Topic: Data Storage

Referencing Klaus Schwab's warnings of a "cyber pandemic," the hosts discuss the vulnerability of modern cloud-based data systems. They contrast current "cavalier" backup practices with legacy methods involving physical tape archives and off-site storage, suggesting that modern data volumes have become unmanageable.

A listener anecdote provides insight into the "Fat Leonard" Navy corruption scandal involving officers on the USS Blue Ridge who diverted ships for bribes. The discussion transitions into the evolution of data storage, noting that 18-terabyte hard drives are now available for $150. This massive storage capacity is framed as a tool for permanent record-keeping of personal data by authorities.

LastPass notifies customers of a significant security breach where hackers stole cloud storage keys and customer vault data, including encrypted passwords and personal metadata. The hosts advocate for decentralized password management solutions like VaultWarden or physical notebooks over centralized cloud services.

The loss of historical show notes and artwork occurred when the startup Drop.io was acquired and shut down by Facebook. This experience led to a policy of never relying on "free" third-party corporate servers for critical data. Most modern tech startups are viewed as being built specifically to be acquired by giants like Google or Facebook rather than to establish sustainable business models.

Microsoft 365's cloud storage service is praised for its fast search capabilities and indexing efficiency compared to local desktop software. The benefits of using remote servers to process and index large volumes of data are discussed. Mention is also made of Acronis as an alternative cloud service provider.

A community-led effort has successfully created a high-speed torrent of the first 1,000 episodes of the show. Seeders from around the world are contributing to ensure the long-term survival of the show's historical archive in an indestructible format.

CleverSafe, a Chicago-based data storage company with ties to In-Q-Tel and former intelligence officials, is identified as a likely candidate for storing NSA metadata under new third-party storage proposals. The company uses information dispersal algorithms to slice and distribute data across multiple geographic locations. The hosts express concern over the centralization of intelligence data with a private entity that also handles commercial data.

The hosts discuss the ease with which the government can now build massive dossiers on citizens due to the plummeting cost of digital storage. They note that a four-terabyte hard drive can be purchased at Costco for under $150, making file space virtually unlimited for state agencies. This leads to a "better safe than sorry" approach where all personal data is permanently archived.

The acquisition of Drop.io by Facebook led to the service's abrupt closure with only 45 days' notice, resulting in the destruction of thousands of links used in podcast show notes. This event highlights the instability of "freemium" cloud business models and the risks of relying on third-party hosting for professional assets. In response, a custom URL redirector service, curryscloud.com, was developed to ensure that public links remain under personal control even if the underlying file storage provider changes.

The file-sharing service Drop.io is criticized for selling to Facebook and subsequently announcing the closure of its service, which resulted in the deletion of archived show materials. This event is used as a cautionary tale regarding the unreliability of cloud-based storage for paying users.

The hosts discuss the technical upgrades at the "crackpot command center," including a new 5-terabyte RAID 5 NAS system. They express a desire to move away from Gmail and "the cloud" toward self-hosted email servers to ensure privacy from federal surveillance. They weigh the convenience of Google's search capabilities against the security of private hosting.

BI Incorporated, a company providing electronic monitoring for 16,000 offenders across 49 states, suffered a 12-hour system shutdown after hitting a 2-billion record data storage limit. Spokesman Jock Waldo stated the company is expanding the threshold to a trillion records following the unprecedented failure.

A source inside Schiphol Airport reports that while RFID baggage tracking was abandoned due to cost, 75 full-body scanners are being installed. Contrary to official claims that images are deleted immediately, the source alleges that a massive storage system has been implemented to archive all passenger scans.