Via physorg.com -
The government said the mysterious coins were found planted on U.S. contractors with classified security clearances on at least three separate occasions between October 2005 and January 2006 as the contractors traveled through Canada.
Intelligence and technology experts said such transmitters, if they exist, could be used to surreptitiously track the movements of people carrying the spy coins.
The U.S. report doesn't suggest who might be tracking American defense contractors or why.
It also doesn't describe how the Pentagon discovered the ruse, how the transmitters might function or even which Canadian currency contained them. Further details were secret, according to the U.S. Defense Security Service, which issued the warning to the Pentagon's classified contractors.
The government insists the incidents happened, and the risk was genuine. "What's in the report is true," said Martha Deutscher, a spokeswoman for the security service.
"This is indeed a sanitized version, which leaves a lot of questions."
Top suspects, according to outside experts: China, Russia or even France - all said to actively run espionage operations inside Canada with enough sophistication to produce such technology.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service said it knew nothing about the coins.
"This issue has just come to our attention," CSIS spokeswoman Barbara Campion said.
"At this point, we don't know of any basis for these claims."
She said Canada's intelligence service works closely with its U.S. counterparts and will seek more information if necessary.
Experts were astonished about the disclosure and the novel tracking technique, but they rejected suggestions Canada's government might be spying on American contractors.
The intelligence services of the two countries are extraordinarily close and routinely share sensitive secrets. "It would seem unthinkable," said David Harris, former chief of strategic planning for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
"I wouldn't expect to see any offensive operation against the Americans." Harris said likely candidates include foreign spies who targeted Americans abroad or businesses engaged in corporate espionage.
"There are certainly a lot of mysterious aspects to this," Harris said.
----------------------------------------------
IMHO, at least one nation in the Middle East would be capable of pulling this off as well...
Thursday, January 11, 2007
iDefense Offers Hackers $8,000 Bounty on Vista, IE 7 Flaws
Via eWeek.com -
VeriSign's iDefense Labs has placed an $8,000 bounty on remote code execution holes in Windows Vista and Internet Explorer 7.
The Reston, Va., security intelligence outfit threw out the monetary reward to hackers as part of a challenge program aimed at luring researchers to its controversial pay-for-flaw VCP (Vulnerability Contributor Program).
...
iDefense isn't the only brand-name player in the market. 3Com's TippingPoint runs a similar program, called Zero Day Initiative, that pays researchers who agree to give up exclusive rights to advance notification of unpublished vulnerabilities or exploit code.
...
The company [iDefense] said the motive of the challenge is to "help assuage this uncertainty."
...
Flaws in release candidate or beta versions do not qualify, and iDefense's rules make it clear that the vulnerability "must be original and not previously disclosed either publicly or to the vendor by another party."
Microsoft typically frowns on the broker market for flaws in its products. "We do not believe that offering compensation for vulnerability information is the best way [researchers] can help protect customers," the company said during the last iDefense hacking challenge.
"Microsoft believes that responsible disclosure, which involves making sure that an update is available from software vendors the same day the vulnerability is first broadly known, is the best way to protect the end user," a Microsoft spokesperson, in Redmond, Wash., said at that time.
-----------------------------------------
Since sound like MS is living in a dream world in regards to the blackmarket exploit auctions. So instead of iDefense paying compensation for a bug, which allows for responsible disclosure, MS rather those bugs go to the blackmarket for $50,000. Seriously?
This puts you and me and major corporations in the crosshairs of a dangerous unknown zero-day attacks.
Sure, there will always be zero-day attacks, but why not prevent the ones we can prevent with a little bit of money. Sometime might MS should be able to afford anyways.
I mean Mozilla pays for bugs…
In a perfect world, I would agree with Microsoft. This isn't really the "best" way to deal with vulnerabilities, but the perfect world doesn't exist.
Welcome to the real world...
VeriSign's iDefense Labs has placed an $8,000 bounty on remote code execution holes in Windows Vista and Internet Explorer 7.
The Reston, Va., security intelligence outfit threw out the monetary reward to hackers as part of a challenge program aimed at luring researchers to its controversial pay-for-flaw VCP (Vulnerability Contributor Program).
...
iDefense isn't the only brand-name player in the market. 3Com's TippingPoint runs a similar program, called Zero Day Initiative, that pays researchers who agree to give up exclusive rights to advance notification of unpublished vulnerabilities or exploit code.
...
The company [iDefense] said the motive of the challenge is to "help assuage this uncertainty."
...
Flaws in release candidate or beta versions do not qualify, and iDefense's rules make it clear that the vulnerability "must be original and not previously disclosed either publicly or to the vendor by another party."
Microsoft typically frowns on the broker market for flaws in its products. "We do not believe that offering compensation for vulnerability information is the best way [researchers] can help protect customers," the company said during the last iDefense hacking challenge.
"Microsoft believes that responsible disclosure, which involves making sure that an update is available from software vendors the same day the vulnerability is first broadly known, is the best way to protect the end user," a Microsoft spokesperson, in Redmond, Wash., said at that time.
-----------------------------------------
Since sound like MS is living in a dream world in regards to the blackmarket exploit auctions. So instead of iDefense paying compensation for a bug, which allows for responsible disclosure, MS rather those bugs go to the blackmarket for $50,000. Seriously?
This puts you and me and major corporations in the crosshairs of a dangerous unknown zero-day attacks.
Sure, there will always be zero-day attacks, but why not prevent the ones we can prevent with a little bit of money. Sometime might MS should be able to afford anyways.
I mean Mozilla pays for bugs…
In a perfect world, I would agree with Microsoft. This isn't really the "best" way to deal with vulnerabilities, but the perfect world doesn't exist.
Welcome to the real world...
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Humor: College Saga - Episode 1
Written, Directed and Produced by Mark Leung (markleung@markleung.com)
Once upon a time, when Earth was still a beautiful place, an evil force came to turn all living things into Vegetarians.Three students from suburban Massachusetts would step up against this catastrophe... to end Vegetarian Supremacy.Mark, Jesús, Maria and their foes would make amazing personal discoveries as the two forces clash.And so began the ultimate saga about friendship, heritage, sex and explosions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPutYwiiE0o
Credit to my good friend, kelvdk, for the link....
Once upon a time, when Earth was still a beautiful place, an evil force came to turn all living things into Vegetarians.Three students from suburban Massachusetts would step up against this catastrophe... to end Vegetarian Supremacy.Mark, Jesús, Maria and their foes would make amazing personal discoveries as the two forces clash.And so began the ultimate saga about friendship, heritage, sex and explosions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPutYwiiE0o
Credit to my good friend, kelvdk, for the link....
Africanized Killer Bees Found in New Orleans
Via pravda.ru -
The residents of flood-damaged St. Bernard Parish, still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, have a new concern: killer bees.
Agriculturalists began setting traps around a half-mile radius of a storm-wrecked home Monday that authorities have confirmed was infested with aggressive Africanized honey bees.
The hybrids first drove away contractors hired to tear the house down. Then they drove off beekeepers called in to catch them.
Finally mosquito workers killed the bees. The state agriculture department confirmed in late December that they were hybrids with the aggressive African strain, Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Bob Odom said.
The traps are to determine if more Africanized bees are lurking in the area. "So far, this is an isolated find in the New Orleans area,'' Odom said.
The residents of flood-damaged St. Bernard Parish, still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, have a new concern: killer bees.
Agriculturalists began setting traps around a half-mile radius of a storm-wrecked home Monday that authorities have confirmed was infested with aggressive Africanized honey bees.
The hybrids first drove away contractors hired to tear the house down. Then they drove off beekeepers called in to catch them.
Finally mosquito workers killed the bees. The state agriculture department confirmed in late December that they were hybrids with the aggressive African strain, Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Bob Odom said.
The traps are to determine if more Africanized bees are lurking in the area. "So far, this is an isolated find in the New Orleans area,'' Odom said.
World's Smallest "Country" For Sale
ChinaView.cn is reporting that Sealand is for sale. Visit the official Sealand government website.
On 2 September 1967, former English major Paddy Roy Bates formally occupied the island and settled there with his family. After intensive discussions with skillful English lawyers, Roy Bates proclaimed the island his own state. Claiming jus gentium, he bestowed upon himself the title of Prince and the title of Princess to his wife and subsequently made the state the Principality of Sealand. Roy Bates, henceforth Roy of Sealand, exerted state authority on the island and thus was an absolute sovereign. The royal family and other persons that have declared loyalty to Sealand have occupied Sealand ever since.
On 2 September 1967, former English major Paddy Roy Bates formally occupied the island and settled there with his family. After intensive discussions with skillful English lawyers, Roy Bates proclaimed the island his own state. Claiming jus gentium, he bestowed upon himself the title of Prince and the title of Princess to his wife and subsequently made the state the Principality of Sealand. Roy Bates, henceforth Roy of Sealand, exerted state authority on the island and thus was an absolute sovereign. The royal family and other persons that have declared loyalty to Sealand have occupied Sealand ever since.
Little Mosque on the Prairie
I think this TV show is a great idea...and I hope to see it move to the US market.
Via metimes.com -
Canada's public broadcaster will air the first episode Tuesday night of its much-anticipated "Little Mosque on the Prairie" about Muslims nestled among a multitude of Christians in the country's vast western plains. The CBC series has been saluted for its originality and has attracted significant interest for its unabashedly comedic look at relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in a country with a reputation for tolerance.
Via metimes.com -
Canada's public broadcaster will air the first episode Tuesday night of its much-anticipated "Little Mosque on the Prairie" about Muslims nestled among a multitude of Christians in the country's vast western plains. The CBC series has been saluted for its originality and has attracted significant interest for its unabashedly comedic look at relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in a country with a reputation for tolerance.
Cisco Sues Apple over iPhone Trademark
Via xinhuanet.com -
BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Cisco Systems Inc. said on Wednesday that it filed a lawsuit against Apple for infringing its iPhone trademark after Apple unveiled a multimedia phone of the same name.
The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Cisco obtained the iPhone trademark in the year 2000 after it acquired a company called Infogear, which previously owned the mark and sold iPhone products for several years. Infogear's original filing for the trademark dates back to March 20, 1996.
BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Cisco Systems Inc. said on Wednesday that it filed a lawsuit against Apple for infringing its iPhone trademark after Apple unveiled a multimedia phone of the same name.
The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Cisco obtained the iPhone trademark in the year 2000 after it acquired a company called Infogear, which previously owned the mark and sold iPhone products for several years. Infogear's original filing for the trademark dates back to March 20, 1996.
Tools of the Trade - SegFault Free!
Things have been slow on the tool update front....so I have had expanded into other common programs that security professional might use.
1) Adobe Reader 7.0.9 was released on Jan 10th. This release fixes a very serious arbitrary code execution vulnerability. Adobe Reader 8.0 was immune to this vulnerability however. I would recommend moving to Reader 8.0.
2) PhpMyAdmin 2.9.2-rc1 was released on Jan 10th. This fixes several very serious vulnerabilities. This application has always been a ripe target for malicious hackers.
3) Of course, Microsoft released several patches on Black Tuesday. If you aren't using Microsoft Update yet, make sure you visit both Windows Update and Office Update to get all the patches. Expect more Office patches in Feb. Double check and make sure you install MS07-004.
4) Opera released v9.10 on Jan 5th, 2007. This release fixed two very serious security vulnerabilities.
5) On Jan 4th, OpenOffice and StarOffice was both updated to fix several high-risk vulnerabilities. Upgrade to OpenOffice 2.1.0 and install Patch 5 for StarOffice 8.
6) Filezilla 2.2.30a was released on Jan 2nd. This release fixes two security vulnerabilities and therefore it is a required upgrade.
Fixed bugs:
1) Adobe Reader 7.0.9 was released on Jan 10th. This release fixes a very serious arbitrary code execution vulnerability. Adobe Reader 8.0 was immune to this vulnerability however. I would recommend moving to Reader 8.0.
2) PhpMyAdmin 2.9.2-rc1 was released on Jan 10th. This fixes several very serious vulnerabilities. This application has always been a ripe target for malicious hackers.
3) Of course, Microsoft released several patches on Black Tuesday. If you aren't using Microsoft Update yet, make sure you visit both Windows Update and Office Update to get all the patches. Expect more Office patches in Feb. Double check and make sure you install MS07-004.
4) Opera released v9.10 on Jan 5th, 2007. This release fixed two very serious security vulnerabilities.
5) On Jan 4th, OpenOffice and StarOffice was both updated to fix several high-risk vulnerabilities. Upgrade to OpenOffice 2.1.0 and install Patch 5 for StarOffice 8.
6) Filezilla 2.2.30a was released on Jan 2nd. This release fixes two security vulnerabilities and therefore it is a required upgrade.
Fixed bugs:
- Fixed buffer overflow in transfer queue
- Fixed buffer overflow if using registry to store settings
- Local file list could freeze and stop responding
7) NessusClient 1.02 was recently on Jan 2nd. This new version improves the stability of the client when processing malformed preferences files and fixes an error when counting the number of vulnerability a scan found.
8) On Dec 23rd, Paint.Net v3.0 Beta 3 was released. This program is great for your basic photo/screenshot editing needs.
Another Apple DMG Bug via MoAB
From the guys behind MoAB. Another example of the open source vulnerability danger in OS X. In the past, Apple has sometime been slow to fix open source vulnerabilities in OSX.
Combine the slow reaction time with the complete silence from Apple on public vulnerabilities inherited from open-source projects and you end up with quite a mess.
If I were a OSX user, that would make me a little worried, to say the least. Is OSX vulnerable? Is it not? Is Apple working on the issue? Who knows...
Perhaps they should release a iSecurityUpdateBlog at next year's Macworld Expo.
