott's only comment was: "Don't let it worry you. Better luck next time. The group bagged two out of four, and Irving knocked down a Boche who was trying to get at you. That is n't bad for half an hour's work."
But the decisive effect on morale which was to result from our wholesale destruction of balloons was diminished by half. We had forced ours down, but it bobbed up again very soon afterward. The one-o'clock patrol saw it, higher, Miller said, than it had ever been. It was Miller, by the way, who looked in on us at nine o'clock the same evening. The lamp was out.
Neither of us was, but we did n't answer. He closed the door, then reopened it.
"It's laziness, that's what it is. They ought to put you on school regime again."
"How about it, you little old human dynamos; are you getting rusty?"