Cross OS Trojan : @ If...Then...else :-)

1.    Got this at THN.We often feel stronger when we use some kind of a open source linux OS instead of the regular pirated or even genuine Windows OS incl XP/WIN7 etc.But what i got here was a simple trojan dropper code that is based on the found out OS...IF LINUX then this trojan...or if windows then the other one....the snap shot from the original THN site is here @ http://thehackernews.com/2012/07/cross-platform-trojan-mac-windows-linux.html

2.    F-Secure has found this web exploit that detects the OS of the computer and drops the relevant trojan to match.The attack was first seen on a Columbian transport website which had been hacked by a third party. This malware is known as GetShell.A and requires users to approve a Java applet installation.It detects if you're running Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux, and then downloads the corresponding malware for your platform. The malicious files developed for each type of OS connect to the same Command & Control server that F-Secure has localized at IP address 186.87.69.249.

3.  Thanks http://thehackernews.com

The Amazing Spider Man BINGS!!! does not Google

1.    Watched yesterday...the new spider man movie that's THE AMAZING SPIDER MAN...and noticed one special thing which few of you might not have...the search conducted by our hero was on the search engine Bing....and I could see the Microsoft guys smiling.....but it snapped quiet a funny number of tweets of which my fav one is this one by one Sarahtb0

The Amazing Spider-Man was pretty realistic until Peter Parker used Bing as his search engine.

2.   Now was this some kind of a tie up between Microsoft and Spider Man to lure audience further damage the Google proprietary in the search engine web....or was it scripted like normal..it could have been google also!!!!

9TH JULY 2012 : R u a Victim?

1. All the fuss about 9th July that says about the risk of "DNSChanger" malware, which will result in your computer getting disconnected from the Web on July 9 if you don't clean it up. You won't be able to go online, and you'll need to contact your service service provider for help getting the malware deleted before you can reconnect to the Internet....strange it may sound...but it is true...even the FBI has given a warning sort at its link here at https://forms.fbi.gov/check-to-see-if-your-computer-is-using-rogue-DNS

2.  Just to check if u r a likely victim,McAfee has created a link at www.mcafee.com/dnscheck for you to find out if u r a likely victim or not ? I checked out the same on my PC....it showed the following screen shot.....

3.   Do check out urs....and rectify if need be....

Cloud Computing : A dummies over view!!!! - 1

1.   Cloud computing is ALREADY the next stage in evolution of the Internet. The cloud in cloud computing provides the means through which everything from computing power to computing infrastructure,applications, business processes to personal collaboration — can be delivered to you as a service wherever and whenever you need.Cloud computing is offered in different forms:

- Public clouds

- Private clouds

- Hybrid clouds, which combine both public and private

2.   In general the cloud is similar to fluid that can easily expand and contract. This elasticity means that users can request additional resources on demand and just as easily deprovision (or release) those resources when they’re no longer needed. This elasticity is one of the main reasons individual, business, and IT users are steadily moving to the cloud.In the traditional data center it has always been possible to add and release resources but we all know how much effort generally goes in. 

3.   This doesn’t mean that all applications, services, and processes will necessarily be moved to the cloud. Many businesses are much more cautious and are taking a hard look at their most strategic business processes and intellectual property to determine which computing assets need to remain under internal company control and which computing assets could be moved to the cloud.

4.   The cloud itself is a set of hardware, networks, storage, services, and interfaces that enable the delivery of computing as a service. Cloud services include the following :

- IaaS(Infrastructure as a service) : Infrastructure as a Service is a provision model in which an organization outsources the equipment used to support operations, including storage, hardware, servers and networking components. The service provider owns the equipment and is responsible for housing, running and maintaining it. The client typically pays on a per-use basis.

- PaaS(Platform as a Service) : Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a way to rent hardware, operating systems, storage and network capacity over the Internet. The service delivery model allows the customer to rent virtualized servers and associated services for running existing applications or developing and testing new ones.

- SaaS ( Software as a Service) : Software as a Service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which applications are hosted by a vendor or service provider and made available to customers over a network, typically the Internet.

5.    Besides these services,new delivery models such as Crimeware as a Service are also building up in the parallel...for that just google else from the name u can make out it is crime ware as a service as I mentioned in one of the posts in my blog about two years back here.....

6.   Now that goes as the most simple intoruction for a cloud computing over view...the main part starts now...how about the security aspects for each of these...that will be in slightly more detail in subsequent posts...

7.    Thanks http://searchcloudcomputing.techtarget.com

The Hackers Conference: Delhi@29 July 2012

1.   This is a wonderful opportunity for those who wish to see the latest in the world of Hacking...if not the latest...u might hear few golden words from renowned speakers.This is about the HACKERS CONFERENCE @ Delhi on 29 July 2012.

2.   The Hackers Conference is a unique event, where the elite of the hacker world, leaders in the information security industry and the Internet community meet face to face to join their efforts to cooperate in addressing the most topical issues of the IT world.

