The insecurity paradox
2011-08-29
The formula here attempts to explain a paradox in security analysis:
If it is true that security is only as strong as its weakest link, why are not those who use insecur...
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An approach to an organization's risk factors (part 3)
In this third and final part of our article series about risk factors, we will examine Human attack factors and Physical factors.
An approach to an organization's risk factors (part 2)
The previous article discussed different procedures and systems that could be invoked in order to mitigate risk. In subsequent parts we will examine areas at risk, starting with Electronic factors.
An approach to an organization's risk factors (part 1)
The aim of this type of initial risk analysis is to identify potentially vulnerable points that may be exploited if they are not sufficiently secured.
Secure browsing turns insecure (again)
It seems obvious that the current certificate security model needs to be replaced by something that is less vulnerable for attacks from dedicated persons, organizations or governments.
Circumventing malware detection
Malware authors continue to pursue delivery mechanisms that can confuse different malware detection systems.
Combating fake antimalware
Coordinated efforts between experts/authorities against cybercriminals seem like the most efficient method for combating cybercriminals. Different experts and authorities are then able to focus on the part of the criminal chain that corresponds to their ability and expertise.
Targeted attacks: More "Bang for the Buck"
Since the cybercriminals seem to shift from randomly directed mass attacks to more focused attacks, the total volume of spam will decrease.
Plug mouse into the computer - be compromised
It is almost impossible to protect completely against a targeted cyberattack against an organization.
Secure tokens turn insecure
Even organizations, which presumably are more security conscious than most, have vulnerabilities that may be exploited by an attacker who has sufficient resources and determination at her disposal.
Microsoft's Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure policy
As one of the largest companies in the software industry, Microsoft's policy will influence the way vulnerabilities are handled.
Spam botnet Rustock beheaded
Bots and botnets comprise one of the biggest threats to the Internet and its users. However, recent news report of a success story: beheading the spam botnet Rustock.
Collective defense against Internet threats
The RSA Conferences are among the most important annual security conferences. This year's US conference was held in San Francisco 14 - 18 February.
Personalized web advertisements - good or bad?
Advertisements (ads) on the web have become part of a multi-billion industry. These days it is almost impossible to read news on the web without being overwhelmed by a plethora of ads for everything from cars to diapers. However, it is presumably not optimal to display the car ads to children. Nor are most teenagers particularly interested in diapers.
The next war will NOT be a pure cyberwar
A new report, “Reducing Systemic Cybersecurity Risk”, has received quite a lot of attention. The report is part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Project on “Future Global Shocks”, and addresses the question: "How far could cyber-related hazards be as devastating as events like large-scale pandemics and the 2007-10 banking crisis?"
Safe crime
We have previously advocated the view that endpoint security is just one of several tools needed to accomplish secure environments. This article will examine one particular threat against the Internet community and discuss how it may be overcome.
Hey, your computer is infected!
In a press release 25 October the Dutch High Tech Crime Team (THTC) of the National Crime Squad announced a successful takedown of a major botnet. 143 malicious computer servers were taken down from the internet resulting from collaboration with a Dutch hosting provider, the Dutch Forensic Institute (NFI), the internet security company Fox IT and GOVCERT.NL and the Dutch computer emergency response team.
Your computer has been quarantined and cannot access the Internet
A message similar to the one in this article's title may seem like a nightmare for most of us, as we have become increasingly dependent - some even addicted - to using resources available on the Internet for necessary as well as trivial tasks.
DDoS war
Last week in our article "Ways to use botnets", we discussed among other issues, botnets for hire. One example we mentioned in our article was the company Aiplex Software, which was hired to try stop illegal distribution of copyrighted material.
Ways to use botnets
This article will not go in depth with regard to how the different botnets function technically. We shall rather examine some of the ways botnets may be used, study one successful method used for fighting this threat, and finally discuss the idea of botnets used for benign purposes.
Håndtering av problemet med Cyberkriminalitet
For noen dager siden publiserte det australske Representantenes hus, komite for kommunikasjon, sin rapport om nettkriminalitet og sikkerhet. Dette dokumentet har den ambisiøse tittelen "Hackere, svindlere og botnet: Håndtering av problemet med Cyberkriminalitet", og er en imponerende, nesten 300 siders lesning med statistikk, eksempler, og selvfølgelig forslag til hvordan man kan løse problemet med nettkriminalitet.
