Editorials in English

in English

First They Came

First They Came – by Martin Niemöller Martin Niemöller (1892-1984) was a German Lutheran pastor and theologian. Initially a supporter of Adolf Hitler, Niemöller became a critic of the Nazi regime when he realized its atrocities. He was arrested and imprisoned in the concentration camps of Sachsenhausen and Dachau from 1937 to 1945. After the war, Niemöller became an activist for peace and human rights. This is happening again First they came for the Communists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Communist Then they came for the Socialists And I did not speak out Because…

When “Accountability” Means “All Hail the President?” 😰

Ever felt the urge to laugh and cry at the same time? 😅 My new article about President Trump’s 2025 executive order definitely hits that nerve. It’s all about turning “independent” agencies into personal puppets—because apparently one person alone can interpret every law in the land! 🏛️⚖️ And full honesty? This situation scares me as hell. 😬 Find out how this order might flip the hashtag#RuleOfLaw into hashtag#RuleByLaw, why civil servants might need 🔥 fireproof suits if they don’t fall in line, and how this could rock global alliances (hello, hashtag#Europe!). If you’re into a blend of political humor, dark…

The Human Factor and Security: A Love-Hate Relationship

The Human Factor and Security: A Love-Hate Relationship There’s been a lot of chatter lately about the “human factor” in security. You’ve probably heard the slogans: “Humans are the weakest link in the security chain!” or “If it weren’t for users, security would be easy!” And let’s be honest—there’s some truth to these claims. But what does this really mean? And are humans truly the villains of the cybersecurity world? Let’s dig in, shall we? 🕵️♂️ Humans move data, communicate, and make decisions. Without these activities, work would be pointless. Unless you’re a hardcore nerd writing code 100% of the…

The Rise and Fall of Password Gods: Aunt Gertrude’s Descent into the Rabbit Hole of Hashes and Salt

The Rise and Fall of Password Gods: Aunt Gertrude’s Descent into the Rabbit Hole of Hashes and Salt If Aunt Gertrude realised just how critical the security of her meatball recipe was, she’d probably consider hiring a CISO to guard her kitchen. Alas, her recipe—like most passwords—lives in a precarious state: a scrap of paper tucked under her casserole dish. And much like the rest of us, she underestimates the consequences of poor password hygiene. Table of Contents Introduction Password Length, Complexity, and the Human Factor The Hidden Dangers of Password Storage Windows Password Storage: The NTLM Saga Linux Password…

Passwords Passphrases, and the mystery of aunt Gertrude’s meatballs

PASSWORDS, PASSPHRASES, AND THE MYSTERY OF AUNT GERTRUDE’S MEATBALLS (Or, How to Secure Your Digital Life While Laughing About It) Note: Reading is recommended with a good supply of tea, coffee, or meatballs (depending on your time zone and hunger levels). Welcome to the semi-serious universe of cybersecurity, where our worst digital nightmares mix with family recipes, jokes about common passwords, and technical insights into cryptography. Table of Contents 1. Introduction: Why Talk About Passwords and Meatballs? Imagine an ordinary day. You’re about to access Aunt Gertrude’s top-secret recipe for the world’s best meatballs (rumored to contain a pinch of…

The Great Digital Confession: When CEOs, Politicians, and Experts Agree – They Know Nothing

The Great Digital Confession: When CEOs, Politicians, and Experts Agree – They Know Nothing Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the era of leadership without a clue. Imagine a CEO stepping onto the stage, flanked by their board of directors and a carefully selected backdrop of screens showing animated graphs and buzzword-filled slogans. The audience holds its breath as the CEO leans into the microphone and utters the unthinkable: “We don’t understand digitalisation. We don’t understand information security. Never have. Never cared. And frankly, we’ve been winging it this whole time.” What a revelation it would be if this honesty weren’t…

Fact-Checking vs. Community Notes:

Chapter 2: bot&troll Table of Contents 1. Introduction: The Tension Between Free Speech and Misinformation Social media has revolutionized global communication, enabling individuals to connect and share information across vast distances in an instant. This unprecedented ability to broadcast and consume content, however, has also ushered in tremendous challenges. On the one hand, traditional democratic values emphasize free speech and the unimpeded flow of ideas. On the other hand, unscrupulous actors can exploit the very mechanisms designed for open discourse. Through the manipulation of algorithms, the creation of bot accounts, and coordinated troll campaigns, they can spread misinformation far faster…

Fact-Checking vs. Community Notes:

Chapter 1: The Epic Quest for Truth Amid Conspiracy Theories, Shadowbans, and Overly Excited Internet Trolls Chapter 1: The Epic Quest for Truth Amid Conspiracy Theories, Shadowbans, and Overly Excited Internet Trolls Table of Contents 1. Introduction The modern world is a whirlwind of memes, breaking news, questionable diet tips, and curious cat videos (featuring felines in astronaut costumes, naturally). Social media has become our primary arena for discussing politics, pop culture, and bizarre conspiracies about alien lizard overlords. In the midst of this digital maelstrom, a great challenge has emerged: ensuring that at least some proportion of the information…

TikTok, Disinformation, and the Social Media Manipulation Machine: who’s bad?

TikTok, Disinformation, and the Social Media Manipulation Machine: who’s bad? TikTok—the digital bogeyman of our times. From corrupting the youth to endangering democracy, it’s been vilified as the ultimate evil of the internet. Governments wring their hands over its alleged ties to Beijing, competitors clutch their pearls at its meteoric rise, and yet… TikTok might just be the least biased of the major platforms. Shocking, isn’t it? Meanwhile, other platforms (naming no names, but think Musk’s X and Zuckerberg’s empire) are playing the same game—just with a Western spin on the rules. Algorithms manipulate what we see, moderation policies leave…

Information Security: A Cultural Circus with a Tragic Finale

Information Security: A Cultural Circus with a Tragic Finale If cybersecurity has anything in common with seatbelts, motorcycle helmets, and the Mediterranean diet, it’s this: everyone knows they’re essential, but hardly anyone bothers to use them. Why? The answer is as obvious as it is depressing: culture. Or, more specifically, the complete lack thereof. Cybersecurity—digital or otherwise—is, above all, a cultural issue. It’s not about technology, regulations, or ISO standards with titles longer than a queue for Wimbledon. Sure, those things help, but without a solid cultural foundation, they’re little more than decorative knick-knacks, like your grandma’s lace doilies on…

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