Hackers can control almost all Android phones

NINETY-nine per cent of all Android devices are vulnerable to hacking or being completely taken over remotely by cyber criminals

This is the claim of a study by BlueBox security, a mobile security company which claims it has discovered a flaw in the operating system of almost all Google phones and tablets (which runs on the operating system Android) that allows hackers to modify its code in a way that "turns any legitimate application into a malicious Trojan" virus.

The company claims this vulnerability exists on any Android phone or tablet released over the last four years, affecting approximately 900 million devices.

According to the researchers the issue is central to Google's open source operating system and so far only one device has been patched.

The way it works:

Rather than creating a malicious app, cyber criminals wait for legitimate apps to be approved for sale and then go in and modify the code after and create an exploit that allows them to take over people's phones via the app.

This flaw would allow hackers to access your passwords, credit card information, emails, any information you store on your phone.

So what can I do about this?

• Do not allow apps from unkown sources. To do this go to Settings, Security and untick "allow unknown sources".
  
• It's recommended that users update their operating system to the latest version.
  
• if you have any apps which store your personal information such as credit card or PayPal information (like eBay, Amazon or Etsy), you should remove this information immediately.
  
• Remove any personal information from your phone (do you have your credit card pin stored in your notes?

Why Mobile Security Matters

How do Enterprises secure the increasing flow of data in and out of their doors?

The widespread adoption of intelligent mobile devices has transformed the way we work in innumerable ways. In 2012, IDC calculates that 712.6 million smartphones were shipped globally – 44.1% more than in 2011. In 2013, it predicts worldwide mobile tablet sales will reach 190.9 million, increasing the adoption of cloud and app-based solutions.

By 2016, mobile data traffic will have increased 18-fold, with smartphones, laptops, tablets and other portable devices driving around 90% of that traffic [Cisco]. Yet, alongside the countless new opportunities that these handy communications tools present for flexible workers, the continued rise in mobility also brings with it a myriad of potential security threats.

Most enterprises are already well-accustomed to protecting corporate data, including everything from commercial information to intellectual property and customer/employee information. However, the fact that mobile phones and tablets are small, portable and frequently used in public places or for downloading applications makes them particularly vulnerable to attacks and difficult to manage, especially compared with PCs.

In effect, these devices take corporate information out of the ‘safe’ corporate network and into unsecured environments, such as public Wi-Fi hotspots, and invite users to access a huge range of apps and websites.

The consequences of unwittingly falling foul of security threats can potentially go beyond the need for a simple repair to become far reaching. Whether it’s connecting to a bad Wi-Fi network in an internet café or downloading an app which contains malware, a single unintentional mobile security breach could potentially lead to financial and information loss, a privacy breach, loss of intellectual property or even damage to reputation.

As with other aspects of business, the cost of prevention is far lower than the cost of cure. For this reason, it is critical that today’s businesses assess their security environment and put the necessary protection in place to enable employees to work securely and without risk of infection, whenever and wherever in the world they may be.

Refer here to download the white paper (registration maybe required) which covers the following topics:

• Mobile security challenges and risks faced by large organisations
• Factors to consider when developing a mobile security strategy
• How to find a security solution that meets your organisational needs

Documentary: A Gift for the Hackers

Privacy is becoming antiquated

Increasingly devices like printers and scanners are being connected directly to the Internet. It’s all very convenient, bit is it safe?

Your mobile, your printer, your hard drive, everything is connected… but it’s like a Swiss cheese. Medical files, financial information, and trade secrets, they’re all there for the taking. It’s shocking, it should not be allowed. It’s a design flaw.

Is this vulnerability in tens of thousands of devices compromising your security and your privacy? Computer security has become a big concern for companies and individuals.

As a result it has also become a big business. The world’s number one producer of computers and printers, Hewlett – Packard (HP), has an annual turn over of 127 billion dollars.

