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  1. #351
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    I think the phrase "about bloody time" springs to mind...

    Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16232 set to fight ransomware
    July 1, 2017 by Nancy Owano

    (Tech Xplore)—Something called the Windows 10 Insider Build is offering a peek at what is in store, and the message is clear that Microsoft is fighting the good fight against malware havoc.
    The new Windows 10 Inside Preview was released to some Insiders on Wednesday; reports are out about what new features Microsoft has in mind.
    With all the recent spotlights on ransomware, it comes as no surprise that, for Insider Preview 16232, most of the new features are aimed at improving security.
    Windows Insiders can try out Preview Build 16232, which brings a new 'Controlled Folder Access' feature to the OS, designed to protect your files from ransomware, said TrustedReviews.
    Essentially, Windows 10 is fighting ransomware by locking up your data. Windows Latest wrote Friday that "Users could soon hide important files from ransomware soon in Windows 10." Hot Hardware said, Windows 10 Fall Creators Update neutralizes ransomware with controlled folders.
    Just what is Controlled Folders—as this seems to be the main talking point about the preview.
    Reports said that the Controlled Folder Access feature in the upcoming OS update will prevent malware and untrusted software from making changes to files.
    Fortune said the feature aims to protect files from threats by monitoring changes made to contents within a controlled folder. Trusted apps can be added through the Controlled Folder Access Panel.
    This is how Dona Sarkar, software engineer, Windows and Devices Group, described the feature to the OS:
    "Controlled folder access monitors the changes that apps make to files in certain protected folders." "If an app attempts to make a change to these files, and the app is blacklisted by the feature, you'll get a notification about the attempt."
    TrustedReviews: "When turned on, the feature only allows specific apps to access and write to certain folders, with desktop, pictures, movies, and documents folders included on the list of protected folders by default."
    Peter Bright, technology editor, Ars Technica: "With Controlled folder access, certain directories can be designated as being 'protected,' with certain locations, such as Documents, being compulsorily protected. Protected folders can only be accessed by apps on a whitelist; in theory, any attempt to access a Protected folder will be blocked by Defender. To reduce the maintenance overhead, certain applications will be whitelisted automatically."
    Ransomware has figured prominently in recent news. Pedro Hernandez, eWEEK, on Friday noted the events that caused widespread concern. "Last month, the WannaCry ransomware attack spread like wildfire, shutting down hospitals in the U.K. and encrypting files at Spanish telecommunications company Telefonica. This week, some European businesses and government agencies fell victim to a widespread attack by the Petya strain of ransomware."
    Hernandez said, "In light of recent ransomware outbreaks, concerned IT executives may welcome Microsoft's decision to provide an early look at some of the advanced security features included in the upcoming Windows 10 Fall Creators update."
    https://techxplore.com/news/2017-07-...ansomware.html

  2. #352
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    WikiLeaks Reveals CIA Malware That Can Locate a Windows User in Seconds
    CIA developed the malware in 2013, WikiLeaks says
    Jun 30, 2017 14:15 GMT · By Bogdan Popa · Share:

    A new WikiLeaks dump reveals a new form of malware that the CIA has been using since 2013 against Windows computers, this time not to compromise systems, but to determine the location of users in a matter of seconds.

    The tool is called ELSA and it was primarily developed for Windows 7, but it can arguably be used against any version of Windows, including Windows 10, though in this case some additional tweaks need to be made because of the security improvements included by Microsoft.

    What ELSA does is infect Wi-Fi capable networks and then use the wireless module to look for public Wi-Fi points that are available in the range.

    The malware logs the MAC address of each network and then checks for information in public databases that are maintained by Microsoft and Google. These databases are primarily used for providing users with easy access to the Internet on a number of devices, though the CIA appears to have found a different purpose for them.

    Windows users exposed
    Once the location of the public Wi-Fi is determined, the malware analysis the strength of the user’s signal, then calculating the possible coordinates of the user. The information is encrypted and sent to the FBI, where it’s stored on a server until an agent can extract it and save it in specific files.