--------------------------------------------
MOAB-10-01-2007: Apple DMG UFS ffs_mountfs() Integer Overflow Vulnerability
The ffs_mountfs() function, part of the UFS filesystem handling code (shared between FreeBSD and Mac OS X XNU) is affected by an integer overflow vulnerability, leading to an exploitable denial of service condition and potential arbitrary code execution.
This issue is related to those published in the UFS code as part of the Month of Kernel Bugs, and the set of DMG flaws that couldn't make it to the MoKB schedule. As DMG encapsulates filesystem streams, most of the bugs existent in the FreeBSD kernel sources tree can be abused in Mac OS X's XNU via rogue DMG images.
This issue has been verified on Mac OS X 10.4.8 (8L2127) x86. Previous versions might be affected. FreeBSD 6.1 is affected as well.
The provided proof of concept will cause a so-called kernel panic due to allocation of a negative size buffer.
Note: Safari will do it automatically unless the 'Open safe files' option is disabled in your preferences (which is strongly recommended), allowing remote exploitation of this issue.
Combine the slow reaction time with the complete silence from Apple on public vulnerabilities inherited from open-source projects and you end up with quite a mess.
If I were a OSX user, that would make me a little worried, to say the least. Is OSX vulnerable? Is it not? Is Apple working on the issue? Who knows...
Perhaps they should release a iSecurityUpdateBlog at next year's Macworld Expo.
--------------------------------------------
MOAB-10-01-2007: Apple DMG UFS ffs_mountfs() Integer Overflow Vulnerability
The ffs_mountfs() function, part of the UFS filesystem handling code (shared between FreeBSD and Mac OS X XNU) is affected by an integer overflow vulnerability, leading to an exploitable denial of service condition and potential arbitrary code execution.
This issue is related to those published in the UFS code as part of the Month of Kernel Bugs, and the set of DMG flaws that couldn't make it to the MoKB schedule. As DMG encapsulates filesystem streams, most of the bugs existent in the FreeBSD kernel sources tree can be abused in Mac OS X's XNU via rogue DMG images.
This issue has been verified on Mac OS X 10.4.8 (8L2127) x86. Previous versions might be affected. FreeBSD 6.1 is affected as well.
The provided proof of concept will cause a so-called kernel panic due to allocation of a negative size buffer.
Note: Safari will do it automatically unless the 'Open safe files' option is disabled in your preferences (which is strongly recommended), allowing remote exploitation of this issue.
Phishing Goes Universal
SC Mag has a little write up on a very interesting trend in the phishing world. They are called Universal Phishing Toolkits.
From past experience with PIRT, I can tell you..that this idea is nothing good.
Around 2 years ago, I started to see fake Paypal sites that would produce login errors when given fake login information. At first, this was quite shocking to me.
I told one of my other security friends about this trend and he told me of a simple script tool that was being used that could read in a username/pass file and check them all against Paypal.
If a separate tool existed to filter out fake login information, then it was only a matter of time before this matured and was inserted into a phishing kit. This is no longer the exception, it is the rule.
In just a matter of years, Phishing kits moved from infancy to fully adulthood. Years ago, you would find one bank phishing site on hijacked server...that was the norm. Now it is not uncommon to find phishing sites for 3 or 4 different banks/groups on one server - all of which are part of one phishing kit.
Also, phishing kits commonly use simple scripts on the backend to send the stolen information to the bad guys via free web-based e-mail systems. Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo are very common.
This helps keep the phishing kit small and mobile.
Some phishing sites will attempt to exploit an IE vulnerability or inject malware, but these actions only draw attention to the phishing site...and in the end, they only reduce its uptime.
However, times are changing again and this article from SC makes it like sound these phishing gangs are taking it to the next level.
Full on MiTM phishing for any site...
From past experience with PIRT, I can tell you..that this idea is nothing good.
Around 2 years ago, I started to see fake Paypal sites that would produce login errors when given fake login information. At first, this was quite shocking to me.
I told one of my other security friends about this trend and he told me of a simple script tool that was being used that could read in a username/pass file and check them all against Paypal.
If a separate tool existed to filter out fake login information, then it was only a matter of time before this matured and was inserted into a phishing kit. This is no longer the exception, it is the rule.
In just a matter of years, Phishing kits moved from infancy to fully adulthood. Years ago, you would find one bank phishing site on hijacked server...that was the norm. Now it is not uncommon to find phishing sites for 3 or 4 different banks/groups on one server - all of which are part of one phishing kit.
Also, phishing kits commonly use simple scripts on the backend to send the stolen information to the bad guys via free web-based e-mail systems. Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo are very common.
This helps keep the phishing kit small and mobile.
Some phishing sites will attempt to exploit an IE vulnerability or inject malware, but these actions only draw attention to the phishing site...and in the end, they only reduce its uptime.
However, times are changing again and this article from SC makes it like sound these phishing gangs are taking it to the next level.
Full on MiTM phishing for any site...
LA Traffic Light Hacking Case
Via LATimes.com -
Back in August, the union representing the city's traffic engineers vowed that on the day of their work action, "Los Angeles is not going to be a fun place to drive."
City officials took the threat seriously.
Fearful that the strikers could wreak havoc on the surface street system, they temporarily blocked all engineers from access to the computer that controls traffic signals.
But officials now allege that two engineers, Kartik Patel and Gabriel Murillo, figured out how to hack in anyway. With a few clicks on a laptop computer, the pair — one a renowned traffic engineer profiled in the national media, the other a computer whiz who helped build the system — allegedly tied up traffic at four intersections for several days.
Both men pleaded not guilty Monday morning to felony charges stemming from the case, and Murillo's lawyer said his client meant no harm when he signed on to the system that day.
But authorities say the pair picked their targets with care — intersections they knew would cause significant backups because they were close to freeways and major destinations.
They didn't shut the lights off, city transportation sources said. Rather, the engineers allegedly programmed them so that red lights would be extremely long on the most congested approaches to the intersections, causing gridlock for several days starting Aug. 21, they said.
Cars backed up at Los Angeles International Airport, at a key intersection in Studio City, onto the clogged Glendale Freeway and throughout the streets of Little Tokyo and the L.A. Civic Center.
The engineers' arrests last Friday point up the vulnerability of L.A.'s complex traffic control system.
City leaders said Monday they also underscore the delicate balance that employers must strike in a highly technical environment in which workers must be trusted enough to have access to important systems.
-------------------------------------
The "insider threat" is very real...
Back in August, the union representing the city's traffic engineers vowed that on the day of their work action, "Los Angeles is not going to be a fun place to drive."
City officials took the threat seriously.
Fearful that the strikers could wreak havoc on the surface street system, they temporarily blocked all engineers from access to the computer that controls traffic signals.
But officials now allege that two engineers, Kartik Patel and Gabriel Murillo, figured out how to hack in anyway. With a few clicks on a laptop computer, the pair — one a renowned traffic engineer profiled in the national media, the other a computer whiz who helped build the system — allegedly tied up traffic at four intersections for several days.
Both men pleaded not guilty Monday morning to felony charges stemming from the case, and Murillo's lawyer said his client meant no harm when he signed on to the system that day.
But authorities say the pair picked their targets with care — intersections they knew would cause significant backups because they were close to freeways and major destinations.
They didn't shut the lights off, city transportation sources said. Rather, the engineers allegedly programmed them so that red lights would be extremely long on the most congested approaches to the intersections, causing gridlock for several days starting Aug. 21, they said.
Cars backed up at Los Angeles International Airport, at a key intersection in Studio City, onto the clogged Glendale Freeway and throughout the streets of Little Tokyo and the L.A. Civic Center.
The engineers' arrests last Friday point up the vulnerability of L.A.'s complex traffic control system.
City leaders said Monday they also underscore the delicate balance that employers must strike in a highly technical environment in which workers must be trusted enough to have access to important systems.
-------------------------------------
The "insider threat" is very real...
The Agency and the Inline Media Encryptor
Via the NSA Website -
The Inline Media Encryptor (IME) is a government-developed media encryption device. It is positioned "in line" between the computer processor and hard drive to ensure that anything stored to the hard drive gets encrypted and anything retrieved from the hard drive gets decrypted. The IME protects data classified Top Secret and below. Data stored on the hard drive is considered unclassified when encrypted. Anticipated certification is by Spring 2006.
The IME provides Type 1 Encryption on a computer's Integrated Device Electronic (IDE) hard drive. It encrypts all physical sectors, including the Operating System (OS). With the IME physically positioned between the computer system and its hard drive, all data must pass through the IME and is stored encrypted on an IDE hard drive. Only those files "called" from the hard drive are decrypted. The hard drive always remains encrypted.
The IME meets emergency zeroization requirements for the rapid zeroization of data - without destroying the computer or rendering the data completely unrecoverable. The adversary will have no way of obtaining the information stored on the hard drive without the CIK or if you initiated the emergency zeroization mechanism. However, methods are in place to restore data if zeroized.
IME Features and Benefits
The Inline Media Encryptor (IME) is a government-developed media encryption device. It is positioned "in line" between the computer processor and hard drive to ensure that anything stored to the hard drive gets encrypted and anything retrieved from the hard drive gets decrypted. The IME protects data classified Top Secret and below. Data stored on the hard drive is considered unclassified when encrypted. Anticipated certification is by Spring 2006.
The IME provides Type 1 Encryption on a computer's Integrated Device Electronic (IDE) hard drive. It encrypts all physical sectors, including the Operating System (OS). With the IME physically positioned between the computer system and its hard drive, all data must pass through the IME and is stored encrypted on an IDE hard drive. Only those files "called" from the hard drive are decrypted. The hard drive always remains encrypted.
The IME meets emergency zeroization requirements for the rapid zeroization of data - without destroying the computer or rendering the data completely unrecoverable. The adversary will have no way of obtaining the information stored on the hard drive without the CIK or if you initiated the emergency zeroization mechanism. However, methods are in place to restore data if zeroized.
IME Features and Benefits
Mysterious Decline in Fraud and Spam
Via theregister.co.uk -
Spam levels suddenly dropped 30 per cent last week, according to managed security firm SoftScan, which attributes the let-up to a "broken" botnet.
SoftScan is still investigating the possible cause of the significant drop in junk mail volumes it's recording but reckons the most likely explanation is that hackers have temporarily lost control of a significant network of compromised machines. It seems unlikely that new computers at Christmas had much to do with affecting the number of compromised machines out there.
Alternatively the drop in spam might be a result of the recent earthquake in Asia disrupting spamming activity from that region, but this theory fails to explain a gradual (rather than more sudden) drop off in spam levels this month.
By contrast junk mail levels remained much as normal throughout December including the period around the 26 December earthquakes off Taiwan. Nine in ten emails processed by Softscan last month (89.4 per cent) were identified as junk mail. Only one in 200 emails (0.5 per cent) scanned by the firm last month were infected by malware, despite the outbreak of a worm that posed as a seasonal "Happy New Year" greeting late in the month.
Meanwhile anti-fraud organisation Early Warning reports that fraud surprisingly fell last month, even though Christmas witnessed a rise in e-commerce sales. Christmas sales rose 40 per cent compared to last year while losses from fraud fell slightly. It reckons greater vigilance by merchants is behind the drop in losses.
----------------------------------------------------
I have a hard time swallowing the whole "merchant vigilance caused the drop" idea. But I hope I am wrong. I guess only time will tell the truth.
Spam levels suddenly dropped 30 per cent last week, according to managed security firm SoftScan, which attributes the let-up to a "broken" botnet.
SoftScan is still investigating the possible cause of the significant drop in junk mail volumes it's recording but reckons the most likely explanation is that hackers have temporarily lost control of a significant network of compromised machines. It seems unlikely that new computers at Christmas had much to do with affecting the number of compromised machines out there.
Alternatively the drop in spam might be a result of the recent earthquake in Asia disrupting spamming activity from that region, but this theory fails to explain a gradual (rather than more sudden) drop off in spam levels this month.
By contrast junk mail levels remained much as normal throughout December including the period around the 26 December earthquakes off Taiwan. Nine in ten emails processed by Softscan last month (89.4 per cent) were identified as junk mail. Only one in 200 emails (0.5 per cent) scanned by the firm last month were infected by malware, despite the outbreak of a worm that posed as a seasonal "Happy New Year" greeting late in the month.
Meanwhile anti-fraud organisation Early Warning reports that fraud surprisingly fell last month, even though Christmas witnessed a rise in e-commerce sales. Christmas sales rose 40 per cent compared to last year while losses from fraud fell slightly. It reckons greater vigilance by merchants is behind the drop in losses.
----------------------------------------------------
I have a hard time swallowing the whole "merchant vigilance caused the drop" idea. But I hope I am wrong. I guess only time will tell the truth.
iRobot Releases New DIY Robot
Via BotMag.com -
The iRobot Create is a dependable, rugged and versatile robot base that can be used for uncounted robotics hobby and research applications. It includes a selection of software routines developed for iRobot’s commercial appliance bots and a well-engineered, robust chassis designed for longevity. Many will consider this to be a DIY-roboticist’s dream come true.
------------------------------------
iRobot Create! Homepage
The iRobot Create is a dependable, rugged and versatile robot base that can be used for uncounted robotics hobby and research applications. It includes a selection of software routines developed for iRobot’s commercial appliance bots and a well-engineered, robust chassis designed for longevity. Many will consider this to be a DIY-roboticist’s dream come true.
------------------------------------
iRobot Create! Homepage
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Iran Arrests Possible MEK Nuclear Spy
Via jpost.com -
Iran said Tuesday it has arrested a man on suspicion of selling Iran's nuclear secrets to an exiled Iranian opposition group, state radio reported.