Watch Hackers Steal A BMW In Three Minutes

Stolen BMW 1M Coupe Video


There has been an unusual spike in the number of BMWs stolen in the UK this year, with some sources suggesting the number may be 300 cars or higher. The cars are being stolen without activating car alarms or immobilizers. The suspected method used involves the use of devices that plug into the car's OBD port and can program blank key fobs, leaving owners with keys to missing cars. Here's how they do it.


BMW sites and forums have been understandably alarmed about the issue, which is affecting all BMW series models, from the 1 to the X6. The essential theft process varies in detail, but all seem to have a fundamental methodology in common. First, the car is entered, either via nearby RF jammers that block the lock signal from the fob from reaching the car, or, more crudely, by breaking a window, as seen in the video in this post of the 1 Series being stolen.


In cases of the window break, the thieves seem to be exploiting a gap in the car's internal ultrasonic sensor system to avoid tripping the alarm. Once some sort of access to the vehicle is gained, the thieves connect a device to the car's OBD-II connector which gives them access to the car's unique key fob digital ID, allowing them to program a blank key fob to work with the car right then and there.

All cars sold in Europe must permit open and unsecured access to OBD codes, so non-franchised mechanics and garages may read the codes.


BMW is not the only car company to allow key code access through the OBD port, but the recent rash of BMW thefts, compared to other makes, suggests another factor may be at play, possibly a good supply of blank BMW key fobs.


Used key fobs are available, and can usually be reprogrammed for another car of the same model, and new blank fobs are available as well.

How hackers could bring down Boeing's new Dreamliner jet

There is a hidden "back door" in the jet's computer chip


It would usually be a fairly safe bet to assume new passenger planes would be protected from hacking attacks, however this may not be the case with Boeing's new Dreamliner jet.


Experts have claimed a hidden “back door” in a computer chip used in the jets’ computer systems could be exploited by cyber-criminals in order to override and control the planes, the UK’s Guardian reported.


Researchers Sergei Skorobogatov of Cambridge University and Chris Woods of Quo Vadis Labs sent out a warning to governments around the world after reportedly discovering the hacking method. "The great danger comes from the fact that such a back door undermines the high level of security in the chip making it exposed to various attacks,” they noted in a document cited by the Guardian.


"An attacker can disable all the security on the chip, reprogram cryptographic and access keys… or permanently damage the device." Woods claims the “back door” is inserted into a device for extra functionality, offering a secret way to get into the chip and control it without needing an encrypted channel.


The chips are used in areas such as communications and consumer products as well as the military, medical and automotive industries.


Source from News.com.au

Whitepaper: HMI/SCADA System Security Gaps

Understanding and Minimizing Your HMI/SCADA System Security Gaps


Being at the heart of an operation’s data visualization, control and reporting for operational improvements, HMI/SCADA systems have received a great deal of attention, especially due to various cyber threats and other media-fueled vulnerabilities.


The focus on HMI/SCADA security has grown exponentially in the last decade, and as a result, users of HMI/SCADA systems across the globe are increasingly taking steps to protect this key element of their operations. The HMI/SCADA market has been evolving over the last 20 years with functionality, scalability and interoperability at the forefront.


For example, HMI/SCADA software has evolved from being a programming package that enables quick development of an application to visualize data within a programmable logic controller (PLC) to being a development suite of products that delivers powerful 3-D visualizations, intelligent control capabilities, data recording functions, and networkability. With HMI/SCADA systems advancing technologically and implementations becoming increasingly complex, some industry standards have emerged with the goal of improving security. However, part of the challenge is knowing where to start in securing the entire system.


The purpose of this paper is to explain where vulnerabilities within a HMI/SCADA system may lie, describe how the inherent security of system designs minimize some risks, outline some proactive steps businesses can take, and highlight several software capabilities that companies can leverage to further enhance their security.


Refer here to download this website. (Registration Required)

Indian Hackers has hacked Symantec Norton AntiVirus software!

Symantec's Norton AntiVirus source code exposed by hackers

Symantec, the makers of Norton AntiVirus, has confirmed that a hacking group has gained access to some of the security product's source code.

