# Nuclear attack scenario vs. Dirty compuyer tricks **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 14, 2020, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549 "2020-11-14T02:47:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/1 "2020-11-14T02:47:03Z")
Last week I started a thread about ways your computer can be attacked and how it can be defended. It was hidden, with an admonishment from a mod, who said regardless of intent, do mot post methods of attacking computers. A week later, a thread is started by a charter member soliciting opinions on how best to go about nuking Washington, with some very technical responses that any terrorist would love to be apprised of, thank you. Aside from the reputation of the OP, what is the forum rule that governs the suitability of these two topics? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/2 "2020-11-14T02:53:31Z")
A link would be helpful, but did you report the thread in question? The mods can’t read every post in every thread. If something breaks the rules, and you feel it deserves mod attention, it’s best to report it rather than assuming they’ll just happen to see it. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/3 "2020-11-14T03:10:41Z")
Consider it reported. Let’s see who gets admonished further. I can’t link to mine, of course – it’s gone. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/4 "2020-11-14T03:18:41Z")
Attacking someone else’s computer is something a motivated person can do from the study in the basement. Right now, they can do it right now. Nuking a city calls for considerably more planning, effort and access to restricted materials, which involves supply chain issues that leave the person vulnerable to discovery/capture. Realistically, the first thing could be much more of a genuine problem for more people than the second thing. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/5 "2020-11-14T03:33:08Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Consider it reported. Let’s see who gets admonished further. I can’t link to mine, of course – it’s gone. But you could link to the one you’re having the issue with. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/6 "2020-11-14T03:40:35Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Attacking someone else’s computer is something a motivated person can do from the study in the basement. Right now, they can do it right now. Nuking a city calls for considerably more planning, effort and access to restricted materials, which involves supply chain issues that leave the person vulnerable to discovery/capture. Realistically, the first thing could be much more of a genuine problem for more people than the second thing. I’m assuming that’s going to be the reasoning. I can hack another computer (if I knew how) without getting up from my chair. Even the most terroristy terrorist needs considerable skills in multiple fields to build anything outside of a dirty bomb when it comes to nukes. You can, literally, build a radioactive dirty bomb with items from Walmart (parts for a pipe bomb and the americium from smoke detectors. But if you’re looking to level a decent sized area, it’s going to take a good working knowledge of nuclear physics, engineering, the ability to source parts the general public has zero access to and so on. In fact, it seems most terrorists get caught before they can even build a bomb because intelligence agencies get wind of them trying to get training on how to build them or source the materials. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/7 "2020-11-14T03:47:12Z")
Yeah, I think the reason for the mod double standard was because one of these things is far more doable than the other. I could start a thread asking how someone could commandeer an asteroid and crash it into Earth, which would be a far bigger atrocity than anything related to hacking or nukes. But such a thread would probably be allowed to stand. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/8 "2020-11-14T03:52:12Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > > [@jtur88](#): > > > > Consider it reported. Let’s see who gets admonished further. I can’t link to mine, of course – it’s gone. > > But you could link to the one you’re having the issue with. > [@Nuclear attack scenario](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario/925328): > > We have a sophisticated nuclear defense system, but it is primarily a missile defense system. Suppose a nuclear state with commercial flights to the U.S. uses a commercial airliner refitted as a bomber flying on a filed flight plan on a regular commercial route. Let’s say the destination is Washington Dulles. Coming from the east, that flight path wouldn’t have to divert much to go in the no-fly zone over the Capitol. I don’t know how fast we can scramble jets but I’m guessing 2-3 minutes might … The nuclear attack thread contained lots and lots of technical details, and there are serious people who have both the opportunity and the motivation to do so’. For them, this thread is a potentially valuable primer. My thread described how a person in his living room can defend against an attack. