The Internet

You Can Hide, But You’ll Be Recognized

August 21, 2014 — Leave a comment

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Do you recall how the updated FBI facial recognition technology was under the tremendous pressure and criticism as being extremely expensive and insufficiently efficient? It was even compared to the one used by Facebook. The most popular social network in the world apparently much bigger database in this matter.

For what is worth, the FBI was able to close the 15 years old case, thanks to this facial recognition technology. One notorious child abuser was caught in Nepal against all odds. This amazing story really makes you think seriously about the potential implications of the latest technologies.

On the other hand, we just got one more confirmation of an old and simple IT security rule. There are no bad technologies or apps, only good or bad people who use them this way or another. This is definitely something worth remembering and repeating as many times as possible.

Just imagine what we could do, if we were to use available apps and technologies for some other things rather than spying and advertising. Would not that be something to wish for? Until then, these kinds of events will be treated as lonely and positive incidents. Unfortunately.

About The Hackers’ Motivation

August 20, 2014 — Leave a comment

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Yes, let us ask some questions about the hackers’ motivation. What is in their hearts and minds that made them to do the things they do on a daily basis? We definitely need to know more about our worst cyber enemies in order to defeat them successfully. So, what do we actually know about their motives?

It may come as a surprise, but it seems that the excitement is the main motivation engine for all hackers in more than 50% of all known cases. It is a sad thing to witness so many promising IT careers being destroyed for a little fun and false sense of greatness. What is happening with the position number two?

Well, the hacker’s moral compass takes up to 30% of the entire motivational pie. In some cases, they really believe that what they are doing is justified and for the common good. And finally, the financial factor takes what is left of all remaining percentages in this story. Less than 20%.

So, what is the moral of this story? If we can provide an alternative for the excitement and ensure the sense of rightfulness for hackers, we can solve more than 80% of all cyber attacks before they even appear. Do not blink, and start to think how we can achieve this goal. Hack the hackers’ hearts and minds.

The Operation Creative

August 15, 2014 — Leave a comment

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The UK Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit or shorter the PIPCU has recently sent more than 100 letters to the owners of illegal websites demanding two things. The first option is to ensure that their sites are fully legit. The second option is to kindly remove their domain from the Web.

We are not quite sure what was the main idea for the busy little police bees when they come up with a name for this operation. It is called the Operation Creative. How appropriate, indeed. The main goal of this action is to challenge the pirate websites. So, what happened with the results?

According to the available information obtained from the Freedom Of Information the TorrentFreak has found out the following. The police in this action has requested that 75 pirate websites face suspension. However, only 5 of them actually accepted this kind of an unpleasant recommendation.

So, what is the moral of this story? Either it is a good thing to run a piracy website or the police has to change something about its approach. Otherwise, there is no much joy and success in sending the warning letters, is it? Or, maybe they should change the name of their operation.

E-Mail + E-Guilt = Real Punishment

August 3, 2014 — Leave a comment

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t is not too late, for all of you who are reading this post to think twice before write or send an email in the future. Unfortunately, all we needed was one federal judge to say emails are the legitimate evidence target. The police can treat them in the same way as they are already doing with our hard drives.

Just imagine a situation where someone knocks at your door informing you that there is a warrant, which allows him to keep and examine your emails. All what you have written or received in your inbox can be used against you as the legitimate evidence at the court of law. How do you feel about this one?

Without any exaggeration we can say that we are completely surrounded. First, our smartphones, and now emails. The federal government obviously has an intention to turn all elements associated with our privacy into bulletproof evidences. What is next? Do you dare to guess?

What are we supposed to do? To buy old typing machines just like Germans are doing after the recent spying controversy? To use pigeons messengers? Seriously? When we will have a courage to say enough is enough? Maybe, they will use these posts as the evidence in the near future? Who knows?

Privacy Healthcare

July 30, 2014 — Leave a comment

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How about this horror movie for a change? A laptop with the 500 patients personal data was stolen from the medical facility in South Carolina. What kind of personal data? Well, anything you can possibly think of including medical history for each and any of the 500 patients.

The laptop itself was password, but the data were not encrypted. Really hard to believe, and absolutely impossible to accept. Simply there is no excuse, which we can swallow. How about the patients themselves? It comes without saying that their condition just got worse.

What happened with the cloud storage system? What about prioritizing these type of data? You do not have to be a rocket scientist to ask these type of questions all day long. What is the purpose? In the paper era we were more secure than in the golden digital age.

Does this type of news about security breaches and identity thefts make you sick? What kind of an epic data catastrophe we have to experience in order to be awakened from our dreams of self-illusions? Enough is enough, let us do something about it for real this time. Shall we?

eBay Rainy Days in Louisiana

July 29, 2014 — Leave a comment

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It simply had to happen one fine day, eventually, this way or another. The only difference is, the users themselves will not be a collateral damage, but the provider of services in charge the eBay itself. Why? Well, it should have done more and known better, as well.