An Indian hacking group, calling itself the Lords of Dharmaraja, has threatened to publicly disclose the source code on the internet.

So far, there have been two claims related to Symantec's source code.

First, a document claiming to be confidential information related to Norton AntiVirus's source code was posted on Pastebin. Symantec says it has investigated the claim, and that - rather than source code - it was documentation dated from April 1999 related to an API (application programming interface) used by the product.

And secondly, the hacking group shared source code related to what appears to have been the 2006 version of Symantec's Norton AntiVirus product with journalists from Infosec Island.

Chris Paden, a Symantec spokesperson, confirmed to InfoSec Island that some of the firm's source code had been accessed:

"Symantec can confirm that a segment of its source code has been accessed. Symantec’s own network was not breached, but rather that of a third party entity."

"We are still gathering information on the details and are not in a position to provide specifics on the third party involved."

"Presently, we have no indication that the code disclosure impacts the functionality or security of Symantec's solutions. Furthermore, there are no indications that customer information has been impacted or exposed at this time."

"Symantec can confirm that a segment of its source code used in two of our older enterprise products has been accessed, one of which has been discontinued. The code involved is four and five years old. This does not affect Symantec's Norton products for our consumer customers. Symantec's own network was not breached, but rather that of a third party entity."

"We are still gathering information on the details and are not in a position to provide specifics on the third party involved. Presently, we have no indication that the code disclosure impacts the functionality or security of Symantec's solutions. Furthermore, there are no indications that customer information has been impacted or exposed at this time."

"However, Symantec is working to develop remediation process to ensure long-term protection for our customers' information. We will communicate that process once the steps have been finalized.

Given the early stages of the investigation, we have no further details to disclose at this time but will provide updates as we confirm additional facts."

It's hard not to feel sympathy for Symantec - who appear to have been caught in the crossfire between a hacking gang and the Indian authorities.

Although Symantec customers may not be at risk, it's easy to see how the software company will feel bruised by the publicity that the Lords of Dharmaraja have generated through their hack.

WPS-enabled Wi-Fi routers are vulnerable to brute force attack

Security flaw found in Wi-Fi Protected Setup

The US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) warned of a security flaw in a popular tool intended to make it easier to add additional devices to a secure Wi-Fi network.

The organisation cited findings from security researcher Stefan Viehbock, who uncovered the security hole in the so-called Wi-Fi Protected Setup, or WPS, protocol, which is often bundled into Wi-Fi routers.

The WPS protocol is designed to allow unskilled home users to set up secure networks using WPA encryption without much hassle. Users are then able to type in a shortened PIN instead of a long passphrase when adding a new device to the secure network.

That method, however, also makes it much easier for hackers to break into a secure Wi-Fi network, US-CERT says. The security threat could affect millions of consumers, since the WPS protocol is enabled on most Wi-Fi routers sold today.

The basic problem is that the security of the eight-digit PIN falls dramatically with more attempts to key in the password. When an attempt fails, the hacker can figure out whether the first four digits of the code are correct. From there, it can then narrow down the possibilities on the remaining digits until the code is cracked. Viehbock said that a hacker can get into a secure Wi-Fi hotspot in about two hours using this method to exploit a vulnerability.

Here's how US-CERT describes the flaw:

When the PIN authentication fails, the access point will send an EAP-NACK message back to the client. The EAP-NACK messages are sent in a way that an attacker is able to determine if the first half of the PIN is correct. Also, the last digit of the PIN is known, because it is a checksum for the PIN. This design greatly reduces the number of attempts needed to brute force the PIN. The number of attempts goes from 108 to 104 + 103, which is 11,000 attempts in total.

It has been reported that some wireless routers do not implement any kind of lock-out policy for brute-force attempts. This greatly reduces the time required to perform a successful brute-force attack. It has also been reported that some wireless routers resulted in a denial-of-service condition, because of the brute-force attempt, and required a reboot.