    What’s important to know is that ELSA requires the CIA to already be in control of the system, but that shouldn’t be a problem given the fact that the agency reportedly has other forms of malware that can exploit unknown vulnerabilities in Windows.

    So since the CIA already has full control of a Windows system, determining the location isn’t really the worst thing that can happen, as the agency can also steal files, spy on users, and do pretty much they want on the computer.

    Just like it happened in the past, there’s a chance that ELSA leaks at some point and becomes available to hackers, once again exposing Windows users to additional threats. We’ve reached out to Microsoft to find out more about how they plan to tackle the vulnerability and if a patch is on its way, and we’ll update the article when an answer is provided.

    WikiLeaks Reveals CIA Malware That Can Locate a Windows User in Seconds

  3. #353
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    WinXP is safe, once more

  4. #354
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonfly View Post
    WinXP is safe, once more
    You keep telling yourself that Buttplug.

    When the blackmail demands arrive, try to resist the temptation to top yourself long enough to tell us about it here, so we can have a fucking good laugh.

  5. #355
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    I thought you got hit last week with that nasty ransomware, Middle East was quite affected, as usual

    if they didn't hire Indians and expat fools obsessed over money, maybe their network and application bus would be better secured

  6. #356
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonfly View Post
    I thought you got hit last week with that nasty ransomware, Middle East was quite affected, as usual
    What in the Middle East was affected?

    Oh, you're just making up shit again as usual.

    You stupid fat queer troll.

  7. #357
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Russia, China vow to kill off VPNs, Tor browser
    New laws needed because today's censorship not good enough, apparently
    By Kieren McCarthy in San Francisco 11 Jul 2017 at 18:23

    Russia and China are banning the use of virtual private networks, as their governments assert ever greater control over what citizens can see online.

    In Russia, the State Duma – the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia (legislature) – unanimously adopted the first reading of new legislation that would ban the use of VPNs as well as online anonymizers like the Tor browser if they don't block access to a government-run list of websites.

    That list of websites will include any sites that provide software that can circumvent censorship. And, most insidiously, the law will require search engines to remove references to blocked websites so citizens don't know what it is they are not allowed to see.

    The legislation was approved in record time after the director of the FSB intelligence agency, Alexander Bortnikov, gave an hour-long talk to Duma deputies in a closed meeting, in which he said how important it was that the law was passed and passed quickly. Attendees were told not to report that the meeting even took place, apparently.

    In a note explaining the law, Duma deputies argue that the law is necessary because the existing censorship apparatus in place is "not effective enough."

    A second law that also passed its first reading this month will require mobile phone operators to:

    Identify specific users
    Block messages if requested to do so by the state
    Allow the authorities to send their own messages to all users
    Any companies that fail to comply with the rules can be fined up to one million rubles ($16,500).

    Far East
    Meanwhile, China has started enforcing its rules, approved in January, that do pretty much the same thing.

    The Chinese government requires all VPN services to apply for a license, and as part of the license requirements, they are expected to block access to websites and services the Chinese government doesn't approve of.

    Now the government has "requested" that the country's three mobile operators block the use of VPN apps on their networks, and have set a hard deadline of February 1 next year. Chinese users in their millions use VPNs as a way of bypassing widespread online censorship that blocks services such as Facebook and Twitter as well as many Western news websites.

    The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said back in January that the VPN and cloud computing market was undergoing "disorderly development," and as such there was an "urgent need for regulation norms."

    That followed a largely ineffective effort to kill off VPNs back in 2015. But this time the government seems more determined to enforce censorship.

    Earlier this month two VPN services – Green VPN and Haibei VPN – said they were shutting down their services in mainland China, having received a "notice from regulatory departments."

    The government also recently passed new rules that will censor information that does not reflect "core socialist values" – in effect banning discussion on topics such as drugs and homosexuality. Previously, Chinese internet users had grown used to a censored version of the internet built largely around protecting the ruling party by limiting political debate.

