Camillo Särs (@[email protected])

Dabbling in information security since the early 1990's.
@[email protected] on Mastodon.

[tern @1goodtern]

Articles seem to be completely pointless on here, but I'm trying it again.

No one sees them, no one reads them.

What's the point?

[Camillo Särs (@[email protected]) @Gedfi]

@lavika @a_kruschke @michael_hoerger Sounds plausible. In most European countries, you're *expected* to stay home sick. In the US, you're expected to come in, unless you're literally dying.

[Camillo Särs (@[email protected]) @Gedfi]

@pelagicbird @SolidEvidence Covid isn't really a respiratory virus, though, even though it's primary transmission is airborne.

Not even the "respiratory sybdrome" is pneumonia. It's vascular - in the lungs.

[Wild Hornets @wilendhornets]

Hi! It’s us — the developers of the STING interceptor. It was indeed designed as a very low-cost weapon against Shahed drones, since Russia attacks Ukraine with them in large numbers. STING opened the niche of Shahed interceptors and drones of this type. Ukrainian soldiers operating STING have already shot down many thousands of Shaheds.

We share more details about it on our page. And yes, STING isn’t free, but compared to the cost of a Shahed, and especially a Patriot missile, it’s almost nothing. Its effectiveness is 90–100%.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask 😎

[Danny Polishchuk @Dannyjokes]

Hey did you accidentally bomb Iraq instead of Iran???

ChatGPT: You’re absolutely right good catch!

[Camillo Särs (@[email protected]) @Gedfi]

That's one heck of a "cold"

[tern @1goodtern]

cii cognitive dysfunction
cii memory impairment
cii executive dysfunction
cii brain fog
cii attention deficit
cii encephalopathy
cii encephalitis
cii seizures
cii new onset epilepsy
cii migraine
cii chronic daily headache
cii anosmia
cii hyposmia
cii ageusia
cii dysgeusia
cii tinnitus
cii hearing loss
cii vestibular dysfunction
cii dizziness
cii vertigo
cii sleep disturbance
cii insomnia
cii hypersomnia
cii circadian rhythm disruption
cii dysautonomia
cii postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
cii inappropriate sinus tachycardia
cii orthostatic hypotension
cii blood pressure instability
cii temperature dysregulation
cii sweating disorders
cii heat intolerance
cii exercise intolerance
cii post exertional symptom exacerbation
cii chronic fatigue
cii myalgic encephalomyelitis
cii post viral fatigue syndrome
cii severe deconditioning
cii sarcopenia
cii anxiety disorder
cii depressive disorder
cii mood instability
cii panic disorder
cii post traumatic stress disorder
cii myocarditis
cii pericarditis
cii myopericarditis
cii arrhythmia
cii atrial fibrillation
cii ventricular ectopy
cii heart failure
cii reduced ejection fraction
cii microvascular angina
cii endothelial dysfunction
cii vascular inflammation
cii arterial stiffness
cii thrombosis
cii pulmonary embolism
cii deep vein thrombosis
cii microclot disease
cii hypercoagulability
cii reduced lung capacity
cii restrictive lung disease
cii obstructive lung disease
cii pulmonary fibrosis
cii chronic cough
cii dyspnoea
cii hypoxia
cii impaired gas exchange
cii immune dysregulation
cii immune exhaustion
cii lymphopenia
cii neutrophil dysfunction
cii impaired interferon response
cii impaired opsonisation
cii reactivation of latent viruses
cii frequent infections
cii vaccine hyporesponsiveness
cii autoantibody production
cii autoimmune disease onset
cii autoimmune disease flare
cii sjogren’s syndrome
cii rheumatoid arthritis
cii systemic lupus erythematosus
cii vasculitis
cii antiphospholipid syndrome
cii autoimmune thyroid disease
cii type 1 diabetes
cii mast cell activation
cii histamine intolerance
cii anaphylactoid reactions
cii new food sensitivities
cii drug hypersensitivity
cii gastrointestinal dysmotility
cii gastroparesis
cii chronic nausea
cii chronic diarrhoea
cii constipation
cii abdominal pain
cii irritable bowel syndrome
cii inflammatory bowel disease flare
cii malabsorption
cii altered gut microbiome
cii liver injury
cii elevated transaminases
cii fatty liver disease progression
cii cholestasis
cii pancreatic dysfunction
cii pancreatitis
cii impaired insulin secretion
cii insulin resistance
cii new onset diabetes
cii kidney injury
cii chronic kidney disease progression
cii proteinuria
cii haematuria
cii bladder dysfunction
cii urinary frequency
cii urinary urgency
cii incontinence
cii sexual dysfunction
cii erectile dysfunction
cii menstrual irregularity
cii amenorrhoea
cii ovarian dysfunction
cii reduced fertility
cii endothelial barrier damage
cii blood brain barrier disruption
cii gut barrier permeability
cii vascular leak
cii musculoskeletal pain
cii myalgia
cii arthralgia
cii inflammatory arthritis
cii connective tissue fragility
cii skin disease
cii chilblain like lesions
cii vasculitic rash
cii urticaria
cii hair loss
cii eye disease
cii dry eye
cii uveitis
cii retinal vascular injury
cii visual disturbance
cii accelerated ageing
cii frailty
cii reduced physiological reserve
cii increased all cause mortality