"The man transferred classified information, including a bulletin on nuclear activities, to the hypocrites (the armed opposition group the People's Mujahedeen)," state radio said.
State radio didn't identify the man but said he had been working at the Iranian Parliament's Research Center, an advisory body to the parliament on foreign and strategic issues.
It did not say how the man obtained the information and it was not immediately clear whether an employee of the research center would have access to sensitive information on Iran's nuclear program.
----------------------------------------------------------
I believe they are referring to the MEK.
The MEK supported the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran by Iranian revolutionaries and supposedly killed US military personal and civilians working on defense projects in Tehran during the 1970s.
It is believed that MEK moved their HQ to Iraq in the mid-80s. The MEK was added to the U.S. State Department’s list of foreign terrorist groups in 1997.
Iran said Tuesday it has arrested a man on suspicion of selling Iran's nuclear secrets to an exiled Iranian opposition group, state radio reported.
"The man transferred classified information, including a bulletin on nuclear activities, to the hypocrites (the armed opposition group the People's Mujahedeen)," state radio said.
State radio didn't identify the man but said he had been working at the Iranian Parliament's Research Center, an advisory body to the parliament on foreign and strategic issues.
It did not say how the man obtained the information and it was not immediately clear whether an employee of the research center would have access to sensitive information on Iran's nuclear program.
----------------------------------------------------------
I believe they are referring to the MEK.
The MEK supported the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran by Iranian revolutionaries and supposedly killed US military personal and civilians working on defense projects in Tehran during the 1970s.
It is believed that MEK moved their HQ to Iraq in the mid-80s. The MEK was added to the U.S. State Department’s list of foreign terrorist groups in 1997.
Unconfirmed Security Reports from US Airports are Raising Eyebrows
Via CT Blog -
The Saudi daily Al Watan just reported that there have been a number of thefts of airport vehicles in US airports in the past few days including an United Air car on Chicago O'hare's airport.
Also attempts were made in the Buffalo airport to steal authorized vehicles and supposedly airport authorities around the country have noticed strange people watching restricted areas in airports.
----------------------------------
This is currently unconfirmed on my side. I would love to see the original article in Al Watan, but I looked thru 3 days of reports and still haven't seen it - hopefully I am looking in the right place.
The Saudi daily Al Watan just reported that there have been a number of thefts of airport vehicles in US airports in the past few days including an United Air car on Chicago O'hare's airport.
Also attempts were made in the Buffalo airport to steal authorized vehicles and supposedly airport authorities around the country have noticed strange people watching restricted areas in airports.
----------------------------------
This is currently unconfirmed on my side. I would love to see the original article in Al Watan, but I looked thru 3 days of reports and still haven't seen it - hopefully I am looking in the right place.
Pollution in Iranian Capital Kills 3,600 in One Month
Via metimes.com -
TEHRAN -- Air pollution has killed 3,600 people in just a month in the Iranian capital Tehran, an official said Tuesday, describing the city's environmental situation as a "collective suicide."
"Pollution has directly or indirectly caused the deaths of 3,600 people in the month of Aban [October 23 to November 23]," said Mohammad Hadi Heydarzadeh, director of Tehran's clean air committee, quoted by Kargozaran newspaper.
He said that the deaths were caused by heart attacks brought on by the air pollution and that the smog was responsible for 80 percent of the fatal heart problems that month in Tehran, one of the world's most polluted cities.
"It is a very serious and lethal crisis, a collective suicide," he warned. "A real revolution is needed to resolve this problem."
The new figures showed a sharp rise in pollution-related deaths in Iran, where 9,900 people died of pollution in the previous Iranian year (March 2005 to March 2006).
----------------------------------
Back in late 2005, the BBC reported that about 27 people die each day in Tehran from pollution-related diseases.
All of this comes a day after Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei flat out rejected a UN resolution over Iran's atomic plans, vowing that the Islamic republic would not back down in its nuclear drive.
TEHRAN -- Air pollution has killed 3,600 people in just a month in the Iranian capital Tehran, an official said Tuesday, describing the city's environmental situation as a "collective suicide."
"Pollution has directly or indirectly caused the deaths of 3,600 people in the month of Aban [October 23 to November 23]," said Mohammad Hadi Heydarzadeh, director of Tehran's clean air committee, quoted by Kargozaran newspaper.
He said that the deaths were caused by heart attacks brought on by the air pollution and that the smog was responsible for 80 percent of the fatal heart problems that month in Tehran, one of the world's most polluted cities.
"It is a very serious and lethal crisis, a collective suicide," he warned. "A real revolution is needed to resolve this problem."
The new figures showed a sharp rise in pollution-related deaths in Iran, where 9,900 people died of pollution in the previous Iranian year (March 2005 to March 2006).
----------------------------------
Back in late 2005, the BBC reported that about 27 people die each day in Tehran from pollution-related diseases.
All of this comes a day after Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei flat out rejected a UN resolution over Iran's atomic plans, vowing that the Islamic republic would not back down in its nuclear drive.
YouTube Helps Portuguese Police
Via Metimes.com -
LISBON -- Portuguese police have detained a 13-year-old boy who posted two clips of himself trashing a car on the popular video-sharing Web site YouTube, a daily newspaper reported Tuesday.
In the first video, the boy, holding a beer bottle in one hand, can be heard giving his name before he begins kicking a parked car in what he describes as a "sport" called "car jumping," 24 Horas reported.
In the second clip the teenager can be seen jumping off the roof of a white van, onto the top of the car he was kicking earlier. He then slides to the ground, triggering the car's alarm, which prompts him to flee the scene.
The clips began circulating by e-mail after they were posted on the Internet and they eventually reached the attention of police in the city of Evora, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Lisbon, who were then able to identify the boy.
"It is not a common situation but technology is becoming more accessible to more people," Evora police commander Jose Oliveira told the newspaper.
The boy, together with a friend who filmed the stunt on his mobile telephone, are due to appear in juvenile court.
Their parents are expected to have to foot the bill for the damage to the car, which will likely cost several hundred euros (dollars) to repair, the paper said.
LISBON -- Portuguese police have detained a 13-year-old boy who posted two clips of himself trashing a car on the popular video-sharing Web site YouTube, a daily newspaper reported Tuesday.
In the first video, the boy, holding a beer bottle in one hand, can be heard giving his name before he begins kicking a parked car in what he describes as a "sport" called "car jumping," 24 Horas reported.
In the second clip the teenager can be seen jumping off the roof of a white van, onto the top of the car he was kicking earlier. He then slides to the ground, triggering the car's alarm, which prompts him to flee the scene.
The clips began circulating by e-mail after they were posted on the Internet and they eventually reached the attention of police in the city of Evora, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Lisbon, who were then able to identify the boy.
"It is not a common situation but technology is becoming more accessible to more people," Evora police commander Jose Oliveira told the newspaper.
The boy, together with a friend who filmed the stunt on his mobile telephone, are due to appear in juvenile court.
Their parents are expected to have to foot the bill for the damage to the car, which will likely cost several hundred euros (dollars) to repair, the paper said.
British Intelligence Agency to Send E-mail Alerts
Via MI5 Homepage -
We are now offering two e-mail lists to provide subscribers with updates on the national Threat Level and notifications of new items being published on the Security Service website.
The current national Threat Level system was introduced in July 2006. If you subscribe to this e-mail list, you will be alerted if the threat level changes.
Our prime concern is to ensure public safety. Please note that there will therefore be occasions when, for operational reasons, a delay is necessary between the threat level being changed and the public being informed.
We are now offering two e-mail lists to provide subscribers with updates on the national Threat Level and notifications of new items being published on the Security Service website.
The current national Threat Level system was introduced in July 2006. If you subscribe to this e-mail list, you will be alerted if the threat level changes.
Our prime concern is to ensure public safety. Please note that there will therefore be occasions when, for operational reasons, a delay is necessary between the threat level being changed and the public being informed.
EMI Takes a Hard Look at CD DRM
Via reuters.com -
LONDON (Reuters) - EMI Group Plc said on Monday it was reviewing its use of the controversial content protection technology used on CDs, known as digital rights management (DRM), but has not scrapped it altogether.
Music companies launched DRM in a bid to curb piracy but the software means that the discs are incompatible with the iPod, the market-leading digital music player made by Apple Computer Inc.
Critics also argue that the system has not worked as consumers could be driven to illegal sites to download music to the popular iPod instead.
A spokeswoman for EMI said it had not manufactured any new disks with DRM, which restricts consumers from making copies of songs and films they have purchased legally, for the last few months.
"We haven't manufactured any new disks with content protection on them for the last few months," she said. "It doesn't mean we've scrapped content protection but we're evaluating it."
The DRM mechanism was launched as part of the fight against piracy but it angered consumer groups for imposing restrictions. Sony BMG caused a controversy recently when its invasive anti-copying software harmed consumers' computers.
--------------------------------------------
Arstechnica produced a pretty good article about Hacking DRM back in July of 2006.
DefectiveByDesign.org noted back in Dec of 2006 that many of the big record labels are beginning to drop DRM.
Monday, January 8, 2007
Student Hacks Grades, Gets Four Month Jailtime
Via sltrib.com -
A University of Utah student who admitted hacking into a professor's computer account and changing his grades was sentenced Thursday to four months of incarceration.
U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell declined a prosecution request to sentence You Li to a year in prison, saying the crime was an aberration for the 22-year-old and that he was obviously remorseful. Li, a Chinese national, likely will do his time in a jail or halfway house.
Li told the judge that there was no excuse for his actions.
“I've made up my mind to have an honest life from now on,” he said.
At the time of his offense in December 2004, Li was living in Sandy and pursuing an undergraduate degree in computer science. He pleaded guilty as part of a plea bargain to one count each of accessing a protected computer in attempted furtherance of fraud and obtaining information from a protected computer.
In a written description of his offenses, Li said he used a software program - or "hacker tool" - to decrypt the password on the math department computer system and found a professor's password. He then found a spreadsheet file that contained a list of all students in one of his classes and their grades on assignments and tests.
...
Despite his efforts, Li's hacking changed nothing on the official record: The file he accessed was actually a backup and the professor kept track of grades in a primary file on a laptop computer.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has made no decision on Li's immigration status.
A University of Utah student who admitted hacking into a professor's computer account and changing his grades was sentenced Thursday to four months of incarceration.
U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell declined a prosecution request to sentence You Li to a year in prison, saying the crime was an aberration for the 22-year-old and that he was obviously remorseful. Li, a Chinese national, likely will do his time in a jail or halfway house.
Li told the judge that there was no excuse for his actions.
“I've made up my mind to have an honest life from now on,” he said.
At the time of his offense in December 2004, Li was living in Sandy and pursuing an undergraduate degree in computer science. He pleaded guilty as part of a plea bargain to one count each of accessing a protected computer in attempted furtherance of fraud and obtaining information from a protected computer.
In a written description of his offenses, Li said he used a software program - or "hacker tool" - to decrypt the password on the math department computer system and found a professor's password. He then found a spreadsheet file that contained a list of all students in one of his classes and their grades on assignments and tests.
...
Despite his efforts, Li's hacking changed nothing on the official record: The file he accessed was actually a backup and the professor kept track of grades in a primary file on a laptop computer.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has made no decision on Li's immigration status.
Packaged Destroyed in Miami After Sixth Positive Plastic Explosive Test
Via chron.com -
MIAMI — A package that was going to be loaded onto a cruise ship at the Port of Miami tested positive for plastic explosives Monday, the Coast Guard said.
The package was tested six times, and each time it came back positive for the military-grade explosive known as C4, said Petty Officer James Judge.
The package was destroyed, and a Miami-Dade County police bomb squad was inspecting the remains to determine if there were any explosives inside.
Police spokesman Bobby Williams said the instruments used to test the package sometimes give false positives.
"We still need to check it out," Williams said.
The package was included in provisions that were to be loaded aboard Royal Caribbean International's Majesty of the Seas. Explosives detection instruments gave the positive reading about 2 p.m., the cruise line said.
--------------------------------
UPDATE - 6:47PM CST - Authorities later determined it was just a box of sprinkler parts. The package was harmless.Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five Enter Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Via MTV -
A groundbreaking college-rock band, a fractious group of hard rockers, a pioneering and political hip-hop act, a punk poetess and the greatest girl group of all time are readying their acceptance speeches.
On Monday (January 8), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced its 2007 class of inductees, an eclectic list that features R.E.M., Van Halen, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Patti Smith and the Ronettes. All five acts will be inducted into the Hall during a gala ceremony/concert at New York's Waldorf-Astoria hotel on March 12.
Of course, all five will also be expected to perform that night, which, uh, might prove interesting for a couple of acts.
A groundbreaking college-rock band, a fractious group of hard rockers, a pioneering and political hip-hop act, a punk poetess and the greatest girl group of all time are readying their acceptance speeches.
On Monday (January 8), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced its 2007 class of inductees, an eclectic list that features R.E.M., Van Halen, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Patti Smith and the Ronettes. All five acts will be inducted into the Hall during a gala ceremony/concert at New York's Waldorf-Astoria hotel on March 12.
Of course, all five will also be expected to perform that night, which, uh, might prove interesting for a couple of acts.
Dallas Pizza Chain Starts to Accept Mexican Peso
Via DallasMorningNews -
Starting Monday, patrons of the Dallas-based Pizza Patrón chain, which caters heavily to Latinos, will be able to purchase American pizzas with Mexican pesos.
Restaurant experts and economists said they knew of no other food chain with locations so far from the Mexican border offering such a service.
"We're trying to reach out to our core customer," Antonio Swad, president of Pizza Patrón Inc., said Friday.