    It's unclear whether the same rules will apply to the political elite, however. The architect of China's Great Firewall himself used one publicly in a presentation last year when he found himself blocked by his own creation. ®

    https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/0...s_tor_browser/

  8. #358
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    I think the NSA beat them to it,

  9. #359
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonfly View Post
    I think the NSA beat them to it,
    That's because you're a stupid fat fag troll and you didn't understand the article because you have the English comprehension skills of a 4 year old Afghani asylum seeker.

  10. #360
    I'm in Jail

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    Oh dear...Cujo will be reduced to reading TV forum only

  11. #361
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Latindancer View Post
    Oh dear...Cujo will be reduced to reading TV forum only
    Is he in China or Russia?

  12. #362
    I'm in Jail

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    He's in China...did you miss his thread about the city he lives in ?

  13. #363
    En route
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    They seem to be focusing on Chinese based VPNs, at least for the time being. Mine is a Romanian one. I seem to be alright for the time being.

  14. #364
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    get a torrent seedbox - they come with a VPN server also - the chin govt will just think you are torrenting p0rn

    https://yourseedbox.com/#shared

    you can pay with BTC

  15. #365
    In Uranus
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    Quote Originally Posted by baldrick
    get a torrent seedbox
    This is the one I use. It is really good as you can set it up to stream torrents directly off it.

    bytesized-hosting.com

    Reasonable price too.

  16. #366
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Latindancer View Post
    He's in China...did you miss his thread about the city he lives in ?
    Take a wild guess.

  17. #367
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    Well, I had a look at threads started by him and can't find it. If you want to see it you'll have to ask doggy-breath himself.

  18. #368
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Watch out for this money stealing macOS malware which mimics your online bank

    OSX Dok now attempts to steal money from Apple Mac users -- and could be being prepared for use in further attacks.
    Danny Palmer
    By Danny Palmer | July 14, 2017 -- 10:58 GMT (11:58 BST) | Topic: Security

    A recently discovered strain of Apple Mac malware has begun mimicking major banking websites in an effort to steal login details from victims.

    First uncovered in May, OSX.Dok affected all versions of Apple's older OS X operating system and was initially used to spy on victims' web traffic.

    The malware was later modified to infect macOS users, and its latest variant has been updated to steal money and financial credentials, say researchers at Check Point.

    This new Dok campaign is distributed via phishing emails relating to financial or tax matters, with the payload deployed via a malicious ZIP file that victims are urged to run. This latest attack specifically targets macOS users, with the malware partnered with a man in the middle attack that enables the perpetrators to spy on all victim communications, even if they're SSL encrypted.

    Dok appears to be highly sophisticated malware, shown by mutations in its code that make it more difficult to detect and remove -- especially as Dok modifies the OS' settings in order to disable security updates and prevent some Apple services from communicating.

    Once installed on a system, Dok downloads TOR for the purposes of communication with a command and control server over the dark web, which helps to geolocate the victim and customise the attack according to location -- with evidence suggesting the malware mainly targets users in Europe.

    A proxy file is served to the victim depending on their location, with the aim of redirecting traffic to bank domains to a fake site hosted on the attacker's C&C server, which harvests login credentials and allows the attacker to carry out bank transactions.

    For example, a proxy setting for a Swiss IP address contains instructions for redirecting the victims' attempts to visit banking websites local to the country, including Credit Suisse, Globalance Bank, and CBH Bank.

    After entering their login details, the user is prompted to provide their mobile number for supposed SMS verification. Obviously, this isn't what the phone number is for; instead the attackers use it to prompt the victim into downloading a mobile application -- as well as Signal, a legitimate messaging app.

    It's likely Signal is installed in order to allow the attacker to communicate with the victim at a later stage or to commit additional malicious or fraudulent activities, such as installing malware onto the mobile device. Whatever the intentions of using Signal are, researchers note that its use will "make it harder for law enforcement to trace the attacker".