[tern @1goodtern]

Checking back in on the state of polyomavirus infections.

These are viruses that almost all of us carry for life.
In healthy people they usually sit quietly in the background doing nothing much...

[Puolustusministeriö @DefenceFinland]

Tänään muistamme talvisodan alkamista.

Kiitämme veteraaneja ja lottia sekä koko sotasukupolvea itsenäisestä Suomesta.

Himmetä ei muistot koskaan saa. 🇫🇮

[Camillo Särs (@[email protected]) @Gedfi]

@mkorhonen12345 @SaarniTuomo @ilmarinen_tweet Koska sen voisi tehdä automaattisesti kohtuullisilla kustannuksilla, eikä tarvitsisi työllistää hakemusten käsittelijää?

Meillä on aivan liikaa "hakemuskäsittelyä" siinä missä automaatio voisi tehdä homman halvalla.

[Pekka Toveri @PToveri]

A very good opinion piece. EU´s problem is, that it doesn´t use all the instruments that we have in EU´s legislation to counter Hungary´s actions to support Russia. EU has deluted its own power by short-sighted political decisions. This must end.
https://t.co/hnx1QXTX4u

[Camillo Särs (@[email protected]) @Gedfi]

@nokimies88 @leanvaltio @NieminenIiro Tämähän lienee hallituksen tavoite, eli vain varakkaat saa jatkossa koulutusta. Sillä se Suomen kilpailukyky paranee?

[Camillo Särs (@[email protected]) @Gedfi]

@AnttiKajanto @SarasvuoJari Rikoksentekoväline ei nauti omaisuudensuojaa. Olosuhteet tottakai huomioidaan, mutta Suomessa on tuomittu ajoneuvo menetetyksi jo pelkästä toistuvasti kortitta ajamisesta liikennettä vaarantamatta. Tästä on KKO:n ennakkopäätös. Samoin käy jos ajoneuvoa käytetään huumekauppaan.

[Vatnik Soup @P_Kallioniemi]

Here's my assessment on European countries and their risk of turning pro-Kremlin. Feel free to criticize and comment 👇

Already pro-Kremlin

Hungary
Slovakia
Austria
Serbia

High risk

Romania
Bulgaria
Germany
Switzerland
Greece
Malta
Italy
Moldova
Vatican City

Medium risk

Czech Republic
Croatia
France
Belgium
Spain
Ireland
Cyprus
Switzerland
Slovenia

Low risk

The Netherlands
Kosovo
Albania
Portugal
The UK
Scotland

Very low risk

Finland
Sweden
Norway
Denmark
Lithuania
Latvia
Estonia
Poland
Ukraine
Iceland
Luxemburg
Liechenstein

No idea

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Andorra
Montenegro
North Macedonia
San Marino

[Camillo Särs (@[email protected]) @Gedfi]

@__mariasofia @TimoPoyhonen @Sukkola Sananvapautta voi helposti väärinkäyttää ja Ukkola on saanut kokea niin paljon ikävää häirintää että ymmärrän kyllä että hän herkästi blokkaa ihmisiä jotka muistuttavat häntä häiriköistä. Olisi kyllä itsereflektion paikka jos joutuu blokatuksi.