US-CERT said in its warning that there is no known fix to the security problem. Instead, the group recommends that users disable the WPS function on their routers. The warning lists several wireless router vendors as selling devices that are affected by the security hole: Buffalo, D-Link, Cisco Linksys, Netgear, Technicolor, TP-Link and ZyXEL.

US-CERT indicated in its warning that it notified router vendors that are affected by the security issue in early December, but so far the vendors have not offered a response, nor have any of them issued statements.

U.S. power grid is a big & soft target for cyberattack

MIT study report shows security gaps widening, risk increasing as power nets improve

The "malicious attack from Russian hackers that cracked security on an Illinois water utility and destroyed one of its main pumps turned out to be what Wired called a "comedy of errors" after interviewing the prime suspect for a story that ran last week.

That doesn't mean utilities in the U.S. – especially electrical utilities – are not desperately vulnerable to attack.

The U.S. electrical grid in particular is not only just as vulnerable as it was before the risk of cyberattack became obvious, the negative impact of a real hack keeps rising, according to a two-year study published today by researchers at the MIT Energy Initiative in Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management.

U.S. utilities are building more intelligence into their networks to make power distribution more efficient, but the mesh of regulations and regulators involved is such that their security efforts are incomplete, inadequate and uncoordinated, according to the 268-page study (PDF of full report, or by section), which also examined risks from weather, the impact of federal regulations, rising prices for fossil fuels and competition from sources of renewable energy.

The risk of a Stuxnet-like attack on utilities was dismissed by many security experts after the revelation that reports of a successful attack on the Illinois water utility hack were mistakes, the possibility that it is possible was not.

Current risks of cyberattack on electric utilities

• Loss of grid control resulting in complete disruption of electricity supply over a wide area can occur as a result of errors or tampering with data communication among control equipment and central offices.
  
  
• Consumer-level problems ranging from incorrect billing to interruption in electric service can be introduced via smart meter tampering.
  
  
• Commuting disruptions for electric vehicle operators can occur if recharging stations have been modified to incorrectly charge batteries.
  
  
• Data confidentiality breaches, both personal and corporate, can provide information for identity theft, corporate espionage, physical security threats (for example, through knowing which homes are vacant), and terrorist activities (for example, through knowing which power lines are most important in electric distribution).

"Future of the Electric Grid, MIT Energy Initiative, Dec. 5, 2011"

With rapidly expanding connectivity and rapidly evolving threats, making the grid invulnerable to cyber events is impossible, and improving resilience to attacks and reducing the impact of attacks are important…

… For the electric grid in particular, cybersecurity must encompass not only the protection of information but also the security of grid equipment that depends on or is controlled by that information. And its goals must include ensuring the continuous and reliable operation of the electric grid…

…We believe the natural evolution of grid information technologies already points toward such an approach: the development and integration of increasingly rapid and accurate systems control and monitoring technologies should facilitate quicker attack detection—and consequently, shorter response and recovery times.

Cyberattack response and recovery measures would be a fruitful area for ongoing research and development in utilities, their vendors, and academia. – Future of the Electric Grid, MIT Energy Initiative, Dec. 5, 2011

U.S. utilities – electric, water and others – are so vulnerable and so insensible to security concerns that using passwords only three characters long doesn't raise a huge stink among companies that largely either refuse to believe there's a target painted on their backs or believe it's too expensive to do anything about it.

Hole in Google Chrome that granted unauthorised access to gmail accounts

Web extensions to become a new attack vector

A penetration tester has exploted a hole in Google Chrome that granted unauthorised access to gmail accounts.

WhiteHat Security researcher Matt Johansen identified the vulnerability in a Chrome OS note-taking application. He disclosed the hole to Google which patched it and gave him US$1000 as part of its Chromium security initiative.

Johansen told Reuters he intercepted data travelling between a Chrome browser extension and the Google cloud. Google has not yet revealed details of the security hole which Johansen plans to release at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas this year.

Google extensions, written by third party software developers, were a ripe target for attack because they were granted more privileged access rights to Google cloud data than what the browser offered to web sites.

