Thread by @vmyths

@thegrugq Your video promotes two #UrbanLegends at the 18:09 mark. I'll begin with the latter: that Ukrainian artillerymen are KIA over an infected phone app.

@CrowdStrike created this #myth in a hysterical report they were compelled to "update" in March 2017:
crowdstrike.com/blog/danger-cl…

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike Ukraine's ministry of defense refuted CrowdStrike's "deadly" claims. An alleged source claims CrowdStrike made errors.

Regardless how plausible you think it is, there exists NO evidence of soldiers dying over the use of malware-laden phone apps.
voanews.com/a/crowdstrike-…

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike You've fallen for one of many #UrbanLegends where no evidence exists.

Now comes the hard part.

Will you face up to getting duped?

Or will you rationalize it, perhaps by saying it will convince soldiers not to use potentially malware-laden phone apps on the battlefield?

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike You got duped by @CrowdStrike. You gave bad info to your audience. It happens to the best of us!

But please: don't leave your audience in the dark. They trust you, so you need to tell them the truth.

If you can't bear to do it, then you're pulling the wool over their eyes.

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike ...Now let's go back to the first #UrbanLegend you fell for: that hospital patients die in "cyber incidents."

You have no evidence for this claim.

Worse for you is the fact no one has pinned a death on the 2017 NHS #ransomware attack despite the hype!

https://twitter.com/BrianSniffen/status/863168903186403329

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike Your hedged your hospital-deaths assertion in the video after the 18:09 mark by using @CrowdStrike's #UrbanLegend where Ukrainian soldiers get sent home in Glad bags for using an infected phone app.

Please don't use one urban legend to buttress another.

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike It's okay to assume #ransomware is so dangerous in a hospital setting that it won't surprise you if a patient died from it but the death certificate documents 'surgical complications' or, God forbid, 'Covid'.

And just to PROVE it's okay to assume it:

https://twitter.com/vmyths/status/1486111746997866497

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike But it's NOT okay to present it as #factual in a YouTube video with 1,200+ views that you promoted on Twitter to 121,000 followers.

Worse: you hedged your factual assertion in the video at the 18:40 mark, stammering "But! Even if that *hasn't* happened..."

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike Now at THIS point you'll protest--

--that you covered yourself at the 18:14 mark after a false start where you inserted "I have been told..."

Told by sources whose expertise you didn't identify, that patients have died in hospitals due to "cyber incidents."

It fails because...

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike ...you begin at the 18:09 mark where you assert "I would argue that there has been lethality."

You made multiple attempts to convince your audience that your hearsay was fact.

Because in your humble opinion, it's just too plausible!

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike You went so far as to concoct an #excuse to explain why no evidence exists!

At the 18:21 mark: the cyber-murders of patients "hasn't been publicized & pushed because []... until it's a huge big deal, it's sorted of ignored."

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike You know, I met a man like you once who fell into exactly this trap.

Casey J. Dunlevy. A bigwig at CERT. Gave lots of speeches.

At the 2002 NebraskaCERT conference he claimed to have "verbally confirmed" the mafia used a computer to remotely kill a hospital patient.

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike It happens. All the time. To the best of us.

A prepared speech. Off-the-cuff remarks. Q&A. Or just while on a hot mic.

The old rule of thumb applies: "Everybody is stupid at least 10 minutes a day. Try to keep it down to 10, and try to do it when nobody is looking."

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike Okay, so you screwed up.

You perpetuated @CrowdStrike's sexy cyber war-porn #UrbandLegend.

You fueled a #ConspiracyTheory that "cyber incidents" kill hospital patients but governments can't really do anything right now, so "until it's a huge big deal, it's sort of ignored."

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike Hey, we all make mistakes! See below for one of mine; it stings me to this day.

Why don't you sit back for a while. Do some #NeverForget research on the names & photos of Ukrainian artillerymen who died with a cell phone in their hand.

https://twitter.com/vmyths/status/1234887415808040961

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike Maybe do some research on #NickoSilar, the baby whose death may qualify as the first #ransomware murder.

I'm shocked you didn't mention her in your video!

(And note the fact I've offered my expertise pro bono to the doctor who delivered the baby.)

https://twitter.com/vmyths/status/1447257414278000645

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike Take your time. Compose yourself.

Then issue a ... "correction"? "Clarification"? A straight-up "apology"?

Show your 121,000+ followers you care enough to give them the best you can offer.

I mean, it's not like your PhD dissertation is riding on it!

https://twitter.com/thymetikon/status/1131702577878503425

@thegrugq @CrowdStrike @threadreaderapp please unroll