How to lock down the internet - As in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)

fulltimestudent

How do you allow a localised and controlled use of an intranet, allowing people to access a controlled flow of information, but preventing them from accessing information from the external internet (World wide web)?

Not long ago, computer engineers at Enno Rey Netzwerke in the German city of Heidelberg were able to examine an Ullim (NK brand name) tablet. What they discovered is that all the (western) efforts to leak anti-regime information into NK, to take advantage of a perceived increase in computing in NK, are likely useless as the regime's scientists and engineers have been able to modify the hardware and software to virtually close off information not approved by the regime.

Starting from a standard Hoozo Z100 tablet made by a Shenzhen company, NK engineers removed the communications hardware, so that to access the NK intranet, users need a plug-in dongle. This is the first level of control.

The next level is software called Red Flag which takes a screenshot every time a user opens an app, it also records browsing history, the internal identification number of the tablet and ensures the core system has not been tampered with.

Another app called Trace Viewer works with the first app and permits the recorded history of use for the tablet to be examined.

The next level, limits apps installation to officially approved apps.

The next stage, part of the NK's Red Star OS (a version of LInux) "watermarks" files, so that if a file is shared, an inspector is able to identify how it spread.

Another level of control restricts Media compatibility. If a user tries to open a file, the tablet checks to see if it is an approved version. If it's not, the machine will not open the file. So no-one can take a foreign file and open it on their Ullim tablet.

All these measure were apparently in place by 2013, so any effort by outsiders to supply anti regime information would not be accessible.

Do all these measures work. The German engineers think so. They conclude:

Quote: "These controls effectively keep the sharing of most information in check and leave people to resort to old-fashioned word-of-mouth."

Full story available at: http://www.38north.org/2017/03/mwilliams030317/

NB. 38 North is a NK watcher web-site.

Simon

Over here we just have Google, facebook, Amazon and twitter do it.

Now with added "always listening to you" recording devices that people PAY to put in their homes.

Brilliant !

Ruby456

I stick to sites like The Conversation for debunking alternative facts and other things - begun in Australia

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Chook

The GB would get an erection if they could control Jw browsing to only their website. They might hire big kimmys computer engineers. Information is king.

waton

Voice from the past: To me, this is an amazing zing. The Nazis had issued the mandatory 'Volks -Empfaenger" a basic radio that could not receive foreign stations. But they had mobile units that could detect dedicated people who had superhet radios tuned to BBC. superhet units that had to be custom build, for some of which I was used as an innocent 10 year old to smuggle on the railroad to wealthy customers.