Domain name registrants - who? where?
Domain names are a crucial part of the Internet's infrastructure. However, as we have shown in previous security articles, registration of special domain names may be used as an attack vector for spreading malware.
Handling an infected computer as an infected human being
The RSA Conferences are among of the most important annual security conferences. This year's US conference was held in San Francisco 1 - 5 March. One of the speakers was Microsoft's Scott Charney, Corporate Vice President Trustworthy Computing. His speech covered several interesting topics, of which we will discuss one: the ability, usefulness and implications of treating infected computers in a similar manner as infected human beings.
Software most susceptible to successful attacks
A new report about security risks was published this week. This report - "The Top Cyber Security Risks" - is a joint effort from the security organizations TippingPoint, Qualys, and SANS. In this week's security article we shall discuss one particular issue in the report - patching software.
Hacker tool? Security application? Or both?
Nmap (Network Mapper) is perhaps the most famous and used hacker tool that exists. Since its introduction in autumn 1997, this tool written by the pseudonym Fyodor (real name Gordon Lyon), has helped numerous hackers gathering valuable information about their targets. This summer Nmap version 5 was released. According to Insecure.org, this is supposed to be "the most important Nmap release since 1997".
The Internet's challenges recognized at highest level
Security organizations of different types have notified about perils involved for individuals as well as corporations, and the public sector in using the Internet. Unfortunately these warnings have often not been recognized with the sincerity they deserve. President Obama's speech is therefore a welcomed acknowledgement from the highest political level.
Information about "most popular" threats - ATLAS
ATLAS views computer attacks from a global perspective and helps users predict future network attacks. It does this by analyzing data gathered from a variety of sensors.
Fighting global crime on a global scale
We have previously discussed the fact that national police may not be sufficiently equipped to fight ecrime in its various forms. One of the problems with fighting today's ecrime by national means is that ecrime is not bound by national borders.
Fighting malware on two ends
Recently we have seen that some of the major players on "the dark side" of the Internet community have been removed from the Internet. Malicious activity dropped instantly - and by an amazingly significant quantity.
Ondsinnet programvare – en terrorists våte drøm?
Eksperter – selvutnevnte og noen andre – hevder ofte at ondsinnet programvare er det perfekte verktøy for terroristgrupper. Denne sikkerhetsartikkelen vil forsøke å analysere denne påstanden.
”Project Honey Pot” – en interessant teknikk for bekjempelse av søppelpost
En ”honeypot” (honningkrukke) kan løst defineres som noe som skal lure noen (eller noe) til å bruke seg og dermed lure den personen til å utføre en spesifikk handling med honningkrukka. Honningkukker av forskjellig slag er utbredt som et sikkerhetsmiddel innen datasikkerhet.
Harddisk with a new feature final solution. Does Norman go out of business (again…)?
If we have to believe Jasim Saleh Al-Azzawi, his latest invention will put us all out of business. He has ‘invented’ a harddisk with additional features making past, present and future viruses harmless.
Welcome to the Carnival: Ride the SpyCar
How does the user know that their security application, say their antivirus product, works and that the appropriate actions are taken by the antivirus product? An ‘easy’ but less secure and non-advisable way is to send yourself a virus by email or to launch it on your corporate network.
To report or not to report when being a victim of a Denial of Service Attack
Security Information Week 19, 2006
SecureBlue: brought to you by BigBlue
On 10 April, IBM announced that it will bring mainframe inspired security to the world of consumer products, medical devices, defense systems and digital media. The technology, named "SecureBlue" can be applied to a variety of imaginable equipment that contains valuable confidential or private information as mobile phones, PDA’s, PC’s, notebooks, etc.
Public Beta Software Enables Intel-based Macs to Run Windows XP
On 5 April 2006, Apple has released a beta version called “Boot Camp" that enables the Intel-based Macintosh machines to install Windows XP.
Minister of Justice wants Spyware
Investigating teams mayoperate and act much faster if they are allowed to put technical aids in the computer of suspects.
Webben din er hacket – hva nå?
I kjølvannet av publiseringen av de Muhammed-karrikaturene har en rekke internettsider blitt hacket og det kan synes som om visse organisasjoner/personer mener dette er en passende måte å gi uttrykk for sine meninger på.