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/9 "2020-11-14T04:15:29Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Last week I started a thread about ways your computer can be attacked and how it can be defended. It was hidden, with an admonishment from a mod, who said regardless of intent, do mot post methods of attacking computers. I don’t have all the facts in front of me, I can only speculate. It sounds like, in the moderator’s judgement, your late topic “fosters or promotes activity that is illegal in the U.S.”, a violation of this rule: > [@Terms of Service and FAQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-of-service-and-faq/823562/2): > > **Illegal activity or material** – Do not post material that fosters or promotes activity that is illegal in the U.S. For example, discussing the effects of illegal drugs is okay, where to obtain them is not. It is also possible that you ran afoul of this rule: > [@Terms of Service and FAQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-of-service-and-faq/823562/2): > > **On discussion of VPNs** > > **Allowed:** General discussion of VPNs. Questions about legality and debates about legal and other issues. Discussions about using a VPN to hide your identity for security purposes > **NOT Allowed:** Discussions about VPNs for P2P and file sharing, copyright violations, or illegal purposes. Discussions about using a VPN to hide your identity for purposes such as ban evasion, socking, trolling, and spamming. > Specific VPN service providers should not be mentioned by name or linked to without permission from the moderation staff. Specifically the last part: > [@Terms of Service and FAQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-of-service-and-faq/823562/2): > > Specific VPN service providers should not be mentioned by name or linked to without permission from the moderation staff. I have no particular comment or opinion on the _tu quoue_. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/10 "2020-11-14T04:57:13Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > The nuclear attack thread contained lots and lots of technical details, and there are serious people who have both the opportunity and the motivation to do so’. For them, this thread is a potentially valuable primer. So does directions on how to launch a missile or hotwire a commercial airplane. But the chance of someone reading it here and putting it into practice is pretty unlikely. Also, could you link to the thread? ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/11 "2020-11-14T05:00:38Z")
No, VPN is seen by the Boart as a specific attack on the interest sof the Board itself, rather than a general attack on public interests. Very different. Neither of the two threads in question are direct attacks on the Board in any way. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/12 "2020-11-14T08:45:06Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Last week I started a thread about ways your computer can be attacked and how it can be defended. No, you didn’t. You started a thread with specific “how to” information about how to cause harm to someone’s computer. There was absolutely nothing in it about how it could be defended. There were two things listed in your post. The first was explicit instructions on how to make someone’s toolbars disappear so that “They’ll spend a day trying to get their tool-bars back.” The second was how to screw up someone’s email while they were traveling overseas so that they would not be able to access their email at all until they returned to the US. Your post was purely malicious in its intent, and contained exact step by step instructions that anyone regardless of technical skill could follow. While we do allow some discussions of illegal acts, we generally draw the line at providing detailed “how-to” type information. By comparison, while the nuclear attack scenario does contain a general outline for an attack, it does not contain complete step-by-step instructions on how to commit an act of terrorism, and also has the intent of asking how to prevent this type of attack, where your post was just sharing how to do something harmful with absolutely no intent about how to defend against it. Max\_S linked to the appropriate rule (illegal activities). The bit about VPNs in Max’s post do not apply. There was nothing about VPNs in your post. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/13 "2020-11-14T09:12:22Z")
You have hidden any evidence that might exonerate me, and then substituted a version, which is inaccurate in several respects. Furthermore, nothing I described “damages” any computer or system. One is easily remedied, the other easily avoided if some one (like me) has “maliciously” warned you about it. I stand by the text of my post — show it to us. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/14 "2020-11-14T11:43:25Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Furthermore, nothing I described “damages” any computer or system. One is easily remedied, the other easily avoided if some one (like me) has “maliciously” warned you about it. Rendering something unusable, even though you have not caused any physical damage, is still damage. > [@jtur88](#): > > I stand by the text of my post — show it to us. No. There is nothing in your post except two examples of how to cause someone a lot of grief. Since there is nothing to your post other than this malicious “how to” information, it will remain hidden. I honestly don’t know what you could possibly think is in that post that could somehow exonerate you. The post is literally just two examples of how to be malicious. That’s it. If you still do not understand why your post is unacceptable here, then you should refrain from making any post that is even remotely similar. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/15 "2020-11-14T12:02:54Z")
That key does exactly what the system designer intended to do. It doesn’t “destabilize” antithing, it just offers an alternate screen view. I stand by what I wrote. That evidence has been conveniently removed from view. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/16 "2020-11-14T12:50:20Z")
Your post was reported as malicious. @engineer_comp_geek engineer\_comp\_geek read it as malicious. No mod read the report and said, “no, I disagree, that post should stand”. It unambiguously gave instructions for damaging someone else’s computer (yes, damaging the functionality, not the hardware.) Whatever your motivation in your heart of hearts, the post was easy to interpret as malicious. It has been deleted. The reason for deleting it has been clearly stated. Move on. (closing thread.) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-attack-scenario-vs-dirty-compuyer-tricks/925549/17 "2020-11-14T12:50:28Z")