3.   Conference will be held in New Delhi and aims to get together Industry, Government, Academia and Underground hackers to share knowledge and leading-edge ideas about information security and everything related to it.

4.   This will see a galaxy of renowned speakers presenting 0-Day Vulnerabilities, Exploits and Android/Blackberry/iPhone Hacks. Apart from Speakers presenting on WI-FI and Web Application Security the Special invitees from government Intelligence agencies will also speak on National Security Issues emerging from Scada Hacking. 

5.   More details at http://www.thehackersconference.com/

Mantralaya fire@Mumbai and Cloud

1.   The recent Mumbai Mantralaya Fire wherein few sad and undesired casualties took place and more then 2000 computers were destroyed is one example which shows the sad state of affairs in terms of fire fighting preparations and state of taking critical backup in important institutions like mantralaya's and ministries....Offcourse,the loss of human lives has no substitute and my sincere condolences to the berieved families...

2.   In the given case,no one would actually cry over the damage of 2000 computers...all would be worried about all the files and data that were stored on them(..infact few would have been happy to bid good bye to the 486 and celerons with 256 mb that they used to fight day in/out :-).....now had some one realised the importance of CLOUD here at some point of time earlier,the damage of data could have been averted.How ?

3.   It is indeed surprising for me that in the blog's five year existence,there has been very limited text on CLOUD COMPUTING....so let me start a Part series (in subsequent new posts)starting from Introduction to the advantages and the more important security threats that emanate on adopting the cloud.....

Internet Explorer : Vulnerable as always!!!

1.   Microsoft IE vulnerability CVE-2012-1889 is the latest to generate interest amongst avid cyber security readers. The special thing about this vulnerability is that it focusses on users using Gmail, MS Office and Internet Explorer. And the sad thing is that this is still a ZERO day exploit...... Rapid 7,Security software company,explains the vulnerability as follows:

“This is an uninitialized memory bug found in MSXML. According to Microsoft, such a component can be loaded from either Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office. This vulnerability is rumored to be “state-sponsored”, and what makes it really critical is it’s still an 0-day hijacking Gmail accounts. That’s right, that means if you’re using Gmail as well as Internet Explorer or Microsoft Office, you’re at risk. We expect this vulnerability to grow even more dangerous since there’s no patch, and it’s rather easy to trigger.”

2.    Whatever may say...majority of the users still by default keep using IE across the globe....when I see my own blog stats,about 60 % of the visitors use IE...and as we all keep seeing the exponential growth in the users of internet across the globe....but sadly the awareness level of how vulnerable they all are is unknown and is growing at a similar rate!!!

3.    Got the reference from here.Thanks https://community.rapid7.com.

FLAME on way to commit SUICIDE ?

1.    Further to my post on FLAME earlier which made a point wise summary based on my various reads across the web,here is something more interesting.....

2.    The creators of Flame have sent a 'suicide' command that removes it from infected computers ie  it has gotten orders to vanish, leaving no trace.As was mentioned in the post earlier that Flame may delete itself from systems that have been fully exploited without leaving any trace has come true soon......

3.   More on the subject at the link ahead and Thanks THN

 http://thehackernews.com/2012/06/flame-spy-virus-going-to-suicide.html

Zoomit : Incredibly Useful Tool from Microsoft

1.     In any of the presentations or on screen visuals on projections system to a live audience we invariably require sometimes to let the audience get focused on something we would like them to see only on the screen......I mean zooming on a portion of screen without getting into the practise of coming out of ppt or ur application and running magnifier or some similar third party application.....here's what zoomit does free for you without any major installation worries!!!

2.   ZoomIt is screen zoom and annotation tool for technical presentations that include application demonstrations. ZoomIt runs unobtrusively in the tray and activates with customizable hotkeys to zoom in on an area of the screen, move around while zoomed, and draw on the zoomed image. I wrote ZoomIt to fit my specific needs and use it in all my presentations.ZoomIt works on all versions of Windows and you can use pen input for ZoomIt drawing on tablet PCs.

3.  Download and start using it .....from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897434.aspx

The Lightest Browser : BROWZAR

1.  In the world of browsers when we have chrome...mozilla...safari...opera..and many others.fight it out at ACID3 benchmarking levels...we have a small browser here....thats only in KBs....by the name of BROWZAR.Few good things and features are mentioned below :

-  Takes seconds to download

-  No installation

-  No registration

-  One of the smallest, fastest browsers in the world

-   Just download and go

-   Doesn't save Cookies, History, Temp files, Passwords, Cache

-   Secure delete

-   Great for Banking and Cloud applications

-   Carry it with you on a USB stick

-   Great for shared computers

-   Use it on a friend's PC, Internet Cafe, Work PC, on Holiday

-   Automatically cleans up when you've finished

-   Only 222Kb...u read that right!!!only 222Kb

2.   Test and Download at http://www.browzar.com/.