The New York Times is reporting on preparations in the works by the US government to prep for a ‘cyberwar’. Precautionary measures are being taken to guard against concerted attacks by politically-minded (or well-paid) hackers looking to cause havoc. Though they outline scenarios where mass damage is the desired outcome (such as remotely opening a dam’s gates to flood cities), most expect such conflicts to be more subtle.
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The recent MPACK-aided trojan attack is a sign that future mass-attacks may become increasingly localised, according to security researchers. The MPACK delivery device for malware was used to propagate trojan attacks this month, mostly affecting users in Italy. Dave Cole, director of Symantec Security Response, told SCMagazine.com today that MPACK-related attacks are unique both for their use of existing websites and regional nature.
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Apple has released two security fixes â one to patch an IPv6 vulnerability in its Mac OS X and the other to correct a more serious flaw in its Apple TV service. Both holes could permit remote attacks, although the Apple TV buffer overflow vulnerability could be exploited to execute arbitrary code or launch a DoS condition.
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Security researchers have found PHP exploit code embedded in a GIF on a major image-hosting site. The exploit code slipped through the site’s defences with the aid of a legitimate image at the beginning of the file, according to a blog post on the Sans Institute’s Internet Storm Center. “It is a clever way to pass exploit code to others without it setting off alarms or attracting attention, all [the] while bypassing network security tools,” the blog noted.
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A website advertising sexually explicit videos starring Paris Hilton â as well as personal mementos lost by the imprisoned heiress â exposed the credit card numbers and personal information of 750 subscribers earlier this month, according to an online report. According to the report on The Smoking Gun, the website was tipped off by a reader that a subscriber list on parisexposed.com could be easily accessed by changing a few numbers in the site’s URL.
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More than 1500 Pentagon computers have been taken offline after a hacking attack. A spokesperson for the US defense department said the system is likely to recover soon and be back online following the attack on Wednesday. âWe obviously have redundant systems in place,â said Defense Secretary, Robert Gates. âThere will be some administrative disruptions and personal inconveniences.â
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A cyber terrorism attack on the UK infrastructure will happen in the next five years, according to the Digital Security Services Manager at BP. The British energy giant will develop technology to protect the organisation and the national infrastructure against a cyber terrorism attack over the next few years, said Rob Martin at the opening of Symantecâs Security Operations Centre (SOC) yesterday.
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The National Identity Scheme will be essential in combating the challenges presented by the revolution in technology and mobility, according to a government minister. Speaking at a conference at Chatham House, Home Office minister Liam Byrne said the National ID scheme will be a “21st century public good” and become part of everyday life.
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Businesses are still not doing enough to soothe consumer fears about buying online, says the Office of Fair Trading. In its latest market report into internet shopping, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) said shoppers still have significant worries about privacy and security, which are limiting the growth of the sector â despite its obvious successes.
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Anti-phishing features inside popular browsers are failing to curb the onslaught of emails that attempt to steal confidential information. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 7 and Mozilla’s Firefox 2.0 incorporate blacklists that warn users when they attempt to visit known phishing websites.
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