Wall Observer BTC/USD - Bitcoin price movement tracking & discussion

[jojo69]

Totally not dissing on you at all AlcoHoDL, but you should really read up on "badusb"

[xyzzy099]

Exactly. I always do this, and also use VM to test-drive apps before installing on my main (host) PC. No viruses, no malware, no corruptions, no problems!

Edit: ...and always disable AutoRun after a Windows installation.

Always do ... what? Always attach found USB to a computer running Knoppix from write-only media? Always attach found USB to a computer running a VM? Always attach found USB to a computer running Knoppix from write-only media within a VM? Great.

What protects your BIOS/FW? What protects your hypervisor?

When I want to read a "dangerous" USB stick, I launch my "test VM" in VMware and mount it there. AutoRun is disabled on both the host and the guest OS. Never had any issues in 25 years of Windows computing.

How can mounting a USB stick on an AutoRun-disabled VM affect your host's BIOS? Honest question, I want to know.

The security of USB is fundamentally broken.  See https://www.wired.com/2014/07/usb-security/ for some explanation.

[jbreher]

Clean water would be my chief concern. Here's a good checklist in case you expect to be without power and/or clean water for a few weeks. It's a hurricane preparedness site but this is the stuff you'd need to think about...
https://hurricanesafety.org/prepare/hurricane-safety-checklists/

I used this last time I was in a hurricane, worked great, there are several similar products on the market...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W2BQT4G

And of course, it's important that you know how to use all this stuff *before* you need to.

Water is a serious bitch, the stuff is heavy and takes up a *lot* of space. That said, 5 gallon jugs are not too expensive and every house has both a nice 40-50 gallon water tank, a couple of gallons in the pipes in the event things are really weird. I've tried rain barrels, but they fall apart after a few years and collect mosquitoes and odd things. Maybe a cistern.

If it rains where you live park your truck so water collects in the bed. Instant water for toilet flushing.

(Edit: That aquapod thing is a pretty good idea. I'll keep that in mind)

Pretty much every major metro in the US has at least one place you can buy used, good condition 1000L IBC totes for about $200. That’ll hold like 9 person-months of survival water.

Of course, one need be careful about what’s previously been stored in them. But they’re typically clean. Store some water in one for a couple months, then submit a sample for testing to your local water test peeps.

[Ibian]

Btw last time we past Vegeta we went up pretty fast, remember Vegeta is an iconic character with some real dragon ball Z powers.... One that doesn't let himself to be taken easily... Never saw the episodes? The guy is extremely powerful, probably BTC will be the only one to truly defeat him, time will tell when.

Wait... what?

Now, I never was much interested in Dragon Ball Z, but my kid used to watch it all the time, so I’ve been exposed. Accordingly, I may be laboring under a misconception. But...

My understanding is that it is not Vegeta whose power is over 9000. Rather, Vegeta is describing the power of some other character.

No?

Even initially he was well over 9k. Going by events in that particular arc, at least 27k. And he only kept getting stronger from there.

[jbreher]

Right, it’s low enough now. Logging onto laptop to buy 0.5BTC.

Thank you for your service.

I’ve bought 4 BTC so far this week. Because incremental ladder trading.

[jbreher]

This is bad.

Buck up, buttercup. Pain builds character. We shall be victorious.

[vapourminer]

Exactly. I always do this, and also use VM to test-drive apps before installing on my main (host) PC. No viruses, no malware, no corruptions, no problems!

Edit: ...and always disable AutoRun after a Windows installation.

Always do ... what? Always attach found USB to a computer running Knoppix from write-only media? Always attach found USB to a computer running a VM? Always attach found USB to a computer running Knoppix from write-only media within a VM? Great.

What protects your BIOS/FW? What protects your hypervisor?

When I want to read a "dangerous" USB stick, I launch my "test VM" in VMware and mount it there. AutoRun is disabled on both the host and the guest OS. Never had any issues in 25 years of Windows computing.

How can mounting a USB stick on an AutoRun-disabled VM affect your host's BIOS? Honest question, I want to know.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firmware#Security_risks

its at the hardware/firmware level. its why its so nasty.

EDIT: badusb

[Hyperjacked]

I wonder what became of cousin nutildah's BSV short.

I know what happened to my BCH short  

Congrats. To both of you, I might imagine.

For my part, my balls are as big as my bags.

Big balls aren't always a good thing ... 😳 This Johnny Dangerously video is a classic lol!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Et2G6R0MuK8

[kurious]

I am not expecting much lower..  he said (risking looking foolish within hours).

I reckon it'll stop not much lower, above 8400.  Maybe a little higher - but not lower.  

If not all my charts need heavy re-calibration.  My 2 satoshis. I will post reasons if I am not wrong.

[Globb0]

Ooof I just bitcoinwisdomed

I see now ouch

[bkbirge]

Don't worry folks, I've got a nice chunk of fiat making its way through various systems to eventually make a buy. It's pretty much guaranteed we'll be back at the yearly high before I can make the purchase.

[Last of the V8s]

The bottom must be near

[Ibian]

Welp, just bought. Another .15 in my pocket. Time for bed.

