BackBox Linux 4.5 : Running Live@ The latest release

1.   BackBox Linux is a penetration testing and security assessment oriented Linux distribution providing a network and systems analysis toolkit. It includes some of the most commonly known/used security and analysis tools, aiming for a wide spread of goals, ranging from web application analysis to network analysis, stress tests, sniffing, vulnerability assessment, computer forensic analysis, automotive and exploitation. It has been built on Ubuntu core system yet fully customized, designed to be one of the best Penetration testing and security distribution and more.

2.    The BackBox Team has recently announced the updated release of BackBox Linux, the version 4.5!.In this release few special new features have been included to keep BackBox up to date with last developments in security world. Tools such as OpenVAS and Automotive Analysis will make a big difference. BackBox 4.5 comes also with Kernel 4.2.The ISO images (32bit & 64bit) can be downloaded from the following location: http://www.backbox.org/downloads.

3.    The post gives u an overall view of running live image with screen shots as seen whilst installing in Virtual Box.

 Here is seen the first view of the distro image as it runs live :

 Drop downs with menu offered seen in below screen shots :

What's new
 

- Preinstalled Linux Kernel 4.2

- System improvements

- Upstream components

- Bug corrections

- Performance boost

- Improved Anonymous mode

- Predisposition to BackBox Cloud platform

- New and updated hacking tools: wpscan, knockpy, nmap, zaproxy, set, guymanager, sqlmap, apktool, hashcat, can-utils, binwalk, openvas, phishing-frenzy, etc.

System requirements
 

- 32-bit or 64-bit processor

- 512 MB of system memory (RAM)

- 10 GB of disk space for installation

- Graphics card capable of 800×600 resolution

- DVD-ROM drive or USB port (2 GB)

Upgrading to Xenial Xerus 16.04 LTS Ubuntu from 15.10 : 3 Steps

1.   While most of us might already be satisfactorily running the Ubuntu 15.10 version, now when the LTS version is out,I am sharing here few steps to smoothly upgrade to the 16.04 LTS Version that's Xenial Xerus.

STEP 1

Check the present state of your OS if it is updated or not.

 Click on Install updates to ensure that you see the message System Up-to-Date

Step 2

- Open “Software & Updates” in Settings.
- Select the “Updates” tab in the window.
- Checkbox Pre-released updates as seen below in the shot below :
- Check “Notify me of a new Ubuntu version” to “For any new version”

 Step 3

Type the following command at the Terminal : sudo do-release-upgrade

 ...the following screens are seen whilst the upgrade.It takes about a while depending on your internet speed.Just wait till you see a message asking for reboot.

 Confirmation as seen below :

OwnCloud Installation : Ubuntu 14.04 LTS

1.     OwnCloud is a suite of client-server software for creating file hosting services and using them. For those who have been traditionally hooked to the pirated copies of Windows Server Softwares or used to crashing regulars of MS Server 2008 or even 2012 and later,I would rate this suite much better w.r.t simplicity of installation,less of configuration issues and the best part being open-source with lots of options for the user.I got introduced to it via a friend Nagraj and have been percolating in my circle since.

2.     OwnCloud is functionally very similar to the widely used Dropbox, with the primary functional difference being that OwnCloud is free and open-source, and thereby allowing anyone to install and operate it without charge on a private server, with no limits on storage space (except for disk capacity or account quota) or the number of connected clients.This post will give a stepped screenshot for installing the same on a Ubuntu 14.04 LTS version machine.

3.    The installation ahead has been done in a Virtual environment(I used Virtual Box) with the following setup :

First Virtual Machine : Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 64 bit with 2 GB RAM.This machine will be installed with the Owncloud server part.

Second Virtual Machine : Windows 7/32 bit 2 GB .This machine will be used as the client part who will be able to access the own cloud via web interface.

Installation

Firstly , the ethernet settings that come default to a new machine in UBUNTU are seen below.We will configure this later during installation.

 As we see localhost which currently has been not configured,we see the following screen :

 So,the first step is to visit link at https://software.opensuse.org/download.html?project=isv:ownCloud:community&package=owncloud

 Look for the mention of xUbuntu 14.04 as below :

 Go to Terminal and type :

sudo sh -c "echo 'deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/isv:/ownCloud:/community/xUbuntu_14.04/ /' >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/owncloud.list"

 sudo apt-get update

wget http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/isv:ownCloud:community/xUbuntu_14.04/Release.key

 sudo apt-key add - < Release.key

 sudo apt-get install owncloud

 ...as it fetches,the screen keeps showing you thousands of lines of terminal commands being executed as below :

 the screen prompts for a root user sql password as below :

 continues installation part...

 and finally the screen scroll gets over with the installation and is seen like this :

Check the local host and u get this screen showing the Apache2 Ubuntu default page.

 and then you type at the web address : localhost/owncloud and you get the screen as below :

 Click storage and database link below the login

 Enter the sql root user and password as set earlier and click Finish setup and you get the successful login interface of admin as below :

 Meanwhile lets configure the network settings as below in the Ubuntu machine :

 The windows client networking addresses are configured as below :

 The network addresses for the Ubuntu machine are configured as below :

 Now from the client web browser ,try and access the server by typing the IP address/owncloud and you will likely get the following screen.