"We know they come back [from Mexico] and have pesos left over. We want to be a convenient place for them to spend their pesos."
While U.S. restaurant chains have stepped up their marketing to Latino consumers and incorporated Latin flavors in the menu, it's unusual to see that outreach extend to the cash register.
"I think it's a very interesting idea," said Ron Paul, president of Technomic Inc., a Chicago-based restaurant market research firm. "They are catering to that audience."
But Mr. Paul said he did not see other chains rushing to emulate the program, in part because of bookkeeping headaches.
Usefulness
Others mentioned that the growing use of credit cards and the desire to hang on to the pesos for a return trip to Mexico would dilute the usefulness of the program.
"If you're not in a border town, I don't see the functional benefit," said Juan Faura, president and chief executive of Cultura, a Dallas-based marketing and advertising firm.
He and others saw the program more as a marketing effort than a badly needed service.
"I would see it as a move by the chain to communicate unequivocally to the Hispanic market that they are for them," Mr. Faura said.
"I don't see any other reason for it."
But Andrew Gamm, Pizza Patrón's director of brand development, said the company tested the idea in a Mesquite store recently and had customers spend "a couple hundred pesos," without any advertisement of the service.
Bills only
Under the program – which is set to end in late February but may be extended – the chain's 59 stores will take peso bills only, not coins.
Using cards listing the conversion calculations, cashiers will enter the figure in U.S. dollars into the cash register and give the change in U.S. currency.
Mr. Swad said some franchisees have made arrangements with their banks to handle the currency.
All other franchisees can send the pesos to the corporate headquarters, which will go to a third party to handle the conversion.
Mr. Gamm said the company set its exchange rate at 12 pesos per dollar for the duration of the program. As of Friday's trading, 10.94 pesos were worth $1, according to Bloomberg News.
Mr. Gamm said the difference would cover the cost of getting the pesos converted to dollars.
Mr. Swad said he's prepared to take heat from American consumers who might be offended by the bypassing of greenbacks.
"We're not really interested in finding the safest spot on the board," Mr. Swad said.
About 60 percent of Pizza Patrón customers and 45 percent of the franchisees are Latino.
"We know the purity of our intention, and we're willing to take the heat when there is heat."
Starting Monday, patrons of the Dallas-based Pizza Patrón chain, which caters heavily to Latinos, will be able to purchase American pizzas with Mexican pesos.
Restaurant experts and economists said they knew of no other food chain with locations so far from the Mexican border offering such a service.
"We're trying to reach out to our core customer," Antonio Swad, president of Pizza Patrón Inc., said Friday.
"We know they come back [from Mexico] and have pesos left over. We want to be a convenient place for them to spend their pesos."
While U.S. restaurant chains have stepped up their marketing to Latino consumers and incorporated Latin flavors in the menu, it's unusual to see that outreach extend to the cash register.
"I think it's a very interesting idea," said Ron Paul, president of Technomic Inc., a Chicago-based restaurant market research firm. "They are catering to that audience."
But Mr. Paul said he did not see other chains rushing to emulate the program, in part because of bookkeeping headaches.
Usefulness
Others mentioned that the growing use of credit cards and the desire to hang on to the pesos for a return trip to Mexico would dilute the usefulness of the program.
"If you're not in a border town, I don't see the functional benefit," said Juan Faura, president and chief executive of Cultura, a Dallas-based marketing and advertising firm.
He and others saw the program more as a marketing effort than a badly needed service.
"I would see it as a move by the chain to communicate unequivocally to the Hispanic market that they are for them," Mr. Faura said.
"I don't see any other reason for it."
But Andrew Gamm, Pizza Patrón's director of brand development, said the company tested the idea in a Mesquite store recently and had customers spend "a couple hundred pesos," without any advertisement of the service.
Bills only
Under the program – which is set to end in late February but may be extended – the chain's 59 stores will take peso bills only, not coins.
Using cards listing the conversion calculations, cashiers will enter the figure in U.S. dollars into the cash register and give the change in U.S. currency.
Mr. Swad said some franchisees have made arrangements with their banks to handle the currency.
All other franchisees can send the pesos to the corporate headquarters, which will go to a third party to handle the conversion.
Mr. Gamm said the company set its exchange rate at 12 pesos per dollar for the duration of the program. As of Friday's trading, 10.94 pesos were worth $1, according to Bloomberg News.
Mr. Gamm said the difference would cover the cost of getting the pesos converted to dollars.
Mr. Swad said he's prepared to take heat from American consumers who might be offended by the bypassing of greenbacks.
"We're not really interested in finding the safest spot on the board," Mr. Swad said.
About 60 percent of Pizza Patrón customers and 45 percent of the franchisees are Latino.
"We know the purity of our intention, and we're willing to take the heat when there is heat."
One Vote, One Unheard Voice
Via SecuirtyFocus - E-voting Flaws Put Florida in Spotlight Again
The U.S. House of Representatives seated Florida Republican Vern Buchanan last Thursday, essentially ending a contested election that has refocused attention on electronic voting machines and flaws in the widely adopted election technology.
In November's midterm elections, Buchanan edged out Democratic challenger Christine Jennings in the race for Florida's Congressional District 13 by a slim margin of 369 votes, according to the election results certified by the state. However, Jennings and some voters in Sarasota County, the most populous county in the congressional district, have filed lawsuits contesting the results.
The problem? A statistically improbable number of people in the pro-Jennings county--about 18,000 or 13 percent of all voters--failed to register a choice in the race. An undervote--as such failures are dubbed--seldom occurs in those numbers. While many people decide not to vote for any candidate in a race, high rates of undervoting usually happen only in the less publicized races. Voters fail to vote in major races generally far less than 5 percent of the time, according to voting experts.
Moreover, voters that did not use the county's election machines had a typical chance of not voting in the race, failing to make a selection only 2.5 percent of the time. On the e-voting machines used by the county, however, the story was different: Nearly 15 percent of the people who used the iVotronic systems manufactured by Election Systems & Software failed to vote in the Representative race.
"Both sides agree that thousands of votes were not counted and that those lost votes changed the outcome of this race," Kendall Coffey, attorney for the Jennings campaign, said in a statement. “We need to find out exactly what suppressed those votes, and we feel that the rights of Florida’s voters to have their votes count – and be counted accurately – is paramount in this case."
It's a result that even the winner could not dismiss. In a statement issued last week, Buchanan asked Jennings to acknowledge that he won the election but noted that the evidence did point to problems with the race.
-----------------------------------------
More reasons to push for some type of standardized open-source voting software suite.
The U.S. House of Representatives seated Florida Republican Vern Buchanan last Thursday, essentially ending a contested election that has refocused attention on electronic voting machines and flaws in the widely adopted election technology.
In November's midterm elections, Buchanan edged out Democratic challenger Christine Jennings in the race for Florida's Congressional District 13 by a slim margin of 369 votes, according to the election results certified by the state. However, Jennings and some voters in Sarasota County, the most populous county in the congressional district, have filed lawsuits contesting the results.
The problem? A statistically improbable number of people in the pro-Jennings county--about 18,000 or 13 percent of all voters--failed to register a choice in the race. An undervote--as such failures are dubbed--seldom occurs in those numbers. While many people decide not to vote for any candidate in a race, high rates of undervoting usually happen only in the less publicized races. Voters fail to vote in major races generally far less than 5 percent of the time, according to voting experts.
Moreover, voters that did not use the county's election machines had a typical chance of not voting in the race, failing to make a selection only 2.5 percent of the time. On the e-voting machines used by the county, however, the story was different: Nearly 15 percent of the people who used the iVotronic systems manufactured by Election Systems & Software failed to vote in the Representative race.
"Both sides agree that thousands of votes were not counted and that those lost votes changed the outcome of this race," Kendall Coffey, attorney for the Jennings campaign, said in a statement. “We need to find out exactly what suppressed those votes, and we feel that the rights of Florida’s voters to have their votes count – and be counted accurately – is paramount in this case."
It's a result that even the winner could not dismiss. In a statement issued last week, Buchanan asked Jennings to acknowledge that he won the election but noted that the evidence did point to problems with the race.
-----------------------------------------
More reasons to push for some type of standardized open-source voting software suite.
Dead Birds Shut Down Congress Street in Austin
ABC News & Statesman News
Photo Source: Austin Statesman
AUSTIN, Texas Jan 8, 2007 (AP)— Police shut down 10 blocks of businesses in the heart of downtown Austin early Monday after dozens birds were found dead.
Experts were testing for any sort of environmental contaminant or gas or chlorine leaks that might have killed off the animals, police spokeswoman Toni Chovanetz said.
There were no reports of any humans harmed, but a 10-block stretch of the main north-south route through downtown, several side streets and all buildings in the area were blocked off and expected to remain off-limits until about noon, Chovanetz said.
The bird carcasses were found overnight along Congress Avenue between Sixth and Eighth streets.
The street closure Monday morning stretched from the front of the state Capitol to a section of the Colorado River known as Town Lake. The Capitol opened on schedule Monday, the day before the legislative session was to begin.
---------------------------------------
Local news is reporting that Congress (from Cesar Chavez to 11th) will be closed until noon. This is basically a huge 10 block strip of road right in front of the Texas Capital building.
At this point, I see connection between this bird case and what is happening in Manhattan.
Conspiracy Theory lovers can go listen to Alex Jones for that crazy stuff...
---------------------------------------
UPDATE - 12:30 PM CST - Local Health officials have stated that all on-site preliminary test were negative, air quality monitoring is currently in effect and a disease information watch is being conducting with local health facilities. However, at this time, there is no indication of unusual activities or findings. There appears to be no risk to the health of the public at this time. Everyone must remember that large groups of bird dead all the time, this is nature. But it is not very common in the middle of a major city. Congress is currently still closed, however it is expected to re-open very soon.
---------------------------------------
UPDATE - 2:13PM CST - Austin Statesman is reporting that 63 birds have been found dead in the downtown area. Biological samples from the birds will be sent to laboratories at Texas A&M University and the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and that final lab results could be available within a week. Two police officers at the scene of the bird deaths reported feeling ill, said Christian Calisen, assistant director of Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services, but they turned out to be fine. Officials also worried that a homeless man who had been asleep in an alley adjacent to the Driskill Hotel might have been affected by whatever had killed the birds, Calisen said, but he also was unaffected by the incident. The incident caused a spike in reports of dead bird sightings to city officials, police said. Valadez asked that people call 311 to report dead birds in their neighborhoods or on their front lawns.
Sounds like it is turning into a circus. Use BugmeNot to read the full article.
---------------------------------------
UPDATE - 3:05PM CST - Word around the campfire is that this a case of accidentally bird poisoning. Regardless, it is 100% legal to poison certain species of birds in the area. This was outlined in the Statesman article in the 2PM update. At this point, I won’t be doing anymore quick and dirty updates unless something huge is released.
Photo Source: Austin Statesman
AUSTIN, Texas Jan 8, 2007 (AP)— Police shut down 10 blocks of businesses in the heart of downtown Austin early Monday after dozens birds were found dead.
Experts were testing for any sort of environmental contaminant or gas or chlorine leaks that might have killed off the animals, police spokeswoman Toni Chovanetz said.
There were no reports of any humans harmed, but a 10-block stretch of the main north-south route through downtown, several side streets and all buildings in the area were blocked off and expected to remain off-limits until about noon, Chovanetz said.
The bird carcasses were found overnight along Congress Avenue between Sixth and Eighth streets.
The street closure Monday morning stretched from the front of the state Capitol to a section of the Colorado River known as Town Lake. The Capitol opened on schedule Monday, the day before the legislative session was to begin.
---------------------------------------
Local news is reporting that Congress (from Cesar Chavez to 11th) will be closed until noon. This is basically a huge 10 block strip of road right in front of the Texas Capital building.
At this point, I see connection between this bird case and what is happening in Manhattan.
Conspiracy Theory lovers can go listen to Alex Jones for that crazy stuff...
---------------------------------------
UPDATE - 12:30 PM CST - Local Health officials have stated that all on-site preliminary test were negative, air quality monitoring is currently in effect and a disease information watch is being conducting with local health facilities. However, at this time, there is no indication of unusual activities or findings. There appears to be no risk to the health of the public at this time. Everyone must remember that large groups of bird dead all the time, this is nature. But it is not very common in the middle of a major city. Congress is currently still closed, however it is expected to re-open very soon.
---------------------------------------
UPDATE - 2:13PM CST - Austin Statesman is reporting that 63 birds have been found dead in the downtown area. Biological samples from the birds will be sent to laboratories at Texas A&M University and the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and that final lab results could be available within a week. Two police officers at the scene of the bird deaths reported feeling ill, said Christian Calisen, assistant director of Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services, but they turned out to be fine. Officials also worried that a homeless man who had been asleep in an alley adjacent to the Driskill Hotel might have been affected by whatever had killed the birds, Calisen said, but he also was unaffected by the incident. The incident caused a spike in reports of dead bird sightings to city officials, police said. Valadez asked that people call 311 to report dead birds in their neighborhoods or on their front lawns.
Sounds like it is turning into a circus. Use BugmeNot to read the full article.
---------------------------------------
UPDATE - 3:05PM CST - Word around the campfire is that this a case of accidentally bird poisoning. Regardless, it is 100% legal to poison certain species of birds in the area. This was outlined in the Statesman article in the 2PM update. At this point, I won’t be doing anymore quick and dirty updates unless something huge is released.
