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Bytes and Borscht

@bytesandborscht.bsky.social

28 followers 87 following 92 posts

Something something computers, conflict, crime. | https://bytesandborscht.com

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Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · Sep 14

After a long hiatus I finally managed to sit down and write about a topic that I have been researching for a while - the (potential) impact of the Byzantine Empire on current Russian security / intelligence culture.

bytesandborscht.com/the-byzantin...

The Byzantine Heritage in Russian Security Culture

I would argue that Byzantium remains a key driver of Russian (strategic) security and intelligence culture. In this post I want to explore how I came to this conclusion and talk about how Byzantine "intelligence traditions" influenced Russian statecraft across the ages.

bytesandborscht.com

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Cass @cassmarshall.bsky.social · 1d

i owe so many video game designers an apology

Perry Areolar @perryodontal.bsky.social · 1d

the password to the louvre surveillance server was "louvre"

www.thesocialpost.it/2025/11/02/f...

according to the liberation newspaper, documents dating back to a 2014 inspection by the French National Agency for the Security of Computer Systems reported a staggering detail: "the password of the louvre's video surveillance server was simply " louvre. "

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Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · 1d

.. that is definitely not something I had on my infosec-bingo for 2025. Or any year for that matter.

Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · 1d

When you are doing *highly* questionable (if not outright illegal) stuff, but are incompetent.

Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · 4d

Oddly enough, inferior copper is the historical gift that keeps on giving throughout the times.

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Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · 7d

I get what they are saying, but ..

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Julian-Ferdinand Vögele @julianferdinand.bsky.social · 13d

Recorded Future just published Dark Covenant 3.0, revealing how global crackdowns and shifting Russian enforcement are reshaping the cybercriminal underground, exposing ties to state actors and turning cybercrime into a geopolitical tool: www.recordedfuture.com/research/dar...

Dark Covenant 3.0: Controlled Impunity and Russia’s Cybercriminals

Explore how Russia’s cybercriminal ecosystem evolved under Operation Endgame—where state control, selective enforcement, and criminal alliances collide.

www.recordedfuture.com

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Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · 15d

Spirit animal.

a good and normal boy @myrrlyn.net · 17d

guy who brought the trans flag we iwo jima’d described himself as “yeah i was pretty neutral about trans people, think i still am honestly, but these people are being so goddamn weird about it that i gotta get off the fence”

Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · 15d

This hits very differently these days.

Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 16d

THROW OUT YOUR SOFTWARE

The cover of PC Magazine ("The independent guide to personal computing and the Internet") from November 2, 1999. The headline issue, showing boxed software like Wordperfect Office and Microsoft Office in the trash, reads "THROW OUT YOUR SOFTWARE - Save Money! Run your applications over the web instead!" Big callouts mention "Special Report: Which Printer is Right for YOU? PC Labs tests 55 new Lasers, Ink Jets, Multifunctions" with pictures of some old Brother-looking printers; E-Mail Options, "The Internet Provides Multiple Ways To Keep Everyone In Touch"; John C. Dvorak, "Microsoft's Dastardly E-Mail Plot: While Hotmail Really Crashed", and "First Looks: New Desktop Systems, Adobe InDesign 1.0, Giage WebSpace, Consumer Image-Editing Software, Celeron Notebook PCs, Actiontec Call Waiting System" over a picture of a dark late 90s desktop tower.

Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · 27d

Hope this is recorded and made available. Very interesting topic of research .. and hopefully people will believe Amazon CTI more than me when I say that "cyber-enabled kinetic warfare" is much more worrying concept than "cyberwar" (whatever this means these days ..).

David Oxley @oxley.io · 27d

‼️ The @cyberwarcon.bsky.social agenda and presenters list is live. Proud that Amazon Cyber Threat Intelligence will be presenting for the first time on the intersection of Iranian cyber ops and kinetic strikes with Dlshad Othman and @davidmagnotti.bsky.social! www.cyberwarcon.com/ping-first-b...

Ping First, Boom Second — CYBERWARCON

www.cyberwarcon.com

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Julian-Ferdinand Vögele @julianferdinand.bsky.social · 28d

Recorded Future just published a report diving into the Beijing Institute of Electronics Technology and Application (BIETA), which is almost certainly a front for China’s MSS, developing technologies to support intelligence and military missions. Full report: www.recordedfuture.com/research/bie...

