Cyber Security

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 Deadly Window

April 22, 2015 — Leave a comment

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The busy little bee called the Cylance come up with the disturbing discovery. It turns out that every single Windows version, including the Windows 10 Technical Preview, can be hacked and passwords easily extracted. How? Who left the window open for the hackers? What about Cylance’s discovery?

It is a weak comfort, but the grandpa Microsoft has already acknowledged the “mistake”, which allows you to control a device in an unprecedented way. How? According to the Cylance, all you have to do is to infiltrate a malicious link into the targeted computer. And voila, you are in the full control.

While Microsoft is already working on an appropriate security patch, we have a simple question to ask. Even the most sophisticated and deadliest viruses known to the cyber community need a helping hand from the inside. Unless you open a door yourself, there is no real danger of the cyber doom.

We are hopelessly obsessed with the harmful effect of a certain virus that we completely neglect, how we got infected in the first place. That is the catch we are neglecting so easily. Do not be an easy target for a newbie or an average hacker. This is something you can really do. How hard could it be?

On The Blue Cyber Danube

April 19, 2015 — Leave a comment

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What is happening under the Alps? For the most of us Austria is a dream vacation country. What can possibly go wrong in this peaceful country with the breathtaking landscapes? Well, it turns out that the hackers are extremely active in this small country with the huge business potential. How and why?

It is really hard to believe that only a handful of companies take care about their cyber security in the right way. On the other hand, one in four Austrian companies gets under a serious cyber fire. As a result of the malicious hacker’s attacks the average damage includes more than 400,000 Euros.

If this is not enough to make the Austrian busy little business bees reconsidering the involvement of the top IT security consultants, then we do not know what is. With the average damage sum of $400,000 or Euros you can do so much job in the field of cyber security for more than one company.

However, there is a catch. First, you have to take care of all prejudices, which rooted deeply in the minds of the Austrian business people. They tend to believe that these nasty cyber things happen to someone else by default. Yet, sooner or later, your cyber address got picked up for trouble. Right?

Ridding The TrustWave

April 15, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Who says that the most profitable transfers and takeovers in the cyber world are reserved for the luxurious world of social networks and apps. The Asian IT giant Singtel is to prove us all wrong. For what is worth, these busy little bees have decided to ride the TrustWave for a change. What is the goal?

Well, the TrustWave is one of the most recognizable names in the world of cyber security. This takeover was worth more than $800 million. Finally, someone has figured out that the IT security is both profitable and important. We dare to say that this is only the beginning of the eye-catching cyber security takeovers.

If you have not been secured, then how can you make profit in the first place? You want to cut costs and improve company’s efficiency, then there is no better and simpler way than through the cyber security field. Do you think that the Singtel paid too much for the TrustWave takeover? Seriously?

If you are one of those cyber bees, who think that the IT security is an unreasonable cost or even a luxury, then the next time your system gets infected you will realize how reckless was to have thoughts such as this one. Rest assured that the Singtel will make billions of dollars in the near future.

The Year Of Robots: 2040

April 4, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Enjoy while it lasts, cyber boys and girls. For how long we have ruled this planet? A millennium or two? Now, in less than 25 years from this very moment, the things are to change. Dramatically. So, who is going to take over? Who is going to rule the world instead of us? Aliens? Or, robots?

Let us put it this way. Robots with the mind blowing AI (Artificial Intelligence) capacities. On the other side, you just cannot avoid asking yourself what is inspiring these dark voices, can you? Maybe, we are watching too many SF movies. There is a so-called SkyNet or Terminator syndrome out there.

It is about time for us to admit it. Let us first invent and develop something, for a change. Then, we have plenty of time to figure out what are we going to do with it. Eventually, the creator is supposed to be smarter and superior compared to his own creation. Right? The AI is our creation. Right?

If you think in this way, you are going to end up with some pretty pessimistic conclusions. Do not invent computers or the Internet, because they may turn against you one day. Do not this, do not invent that. The brave new world is going to be a wonderful place. Do not you think? This is not intelligent, at all.