    While the identity and location of those behind Dok is unknown, researchers note that the Apple malware is a version of the Retefe banking Trojan, which has been ported from Windows. Retefe has also been known to predominately target European banks.

    Whoever is behind OSX.Dok, Check Point warns the malware is still on the loose and will be a threat for some time to come, especially if the attackers continue to invest in advanced obfuscation techniques.

    Macs long had a reputation for being virus-free, but cybercriminals are increasingly turning their attention to Apple systems and distributing malware to users.

    Watch out for this money stealing macOS malware which mimics your online bank | ZDNet

  19. #369
    I'm in Jail

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    Harry : I just found the thread in which Cujo shows his city.https://teakdoor.com/china-korea-japa...hbourhood.html

  20. #370
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Latindancer View Post
    Harry : I just found the thread in which Cujo shows his city.https://teakdoor.com/china-korea-japa...hbourhood.html
    Thrilling stuff.


  21. #371
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    FBI Warns About Security Risks From IoT-Connected Toys in Your Home
    By: Wayne Rash | July 19, 2017

    The idea that a toy presents a real security threat first came to national attention back in 1998, when a small robot disguised as a fanciful animal was banned by the National Security Agency.

    This critter was known as a Furby. The Furby appeared to learn English by listening to words spoken around it and using those words to begin speaking. The government was concerned that the Furby might hear classified information and then repeat it.

    While there was some debate as to whether the Furby could actually record English words, it’s since been replaced by a series of smart toys that can most assuredly listen to the conversations around them and also watch the activity around them using cameras.

    Those toys, many of which seem to be intelligent dolls or other companions, connect to the internet using WiFi or through a smartphone using Bluetooth. As long as those devices are connected to the internet, there’s no way to know what they’re recording or what information is being sent back to a server somewhere on the internet.

    This possibility so alarmed the FBI that the agency issued an urgent announcement on July 17 describing the vulnerability and explaining steps to take to keep the devices from being too much of a threat.

    The FBI is particularly concerned because young children will tell their toys all sorts of private information, thinking they’re speaking in confidence. Such supposedly private revelations could risk the child’s safety, not to mention the safety of the entire family.

    But the risks from connected devices in the home go far beyond just intelligent companions. A new presentation set for the Black Hat USA conference on July 26 covers security vulnerabilities in Segway hoverboards, which can be taken over by hijacking their Bluetooth connection. Researchers were able to control the overboard remotely and even turn it off while someone was riding it. Additional exploits included the ability to load the hoverboard with malware.

    Both of these warnings demonstrate the common threat affecting IoT devices used in the home and in enterprises as well. After all, the NSA wasn’t worried about the Furby being used in the home, but rather when employees started bringing them into the office. That common threat is the lack of security in consumer IoT in general.

    The Segway hoverboard was shipped with no real security, for example, even though there was a Bluetooth PIN. That PIN turned out to be cosmetic and did not prevent access. Since then, Segway has apparently instituted encryption on those devices.

    The lack of security on those internet connected toys is so pervasive that the FBI provided detailed advice for taking steps that might help with security, such as using strong passwords. The most important piece of advice from the FBI, however, is to make sure the devices are turned off when they’re not actually being used, and when they are being used, to keep an eye on what’s happening through the app associated with the device.

    While the FBI focuses on the risks to privacy through internet connected toys, there are actually risks that go beyond that. Because of the lack of security on such devices, it would be relatively easy to load malware that could take over cameras and microphones on internet connected toys. Once infected by malware, the connected toy could then be used for surveillance of the home or office where the toy is being used.

    The resulting risk to privacy was enough, according to a report in Reuters, to cause the German government to ban the sales and ownership of a talking doll named Cayla. There the government recommended destroying the internet connected doll immediately.

    It would be bad enough if those were the only IoT threats out there on the Internet, but they’re only the latest. There’s a search engine that allows users to find and view any of millions of unsecured IoT-connected video cameras world-wide. Those same video cameras were the repositories for malware that was later used in a massive Distributed Denial of Service attack last year.