BIETA: A Technology Enablement Front for China's MSS

Discover how China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) almost certainly operates BIETA and its subsidiary CIII as public fronts for cyber-espionage, covert communications, and technology acquisition. C...

www.recordedfuture.com

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Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · Oct 5

Excellent roast, 10/10, no comments. (From "Beirut Rules" by Fred Burton)

Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · Oct 4

Watching a documentary involving Syria. And whenever the narrator says "serious", I can't help but go "syrious" in my head.

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Chappell Ellison @chappelltracker.bsky.social · Oct 2

This Tumblr user summarizes something I've been feeling/doing lately. Against everything going on, it somehow feels helpful.

User homoquartz writes: as long as you smile and nod, people are satisfied. it’s just to show that you are nice and there with good intentions. we’re small in a big world and have to rely on other people to be decent to us. so we do our little human dance to each other to say, “i’m not here to hurt you. here’s something we have in common, like the weather or sports or itchy sweaters, so we both know we’re on the same team. we both agree on a basic fact, like that it is rainy or that being itchy is uncomfortable, and this proves we can get along. i’m being light-hearted and non-threatening right now."
Small talk isn't to get to know a person. It's just a greeting to affirm you're buddies in the universe. I am motivated by wanting the other person to know I am friendly, so I have gotten pretty decent at small tall when I used to hate it.

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Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · Oct 3

To post something that isn't related to the train into the abyss (aka "current world events"): Tried my hand at painting flames with a "blended" transition for the first time. Not perfect, especially because I thinned the colors too runny, but .. it's a start!

Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · Oct 2

If your political platform doesn't include free alcohol and free underwear I'm not interested.

Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · Oct 1

Booting a laptop with no network aside from wireless with OpenBSD. Wireless interface doesn't show up in ifconfig. Check dmesg. See "Broadcom BCM43224". Eyes start twitching. I haven't seen that one in a long time and had hoped to never have to see it again.

Reposted by Bytes and Borscht

Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · Sep 29

The Taliban have completely shut down the internet in Afghanistan to “prevent violations of moral norms.”

NetBlocks
@netblocks@mastodon.social
A Update: #Afghanistan is now in the midst of a total internet blackout as Taliban authorities move to implement morality measures, with multiple networks disconnected through the morning in a stepwise manner; telephone services are currently also impacted
Network

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Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · Sep 29

Sometimes I really, really hate my friends. Excuse me while I go take a Tylenol for my back pain (and autism).

Reposted by Bytes and Borscht

The Diana Initiative @dianainitiative.bsky.social · Sep 29

Are you a neurodivergent person in cybersecurity? SANS is hosting a virtual summit 4 Dec 2025! Learn more here - www.sans.org/cyber-securi...

Neurodiversity in Cybersecurity Summit 2025

This Summit will be loaded with content developed by and for neurodiverse cybersecurity professionals, but will also be invaluable to anyone who manages, reports to, works with, or just wants to…

www.sans.org

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State of Statecraft Conference @what-is-sos.bsky.social · Sep 29

⏰ The inaugural SOS conference is 30 days away! Have you gotten your ticket yet?!?

Listen to expert discussions on state-sponsored operations covering espionage, sabotage, and attribution of Russia, China, Iran, and more.

Registration is still open! stateofstatecraft.com/agenda

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Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · Sep 23

A reminder to everyone: Collecting books and reading books are two entirely different hobbies, both of them are legitimate in their own right.

This post is not happening for a reason and is most definitely not linked to any recent actions I may or may not have taken to the detriment of my wallet.

Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · Sep 23

Thank you for sending me down the rabbit hole of "learning about Rosh Hashanah". 🥲

Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · Sep 23

I don't know a lot about the Jewish faith, but .. the hell kind of event is that?

Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · Sep 22

After tinkering with pass(1) for two hours and trying to write a script to import my stuff (I know that pass-import exists, .. shut up!) I gave up and ran with keepassxc instead. I think I'm became too uncool for CLI-based tools. :(

Bytes and Borscht @bytesandborscht.bsky.social · Sep 22

This image applies to cats as well. No my dear cat, you can't drink from the bowl of water I use for washing my brushes. Please use the dedicated drinking bowl you have that I replenish with fresh water regularly, only for you to ignore it.