WhiteHat security detailed in a 2007 research paper a series of web application security vulnerabilities that could also be used to attack web browser extensions in Chrome and Mozilla FireFox.

Chrome OS director Caesar Sengupta said there are "significant benefits to security" by storing apps within the browser.

Microsoft Security Essentials

Doesn’t get in the way of PC performance

As a Information Security professional, I often get this question: Which is the good anti-virus? Which one i should use?

Here is my pick out of the bunch of anti-viruses software available in the market.

Microsoft Security Essentials doesn’t carry the weight of suite products and has a much smaller download size. Scans and updates are scheduled to run when the PC is idle and use a low-priority thread. CPU throttling ensures that no more than 50 percent of the CPU is utilized by Microsoft Security Essentials activity, so that your system continues to perform those tasks you are likely to be performing, such as opening files or browser windows, saving files, and using cut, copy, and paste.

Microsoft Security Essentials uses smart caching and active memory swapping so signatures that are not in use are not taking up space, thus limiting the amount of memory used even as the volume of known malware continues to increase. This makes Microsoft Security Essentials friendlier toward older PCs, as well as today’s smaller, less powerful form factors such as netbooks.

Please refer here for further details.

Android app can 'hack' Facebook and Twitter account

FaceNiff enables an Android smartphone to detect unsecured Facebook or Twitter login

Facebook and Twitter users face a new security headache from an Android app that allows anyone to hack social media accounts at public WiFi spots.

The developer of the FaceNiff app mentioned on their website that the app is for educational purposes only, and urges users not to install it if it is illegal in their country.

FaceNiff enables an Android smartphone to detect any unsecured Facebook or Twitter login made on the same WiFi network by a desktop or laptop using a standard web browser.



The app is a major security risk as it allows hackers access to a user's private contact details and those of all their friends. Using the app, it would be possible for hackers to collect personal information needed for identity theft simply while having coffee at an internet cafe.

FaceNiff needs to be side loaded onto an Android device that allows root or superuser access to the device. While some users would not be capable of configuring "root user" access on their Android phones, many would, and a list of compatible phones is listed on the developer's website.

The developer claims the app works not only on open networks, but WiFi networks secured by WEP, WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK network protocols.

The developer's website states the app can be used to access Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Amazon, and Nasza-Klasa -- a Polish version of Facebook with "new coming soon".

FaceNiff however is understood not to work if social media is accessed with https secure protocol.

Facebook and Twitter by default do not automatically use https browsing and users have to activate it.

Google Reward Program: $1337 to find vulnerability on Blogger

Gaining Administrative Privileges on any Blogger.com Account

Interesting POC:

Android Data Stealing Vulnerability

Android Browser Flaw Allows Data Theft

A new vulnerability has been discovered in the Android web browser that could allow hackers to steal files stored on the smartphone's SD card.

According to security expert Thomas Cannon, the a flaw automatically allows payload data to be downloaded to the device's SD card. A few tweaks to a JavaScript will allow the files on the SD card to open making the data readable, he said.

Once the JavaScript has stored the contents of the targeted file, it will then post it to the malicious website. He warned that the flaw is present on multiple handsets and multiple Android OS versions. The security expert has posted a video on his website showing the Android browser exploit in action.

“I notified the Android Security Team on 19-Nov-2010 and to their credit they responded within 20 minutes, took it seriously, and started an investigation into the issue. They have since updated me to say they are aiming for a fix to go into a Gingerbread maintenance release after Gingerbread (Android 2.3) becomes available,” he said.

Refer here to read more details.

'Shodan' - Computer Search Engine: Pinpoints shoddy industrial controls

Hackers tap SCADA vulnerabilities search engine

A search engine that indexes servers and other internet devices is helping hackers to find industrial control systems that are vulnerable to tampering, the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team has warned.

The year-old site known as Shodan makes it easy to locate internet-facing SCADA, or supervisory control and data acquisition, systems used to control equipment at gasoline refineries, power plants and other industrial facilities. As white-hat hacker and Errata Security CEO Robert Graham explains, the search engine can also be used to identify systems with known vulnerabilities.