Friday, January 5, 2007
Apple Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in the Wild
MOAB-05-01-2007: Apple DiskManagement BOM Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the handling of BOM files allows to set rogue permissions on the filesystem via the 'diskutil' tool. This can be used to execute arbitrary code and escalate privileges. A malicious user could create a BOM declaring new permissions for specific filesystem locations (ex. binaries, cron and log directories, etc). Once 'diskutil' runs a permission repair operation the rogue permissions would be set, allowing to plant a backdoor, overwrite resources or simply gain root privileges.
For further information:
Apple DiskManagement BOM Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Exploits:
MOAB-05-01-2007.rb and MOAB-05-01-2007_cron.rb (uses crontab, recommended).
Note: This is being exploited in-the-wild. We reversed the original 0day exploit sent by an anonymous contributor.
A vulnerability in the handling of BOM files allows to set rogue permissions on the filesystem via the 'diskutil' tool. This can be used to execute arbitrary code and escalate privileges. A malicious user could create a BOM declaring new permissions for specific filesystem locations (ex. binaries, cron and log directories, etc). Once 'diskutil' runs a permission repair operation the rogue permissions would be set, allowing to plant a backdoor, overwrite resources or simply gain root privileges.
For further information:
Apple DiskManagement BOM Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Exploits:
MOAB-05-01-2007.rb and MOAB-05-01-2007_cron.rb (uses crontab, recommended).
Note: This is being exploited in-the-wild. We reversed the original 0day exploit sent by an anonymous contributor.
Myspace Gets SSL, Finally
I just noticed last night that Myspace is finally using SSL to protect login. I haven't had a chance to run wireshark against it, so I can't give details on exactly what is happening, but it is a welcome sign.
However, in the wide scope of social networking security...this is now a low risk threat of stealing passwords.
Guerrilla Phishing tactics are much more effective. Yes, I made that term up, but it fits...sorta.
But, it should bring a little comfort to those of us that use open wireless here in Austin (and in other wired cities).
However, in the wide scope of social networking security...this is now a low risk threat of stealing passwords.
Guerrilla Phishing tactics are much more effective. Yes, I made that term up, but it fits...sorta.
But, it should bring a little comfort to those of us that use open wireless here in Austin (and in other wired cities).
Opera Patches Two Serious Vulnerabilities
Two vulnerabilities have been reported in Opera by iDefense, which can be exploited by malicious people to compromise a user's system.
1) An unspecified error when processing JPEG files can be exploited to cause a heap-based buffer overflow via a JPEG file with a specially crafted DHT marker.
2) An error within createSVGTransformFromMatrix() can be exploited by passing an incorrect object to the said function.
Successful exploitation of the vulnerabilities allow execution of arbitrary code.
It is advised for all Opera users to upgrade to v9.10
1) An unspecified error when processing JPEG files can be exploited to cause a heap-based buffer overflow via a JPEG file with a specially crafted DHT marker.
2) An error within createSVGTransformFromMatrix() can be exploited by passing an incorrect object to the said function.
Successful exploitation of the vulnerabilities allow execution of arbitrary code.
It is advised for all Opera users to upgrade to v9.10
The Legal Tables Are Turning for DRM
Via Businessweek.com (Catherine Holahan) -
When it comes to legal action over downloaded music, the defendants are often individuals: The lone user downloads one too many copyrighted files and Big Media goes on the offensive. But now, the little guy is turning the tables.
When it comes to legal action over downloaded music, the defendants are often individuals: The lone user downloads one too many copyrighted files and Big Media goes on the offensive. But now, the little guy is turning the tables.
A fresh crop of lawsuits filed on behalf of individuals argue that it's the big companies that are ripping off the consumer.
Melanie Tucker, a San Diego resident, says Apple Computer (AAPL) unfairly restricts how its iTunes Store customers can use legally purchased music. Apple uses its so-called Digital Rights Management, or DRM, software to prevent iTunes songs from easily running on media players that compete with its iPods. (The files can be converted but the process is time-consuming and can be confusing.) Apple's brand of DRM software, called FairPlay, also prevents music purchased through services other than iTunes from playing on the iPod.
Tucker maintains that the company, which controls between 70% to more than 85% of the legal music download market and perhaps a 90% share of the digital music player market, is behaving like an overly aggressive monopoly, stifling competition in violation of antitrust legislation. "Apple has monopoly power in both markets through iTunes and iPod and they have made a conscious decision to disable people from freely using other formats on their iPod and vice versa," says Andrew S. Friedman, one of Tucker's attorneys. Friedman is seeking class-action status for the suit.
Tucker's suit comes on the heels of a March, 2006 class action filed by Scott Ruth against music industry players including Sony BMG Music Entertainment (owned by Sony (SNE) and Bertelsmann Media), Universal Music Group, Time Warner Music Group (TWX), and EMI (EMI). Ruth, an Arizona resident, argues that the labels are violating antitrust agreements by using DRM to prevent music from being sold by a variety of retailers, thereby stifling competition that could keep prices down. Both Ruth and Tucker's suits seek compensation for music download customers as well as a change in the restrictions.Thursday, January 4, 2007
More Evidence of Lakes on Titan
Via Geekzone.co.nz -
There has been predictions for years about there being lakes on Titan, however as is often the case with these things they have had a hard time proving this. Recently however the European Cassini space craft has been preforming a number of surveys of the infamous moon, and they have a large amount of conclusive evidence that points to there being lakes dotted all over the surface of titan.Among the famous minds that predicted lakes on Titan were Arthur C. Clarke, and Dr. Ben Bova, the latter who actually predicted the lakes would be methane.
The research team who have been studying the data and images gather of titan have identified more than 75 dark patches on the surface of titan.
These are all toward the northern polar region, where temperatures on the surface can reach -179 °C. The lakes, although look the same as those we have on earth, are actually composed of ethane and methane. They are replenished by what substitutes for rain on titan, effectively oxygen, hydrogen and carbon condense and rain down onto the surface, forming channels and underground bores. There is also speculation that suggests there may even be molecules like acetylene, and better yet amino acids and simpler hydrocarbons in the lakes. It is anticipated that more data will become available throughout the next 22 planned flybys scheduled between now and 2008.
There has been predictions for years about there being lakes on Titan, however as is often the case with these things they have had a hard time proving this. Recently however the European Cassini space craft has been preforming a number of surveys of the infamous moon, and they have a large amount of conclusive evidence that points to there being lakes dotted all over the surface of titan.Among the famous minds that predicted lakes on Titan were Arthur C. Clarke, and Dr. Ben Bova, the latter who actually predicted the lakes would be methane.
The research team who have been studying the data and images gather of titan have identified more than 75 dark patches on the surface of titan.
These are all toward the northern polar region, where temperatures on the surface can reach -179 °C. The lakes, although look the same as those we have on earth, are actually composed of ethane and methane. They are replenished by what substitutes for rain on titan, effectively oxygen, hydrogen and carbon condense and rain down onto the surface, forming channels and underground bores. There is also speculation that suggests there may even be molecules like acetylene, and better yet amino acids and simpler hydrocarbons in the lakes. It is anticipated that more data will become available throughout the next 22 planned flybys scheduled between now and 2008.
Ghost Riding the Whip - Future Darwin Awards
Ghost Riding the Whip
Ghost are the people and whip is the car. Pretty simple.
YouTube has tons of vids showing this new dangerous fad. It has been seen from London, to Shy-town to LA. The fad seems to spread across groups of many different races, ages and locations. But it is clear that most “ghost riders” lack common sense or general intelligence.
ABC and Fox have spots on it as well. They stated that at least two people have been killed attempting to ghost ride the whip.
These ghost riders should be awarded a Darwin Award. The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who inadvertently remove themselves from it.
Ghost are the people and whip is the car. Pretty simple.
YouTube has tons of vids showing this new dangerous fad. It has been seen from London, to Shy-town to LA. The fad seems to spread across groups of many different races, ages and locations. But it is clear that most “ghost riders” lack common sense or general intelligence.
ABC and Fox have spots on it as well. They stated that at least two people have been killed attempting to ghost ride the whip.
These ghost riders should be awarded a Darwin Award. The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who inadvertently remove themselves from it.
February is “Month of No Bugs”
Securosis is officially declaring February as the “Month of No Bugs”. Of course, this is only a joke, but he makes several good points.
Clearly there are differences between MoBB and those that followed. I can't say that I fully agree with the way that some of these "months" are being conducted, but I can say that I don't agree with how Apple deals with security issues overall.
Full Disclosure is a tool, nothing more. Like guns, atomic bombs and kitchen knifes...FD can be dangerous...but it can also be very helpful. Therefore, at this time, FD should not be removed from the table when dealing with vendors on security issues. But then again, this is a field in which I don't have much experience directly.
If I were running MoAB, would have I have told Apple about the issues that directly affected them before release and perhaps not created Metasploit modules for all the exploits?
In a perfect world, sure. But in a perfect world, Apple would turn around and inform their customers of the current situation and the danger in which their users now live. There are lessons to be learned form the other vendors in the market. This hasn't happened and IMHO that isn't a very smart way of handling security issues.
If we were all in the military, Apple would be charged with "actions unbecoming of a OS vendor with good security PR".
In a way, it seems that Apple still treats security researchers as the bad guys. Microsoft used to have this view as well, but then MS opened to the idea of a very evil blackhat underground. The people in this underground find issues, exploit them to make money and never tell a soul. Huge amounts of money. Apple does not face this threat...at least not yet anyways. But one day, the Apple will turn.
A vulnerability is found and Apple pulls out the lawyers and suggest that everyone shut up about it...or lawsuits will be filled. Regardless of how you feel about the Blackhat wifi issue, it is now known that wifi issues did exist in Apple Airport drivers...and to say that the research of Johnny and David had nothing to do with that...is just funny in my view.
Even if you believe that the whole Blackhat thing was fake...you should give Johnny and David a hand for pushing Apple into "conducting an internal audit of the wifi drivers." Therefore make you less vulnerable in the end.
Even if is a vulnerability is found and begins to be exploited, they release a semi-private fix to those targeted. How is this being pro-active toward security? Seriously. This proves that Apple has no fear of "Less-Than-Zero days". Which seems like a bad idea, yet again.
While it is true that public exploits against unpatched software is bad, these Mac fans should also think about the other factors that are bad for security. Such as the false idea that Mac users don't need to know anything about security to be safe. That attitude itself is just as dangerous. Couple that with the official silence from Apple and the picture starts to come into focus.
Apple cares more about their bottomline and their image...than the security of their customers. But that really isn't shocking....
Apple isn't here to make your iExperience hip or cool, they are here to make money. Nothing more. But that is just my 2 cents...
Clearly there are differences between MoBB and those that followed. I can't say that I fully agree with the way that some of these "months" are being conducted, but I can say that I don't agree with how Apple deals with security issues overall.
Full Disclosure is a tool, nothing more. Like guns, atomic bombs and kitchen knifes...FD can be dangerous...but it can also be very helpful. Therefore, at this time, FD should not be removed from the table when dealing with vendors on security issues. But then again, this is a field in which I don't have much experience directly.
If I were running MoAB, would have I have told Apple about the issues that directly affected them before release and perhaps not created Metasploit modules for all the exploits?
In a perfect world, sure. But in a perfect world, Apple would turn around and inform their customers of the current situation and the danger in which their users now live. There are lessons to be learned form the other vendors in the market. This hasn't happened and IMHO that isn't a very smart way of handling security issues.
If we were all in the military, Apple would be charged with "actions unbecoming of a OS vendor with good security PR".
In a way, it seems that Apple still treats security researchers as the bad guys. Microsoft used to have this view as well, but then MS opened to the idea of a very evil blackhat underground. The people in this underground find issues, exploit them to make money and never tell a soul. Huge amounts of money. Apple does not face this threat...at least not yet anyways. But one day, the Apple will turn.
A vulnerability is found and Apple pulls out the lawyers and suggest that everyone shut up about it...or lawsuits will be filled. Regardless of how you feel about the Blackhat wifi issue, it is now known that wifi issues did exist in Apple Airport drivers...and to say that the research of Johnny and David had nothing to do with that...is just funny in my view.
Even if you believe that the whole Blackhat thing was fake...you should give Johnny and David a hand for pushing Apple into "conducting an internal audit of the wifi drivers." Therefore make you less vulnerable in the end.
Even if is a vulnerability is found and begins to be exploited, they release a semi-private fix to those targeted. How is this being pro-active toward security? Seriously. This proves that Apple has no fear of "Less-Than-Zero days". Which seems like a bad idea, yet again.
While it is true that public exploits against unpatched software is bad, these Mac fans should also think about the other factors that are bad for security. Such as the false idea that Mac users don't need to know anything about security to be safe. That attitude itself is just as dangerous. Couple that with the official silence from Apple and the picture starts to come into focus.
Apple cares more about their bottomline and their image...than the security of their customers. But that really isn't shocking....
Apple isn't here to make your iExperience hip or cool, they are here to make money. Nothing more. But that is just my 2 cents...
NSA Security Config Guides
The 60 Minute Network Security Guide (2006)
The Windows Server 2003 - Security Guide, v2.1 (2006)
Guide to Secure Configuration and Administration of Microsoft SQL Server 2000 (2003)
Guide to Secure Configuration and Administration of Microsoft Internet Information Services 5.0 version 1.4 (2004)
Guide to Microsoft .NET Framework Security (2006)
Apple Mac OS X v10.3.x "Panther" Security Configuration Guide (2005)
Guide to Securing Microsoft Windows XP (2003)
Many more can be found here.
The Windows Server 2003 - Security Guide, v2.1 (2006)
Guide to Secure Configuration and Administration of Microsoft SQL Server 2000 (2003)
Guide to Secure Configuration and Administration of Microsoft Internet Information Services 5.0 version 1.4 (2004)
Guide to Microsoft .NET Framework Security (2006)
Apple Mac OS X v10.3.x "Panther" Security Configuration Guide (2005)
Guide to Securing Microsoft Windows XP (2003)
Many more can be found here.