[Harri Ohra-aho @Ohra_aho]

Yhdysvaltain tiedusteluyhteisö (IC) on havainnut ulkomaisten vastustajien, erityisesti Venäjän, lisäävän vaikutusoperaatioitaan, joilla pyritään heikentämään yleistä luottamusta Yhdysvaltain vaalien eheyteen ja kärjistämään kansalaisten välisiä jännitteitä. Tiedusteluyhteisö ennakoi, että nämä toimet tulevat voimistumaan vaalipäivää kohti ja jatkuvat vielä sen jälkeenkin, erityisesti keskittyen vaa’ankieliosavaltioihin.

Venäjä on aktiivisin uhka. Venäjään kytkeytyvät vaikuttajaoperaattorit tuottavat erityisesti videoita ja valeartikkeleita, joiden tavoitteena on kyseenalaistaa vaalien legitimiteetti, luoda pelkoa äänestysprosessista sekä viestiä, että amerikkalaiset käyttäisivät väkivaltaa toisiaan kohtaan poliittisten mieltymystensä vuoksi – IC:n tiedon mukaan. Nämä toimet voivat pahimmillaan lisätä väkivaltaa, myös vaalivirkailijoita kohtaan. Ennakoimme, että venäläiset toimijat julkaisevat lisää tällaista valmistettua sisältöä vaalipäivänä sekä vaalien jälkeen viikkojen ajan. - FBI, CIA, CISA

[Arijit Chakravarty @arijitchakrav]

(🧵NO ONE COULD HAVE PREDICTED THIS): To answer the question "What does the future hold for 𝑆𝐀𝑅𝑆-𝐂𝑂𝑉-𝟐?" it's worth examining how predictable its evolutionary trajectory has been so far. Evolution is stochastic, but stochastic processes can still yield predictions. (1/)

[Camillo Särs (@[email protected]) @Gedfi]

@MikaAaltola Rajoitusten poisto on järkevää. 24 h ehto on ihan turhaa teatteria - Venäjä on pommittanut siviili-infraa jo vuosia eikä lopeta.

[Camillo Särs (@[email protected]) @Gedfi]

@1goodtern If at all possible, try to get the first appointment in the morning. That way the air has (hopefully) been circulated overnight.

[Camillo Särs (@[email protected]) @Gedfi]

@MarkusVinnari @JMartiq @HalmeRauno Laivanrakennus ikävä kyllä ei ole reilu markkina. Ilman valtion takauksia ei ole mitään edellytyksiä pysyä kilpailukykyisenä, koska muut valtiot myös subventoi telakoita.

Huoltovarmuus tekee tästä kansallisen intressin. Ja Suomi on saari. Ikävä ettet ymmärrä.

[(((Tendar))) @Tendar]

The Ukrainian offensive in Kursk has been ongoing for 12 days and it is time to make an intermediate assessment on all levels. Spoiler: it is an Ukrainian success story. Please indulge me.

When in the morning hours of August 6, 2024, the first news hit that Russian border posts in Kursk were struck, not many could imagine the scale of what was going on. Many had the small cross border raids in mind from last year when the Free Russian Legion was entering Belgorod and harassing a few border villages, but obviously that was not the case here. In order to summarize it properly, I will try to shed light on this on all relevant levels, tactical, operational, strategic and political.

Tactical Level

On the tactical level Russians were completely unprepared of what was coming. The border posts such as in Oleshnya were quickly overrun and the Russian conscripts in their posts surrendered fast. The initial response units of the Russian army were all but wiped out and even an Kamov Ka-52 chopper, which tried to interfere, was shot out of the sky.