According to the Industrial Control Systems division of US CERT, that's exactly what some people are doing to discover poorly configured SCADA gear. “The identified systems range from stand-alone workstation applications to larger wide area network (WAN) configurations connecting remote facilities to central monitoring systems,” the group wrote in an advisory (PDF) published on Thursday. “These systems have been found to be readily accessible from the internet and with tools, such as Shodan, the resources required to identify them has been greatly reduced.”

Besides opening up industrial systems to attacks that target unpatched vulnerabilities, the information provided by Shodan makes networks more vulnerable to brute-force attacks on passwords, many of which may still use factory defaults, CERT warned. The organization advised admins to tighten security by:

• Placing all control systems assets behind firewalls, separated from the business network
• Deploying secure remote access methods such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for remote access
• Removing, disabling, or renaming any default system accounts (where possible)
• Implementing account lockout policies to reduce the risk from brute forcing attempts
• Implementing policies requiring the use of strong passwords
• Monitoring the creation of administrator level accounts by third-party vendors

Refer here to read more details.

How to bypass iPhone’s passcode-protected lock screen?

Circumventing iPhone Security with the Push of A Button

A tech savvy iPhone user has posted a video demonstrating a new finding; there’s an easily executable and potentially serious flaw in the iPhone password security function. Under the right circumstances, a simple press of the iPhone’s lock button will allow a malicious user to bypass the phone’s password protection and enter into the main phone app. Here, anyone can view the phone’s call history and stored contacts and listen to voicemail.

Wired.com’s Threat Level blog reports that Apple has not yet commented on the bug.

For more details refer here.

Bug no iOS 4.1 from Salomão Filho on Vimeo.

New security flaw exploited on Adobe Reader and Acrobat

New security flaw exploited on Adobe Reader and Acrobat

Adobe has warned this week that a new security flaw in Reader and Acrobat is now being exploited, allowing for hackers to take over victim's systems. The company says the vulnerability can "cause a crash and potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system."

Affected softwares are Adobe Reader 9.3.4 and earlier for Windows and Mac, and Acrobat versions 9.3.4 and earlier for both operating systems. While Adobe would not give technical details on the flaw, security firm Secunia said it was caused by a "boundary error within the font parsing in CoolType.dll and can be exploited to cause a stack-based buffer overflow by ...tricking a user into opening a specially crafted PDF file."

IBM X-Force Mid-Year Trend and Risk Report

2010 Mid-year highlights

The IBM X-Force 2010 Mid-Year Trend and Risk Report reveals several key trends that demonstrate how, in the first half of 2010, attackers seeking to steal money or personal data increasingly targeted their victims via the Internet. The IBM X-Force Trend and Risk Report is produced twice per year: once at mid-year and once at year-end. This report provides statistical information about all aspects of threats that affect Internet security, including software vulnerabilities and public exploitation, malware, spam, phishing, web-based threats, and general cyber criminal activity.

Summary

Attackers are increasingly using covert techniques like Javascript obfuscation and other covert techniques which continue to frustrate IT security professionals. Obfuscation is a technique used by software developers and attackers alike to hide or mask the code used to develop their applications.

Reported vulnerabilities are at an all time high, up 36%. 2010 has seen a significant increase in volume of security vulnerability disclosures, due both to significant increases in public exploit releases and to positive efforts by several large software companies to identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities.

PDF attacks continue to increase as attackers trick users in new ways. To understand why PDFs are targeted, consider that endpoints are typically the weakest link in an enterprise organization. Attackers understand this fact well. For example, although sensitive data may not be present on a particular endpoint, that endpoint may have access to others that do. Or, that endpoint can be used as a practical bounce point to launch attacks on other computers.

The Zeus botnet toolkit continues to wreak havoc on organizations. Early 2010 saw the release of an updated version of the Zeus botnet kit, dubbed Zeus 2.0. Major new features included in this version provide updated functionality to attackers.