Project Sweet Tea - New NSA Building in the Works
Via Metro Spirit Blog -
Huge new NSA facility suddenly appears on Fort Gordon’s radar. It’s a boom time for spooks. Much like the Pentagon’s Cold War megaprojects put entire cities on the map virtually overnight, the untold billions in tax dollars now pouring into the intelligence agencies fighting the Global War on Terrorism are beginning to trickle down to the local level.
And Augusta is about to get a $340-million taste of Sweet Tea.
The National Security Agency is building a massive new operations facility, dubbed project Sweet Tea. It will come complete with all the amenities: a workout room, nursing areas, a mini-shopping center, a credit union, an 800-seat cafeteria and thousands of exclusive parking spaces. Secret parking spaces.
There are, of course, actual operational national security-type elements to the project. For example, it will include a new shredder facility (for all those classified documents) and an antenna farm (to help listen in on enemy combatants like Osama bin Laden and Princess Di).
According to unclassified NSA documents obtained by the Metro Spirit, the project will relocate all existing antennas to the southern end of the new site. The location “provides the perfect look angles with no possibility for encroachment to their required line-of-sight in the future.”
The project also includes a new 7,600-square-foot Visitor Control Center, thousands of additional square feet for warehouses, a vehicle inspection facility, modular training spaces and modular workspace for the growing Navy contingent at NSA-Georgia.
The plans will also force some adaptations to existing facilities. The primary entrance to Back Hall, the socalled compartmented information facility on Chamberlain Avenue and 25th Street, will change to what is now the rear entrance.
Huge new NSA facility suddenly appears on Fort Gordon’s radar. It’s a boom time for spooks. Much like the Pentagon’s Cold War megaprojects put entire cities on the map virtually overnight, the untold billions in tax dollars now pouring into the intelligence agencies fighting the Global War on Terrorism are beginning to trickle down to the local level.
And Augusta is about to get a $340-million taste of Sweet Tea.
The National Security Agency is building a massive new operations facility, dubbed project Sweet Tea. It will come complete with all the amenities: a workout room, nursing areas, a mini-shopping center, a credit union, an 800-seat cafeteria and thousands of exclusive parking spaces. Secret parking spaces.
There are, of course, actual operational national security-type elements to the project. For example, it will include a new shredder facility (for all those classified documents) and an antenna farm (to help listen in on enemy combatants like Osama bin Laden and Princess Di).
According to unclassified NSA documents obtained by the Metro Spirit, the project will relocate all existing antennas to the southern end of the new site. The location “provides the perfect look angles with no possibility for encroachment to their required line-of-sight in the future.”
The project also includes a new 7,600-square-foot Visitor Control Center, thousands of additional square feet for warehouses, a vehicle inspection facility, modular training spaces and modular workspace for the growing Navy contingent at NSA-Georgia.
The plans will also force some adaptations to existing facilities. The primary entrance to Back Hall, the socalled compartmented information facility on Chamberlain Avenue and 25th Street, will change to what is now the rear entrance.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
The Most Endangered Animals in World
Via ChinaView.cn -
BEIJING, Jan. 3 -- Many animals are being endangered or at the edge of disappearing. The following four species are the most endangered animals in the world.
White elephant
Today white elephants are very rare. The white elephant is a native of Southeast Asia -- Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. The last white elephant in Burma was seen in 1961. Elephants represent power and peace. To Americans, a white elephant is a metaphor for a worthless object. To the people of Thailand, a white elephant is regarded as sacred.
Tibetan Antelope
The Tibetan antelope, also called the chiru, is prized for the fur around its throat. Experts guess that there are 75,000 to 100,000 Tibetan antelopes left and that as many as 20,000 a year are killed in China alone.
Rhinos
There are five species of rhinos, two African and three Asian. The African species are the white and black rhinos. Both species have two horns. Asian rhinos each have one horn. Rhinos rank among the most endangered species on Earth. Valued for their horns, they face a serious threat from poaching. Some cultures believe that powdered rhino horn will cure everything from fever to food poisoning.
David's Deer
Chinese scientists find it hard to explain how the population of David's deer, known as Milu deer among Chinese, bounced back after dying out in China. The Dafeng nature reserve in Jiangsu Province introduced 64 David's deer in 1993 and 1994, and the population has grown to 450 today, Milu once died out in China in late 19th century because of floods, hunting and wars.
BEIJING, Jan. 3 -- Many animals are being endangered or at the edge of disappearing. The following four species are the most endangered animals in the world.
White elephant
Today white elephants are very rare. The white elephant is a native of Southeast Asia -- Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. The last white elephant in Burma was seen in 1961. Elephants represent power and peace. To Americans, a white elephant is a metaphor for a worthless object. To the people of Thailand, a white elephant is regarded as sacred.
Tibetan Antelope
The Tibetan antelope, also called the chiru, is prized for the fur around its throat. Experts guess that there are 75,000 to 100,000 Tibetan antelopes left and that as many as 20,000 a year are killed in China alone.
Rhinos
There are five species of rhinos, two African and three Asian. The African species are the white and black rhinos. Both species have two horns. Asian rhinos each have one horn. Rhinos rank among the most endangered species on Earth. Valued for their horns, they face a serious threat from poaching. Some cultures believe that powdered rhino horn will cure everything from fever to food poisoning.
David's Deer
Chinese scientists find it hard to explain how the population of David's deer, known as Milu deer among Chinese, bounced back after dying out in China. The Dafeng nature reserve in Jiangsu Province introduced 64 David's deer in 1993 and 1994, and the population has grown to 450 today, Milu once died out in China in late 19th century because of floods, hunting and wars.
DSS Views Foreign Collection of U.S. Technology
China isn't the only nation to worry about....however Titan Rain is a very serious issue.
Via Secrecy News -
Foreign efforts to gather information on defense-related U.S. technologies are characterized in a 2006 report (pdf) by the Defense Security Service (DSS) Counterintelligence Office.
"In 2005, DSS identified 106 countries associated with suspicious activities based on U.S. cleared defense industry reporting, up from 90 countries in 2004."
Information systems, lasers, sensors and aeronautics were among the technology areas most frequently targeted by foreign intelligence.
The unclassified DSS report is posted on the DSS web site, but is password-protected to block public access. A copy was obtained by Secrecy News.
See "Technology Collection Trends in the U.S. Defense Industry," Defense Security Service, June 2006 (33 pages, 2.5 MB PDF).
The report was first reported by Bill Gertz in the Washington Times today. See his "Foreign spy activity surges to fill technology gap."
Via Secrecy News -
Foreign efforts to gather information on defense-related U.S. technologies are characterized in a 2006 report (pdf) by the Defense Security Service (DSS) Counterintelligence Office.
"In 2005, DSS identified 106 countries associated with suspicious activities based on U.S. cleared defense industry reporting, up from 90 countries in 2004."
Information systems, lasers, sensors and aeronautics were among the technology areas most frequently targeted by foreign intelligence.
The unclassified DSS report is posted on the DSS web site, but is password-protected to block public access. A copy was obtained by Secrecy News.
See "Technology Collection Trends in the U.S. Defense Industry," Defense Security Service, June 2006 (33 pages, 2.5 MB PDF).
The report was first reported by Bill Gertz in the Washington Times today. See his "Foreign spy activity surges to fill technology gap."
Wikileaks and Untraceable Document Disclosure
Via Secrecy News -
A new internet initiative called Wikileaks seeks to promote good government and democratization by enabling anonymous disclosure and publication of confidential government records.
"WikiLeaks is developing an uncensorable version of WikiPedia for untraceable mass document leaking and analysis," according to the project web site.
"Our primary targets are highly oppressive regimes in China, Russia, central eurasia, the middle east and sub-saharan Africa, but we also expect to be of assistance to those in the west who wish to reveal unethical behavior in their own governments and corporations."
"A system [that] enables everyone to leak safely to a ready audience is the most cost effective means of promoting good government -- in health and medicine, in food supply, in human rights, in arms control and democratic institutions."
Wikileaks says that it has already acquired over one million documents that it is now preparing for publication.
The project web site is not yet fully "live." But an initial offering -- a document purportedly authored by Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys of Somalia's radical Islamic Courts Union -- is posted in a zipped file here.
An analysis of the document's authenticity and implications is posted here.
A new internet initiative called Wikileaks seeks to promote good government and democratization by enabling anonymous disclosure and publication of confidential government records.
"WikiLeaks is developing an uncensorable version of WikiPedia for untraceable mass document leaking and analysis," according to the project web site.
"Our primary targets are highly oppressive regimes in China, Russia, central eurasia, the middle east and sub-saharan Africa, but we also expect to be of assistance to those in the west who wish to reveal unethical behavior in their own governments and corporations."
"A system [that] enables everyone to leak safely to a ready audience is the most cost effective means of promoting good government -- in health and medicine, in food supply, in human rights, in arms control and democratic institutions."
Wikileaks says that it has already acquired over one million documents that it is now preparing for publication.
The project web site is not yet fully "live." But an initial offering -- a document purportedly authored by Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys of Somalia's radical Islamic Courts Union -- is posted in a zipped file here.
An analysis of the document's authenticity and implications is posted here.
More Exploits for Known Vulnerabilities
A Windows 2000 exploit has been created for the first bug released under MoAB.
Apple Quicktime (rtsp URL Handler) Buffer Overflow Exploit (win2k)
This was the hole that caused all the "security hole in Vista" stories...local privilege attack.
Microsoft Vista (NtRaiseHardError) Privilege Escalation Exploit
Apple Quicktime (rtsp URL Handler) Buffer Overflow Exploit (win2k)
This was the hole that caused all the "security hole in Vista" stories...local privilege attack.
Microsoft Vista (NtRaiseHardError) Privilege Escalation Exploit
More Woes for Adobe Reader 7
Stefano Di Paola and Giorgio Fedon have discovered a vulnerability in Adobe Reader, which can be exploited by malicious people to conduct cross-site scripting attacks.
Input passed to a hosted PDF file is not properly sanitised by the browser plug-in before being returned to users. This can be exploited to execute arbitrary script code in a user's browser session in context of an affected site.
-----------------------------------------------------
This vulnerability is minor compared to the others found in Adobe 7 and below. If you haven't installed Adobe Reader 8 yet, I would suggest such a move.
Input passed to a hosted PDF file is not properly sanitised by the browser plug-in before being returned to users. This can be exploited to execute arbitrary script code in a user's browser session in context of an affected site.
-----------------------------------------------------
This vulnerability is minor compared to the others found in Adobe 7 and below. If you haven't installed Adobe Reader 8 yet, I would suggest such a move.
Three Individuals Arrested Regarding Saddam Video Leak
Via soundslam.com -
Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was executed late Friday night. By Saturday, full video of the hanging was widespread across the internet and YouTube. The video's immergence caused uproar among American and Iraqi government officials, and civilians. The video also shows Saddam Hussein being taunted and ridiculed before his death.
Following the execution, Iraqi officials investigated and vowed to uncover the individual responsible for the leak. An Iraqi prosecutor, Munqith al-Faroon believes that the government was responsible for the leak. He told MSNBC..."I saw two of the government officials who were ... present during the execution taking all the video of the execution, using the lights that were there for the official taping of the execution. They used mobile phone cameras. I do not know their names, but I would remember their faces."
Meanwhile, government officials denied taking part in the leak, and transferred blame over to the guards. Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq's national security adviser told NBC that an investigation was launched and that they have identified the responsible party.
"I can officially now confirm the arrest of three individuals in the case of the execution of Saddam Hussein," he said.
It is believed that the man arrested was a guard assigned to the execution team.
The somewhat botched execution has raised the eyebrows of many involved, and also drew slight criticism from U.S. Forces. Maj. Gen. William Caldwell told the media that the United States would have handled things a bit differently. "If you are asking me: 'Would we have done things differently?' Yes, we would have. But that's not our decision. That's the government of Iraq's decision," he said.
Caldwell also spoke to Saddam's demeanor saying, "He spoke very well to our military police, as he always had, and when getting off at the prison site he said farewell to his interpreter; he thanked the military police squad."
Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was executed late Friday night. By Saturday, full video of the hanging was widespread across the internet and YouTube. The video's immergence caused uproar among American and Iraqi government officials, and civilians. The video also shows Saddam Hussein being taunted and ridiculed before his death.
Following the execution, Iraqi officials investigated and vowed to uncover the individual responsible for the leak. An Iraqi prosecutor, Munqith al-Faroon believes that the government was responsible for the leak. He told MSNBC..."I saw two of the government officials who were ... present during the execution taking all the video of the execution, using the lights that were there for the official taping of the execution. They used mobile phone cameras. I do not know their names, but I would remember their faces."
Meanwhile, government officials denied taking part in the leak, and transferred blame over to the guards. Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq's national security adviser told NBC that an investigation was launched and that they have identified the responsible party.
"I can officially now confirm the arrest of three individuals in the case of the execution of Saddam Hussein," he said.
It is believed that the man arrested was a guard assigned to the execution team.
The somewhat botched execution has raised the eyebrows of many involved, and also drew slight criticism from U.S. Forces. Maj. Gen. William Caldwell told the media that the United States would have handled things a bit differently. "If you are asking me: 'Would we have done things differently?' Yes, we would have. But that's not our decision. That's the government of Iraq's decision," he said.
Caldwell also spoke to Saddam's demeanor saying, "He spoke very well to our military police, as he always had, and when getting off at the prison site he said farewell to his interpreter; he thanked the military police squad."
Phishing Attacks Turn Flashy
F-Secure is reporting the detection of flash embedded phishing sites. It would seem to be a new trick used by phishers to bypass the anti-phishing tool bars that scan website content.