To resolve the issue we need to add this IP address in the trusted domain in the config.php file as seen below.The location of this config.php file is at /var/www/owncloud/config

 and you refresh the windows browser and you ready to go....

For any clarifications whilst installation you are free to comment here...reply assured asap. :-)

Computer Hacking is LEGAL @ GCHQ

1.  Privacy International , a UK-based registered charity that defends and promotes the right to privacy across the world, lost a case challenging RIGHT TO PRIVACY.

 

So as it stands the GCHQ now has a official tick to itself forcing into hacking devices to obtain intelligence thereby ensuring National Security interests.The court ruled in favor of GCHQ and thus for the first time the GCHQ has confirmed that it has been associated with hacking into IT and computer devices which till date were only thought in anticipation or were believed right based on the NSA whistle blower Edward Snowden.

 Source : http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-03/20/gchq-hacking-faq

Source : http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-03/20/gchq-hacking-faq

2.   An extract produced as follows from http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-35558349

"Hackers can remotely activate cameras and microphones on devices, without the owner's knowledge, log keystrokes, install malware, copy documents and track locations among other things"

3.   Another extract produced below from the Investigatory  Powers Tribunal (IPT) complete copy of which is available for reading at http://www.ipt-uk.com/docs/Privacy_Greennet_and_Sec_of_State%20.pdf reads as follows :

 

"The use of computer network exploitation by GCHQ, now avowed, has obviously raised a number of serious questions, which we have done our best to resolve in this Judgment. Plainly it again emphasises the requirement for a balance to be drawn between the urgent need of the Intelligence Agencies to safeguard the public and the protection of an individual's privacy and/or freedom of expression."

3.   How much of this stands right or wrong irrespective,but one thing has come out large and clear....there stands no privacy while anyone is on the net...whatever you may do or attempt from your mobile device or the computer,nothing is yours.....

Detecting Firmware Infection : Prelim start@Google's VIRUSTOTAL

1.   The severity in cases where firmware is already infected at the time of first purchase by the user is now being realized over the years. Be it the Dell server case , Seagate firmware case , Equation Group , Proof of Concept for even Macs , NSA revelations by Snowden and the list is pretty long to workout.Over various discussions and forums I read across I could never get any kind of implementing a solution to detect a threat at the firmware level not before I read about about the first such attempt via Google VirusTotal.

2.   Google’s VirusTotal service has come-out with a new tool that analyzes firmware, the low-level code that bridges a computer’s hardware and operating system at startup. The new tool will label firmware images as either legitimate or suspicious. It can also extract certificates attached to firmware and if there are other executable files inside of it. The tool can extract portable executables (PEs) inside firmware since these could sometimes be a source of malicious behavior. 

“These executables are extracted and submitted individually to VirusTotal, such that the user can eventually see a report for each one of them and perhaps get a notion of whether there is something fishy in their BIOS image,” Santos wrote. 

3.   It will now be possible for people to extract their own firmware and submit it to VirusTotal, which has the potential to create a database of various firmware images that could contribute to research into bad ones. 

4.    No details could be fetched across of how it actually works.But happy about there being a kind of first.More options wil arise after this circulates around and we have a secure eco-system of web.

NULL MEET - OWASP : HARDWARE TROJANS

1.    null is India's largest open security community. It is registered as a non-profit society in 2010 and has been active since even before that. null is about spreading information security awareness. Activites such as null Monthly Meets, null Humla, null Bachaav, null Puliya, null Job Portal are for the overall cause of spreading awareness on the evolving cyber threat.

2.  In my continued association with the community I had recently given a presentation on Hardware Trojans which is shared below for info.

   HARDWARE TROJANS

DICE-2015 : CLOUD FORENSICS : Digital Investigations Conference and Exhibition

DICE is the Digital Investigations Conference and Exhibition which is held annually in the Delhi/NCR region in India.It is the only Conference and Exhibition of its kind in all of South Asia. It is targeted towards Digital Investigations and Computer Forensics personnel. At this conference experts showcase best practices, case studies and experiences in dealing with both cyber and conventional crime and security incidents with the help of digital technologies. It is attended by law enforcement, government and corporate investigation professionals. I participated in the conference as a speaker on the topic CLOUD FORENSICS.The presentation brings out the primary challenges in the domain of Cloud Computing.

Event Website : http://www.digitalinvestigatorsassociation.org/dice2015/index.html

   Cloud Forensics: Challenges only Ahead by Anupam Tiwari

Few Pics from the conference sharing below :