Vulnerabilities and exploitation highlights

=> Advanced persistent threat—What concerns X-Force most about these sophisticated attackers is their ability to successfully penetrate well defended networks in spite of significant advances in network security technology and practices. In particular, we are concerned about increasingly obfuscated exploits and covert malware command-and-control channels that fly under the radar of modern security systems.

=> Obfuscation, obfuscation, obfuscation—Attackers continue to find new ways to disguise their malicious traffic via JavaScript and PDF obfuscation. Obfuscation is a technique used by software developers and attackers alike to hide or mask the code used to develop their applications. Things would be easier if network security products could simply block any JavaScript that was obfuscated,but unfortunately, obfuscation techniques are used by many legitimate websites in an attempt to prevent unsophisticated Web developers from stealing their code. These legitimate websites act as cover for the malicious ones, turning the attacks into needles in a haystack.

=> PDF attacks continue to increase as attackers trick users in new ways. To understand why PDFs are targeted, consider that endpoints are typically the weakest link in an enterprise organization. Attackers understand this fact well. For example, although sensitive data may not be present on a particular endpoint, that endpoint may have access to others that do. Or, that endpoint can be used as a practical bounce point to launch attacks on other computers.

=> Reported vulnerabilities are at an all time high—2010 has seen a significant increase in the volume of security vulnerability disclosures, due both to significant increases in public exploit releases and to positive efforts by several large software companies to identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities.

=> Web application vulnerabilities have inched up to the 55 percent mark, accounting for fully half of all vulnerability disclosures in the first part of 2010.

=> Exploit Effort versus Potential Reward—What are attackers really going after? With the number of vulnerability announcements rising and vendors scrambling to provide patches and protection to problem areas, how can enterprises best prioritize the efforts of IT administrators to provide adequate coverage? The Exploit Effort versus Potential Reward Matrix provides a simple model for thinking about vulnerability triage from the perspective of attackers.

Please refer here to download or view the report.

Vulnerability Discovered in Patched Windows 2000, XP

PowerZip version 7.2 Build 4010 has been identified as an attack medium for the vulnerability's exploitation

Secunia, an Internet security company, reports that another critical flaw has been found in Microsoft Windows. This time the flaw discovered in wholly patched Windows XP and Windows 2000, which hackers could exploit to execute harmful assaults.

Marking the flaw with a "moderately critical" label, Secunia says that it is due to a boundary error within the CFrameWnd class's "UpdateFrameTitleForDocument()" feature inside mfc42.dll. Moreover, the flaw helped in the creation of a heap overflow by passing of a very lengthy string of title to the attack prone feature.

If exploited, the flaw is capable of letting attackers execute malware assaults. The assaults helped in compromising end-users' PCs and grabbing sensitive data via social engineering tactics. Secunia disclosed that the flaw surely existed within wholly patched Windows XP SP2/SP3 and Windows 2000 Professional SP4 versions.

Since a patch isn't yet available to plug the hole, Secunia advises not to access software that allow the passage of user-regulated input onto the attack prone feature.

Notably, Microsoft states that it knows about the security flaw and is working to fix it.

iPad security breach

AT&T Confirms iPad Security Breach


AT&T has confirmed an iPad security breach which computer experts say has exposed over 100,000 early iPad adopters to potential malicious hacking and spam, with those vulnerable including dozens of CEOs, military officials, top politicians and media personalities.

The security breach was discovered by a group calling itself Goatse Security, with the specific information exposed in the breach including subscribers' email addresses along with an associated ID used to authenticate the subscriber on AT&T's network, known as the ICC-ID. AT&T, the sole U.S. provider of wireless service for the iPad , said it had fixed the security hole by Tuesday after being contacted by Goatse Security.

"At this point, there is no evidence that any other customer information was shared," AT&T said in a statement. "We take customer privacy very seriously, and while we have fixed this problem, we apologize to our customers who were impacted."


Please refer here to read more details.