Mr. Robot has made some short videos to show fsociety’s plans and to warn their enemies about what they are going to do next. The person in the videos wears a plastic mask, a top hat, a tuxedo, and carries a cane. Their voice is changed to sound different. In the first season, Mr. Robot is the one in the videos, and in the second season, Darlene takes over. They film the videos on VHS tapes and upload them to Vimeo.
Here are the key reasons why they film the videos on VHS tapes :
Minimizing Digital Footprint: In the digital age, most forms of communication and data storage leave a digital footprint that can be traced, intercepted, or hacked. VHS tapes, being analog, do not generate such a footprint, making them inherently more secure against cyber-attacks and digital espionage.
Avoiding Digital Forensics: Digital forensics can recover deleted files, trace communications, and analyse metadata to uncover activities and identities. Analog media like VHS tapes are immune to these techniques, as they do not contain recoverable digital data or metadata.
Immunity to Cyber Attacks: VHS tapes cannot be hacked remotely, unlike digital files that can be accessed and manipulated over networks. This makes VHS tapes a secure way to store and transmit information without the risk of cyber intrusions.
Physical Control: VHS tapes provide physical control over the data. They can be physically destroyed to ensure the information is irretrievably lost, a key aspect of secure data disposal. This is much harder with digital media, which often leaves remnants even after deletion.
Air-Gapping: Using VHS tapes is a form of air-gapping, where critical information systems are physically isolated from unsecured networks. This prevents cyber adversaries from accessing the data through networked systems.
Counteracting Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): APTs involve long-term targeted attacks by sophisticated adversaries. By using VHS tapes, fsociety avoids creating digital targets that can be persistently attacked or monitored.
In summary:
In summary, fsociety’s use of VHS tapes is a deliberate cybersecurity strategy to mitigate risks associated with digital communication and data storage. By leveraging outdated but secure analog technology, they reduce their vulnerability to modern cyber threats and enhance their operational security.
Happy reading!