Open Your Door Grandpa Microsoft

May 9, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Why would grandpa Microsoft do such a thing? What kind of a door we are referring to? Well, we are eager to witness a moment when Windows will be treated as an open source code. Why? Well, this is supposed to improve its cyber security. Something is obviously wrong with this picture.

It is a bold and ear-catching claim to ask for an open source code Windows, but how grandpa Microsoft feels about it? If it is going to be free to access and alter, does it also mean that you can get it for free, as well? On the other hand, the strongest argument for an open source is improved security. How?

Allegedly, the new open source structure can help you to access Windows more easily in search for bugs and vulnerabilities. So, who is stopping you to do it right now? What about all previous successful bug bounty hunters? They did not ask for a permission, did they?

This is definitely a wrong turn for our troubled thoughts. Let grandpa Microsoft does its job the best it can. We do not need an open door, at all. If you want to improve Windows security and eliminate potential vulnerabilities, go on and earn some fair money. Grandpa Microsoft can be generous.

Battle Of Britain

May 8, 2015 — Leave a comment

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According to the latest Symantec cyber security report the UK was the most popular destination for hackers in 2014. Almost five in six large companies were under some kind of a cyber-attack, this way or another. So, what is this supposed to mean? What should we think about this particular information?

Well, this is a painful increase of more than 40% compared to 2013. Yet again, you simply cannot avoid asking a simple question. How can this be? Who is to blame for this embarrassing negative result? Believe it or not, we are ourselves the worst cyber enemies in the entire virtual universe. How?

It is quite simple, actually. This may come as a huge surprise, but it turns out that the hackers themselves are extremely lazy and profit oriented cyber-creatures. That means they would rather allow their malicious automatized systems to do all the dirty work. They are counting on you, for real.

The absolute majority of all cyber attacks and successful phishing schemes came from the surprisingly naive malicious emails. Unfortunately, the average business UK users were even more naive. Before you know it the entire business structure was infected and compromised. Enough said, isn’t it?

Bad Cyber Boys With Real Toys

May 8, 2015 — Leave a comment

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How do you imagine an average hacker from your neighborhood? A harmless and innocent teenager, a little bit overweight, who spends days and nights on a keyboard, under the Coca-Cola and pizza delivery ambalage. Well, if this is a case, then you are both helplessly and dangerously romantic.

What would you say, if you were to hear that more than 60% of cyber criminals already have the real-life criminal record. How about this for a change? I am not a criminal in a traditional sense, I am merely a freedom fighter on a keyboard. This hacker’s statement is just so far from the reality, isn’t it?

So, what is the moral of our story? When you are a criminal, it does not matter where you get caught. The virtual world is not an excuse for the real one, and vice-versa. Do your best to keep it clean and flawless in both worlds. What is even more important forget about the wrong kind of empathy.

There is no point in feeling sorry for the hackers and all kinds of cyber criminals. We do not need fake heroes. Your friendly neighbor hacker has not hurt anyone in the virtual world, but there is a 60% chance that someone is suffering in the real world as a result of his wrongful doings. Think about it.

The Pirate Percentages

May 7, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Imagine a world with no cyber-pirates. Imagine a moment where all computers all over the world will use and run only the fully legitimate and legal software and licenses. Would not that be a sight? Yet, what could this unrealistic scenario change for real? Does it mean that you would be a happier person?

Or, maybe you will have less money to spend on other things? Why? The pirate software version is substantially cheaper, by default. Here is a catch. In the EU alone, more than 70 million jobs, which is almost one third of its entire labor market, depends one way or another on the proper protection of the intellectual property rights.

When you mess up with the intellectual property and copyrights in the wrong way, there is no win-win scenario. Someone will always lose. Strong legal pressure means that we will pay more. Cyber loopholes can allow pirates to give us cheaper functional alternatives. Yet, that is a loss for the corporate world.

And, here we are where we are, where we have been all of this time. There will be some cosmetic changes, but the main troubles will remain the same more or less. Pirates are not going to disappear, and a software is not going to be offered for free. Our cyber seas will be restless for quite some time.

Big Gun China #1

May 3, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Here is our word of advice. If you plan to read this post, then you should listen ACDC. You do not have to guess twice, which song in particular, do you? Oh dear, if you thought that the so-called Great Firewall of China is something special, then wait until you hear about the Big Cyber Gun.

The busy little Chinese bees in charge of censorship have really done something amazing. Now, not only are they capable of blocking the entire Internet traffic, but also they can redirect it and manipulate according to their wishes with all kinds of malicious software solutions.

One serious rumor has it that compared to the Big Gun, the notorious Great Firewall of China looks and works like an outdated toy. However, this is not something you say our hats off for a respectable achievement. It is actually a sad fact. Just imagine resources and time required for its development and maintenance.

All of that, for what exactly? So, you can monitor and control your own citizens? Unfortunately, we have every reason to believe that the Big Gun made in China is going to give all kinds of crazy ideas to their US colleagues in the NSA. The Internet and freedom. Oh, that is such a bad joke. Indeed.