The Urban Human-Chip-Implant Legends

April 1, 2015 — Leave a comment

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There is a serious rumor we are dying with an anticipation of confirming or compromising, for quite some time. Have you heard something about it? Maybe, all we need is a pair of additional Google eyes and hands. Here it goes. The Obamacare asks from us to get the human implant chips, with no exceptions?

Allegedly, by the 2017 we should all have the new friends, which will go under our skin. Literally. These implants are supposed to improve the very quality of our lives. However, we all know that every time you hear a meaningless and ambiguous phrase, such as his one, something bad is to happen.

We will lose the latest illusion we used to have about our already deeply compromised privacy. It is a great thing to be able to pay bills with the simple wave of your hand, but do you really want to trade your privacy for that? Do we have to mention all troubling religious implications, as well?

Our world is supposed to meet its inevitable end, the very day we embrace the mark of the beast. Or, in other words, the human chip implants. Of all the things in the cyber universe, we had to deal with this one, first. Are we going to use a special WordPress implant for writing and reading blogs?

Windows 10 Star Login

March 30, 2015 — Leave a comment

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The Grandpa Microsoft has figured it all out. It will strike at the very heart of cyber darkness. Let us deal with those annoying and unreliable passwords, once and for all, shall we? How? Well, Microsoft has quite a few solutions for this one. Depending on the type of your device you can use some of the following.

The new Windows 10 security system can scan your eye or a fingerprint. On the other side, if you are worried that your device’s features cannot match the high profile scanning standards do not feel depressed. The Grandpa Microsoft has a solution even for the old devices with the new passwords.

If you cannot avoid a situation of having to deal with the inevitable passwords, then your device’s PIN additional authentication can ease the pain, at least for a little bit. So, all security troubles are solved with the Windows 10. All what is left for us to do is to sit and relax while enjoying the cyber ride.

Maybe, we can relax, but what about our poor old Grandpa Microsoft? What is going to happen with its business security? The crumbling pressure of the countless pirate versions and a stubborn army of outdated and also unsupported old Windows versions can easily ruin the whole party. Right?

Android Financial Paranoid

March 21, 2015 — Leave a comment

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The busy little Kasersky Lab bees have some bad news for us. Again. This time, the focus of their work was on the financial components and services of the mobile Android OS. For what is worth, we strongly advise you of taking a deep breath before hearing these disturbing statistical data, in the first place.

Here it goes. The number of the financially oriented Android attacks in 2014 is more than three times higher compared to the previous year. What can we expect in 2015? Well, we do not even dare to ask. It seems that the hackers of the restless Android seas are after your cyber wallets this time.

We should mention the two most notorious villains in this field. The Trojan-SMS and Trojan-Banker are the most lethal and efficient ones. Unfortunately, the unparalleled popularity of Android OS has shown its ugly side. There is a reasonable fear it is going to become even worse in 2015.

So, what can you do to protect yourself properly? It would be a great thing to treat your mobile OS in the same way yountreat and protect your desktop OS. Maybe, it is about time for you to invest some money in the top quality mobile cyber-security solutions. Better now, than never or too late.

NGO vs NSA

March 19, 2015 — Leave a comment

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How many times have you wished to file a lawsuit against the bad boys in the black suits? Well, if you do not or cannot do as an individual, there are quite a few organizations that are willing to do your job. Let us mention some of the well-known names, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Is it possible to sue the NSA? Yes, apparently it is. Is it possible to win a case against the NSA? We shall have to wait and see. For what is worth, the mass surveillance program run by the NSA has obviously gone too far. Something needs to be done in order to win back our cyber freedom. What exactly?

Let us start with a lawsuit, which claims that the NSA with its spying and surveillance programs directly put a finger in both eyes of the first and the fourth US constitutional amendments. Somehow, we got an unpleasant feeling that this is going to be David against Goliath scenario. Are we right?

On the other hand, this lawsuit is more of a signal for the busy little cyber bees in the NSA to change or improve their spy programs, than a serious warning as we are hoping right now to be. Our fingers are crossed, that is for sure. At least we will show them that we are helpless, but not blind.