The lawsuit eBay is about to face in Louisiana does not target some abstract unknown hackers, but rather a flesh and blood company responsible for one of the worst security and privacy breaches in the recent Internet history. So, what happened?

The users were kept in dark for months intentionally in a desperate attempt to cover up the catastrophic identity theft. This additional claim opens the second legal front for eBay, which has to deal with both serious accusations: negligence and cover ups.

It comes without saying that some of the biggest companies care more about their money than our privacy and well-being. If this is the only way to change something dramatically, then let it be. In order for the small ones to survive, one giant has to fall. Right?

Project Zero: Google’s Hero

July 25, 2014 — Leave a comment

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The Project Zero is an ambitious attempt to introduce the zero tolerance when it comes to security bugs. There will be a special team working around the clock. Something like navy seals behind the computers. They will deliver security bug fixes on a daily or even hourly basis. Then, your vendors will be responsible for timely security updates and patches.

We do apologize for our tones filled with a bitter tone or irony. However, we just cannot help ourselves noticing how this is a convenient way to switch your responsibility and blame someone else. In this case the poor old vendors themselves. So, what can we conclude from this brave new plan introduced by our thoughtful Google?

The next time you face a security threat, you will know who to blame. There has to be a solution for your trouble. Nevertheless, your vendor was lazy to either inform you or deliver the invaluable solution. Google’s busy little bees have done their homework. It is not their responsibility that vendors cannot catch up with them.

So, what is next? Google will create the black list of uncooperative vendors? We will storm the vendors, rather than to deal with the hackers themselves? Why is Google determined to present itself as the protector of the cyber – galaxy? Maybe, because the absolute majority of all attacks comes through the browsers. Who runs the biggest and the most popular search engine in the world?

Internet Security: Who Is To Blame?

July 25, 2014 — Leave a comment

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Finally! Someone has spoken our minds on this matter. The troubles with the IT Security are not one month or a year old. Seth Hanford, who is the head of Cisco’s Threat Research Analysis and Communications, has hit the right nerve with his observations. The proper IT Security has only been an illusion all of this time.

What does it mean to be a little bit more precise? Well, for what is worth, the situation with our IT Security has not been worse or better compared to the previous periods of time. The only difference is that we are now more aware about it. We conduct more surveys, tests and analysis. That is actually the only difference in this story.

In other words, it is similar to the situation when someone has accidentally turned on the light after nights and nights of complete darkness. And, we have apparently become aware of our current condition. On the second thought, this does not have to be necessarily bad. How do we dare to come up with such a claim?

Well, now that we are fully aware of all threats and dangers that are waiting for our next move in the cyberspace, we can finally do something about it. Not bad for a change and something that should have been done years and years ago. The old and wise Chinese said something like that a long journey starts with a small first step.

Cisco Systems – Spying Systems

July 18, 2014 — Leave a comment

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This is what happens when you leave an open door for the politics in the cyber space. The Chinese have become extremely spying sensitive and let us admit it even paranoid about this one. First, we had a situation with an iPhone, which was to blame for the tracking jeopardy completely unacceptable for the Chinese.

Now, the blacklist in China is very likely to include an additional name from the USA. The Cisco Systems are accused for supporting the US funded and organized spying activities. As expected, the Cisco Systems have denied it all, but the damage was already done. In the meantime, even Microsoft had some tough times.

Google has to play according to Chinese rules. Windows is no longer welcome on government’s computers. Apple is suspicious. Cisco is unreliable. It seems that Made In China definitely does not go hand in hand with the Made in the USA. Is there a solution for this serious problem?

Well, if the USA players want a piece of a billion market pie in China, they will have to play according to the Chinese rules with no exceptions or excuses. China can certainly afford it. One serious rumor has it that China has an infrastructure to launch a completely independent Internet on its own, any time they want. Enough said. Right?

The NSA Loves the USA

July 17, 2014 — Leave a comment

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Under some other circumstances, this title could have been used as a nice slogan or children’s song for the 4th of July. However, when you read what is to follow, you are very likely to spoil your good mood about this story. As always, Edward Snowden is to blame for your privacy worst nightmares.

It seems that the NSA has always nine of its ten eyes and all the time for the US citizens. Only one eye left is being used for the international terrorist threats. How is that possible? For what is worth, if you are an American citizen, who for some reason communicate with foreigners.

If for the purpose of this communication you use a foreign language, you qualify immediately for the NSA favorite target of the month. Sad but true, the NSA “cares” more about the potential domestic threats than the international ones. And, this is how we got to the privacy dead-end street.

It may seem as a huge contradiction, but the terrorists all over the world provide such a nice alibi and justification for the NSA’s activities on the home ground. This the trouble with the curve, which is not likely to be solved quickly or easily in the NSA case. Edward Snowden is not the person you should blame, that is for sure.