Virksomheters og privatpersoners bekymringer ved bruk av Internett
Det er en mengde sikkerhetsproblemer som er aktuelle dersom man bruker Internett som medium for forretningsvirksomheten til en virksomhet. Sikkerhetsproblematikk er også aktuelt i forbindelse med beskyttelse mot misbruk av enkeltpersoners personlige informasjon. Denne artikkelen vil drøfte en del slike aspekter.
Syndere i sommersol
Sommer, solskinn og søte synder er noe de fleste forbinder med sødmefylte gleder og uskyldig moro. Men tyvene tar ikke ferie!
Spioner i sommersol
Industrispioner har også blomstringstid i ferien og datatyveri fra bedrifter skjer like ofte nå som ellers i året. Det kan dreie seg om utro tjenere, tidligere misfornøyde ansatte eller eksterne personer som stjeler informasjon. Det er ikke alltid lett å beskytte seg mot disse uønskede inntrengerne. Vanlig sikkerhetsutstyr som brannmurer, antivirusprodukter og antispyware er ikke alltid tilstrekkelige.
Sikkerhet i trådløse nettverk
Stadig flere, både enkeltpersoner og bedrifter, skaffer seg trådløst nettverk. Ikke alle er like bevisst på alle farene som lurer dersom man ikke har sikret seg godt nok.
Informasjon om Sasser-ormene
Her vil du finne generell informasjon om Sasser-ormene - Ofte Stilte Spørsmål og svar på disse.
Ti bud for å sikre ditt hjemmekontor
De fleste virksomheter mener i dag at de har sikret sine data på en forsvarlig måte. Da har de som regel sikret sine nettverk med systemer for å oppdage inntrengingsforsøk, og innført løsninger med antivirus, sikkerhetskopiering og brannmur.
The rebirth of an impressive security site
Security Information Week 38, 1999 Our weekly security information for week 12 points to different places where security information is available. One kind of such places ...
The need for a specified security policy
Security Information Week 14, 1999Many organizations, especially smaller ones do not have a specified security policy. This may cause several different problems, among those that ...
How to prevent crackers to break into your system
Security Information Week 6, 1999All the time reports are published about famous and not-so-famous organizations which have had their networks and computers compromized by crackers. ...
Risk assessment with Mass Mailers
Security Information Week 50, 1999IntroductionDuring the latest months viruses have been using e-mail clients to spread themselves. The most famous one is of course W97M/Melissa.A ...
Internet Explorer 5 and Active Scripting
Security Information Week 43, 1999During the last weeks different security issues which involves Internet Explorer version 5 has been discovered. These have to do with ...
When to apply hotfixes to Windows NT
Security Information Week 18, 1999Some time ago the long-awaited Service pack 4 to Windows NT version 4.0 was released. Last week Microsoft surprisingly released another ...
Using encryption as a tool to secure information
Security Information Week 22, 1999 The need to secure information is for many organizations and persons extremely important. This includes of course business secrets, which could ...
Where to get security information
Security Information Week 12, 1999 On the Internet there are several sites which offer very good security information. The different sites are of two kinds: Security sites ...
What a hacker may know about your systems
Security Information Week 10, 1999A person who is interested in breaking in to an organization's computers wants to know as much about these computers as ...
The dilemmas of publishing information about vulnerabilities in software
Security Information Week 40, 2002IntroductionOne of the ongoing discussions regarding security is about informing the public about new security risks. The two extremes are on ...
The ten most critical Internet security threats
Security Information Week 26, 2000SANS Institute's web site is one of the most useful resources to visit/use for those interested in computer security issues.One of ...
Several high-profile web sites taken down
Security Information Week 6, 2000During the first days of this week several high-profile web sites fell victim of what seems to be Denial of Service ...
The pros and cons of updating virus detection files on availability
Security Information Week 4, 2000The high frequency of updates to antivirus packages - weekly or even more often - has come about partly as a ...
Nyeste blogg-innlegg [EN]
The 10 most insecure passcodes
2011-06-16
Earlier this week I read an extremely interesting and impressing blog item by Daniel Amitay: Most Common iPhone Passcodes.
Amitay has analyzed more than 200 000 passcodes used in an app with a similar...
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Purchasing and downloading outdated software
2011-05-23
Last week in the "JoshMeister On Security" blog, the topic was about Apple's Mac App Store, and the fact that software available from this store may not be the latest version.
The blog's aut...
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