Week in review: AET costs, Windows XP deadline, routers expose ISPs to DNS-based DDoS attacks
Here’s an overview of some of last week’s most interesting news, reviews and articles:
Cost of Advanced Evasion Techniques in recent data breaches
A new report by McAfee examines the controversy and confusion surrounding Advanced Evasion Techniques (AETs), and the role that they play in Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs).
Additional NSA-backed code found in RSA crypto products
A group of professors and researchers from several universities in the US and the Netherlands have tested the exploitability of various implementations of the infamous Dual_EC_DRBG cryptographic algorithm which is though to have been backdoored by the US NSA, and have discovered that the RSA BSAFE products contain another tool used by NSA that could make a Dual EC attack considerably faster and easier.
Tips for improving your cyber security
With cyber threats around the globe evolving and becoming more sophisticated, evidenced by the recent data breach at retailer Target, it is important that consumers protect themselves when using technology for sensitive information or data.
Windows XP usage lower across industries
Next week, Microsoft will deliver its last set of public security patches for Windows XP. The best solution is to migrate away from this outdated (designed in the 90s) operating system to a newer version, with the best candidates being Windows 7 and Windows 8.
NSA and GCHQ spied on German satcomms, world governments’ leaders
Another week, another explosive revelation coming from Edward Snowden’s archive of NSA documents. This time they reveal the widespread compromise of several German satellite communication providers by the hands of Britain’s GCHQ intelligence service and the US NSA, as well as the latter’s targeting and spying on 122 country leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
This phishing page can do more than steal your credentials
Every now and again, we read reports about phishing sites that look dangerously convincing—you can hardly tell the real one apart from the fake one anymore, unless you know what to look for and where. Our friends at Symantec found one such site some time in March.
Whitepaper: Five stages of a web malware attack
The paper explains the advanced techniques hackers use to infect web users and steal data or money, and how most web security products are failing. Most importantly, you will get insight into the layers of protection needed, and a checklist for evaluating your policies and the security capabilities of your web protection solution.
24 million routers expose ISPs to DNS-based DDoS attacks
DNS-based DDoS amplification attacks have significantly increased in the recent months, targeting vulnerable home routers worldwide. A simple attack can create 10s of Gbps of traffic to disrupt provider networks, enterprises, websites, and individuals anywhere in the world.
Passwords, messages of 158k+ Boxee.tv users leaked
The forum database of Web TV service Boxee.tv has been ransacked and the attacker made off with – and has subsequently made available for download – a dump containing personal and account information of over 158,000 of its users.
Tinder users targeted by spamming bots
For a week now users have been complaining of getting matched with bots peddling the game in a pretty standardized way: after saying hello, the bot asks the user how he’s doing and immediately offers: “Relaxing with a game on my phone, castle clash. Have you heard about it?”
Network Security Through Data Analysis
One of the most crucial tasks of network administrators is to keep the network secure – or as secure as possible. In order to do this, they must know of which components the network is made and how these components are used. In short, they have to have an accurate picture of the situation. This book explains how to reach that goal.
Microsoft to release only four bulletins on Tuesday
The Microsoft April security release is almost upon us with security updates scheduled to deploy on Tuesday, April 8th. This day will go down in history as a major milestone for Windows XP and Office 2003 since it will be the last day these products will be supported.
Coinbase denies security breach, defends spamming-friendly features
Popular Bitcoin exchange and online wallet service Coinbase has denied that it had suffered a breach and claims that the list of some 2,000 Coinbase user names and emails recently published on Pastebin was probably compiled from other sources.
Cybercrooks target IoT devices to mine Bitcoins
The results of a recent investigation by SANS ISC CTO Johannes Ullrich are in: cybercriminals have been targeting a variety of Internet-of-Things devices and infecting them with Bitcoin-mining malware.
Details for 30 Oracle Java Cloud Service flaws revealed
Polish security start-up Security Explorations has publicly released technical details and Proof-of-Concept code for 30 security vulnerabilities they found in Oracle Java Cloud Service, which allows customers to deploy their Java applications on WebLogic server clusters.
Yahoo encrypts traffic between data centers, plans for encrypted Messenger
The move was more than likely spurred by the revelations that the NSA taps overseas fiber-optic cables used by Google and Yahoo to exchange data stored in their many data centers in the US and abroad.
CryptoDefense developers “forget” decryption key on victims’ computer
A new piece of ransomware is targeting gullible users, but its developers have made a critical mistake that should allow users to decrypt the affected files without paying the demanded ransom.
Barrett Brown signs (sealed) plea agreement
Barrett Brown, the American journalist that – among other things – is accused of crimes related to the Stratfor hack, has reached a plea agreement with US prosecutors.
German police finds 18M stolen and misused account logins
Police in northwestern German city of Verden have discovered a collection of 18 million stolen email addresses and corresponding passwords that are being actively used to send out spam, compromise social networks’ accounts and event to occasionally plunder the victims’ banking accounts.
SMS Trojan goes after digital wallets
Kaspersky Lab experts have recently spotted and analyzed an SMS Trojan for Android devices that is currently mostly targeting Russian users, and which along with the premium SMS-sending also attempts to steal money by emptying the victims’ QIWI digital wallet.