    Unfortunately, there’s little or no indication that there’s any serious effort on the part of device makers to secure their products. That means that it will pay big dividends to read the FBI’s list of recommendations for dealing with internet connected toys and follow them. Just because the IoT device you’re concerned about isn’t marketed as a toy doesn’t matter.

    Likewise, when you read the FBI’s recommendations, remember that you can replace the word “children” with the word “employee” and the advice is still relevant. If you find that the device you’re planning to use can’t work within the FBI’s recommendations, then don’t use it.

    Examples of the failings you might encounter when implemented to devices would be the inability to connect with encrypted WiFi, the inability to receive firmware or software updates or the inability to authenticate communications.

    Regardless of whether the device is marketed as a toy or, a TV camera or as an industrial process controller, the risks are serious and it’s critical to pay attention to security.

    FBI Warning About Toys Should Apply to All Web-Connected Devices

  22. #372
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    And a follow up on the doll.

    German parents told to destroy doll that can spy on children
    German watchdog classifies My Friend Cayla doll as ‘illegal espionage apparatus’ and says shops and owners could face fines



    Germany’s telecommunications watchdog has ordered parents to destroy or disable a “smart doll” because the toy can be used to illegally spy on children.

    The My Friend Cayla doll, which is manufactured by the US company Genesis Toys and distributed in Europe by Guildford-based Vivid Toy Group, allows children to access the internet via speech recognition software, and to control the toy via an app.

    But Germany’s Federal Network Agency announced this week that it classified Cayla as an “illegal espionage apparatus”. As a result, retailers and owners could face fines if they continue to stock it or fail to permanently disable the doll’s wireless connection.

    Under German law it is illegal to manufacture, sell or possess surveillance devices disguised as another object. According to some media reports, breaching that law can result in a jail term of up to two years.

    The ruling comes after Stefan Hessel, a student at Saarbrücken University, raised concerns about the device, which was voted one of the top 10 toys of the year in 2014 by the German toy trade association.

    “Access to the doll is completely unsecured,” Hessel told Saarbrücker Zeitung. “There is no password to protect the connection.”

    The student said hackers could access the doll via its bluetooth connection from a distance of up to 15 meters, listening in on conversations as well as speaking directly to the child playing with it.

    The German ruling could potentially have EU-wide consequences for toymakers. The EU’s commissioner for justice, consumers and gender equality, Vera Jourová, said: “I’m worried about the impact of connected dolls on children’s privacy and safety.”

    While the monitoring and the enforcement of the data protection rules are the responsibility of the national data protection authorities, the national consumer authorities work together under the Consumer Protection Cooperation network.

    The commission is organising a workshop bringing together the consumer authorities and the data protection authorities in March to further discuss the problem with smart toys and appliances.

    Vivid Toy Group has not responded to a request for a comment on the German ruling. Previously the company has said examples of hacking were isolated and carried out by specialists, but it was looking into upgrading the app used along with the doll.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...py-on-children

  23. #373
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    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda
    The idea that a toy presents a real security threat first came to national attention back in 1998, when a small robot disguised as a fanciful animal was banned by the National Security Agency. This critter was known as a Furby. The Furby appeared to learn English by listening to words spoken around it and using those words to begin speaking. The government was concerned that the Furby might hear classified information and then repeat it.
    the NSA scared of furby, they really are a bunch of fuckig clueless idiots

    in the meantime their network is being penetrated daily by everyone with a bit of skills (not you harry)

    what's next ? finding Russians hiding inside those dolls

  24. #374
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonfly View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda
    The idea that a toy presents a real security threat first came to national attention back in 1998, when a small robot disguised as a fanciful animal was banned by the National Security Agency. This critter was known as a Furby. The Furby appeared to learn English by listening to words spoken around it and using those words to begin speaking. The government was concerned that the Furby might hear classified information and then repeat it.
    the NSA scared of furby, they really are a bunch of fuckig clueless idiots

    in the meantime their network is being penetrated daily by everyone with a bit of skills (not you harry)

    what's next ? finding Russians hiding inside those dolls
    Fuck off you fat queer troll.