Hit The Spartan For $15K

April 29, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Here is a new bug bounty in our cyber-town. Someone may say that our dear old grandpa Microsoft is desperate, but to us it looks as a thoughtful move. If you can find a vulnerability in the new IE called Spartan, the grandpa Microsoft will reward your cyber bug bounty with the $15,000 cash.

The new browser Spartan is supposed to be a crown jewel of the latest and brightest Windows 10. Therefore, Microsoft just cannot afford itself a luxury of going through an embarrassing and troubling security problem associated with the Spartan itself. Is this amount enough for the trouble?

Well, for what is worth, these are tough times for the professional cyber-bug-bounty-hunters. If you avoid a common trap of not being paid at all, in the first place, the best case scenario ends up with the $5,000. On the other side, this is the cheapest and the most efficient solution for Microsoft.

It is better to pay before a security failure escalates, than to heal it afterwards. Because, it is going to be much cheaper and significantly less painful for both Microsoft and its users. Our hats off to Microsoft for this bug bounty decision, which comes right on time. Bug hunters get to work. Right now.

Your New WatchDog WatchDox

April 29, 2015 — Leave a comment

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BlackBerry has acquired the WatchDox. So, what is the big deal about this takeover? And, who is this WatchDox? What does it do? Well, for what is worth, BlackBerry got its cyber hands on one of the most serious players in the field of content security. Now, we are confused. What is the plan?

It is not a secret that BlackBerry struggles really hard in order to stay alive under the new mobile circumstances, including the new smart kids on the block. Once upon a business time, one in every two mobile phones in the USA was a BlackBerry model. Now, all we have is a famous brand name.

When it comes to the business survival, you do not do what you like, but rather what you can sell. One serious rumor has it that Google is eager to team up with the BlackBerry itself. Why? What could possibly BlackBerry offer to Google? Some cyber security know-how and security software, as well.

The latest BlackBerry models Passport and Classic are more of a reminder what is this proud mobile pioneer all about, than a serious threat to Apple or Samsung. Who knows, maybe we are to discover again that the cyber security can be a nice way to ensure both business survival and stimulative profit.

The US XP Army

April 24, 2015 — Leave a comment

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There are up to 10,000 computers in the US Army, which still run Windows XP. It is not an easy thing, migrating such a huge and sensitive system to a new OS. Right? So, what are the available options? Well, for what is worth, the US Army would like to play around with the XP for at least one more year.

The grandpa Microsoft was extremely patriotic and helpful, for an appropriate price, of course. Because the XP is officially off the Windows support radar, the additional security patches cost approximately $200 per year. Have we forgotten to mention that this is a price for a single computer.

Now, you see what is the potential problem here. Here is another, even a bigger one. If you want to jump in the next year in terms of support, then you have to double your expenses. So, it is not $200, but rather $400 for a single computer. That means $4 million instead of $2 million. Is that right?

That is why, the US Army is looking for a third-party to take care of its precious XP for a more affordable price. Seriously? The entire defense system is potentially jeopardized, because of the price issue. Seriously? Something is not right here. What is the price of updating the XP with the Windows 8?

Microsoft vs Pirates

April 23, 2015 — Leave a comment

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It took grandpa Microsoft eleven years to shut down the pirate Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0 source code. Better ever than never. Is that a new motto in an endless and epic fight against the online piracy? Or, maybe we are supposed to send a completely different kind of a message to the pirates.

No matter where you are, and no matter how long is going to take, we are going to get you, sooner or later, this way or another. However, the damage has already been done. What is there for Microsoft possible to gain? Some kind of a personal satisfaction in a constant pursuit after the cyber justice?

So many things are in the troubled mind of our dear grandpa Microsoft. Windows 10 is so much more than the latest OS. The pirate versions of the extremely popular and stubborn XP and Windows 7 OS systems are the self-eating cancer in the once very profitable Microsoft’s tissue, for real.

You just cannot shut down millions of computers all over the world, which are running the private versions, can you? On the other hand, you cannot pretend that business is as usual. Right? One pirate ship is down. The entire fleet is still around somewhere. Is grandpa Microsoft to tired to sail again?

The Vawtrak Is On The Attack

April 22, 2015 — Leave a comment

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The latest cyber monster, which is after your virtual money, has a name. The Vawtrak malware has begun with its global domination in Japan. So far, the serious estimates say that more than 100,000 computers have been infected. This malicious software follows your online banking transactions.

It has a simple goal. The Vawtrak transfers your money to the third party bank accounts. The users all over Asia have already lost more than hundreds of millions of dollars. Now, when we are fully aware about this financial danger, what can we do in order to eliminate it, for good?

You can rest assured that quite a few busy little bees in the cyber security sector work day and night on an efficient solution. As always, it is a merciless race against the time itself. The Vawtrak is moving from the West toward the East. How much time we have left before the real trouble?

As soon as it hits the cyber shores of Europe and the USA, we will be facing the completely new level of the cyber disaster. One important piece of the cyber puzzle is missing, though. No one told us, how all of those computers got infected in the first place. That is worth knowing. Is not that right?