I still expect it could go lower, say 40% chance? But good enough for me.

[Last of the V8s]

[jbreher]

Exactly. I always do this, and also use VM to test-drive apps before installing on my main (host) PC. No viruses, no malware, no corruptions, no problems!

Edit: ...and always disable AutoRun after a Windows installation.

Always do ... what? Always attach found USB to a computer running Knoppix from write-only media? Always attach found USB to a computer running a VM? Always attach found USB to a computer running Knoppix from write-only media within a VM? Great.

What protects your BIOS/FW? What protects your hypervisor?

When I want to read a "dangerous" USB stick, I launch my "test VM" in VMware and mount it there. AutoRun is disabled on both the host and the guest OS. Never had any issues in 25 years of Windows computing.

How can mounting a USB stick on an AutoRun-disabled VM affect your host's BIOS? Honest question, I want to know.

Well, I must admit that I don’t know all the possible attack vectors. But as one potentially eye-opening matter, your example of ‘AutoRun’ indicates you are assuming that the device identifies only as a storage class device, and that said storage device contains only a filesystem that is know to Windows.

Don’t lost track of the fact that USB is an acronym for Universal Serial Bus. That device could contain any number of USB endpoints, each implementing a different device class. What if one of the endpoints identifies as a Human Interface Device — for example a keyboard — and injects a number of commands to the system? From the users perspective, invisibly. Or even deeper, a bridge device, giving it access to the underlying I2C bus - maybe even the SMB?

[Ibian]

Holy shit you guys just use a different computer for suspicious shit and then chug it.

[vapourminer]

What protects your BIOS/FW? What protects your hypervisor?

OK if you are an idiot with only 1 PC don't do it. I agree

at this point everyone here should have a few throwaway laptops lying around for sacrificial moments.  no hd or wireless, use a live cd on r/o optical if you really want to inspect random flashdrives. even then it can get a persistent infection that survives power cycling.

[jbreher]

Btw last time we past Vegeta we went up pretty fast, remember Vegeta is an iconic character with some real dragon ball Z powers.... One that doesn't let himself to be taken easily... Never saw the episodes? The guy is extremely powerful, probably BTC will be the only one to truly defeat him, time will tell when.

Wait... what?

Now, I never was much interested in Dragon Ball Z, but my kid used to watch it all the time, so I’ve been exposed. Accordingly, I may be laboring under a misconception. But...

My understanding is that it is not Vegeta whose power is over 9000. Rather, Vegeta is describing the power of some other character.

No?

Correct https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT7u8R2d8hc / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17zNW-wz35E (dont click if you have epiletic seizures )
Goku he is the one on my hat for reference.
And to keep it stable. Someone suggested it being him in his Ultra Instinct blue.

We need another hero to emerge for $10,000! Maybe the Hoff? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTidn2dBYbY
David Hasselhoff - True Survivor from Kung Fury.
.. "hear the ticking of the countdown clocks tonight" "We need some action, if we want to take our love from here!"  
"The phoenix rises again!"

Haha. That’s spectacular. Never seen that before - thanks.

By some odd conincidence, last night was the first time I became aware of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MMMe1drnZY

Dip? In these times of hardship, always remember. We. Are. Groot.

[Globb0]

What protects your BIOS/FW? What protects your hypervisor?

OK if you are an idiot with only 1 PC don't do it. I agree

at this point everyone here should have a few throwaway laptops lying around for sacrificial moments.  no hd or wireless, use a live cd on r/o optical if you really want to inspect random flashdrives. even then it can get a persistent infection that survives power cycling.

I mean I'm not picking up random drives.

But if I did what they gonna hijack?  just my latest Gerald Celente video or something.

Maybe wall observer. If I start acting weird assume I'm burned.

[AlcoHoDL]

When I want to read a "dangerous" USB stick, I launch my "test VM" in VMware and mount it there. AutoRun is disabled on both the host and the guest OS. Never had any issues in 25 years of Windows computing.

How can mounting a USB stick on an AutoRun-disabled VM affect your host's BIOS? Honest question, I want to know.

Well, I must admit that I don’t know all the possible attack vectors. But as one potentially eye-opening matter, your example of ‘AutoRun’ indicates you are assuming that the device identifies only as a storage class device, and that said storage device contains only a filesystem that is know to Windows.

Don’t lost track of the fact that USB is an acronym for Universal Serial Bus. That device could contain any number of USB endpoints, each implementing a different device class. What if one of the endpoints identifies as a Human Interface Device — for example a keyboard — and injects a number of commands to the system? From the users perspective, invisibly. Or even deeper, a bridge device, giving it access to the underlying I2C bus - maybe even the SMB?

What you're saying makes sense, I did assume that we were talking about a storage class device. I admit I wasn't aware of the "BadUSB" exploit. Will look it up, thanks for this. I guess I was lucky enough to not receive a "BadUSB" device (or maybe I did, and not aware of it?).

As others have pointed out, the best option is a separate, clean PC, with everything sanitized after use by restoring from known, clean images.

@jojo69, @xyzzy099, @vapourminer, also thanks -- merited.