  25. #375
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Now there's a surprise....


    FTC Asked to Investigate Hotspot Shield VPN Privacy Risks
    By: Sean Michael Kerner | August 09, 2017

    A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a technology that is intended to help keep user information encrypted and private. According to a complaint filed by the Center of Democracy and Technology (CDT), AnchorFree's Hotspot Shield VPN is not properly securing its users and is unfairly sharing user information.

    The CDT made its claims in a 13-page complaint filed with the U.S Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and alleges that AnchorFree is engaged in unfair and deceptive trade practices. AnchorFree denies the allegations.

    "Among other concerns, the complaint details the ways in which Hotspot Shield's marketing claims around privacy and security directly contradict its actual practices and policies – the description of the Hotspot Shield app in Google’s Play Store announces, Your privacy and security are guaranteed!, while CDT’s investigation found the opposite," Michelle De Mooy, Director, Privacy and Data Project at CDT wrote in a blog post.

    The CDT, working with the developers of Carnegie Mellon University’s (CMU) Mobile App Compliance System, claim that they found multiple instances where Hotspot Shield shared sensitive data with third-party advertising networks. Additionally the CDT alleges that Hotspot Shield injects JavaScript code that is used for advertising and tracking purposes. CDT also alleges that the security of Hotspot Shield isn't complete as mobile carrier information is not transmitted over an encrypted SSL/TLS connection.

    AnchorFree's Hotspot Shield provides both free and paid VPN services to consumers. In an email statement sent by the company to eWEEK, AnchorFree said that it is a recognized leader in consumer online privacy and internet freedom.

    "Our Hotspot Shield application is trusted by more than 500 million users, who rely on it to secure access to all of the world’s information," AnchorFree stated. "We strongly believe in online consumer privacy."

    AnchorFree also rejected the CDT's allegations, noting that the information Hotspot Shield users provide to AnchorFree is never associated with their online activities when they are using Hotspot Shield. AnchorFree also stated that it does not store user IP addresses and it protects user personally identifiable information from both third parties and from AnchorFree.

    "The recent claims to the contrary made by a non-profit advocacy group, the Center for Democracy and Technology, are unfounded," AnchorFree stated. "While we commend the CDT for their dedication to protecting users' privacy, we were surprised by these allegations and dismayed that the CDT did not contact us to discuss their concerns."

    While CDT has filed a complaint with the FTC, it's not yet publicly known what, if any action or investigation the FTC might take. According to the FTC's media resources information web page, all FTC investigations are non-public.

    "If a company itself announces that it is the subject of an FTC investigation, we can confirm that fact," the FTC states. "However, we can’t discuss complaints about specific companies or the status of ongoing investigations."

    At the recent Black Hat USA security conference, FTC Commissioner Terrell McSweeny provided conference attendees with an overview of how her agency handles complaints against cyber-security products. McSweeny explained that marketers of cyber-security products are subject to the same truth-in-advertising laws as all other advertisers. Those laws aim to protect American consumers from what the FTC refers to as unfair and deceptive practises.

    McSweeny explained that one element of deception is an omission of facts or a practise that is likely to mislead the consumer. She told Black Hat USA attendees that cyber-security vendors should make sure that marketing materials do not imply or leave the impression of something that is not true, from the perspective of a reasonable consumer.

    For its' part, AnchorFree wants to be clear about what it is doing .

    "AnchorFree prides itself on being transparent about its data practices and would be happy to engage in a discussion to clarify the facts and better understand the nature of the CDT's concerns," the company stated. "We are reaching out to appropriate groups and remain committed to defending the privacy and internet freedom of all our users."
    AnchorFree Disputes Privacy Risk Claims Against Hotspot Shield VPN

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