The Ukrainian strikes were coordinated on an extremely professional level, using artillery, tanks, armored vehicles, drones and other aerial vehicles. Communication and tactics showed that Ukrainian forces mastered what is commonly known as maneuver warfare. At no stage in this war Russians ever employed this kind of professionalism. In addition, the discipline among Ukrainian soldiers not to use mobile phones and disclose communication as well as gains in territory left Russians (and the OSINT community) relatively in the dark. The Ukrainian silence in preparation and execution of this operation might be the most astounding factor in this campaign. It almost flawlessly worked.

Operational Level

Aside from the tactical cleverness Ukrainians showed to us so far, it was and still is also the way they moved into the Kursk region. While Russian forces are infamous in trying to reach and overcome heavily fortified cities, towns and villages, Ukrainians rather bypassed larger settlements, cut and intercept the rear and encircle Russian troop concentrations, and by doing so staying even more in the shadows. This probably enabled the capture of large numbers of Russian POWs who found themselves quickly behind lines. Estimations go as high as 2,000 Russian soldiers being captured, an number so high that it might even be a strain for Ukrainian logistics. But it is obvious that this alone has already made the operation worthwhile.

Russians, however, employed the same mistakes they made when starting the full-scale war back in February 2022. Some large columns which were mustered, were not only detected by Ukrainian forces, but as with the instance in Rylsk completely destroyed. This single event made an already difficult situation for Russian forces worse. It might turn out that this single event will be responsible for vast losses in territory, starting with Korenevo, which at this very hours is getting pounded and encircled. Overall, the whole Russian operational situation shows that they are only trying to stem the tide, without any short-term hope of dislodging the enemy. The Ukrainian Blitz has been an operational success, despite Russian resistance in some areas.

Strategic Level

Any tactical and operational planning and especially execution should follow an overarching strategy. We saw this when Ukrainian forces were successfully defeating Russian forces in Kyiv and the North in March 2022, and even more so when vast areas in Kharkiv and Kherson regions were liberated. Russians, on the other hand, lack a strategy. Other than trying to atrit the enemy, there is nothing what really resemblance a strategy, and this one is a questionable one for sure. The huge casualties in Bakhmut, Vuhledar and Avdiivka, where hundreds of thousands of Russians were destroyed, either by KIA or permanently WIA, didn't yield any strategic gain, neither in terms of territory nor in trying to disable the Ukrainian army altogether. It is obvious that the Kremlin was trying to perpetuate the illusion that Russia can do this forever. And this has been the Russian strategy ever since, combined with projecting "red lines" which aim to stop or at least slow down Western aid for Ukraine, in hope to force Ukrainians into a diktat peace which Putin could sell to his subjects.

Ukraine could never allow itself to do the same for both, military and also humanitarian reasons. Since sending out countless of meat waves was never a lasting solution for Ukraine, the counter offensive in the South in 2023 got stuck, despite some notable successes in the Russian rear, especially in Crimea. It was clear that Russia and its lesser minions in the West would exploit this, but it was preferable to preserve the strength, rather than losing men for some fields in the south. A different approach was needed.

The choice to attack Russian lands in Kursk, which were not well defended and even less expected by Moscow, made it an ideal target. And the successes speak for themselves. Ukrainian forces have achieved in 7 days more territorial gains than Russians in one year of attrition warfare in Donetsk. The best part is that this was achieved with minimal own casualties. Yes, there were some losses, especially with MRAPs and Russians will celebrate every one of them, but considering that Ukraine has thousands of them its armory and the Wests tens of thousands ready, it is not a serious concern.

When playing the long game, it is imperative to use its forces and reserves in a most efficient way, targeting weak spots and force the enemy to lose more troops and driving them beyond capacity. In fact, Russia was wasting huge amounts of human material and hardware against what was a Maginot line in Donbas. Anyone who studied the history of wars knows that fortresses and defense lines are meant to be attacked, which should be actually a no-brainer. The trick is to bypass them and in doing so make them useless. Only when it is unavoidable you attack them.