Navy Veteran Saves Young Man on Subway Tracks
Wow...amazing.
Via clickondetroit.com -
NEW YORK -- A New York man is being hailed as a hero after saving a teenager who fell on subway tracks Wednesday.The man's daily commute turned into a brush with death as he daringly rescued the teen in Harlem, authorities said.
Cameron Hollopeter, 18, fell onto the tracks at the 137th Street and Broadway Station after apparently suffering a seizure, according to authorities.
Wesley Autrey, a Navy veteran and construction worker, was standing nearby on the platform with his children when he saw Hollowpeter fall. Autrey jumped down to the track area and lay on top of Hollowpeter as a train passed about "2 inches" from his head.
In the split-second he had to decide as a southbound 1 train approached, Autrey said he chose to stay in the "gutter" between two sets of subway tracks instead of trying to pull the victim back up to the platform."
I chose to dive on top of him and pin him down and myself down," said Autrey, 50.
Autrey said the rescue was especially difficult because Hollopeter was confused and frightened."
He didn't know who I was," said Autrey. "He was incoherent. The train comes and I have to make the decision whether to struggle and try to get him up to the platform or dive for the gutter and just push him back. So my thing was to just push him back and lay on top of him."
When asked if the bottom of the train touched the top of his head, Autrey said, "It could have." Autrey said the train operator saw them and hit the emergency brakes. Two of the cars passed over the men. Police said neither man was hit.
Hollopeter, a freshman at the New York Film Academy, was taken to St. Luke's Hospital, where he was in stable condition, authorities said. Police said Autrey refused medical attention.
Via clickondetroit.com -
NEW YORK -- A New York man is being hailed as a hero after saving a teenager who fell on subway tracks Wednesday.The man's daily commute turned into a brush with death as he daringly rescued the teen in Harlem, authorities said.
Cameron Hollopeter, 18, fell onto the tracks at the 137th Street and Broadway Station after apparently suffering a seizure, according to authorities.
Wesley Autrey, a Navy veteran and construction worker, was standing nearby on the platform with his children when he saw Hollowpeter fall. Autrey jumped down to the track area and lay on top of Hollowpeter as a train passed about "2 inches" from his head.
In the split-second he had to decide as a southbound 1 train approached, Autrey said he chose to stay in the "gutter" between two sets of subway tracks instead of trying to pull the victim back up to the platform."
I chose to dive on top of him and pin him down and myself down," said Autrey, 50.
Autrey said the rescue was especially difficult because Hollopeter was confused and frightened."
He didn't know who I was," said Autrey. "He was incoherent. The train comes and I have to make the decision whether to struggle and try to get him up to the platform or dive for the gutter and just push him back. So my thing was to just push him back and lay on top of him."
When asked if the bottom of the train touched the top of his head, Autrey said, "It could have." Autrey said the train operator saw them and hit the emergency brakes. Two of the cars passed over the men. Police said neither man was hit.
Hollopeter, a freshman at the New York Film Academy, was taken to St. Luke's Hospital, where he was in stable condition, authorities said. Police said Autrey refused medical attention.
AJAX DWR Forceful Method Invocation Vulnerability
Via Imperva ADC -
The Imperva Application Defense center has identified a significant vulnerability in DWR – a well known open source AJAX library that is incorporated into existing public Web sites. AJAX DWR includes two mechanisms that restrict access to sensitive functions (or “methods”). However, these mechanisms only affect client side code. Thus, an attacker can circumvent these restrictions using commonly available client tools (e.g. an HTTP client proxy) to manually manipulate browser requests. An exploit of this vulnerability can result in multiple damaging outcomes including data theft and denial of service.
Mitigating AJAX DWR Forceful Method Invocation risk requires secure code development to eliminate exposed classes that have methods which should not be invoked by the client. The code writing effort varies in complexity depending upon the phase of Web application deployment. Securing applications during initial development is less costly than securing existing applications. Imperva’s SecureSphere Web Application Firewall can be used to accelerate and reduce the cost of risk mitigation – especially for existing Web applications.
The Imperva Application Defense center has identified a significant vulnerability in DWR – a well known open source AJAX library that is incorporated into existing public Web sites. AJAX DWR includes two mechanisms that restrict access to sensitive functions (or “methods”). However, these mechanisms only affect client side code. Thus, an attacker can circumvent these restrictions using commonly available client tools (e.g. an HTTP client proxy) to manually manipulate browser requests. An exploit of this vulnerability can result in multiple damaging outcomes including data theft and denial of service.
Mitigating AJAX DWR Forceful Method Invocation risk requires secure code development to eliminate exposed classes that have methods which should not be invoked by the client. The code writing effort varies in complexity depending upon the phase of Web application deployment. Securing applications during initial development is less costly than securing existing applications. Imperva’s SecureSphere Web Application Firewall can be used to accelerate and reduce the cost of risk mitigation – especially for existing Web applications.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Most Prolific Serial Killer in History - Gustave
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0503/excerpt3.html
As seen in the Primeval Movie TV spot...
As seen in the Primeval Movie TV spot...
Sony to Build Segway-Like Skateboard
Via physorg.com -
Patents reveal that Sony hopes to compete with the Segway Human Transporter. Whether Sony’s new motor-powered, balance-steered skateboard will be easier to ride remains to be seen.
The new board has two large wheels, one at either side of a flat platform. Each wheel is powered by a separate electric motor.
The platform has four pressure sensors, one at each corner. When the rider stands upright in the middle of the board, all four sensors return the same reading and both motors are idle. When the rider leans forward slightly the front sensors start both motors running forward at the same speed; leaning to one side makes one wheel run faster to steer round a corner; leaning back runs the contraption backwards.
Learners or sissies can use a modified board with three or four wheels for more stability. Braver folk can use two separate boards – one for each foot, like powered roller skates.
---------------------------------------
Clearly Sony didn't hear that the Segway has been banned in "the land of the Bikes".
Patents reveal that Sony hopes to compete with the Segway Human Transporter. Whether Sony’s new motor-powered, balance-steered skateboard will be easier to ride remains to be seen.
The new board has two large wheels, one at either side of a flat platform. Each wheel is powered by a separate electric motor.
The platform has four pressure sensors, one at each corner. When the rider stands upright in the middle of the board, all four sensors return the same reading and both motors are idle. When the rider leans forward slightly the front sensors start both motors running forward at the same speed; leaning to one side makes one wheel run faster to steer round a corner; leaning back runs the contraption backwards.
Learners or sissies can use a modified board with three or four wheels for more stability. Braver folk can use two separate boards – one for each foot, like powered roller skates.
---------------------------------------
Clearly Sony didn't hear that the Segway has been banned in "the land of the Bikes".
How BotMasters Control Forum Spam
http://www.botmaster.net/movies/XFull.htm
Pretty cool. It is view into a world that affects us all....the tool evens detected known captcha schemes and bypasses them.
Pretty cool. It is view into a world that affects us all....the tool evens detected known captcha schemes and bypasses them.
Month of Apple Bugs Get Unofficial Patches
Via eWeek.com -
It's officially a cat-and-mouse race to exploit—and fix—security vulnerabilities affecting Apple Computer's Mac operating system.
Less than 24 hours after the release of working exploits for two critical media player flaws—QuickTime and VLC—a former engineer in Apple's BSD Technology Group has launched an effort to provide run-time fixes for each flaw released during the Month of Apple Bugs project.
Landon Fuller, one of the primary architects of the Darwin ports system, has announced plans to react to each MoAB bug with a daily, unofficial patch.
Fuller described the move as "part brain exercise, part public service" and promised that, with assistance, he will "attempt to patch the other vulnerabilities, one a day, until the month is out."
It's officially a cat-and-mouse race to exploit—and fix—security vulnerabilities affecting Apple Computer's Mac operating system.
Less than 24 hours after the release of working exploits for two critical media player flaws—QuickTime and VLC—a former engineer in Apple's BSD Technology Group has launched an effort to provide run-time fixes for each flaw released during the Month of Apple Bugs project.
Landon Fuller, one of the primary architects of the Darwin ports system, has announced plans to react to each MoAB bug with a daily, unofficial patch.
Fuller described the move as "part brain exercise, part public service" and promised that, with assistance, he will "attempt to patch the other vulnerabilities, one a day, until the month is out."
Milw0rm Troubles
I just noticed that Milworm.com isn't loading....not sure what is going on. Anyone know?
419 Suspect Caught at Amsterdam Airport
Via TheRegister UK -
Dutch police believe a Nigerian man who was arrested at Schiphol Airport a couple of weeks ago with €1.2m in his pocket - the biggest money seizure in Dutch history - belongs to a major 419 scam operation.
According to Dutch police Idowu Musiliu Balogun, 36, works for ringleader U. Kingsley, who is still at large. Kingsley and his band of confidence tricksters recently plundered a dozen or so German companies for €4m.
Balogun and Kingsley were arrested two years ago in Nigeria for selling a house in the US without the knowledge of the owner. Both men had gained access to a mailbox of a US businessman and then instructed an estate agent to sell his house and transfer the money to their own account. Another victim from Limburg in the Netherlands was lured into a classic advance fee scheme, with promises of lottery winnings or an inheritance.
Lawyer Theo Hiddema told the Dutch daily Telegraaf that his client "is just a Nigerian businessman who visited Holland to buy trucks, but unfortunately his business partner didn't turn up". However, Hiddema had to admit that if the accusations bear any merit “the case can get complicated."
Dutch police believe a Nigerian man who was arrested at Schiphol Airport a couple of weeks ago with €1.2m in his pocket - the biggest money seizure in Dutch history - belongs to a major 419 scam operation.
According to Dutch police Idowu Musiliu Balogun, 36, works for ringleader U. Kingsley, who is still at large. Kingsley and his band of confidence tricksters recently plundered a dozen or so German companies for €4m.
Balogun and Kingsley were arrested two years ago in Nigeria for selling a house in the US without the knowledge of the owner. Both men had gained access to a mailbox of a US businessman and then instructed an estate agent to sell his house and transfer the money to their own account. Another victim from Limburg in the Netherlands was lured into a classic advance fee scheme, with promises of lottery winnings or an inheritance.
Lawyer Theo Hiddema told the Dutch daily Telegraaf that his client "is just a Nigerian businessman who visited Holland to buy trucks, but unfortunately his business partner didn't turn up". However, Hiddema had to admit that if the accusations bear any merit “the case can get complicated."
Tools of the Trade - Sufficient Source of Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a phytoalexin produced by several plants that is sold as a nutritional supplement. A number of beneficial health effects, such as anti-cancer, antiviral, neuroprotective, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and life-prolonging effects have been reported in non-human species (i.e. rats). Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and as a constituent of red wine but based on extrapolation from animal trials, apparently not in sufficient amounts to explain the “French paradox” that the incidence of coronary heart disease is relatively low in southern France despite high dietary intake of saturated fats.
But on with the tools....
1) On Jan 1st, RSnake updated the Fierce to v0.5. Fierce is a Domain scanner. It is meant specifically to locate likely targets both inside and outside a corporate network. Only those targets are listed. No exploitation is performed. Fierce is a reconnaissance tool. Fierce is a PERL script that quickly scans domains (usually in just a few minutes, assuming no network lag) using several tactics.
2) On Dec 21st, VMWare released Fusion Beta. The new VMware desktop product for the Mac, codenamed Fusion, allows Intel-based Macs to run x86 operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, NetWare and Solaris, in virtual machines at the same time as Mac OS X.
3) On Dec 20th, Andres Riancho released Untidy Beta 1. It is a brand spanking new XML Fuzzer.
4) On Dec 14th, Tor 0.1.1.26 was released. This version fixes fixes a serious privacy bug for people who have set the HttpProxyAuthenticator config option.
5) On Dec 12th, Tenable Security released 36 plugins for Nessus 3 which specifically test SCADA devices. Just today, NessusClient 1.0.2 has been released. This new version improves the stability of the client when processing malformed preferences files and fixes an error when counting the number of vulnerability a scan found.
6) On Dec 4th, GnuPG released v1.4.6. Tavis Ormandy of the Gentoo security team identified a severe and exploitable bug in the processing of encrypted packets in GnuPG.
7) Back in Dec 06, Java was updated to v6.
But on with the tools....
1) On Jan 1st, RSnake updated the Fierce to v0.5. Fierce is a Domain scanner. It is meant specifically to locate likely targets both inside and outside a corporate network. Only those targets are listed. No exploitation is performed. Fierce is a reconnaissance tool. Fierce is a PERL script that quickly scans domains (usually in just a few minutes, assuming no network lag) using several tactics.
2) On Dec 21st, VMWare released Fusion Beta. The new VMware desktop product for the Mac, codenamed Fusion, allows Intel-based Macs to run x86 operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, NetWare and Solaris, in virtual machines at the same time as Mac OS X.
3) On Dec 20th, Andres Riancho released Untidy Beta 1. It is a brand spanking new XML Fuzzer.
4) On Dec 14th, Tor 0.1.1.26 was released. This version fixes fixes a serious privacy bug for people who have set the HttpProxyAuthenticator config option.
5) On Dec 12th, Tenable Security released 36 plugins for Nessus 3 which specifically test SCADA devices. Just today, NessusClient 1.0.2 has been released. This new version improves the stability of the client when processing malformed preferences files and fixes an error when counting the number of vulnerability a scan found.
6) On Dec 4th, GnuPG released v1.4.6. Tavis Ormandy of the Gentoo security team identified a severe and exploitable bug in the processing of encrypted packets in GnuPG.
7) Back in Dec 06, Java was updated to v6.