When German forces were bypassing the Maginot line in 1940, huge amount of French military investments evaporated. Later in the Africa campaign both, German and British forces understood that supplies and logistics outweigh any territorial gains. If you can use the vastness of the territory to weaken your enemy, then it would be foolish not to do so. You should assume that Russians understand at least this from their own history, but it is almost comical that in Ukraine Putin and his entourage completely disregarded that. You might assume that his resulted from their hubris and I'm sure that their arrogance did their part. However, when seeing how atrociously bad Russians operate in combined arms warfare, it is explainable why they chose this bad option, because they are simply not capable of doing it differently.

Summarizing, you can only conclude that the Ukraine strategy is working. The breakthrough in Donetsk has been prevented. The Russian gains are small, even dwarfed by the Ukrainian gains in Kursk, which are still ongoing, and the Russian gains came for a horrifically high price. To call this pyrrhic, does not do the term justice, because even pyrrhic victory bears the term "victory". Russians are nowhere near to achieve even that and Ukrainian forces might cause far more damage in Kursk, if Russians are not relocating more troops to this sector, effectively dashing what they intended in Donbas.

Political Level

The political implications might be even the most disastrous for the Russian war effort. Having Ukrainians firmly entrenched in Russian lands bodes not well from a military point of view in itself, but the picture it projects is far worse than anything what Russians have experienced so far. Putin was so devoted to project that Russia is "strong again". He and his propaganda channels are going to great length to portray the 1990s and democracy as rule of weakness and in contrast him and his dictatorship the rule of strength and stability.

Having this defeat in Kursk under his watch where Russia had to concede to a foreign force territory and allow them take permanent hold of Russian lands, is a situation which has never occured since 1945, not even during the 1990s. Ukrainian conquest of Russian territories are the latest signs, how weak Russia in fact is. When reflecting that the whole Russian economy has been relegated to sustain this war, it makes this embarrassment even more embarrassing. Russia is devoted to this war and cannot even hold the own borders, basically adding insult to injury. That will stick and not even Russia's propaganda channels are capable of fending this off.

Putin's meek response speaks louder than anything else. The emperor's new clothes are exposed once again and he is more afraid than ever. Russia is vulnerable and it cannot be hidden anymore. Ukrainian forces firmly control the border areas in Kursk and god knows how many reserves are waiting for this or even another incursion. Even when it would be possible to stop the Ukrainian advance, it is unlikely to dislodge them before the end of this year, if ever during this war.

This is extremely important to point out. Putin was already preparing to arm twist Ukraine into a diktat ceasefire. All what he needed is a steady even when slow advance in Donbas and Western governments in buying that he is going to sacrifice whatever is necessary. It was absolutely imperative for him to deny Ukrainians any kind of territorial successes. This was more important to him than his horrific losses, because he thought that he will reach a suitable point before his reserves are spent. This was emphasized when he and his lesser minions were always pointing out that Russia is advancing, ignoring that those advances are minuscule.

With Ukrainians in Kursk, on Russian lands, this has shifted, dramatically. He cannot even think of ceasefire as long as Ukrainians control even an inch of Russia, but his problems are that he will need another hugely costly campaign, similar to what is going on since 2 years in Donbas, without even a sight of end. Russia already squandered huge amounts of human material and hardware and we all know that his reserves are burning down. Depending on analysts, the Soviet reserves are spent by 2026-2027.

Russia cannot sustain this war forever, and Putin cannot allow Ukrainians on Russian lands. The planners in Kyiv skillfully recognized this and maneuvered Putin into a corner where his demise is expedited. They also exposed Russian weaknesses and presented their Western backers that Ukraine can win this war, if the weapons and ammunition are guaranteed. The West should take note of this success and draw the right conclusions. There are no Russian red lines, only bluffs. German-made tanks are in Russia, destroying Russians and we are all here. The bluff is called.

This war can be ended quickly, either militarily or with a decisive Russian defeat, which will cause a political change inside Russia. The Kursk operation has laid this completely open and it is time to do some serious action in the West, in order to break Putin-Russia's neck once and for all.