GIMF Releases Islamic Encryption Program
Via memri.org -
On January 1, 2007 the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) announced the imminent release of new computer software called "Mujahideen Secret." According to the advertisement for the software (see below), it is "the first Islamic computer program for secure exchange [of information] on the Internet," and it provides users with "the five best encryption algorithms, and with symmetrical encryption keys (256 bit), asymmetrical encryption keys (2048 bit) and data compression [tools]."
Props to my friend Fergie for telling me about this one..
---------------------------------------
GIMF is a known media release point for al-Qaeda videos. However, for the last couple of years most of the new stuff is being released by al-Sahab.
The production quality of al-Sahab videos is much better than those from GIMF I have seen. Most provide english subtitles now...
Anyways, just today GIMF released another message directed at the American people. Wishing us a Year of Death.
On January 1, 2007 the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) announced the imminent release of new computer software called "Mujahideen Secret." According to the advertisement for the software (see below), it is "the first Islamic computer program for secure exchange [of information] on the Internet," and it provides users with "the five best encryption algorithms, and with symmetrical encryption keys (256 bit), asymmetrical encryption keys (2048 bit) and data compression [tools]."
Props to my friend Fergie for telling me about this one..
---------------------------------------
GIMF is a known media release point for al-Qaeda videos. However, for the last couple of years most of the new stuff is being released by al-Sahab.
The production quality of al-Sahab videos is much better than those from GIMF I have seen. Most provide english subtitles now...
Anyways, just today GIMF released another message directed at the American people. Wishing us a Year of Death.
Mar Rovers Get Fourth Software Update
Via vnunet.com -
Nasa has upgraded the software on its Mars rovers to provide new capabilities as the machines roam across the planet.
New software was broadcast from Earth over the new year, relayed via the Deep Space Network satellite system and installed on the Spirit and Opportunity rovers.
The upgrade offers four new functions, including better pattern recognition and improved self-navigation.
"These rovers are a great resource for testing software that could be useful to future Mars missions without sacrificing our own continuing mission of exploration," said Dr John Callas, project manager for the Mars Exploration Rovers.
"This new software will be a baseline for the development of flight software for the Mars Science Laboratory, but is also helpful in operating Spirit and Opportunity. "
Upgrades include better object tracking so that the rovers can remember the location of barriers more easily. New code has also been added that will allow the rovers to choose where to use their ground probing tools without human control.
This is the fourth software upgrade sent to the rovers, following one beamed over while they were in flight and two carried out after landing.
The rovers were originally expected to last for three months, but 3 January will be Spirit's fourth year of exploration.
More info can be found here.
French Space Agency to Publish UFO Archives
Via earthtimes.org -
PARIS: French space agency the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales has decided to publish its archive of UFO sightings and related phenomena online. The agency said it has data of around 1,600 incidents and details on these will be available online by the end of January or early February.
The agency will, however, not publicize the names of people who reported the incidents.
A spokesperson for the agency said the agency had been collecting data on UFOs, including statements from people who claim to have sighted them, for around 30 years.
The database, according to the spokesperson, has some 6,000 reports, some of them relating to the same incident. Members of the public as well airline professionals are among those who have filed these reports.
Since almost all the movies that feature extraterrestrials and UFOs -- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Close Encounters of The Third Kind and Independence Day -- have been major hits, the agency's archive could receive huge response.
PARIS: French space agency the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales has decided to publish its archive of UFO sightings and related phenomena online. The agency said it has data of around 1,600 incidents and details on these will be available online by the end of January or early February.
The agency will, however, not publicize the names of people who reported the incidents.
A spokesperson for the agency said the agency had been collecting data on UFOs, including statements from people who claim to have sighted them, for around 30 years.
The database, according to the spokesperson, has some 6,000 reports, some of them relating to the same incident. Members of the public as well airline professionals are among those who have filed these reports.
Since almost all the movies that feature extraterrestrials and UFOs -- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Close Encounters of The Third Kind and Independence Day -- have been major hits, the agency's archive could receive huge response.
Monday, January 1, 2007
First Mainstream Use of the Scratch
Anyone that uses a turntable must pay respect to the forefathers...
Herbie Hancock and Grandmixer DS.T (later known as DXT) playing Rockit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji3MI7dJ9uY
Herbie Hancock and Grandmixer DS.T (later known as DXT) playing Rockit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji3MI7dJ9uY
Unconfirmed Gmail Bug Exposes Personal Information
Via Engadget -
Like your Gmail account? Consider it a sacred place which must be protected from spammers at all cost? Yeah, us too. Well, we hate to break the bad news at the dawn of the new year but there's a weakness in Gmail which exposes your email address to any web site capable of exploiting the bug. As reported on Digg, the exploit takes advantage of the fact that Google puts your details into a JS file. As a result, if you're logged into Gmail and browsing the web, any rogue website can declare the function "google" and then parse all your contacts. The only way to safeguard yourself is to disable Javascript in your browser (or enabled it for trusted sites only) or simply climb into a hole and not browse while logged into Google services like Gmail, Blogger, Orkut, Reader, Calendar, etc. -- you know, the sites you typically have open all day long. For obvious reasons, we will not link directly to the site which demonstrates the exploit on your personal account due to the risk of running possibly malicious code. However, we tested it and found our most precious account -- and those of our contacts -- correctly identified and ready for harvest. But hey, even though Gmail has been out since 2004, it is still "beta"... right?
Update: There are reports that Google has fixed the issue. Their "fix" is related and with any luck should be applicable. However, it's no fix. Don't believe us? Login to your fave Google service and give this non-malicious link a click.
Like your Gmail account? Consider it a sacred place which must be protected from spammers at all cost? Yeah, us too. Well, we hate to break the bad news at the dawn of the new year but there's a weakness in Gmail which exposes your email address to any web site capable of exploiting the bug. As reported on Digg, the exploit takes advantage of the fact that Google puts your details into a JS file. As a result, if you're logged into Gmail and browsing the web, any rogue website can declare the function "google" and then parse all your contacts. The only way to safeguard yourself is to disable Javascript in your browser (or enabled it for trusted sites only) or simply climb into a hole and not browse while logged into Google services like Gmail, Blogger, Orkut, Reader, Calendar, etc. -- you know, the sites you typically have open all day long. For obvious reasons, we will not link directly to the site which demonstrates the exploit on your personal account due to the risk of running possibly malicious code. However, we tested it and found our most precious account -- and those of our contacts -- correctly identified and ready for harvest. But hey, even though Gmail has been out since 2004, it is still "beta"... right?
Update: There are reports that Google has fixed the issue. Their "fix" is related and with any luck should be applicable. However, it's no fix. Don't believe us? Login to your fave Google service and give this non-malicious link a click.
Islamic Courts in Somalia, Establish "Shadow Governments"
Via the CT Blog -
I spoke with a military intelligence officer this morning about the situation in Somalia. He reported that the radical Islamic Courts Union (ICU) has abandoned Kismayo and dispersed. Kismayo is one of Somalia's strategic port cities: after abandoning Kismayo, the ICU seemingly no longer controls any strategic cities. However, the group does control a sizeable geographic area, both in the north and south of the country. The ICU primarily controls smaller towns and villages.
My source reports that even in areas that the ICU controls, it is giving up active control and forming "shadow governments." The term "shadow government" refers to Mafia-style governance, similar to what Al Capone had in Chicago in the 1920s: in these areas the ICU doesn't have formal control, but is the real power. This mirrors the Taliban's position in much of northern Pakistan. The main advantage the ICU derives from moving to shadow government is that it doesn't have to actually govern: ICU representatives don't have to appear publicly and don't have to make any of the public works run. Instead, they can focus all their effort on insurgent campaigns -- which, all told, is easier than managing a fully-functioning government. Also, a functioning government has to exist in a place that can be targeted. A shadow government, in contrast, can just disperse and regroup.
There are also disadvantages to a shadow government. It's difficult for a shadow government to mass to control territory because once it does, it can be targeted. A second disadvantage is that the tools the shadow government uses to control the population are negative rather than positive. (For positive tools that the ICU used, remember how it managed to gain the support of Somalia's business community.) Instead of having anything positive to offer, the shadow government's position is that Somalis need to cooperate with it or they'll be killed. These negative tools of control run the risk of alienating the population. However, if the country slips back into chaos, these negative controls may actually be seen by the population as positive means to stability.
I spoke with a military intelligence officer this morning about the situation in Somalia. He reported that the radical Islamic Courts Union (ICU) has abandoned Kismayo and dispersed. Kismayo is one of Somalia's strategic port cities: after abandoning Kismayo, the ICU seemingly no longer controls any strategic cities. However, the group does control a sizeable geographic area, both in the north and south of the country. The ICU primarily controls smaller towns and villages.
My source reports that even in areas that the ICU controls, it is giving up active control and forming "shadow governments." The term "shadow government" refers to Mafia-style governance, similar to what Al Capone had in Chicago in the 1920s: in these areas the ICU doesn't have formal control, but is the real power. This mirrors the Taliban's position in much of northern Pakistan. The main advantage the ICU derives from moving to shadow government is that it doesn't have to actually govern: ICU representatives don't have to appear publicly and don't have to make any of the public works run. Instead, they can focus all their effort on insurgent campaigns -- which, all told, is easier than managing a fully-functioning government. Also, a functioning government has to exist in a place that can be targeted. A shadow government, in contrast, can just disperse and regroup.
There are also disadvantages to a shadow government. It's difficult for a shadow government to mass to control territory because once it does, it can be targeted. A second disadvantage is that the tools the shadow government uses to control the population are negative rather than positive. (For positive tools that the ICU used, remember how it managed to gain the support of Somalia's business community.) Instead of having anything positive to offer, the shadow government's position is that Somalis need to cooperate with it or they'll be killed. These negative tools of control run the risk of alienating the population. However, if the country slips back into chaos, these negative controls may actually be seen by the population as positive means to stability.
State Intelligence Goes Fusion
Via Washington Post -
Frustrated by poor federal cooperation, U.S. states and cities are building their own network of intelligence centers led by police to help detect and disrupt terrorist plots.
Frustrated by poor federal cooperation, U.S. states and cities are building their own network of intelligence centers led by police to help detect and disrupt terrorist plots.
The new "fusion centers" are now operating in 37 states, including Virginia and Maryland, and another covers the Washington area, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The centers, which have received $380 million in federal support since the 2001 terrorist attacks, pool and analyze information from local, state and federal law enforcement officials.
But the emerging model of "intelligence-led policing" faces risks on all sides. The centers are popping up with little federal leadership and training, raising fears of overzealousness such as that associated with police "red squads" that spied on civil rights and peace activists decades ago. The centers also face practical obstacles that could limit their effectiveness, including a shortage of money, skilled analysts, and proven relationships with the FBI and Homeland Security.
Still, the centers are emerging as a key element in a sometimes chaotic new domestic intelligence infrastructure, which also includes homeland security units in local police forces and 103 FBI-led terrorism task forces, triple the number that existed before the Sept. 11 attacks.
Fusion centers are becoming "part of the landscape for local government," said the incoming D.C. police chief, Cathy Lanier. But she warned that police are navigating a new patchwork of state and federal privacy laws that govern the sharing, collection and storage of information. "We're in a very precarious position right now," she said. "If we lose community support, that is going to be a big deal for local law enforcement."
Month of Apple Bugs - Ready, Set, Pwnies!!
This initiative aims to serve as an effort to improve Mac OS X, uncovering and finding security flaws in different Apple software and third-party applications designed for this operating system. A positive side-effect, probably, will be a more concerned (security-wise) user-base and better practices from the management side of Apple. Also, we want to develop and provide tools and documented techniques to aid security research in this platform. If nothing else, we had fun working on it and hope people-with-a-brain out there will enjoy the results.
(LMH and Kevin Finisterre, 2006).
----------------------------------------------------------
Looks like KF and LMH didn't backtrack. It should be a interesting new year...
MOAB-01-01-2007: Apple Quicktime rtsp URL Handler Stack-based Buffer Overflow
Check out LMH's MoAB FAQ if you have any questions.
US to Dig Deeper on British Air Travellers
Via Telegraph UK -
Britons flying to America could have their credit card and email accounts inspected by the United States authorities following a deal struck by Brussels and Washington.
By using a credit card to book a flight, passengers face having other transactions on the card inspected by the American authorities. Providing an email address to an airline could also lead to scrutiny of other messages sent or received on that account.
The extent of the demands were disclosed in "undertakings" given by the US Department of Homeland Security to the European Union and published by the Department for Transport after a Freedom of Information request.
About four million Britons travel to America each year and the released document shows that the US has demanded access to far more data than previously realised.
Not only will such material be available when combating terrorism but the Americans have asserted the right to the same information when dealing with other serious crimes.
Shami Chakrabarti, the director of the human rights group Liberty, expressed horror at the extent of the information made available. "It is a complete handover of the rights of people travelling to the United States," she said.
Britons flying to America could have their credit card and email accounts inspected by the United States authorities following a deal struck by Brussels and Washington.
By using a credit card to book a flight, passengers face having other transactions on the card inspected by the American authorities. Providing an email address to an airline could also lead to scrutiny of other messages sent or received on that account.
The extent of the demands were disclosed in "undertakings" given by the US Department of Homeland Security to the European Union and published by the Department for Transport after a Freedom of Information request.
About four million Britons travel to America each year and the released document shows that the US has demanded access to far more data than previously realised.
Not only will such material be available when combating terrorism but the Americans have asserted the right to the same information when dealing with other serious crimes.
Shami Chakrabarti, the director of the human rights group Liberty, expressed horror at the extent of the information made available. "It is a complete handover of the rights of people travelling to the United States," she said.
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