Tag Archive for 'Security'

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Disgruntled Employees Outdo Terrorists

Two articles on the Brand Killer Robots blog drew my attention. Not because the data offered anything new, but that Stephen Ryan was able to create a bot to clearly show that insiders, employees, and former employees are the most likely to launch cyber attacks.

Raps BOT : Predicts Insider Cyber Terrorism Threat HIGH

Raps Bot : Sniper Attack Methods – Number 1 Cyber Terrorism Threat

Secure File Transfers

There are four common ways to transfer large files:

1. Middle-man approach
2. Direct file sharing
3. FTP
4. Multi user document repository

1. Middle-man approach

Most file transfer services use the middle-man approach. They require you to upload it first onto their server and then the recipient downloads it.  Depending upon your security requirements, these may be very dangerous as you are uploading important data onto someone else’s server without understanding exactly how they treat my data.  Furthermore, the server may not be secure from even the most inept hacker. These services usually limit file size to 2GB and they suffer from reliability problems due to dropped connections. Continue reading ‘Secure File Transfers’

This Message Will Self-Destruct

This Message Will Self-Destruct offers the ability to send an encrypted email-like message to another person either with or without a password.  As a reassurance that your message is secure, it’s never stored with TMWSD.  The optional password salts the encryption key for even more security.

Once you have entered your message and clicked on  SAVE THIS MESSAGE, you will be given a URL to pass on to the recipient.  When the intended recipient reads your message (with or without the password you may have given them) the encrypted message is deleted forever. If you lose the password your message is also lost!

Google Encrypted Search

Google introduced encrypted search which gives the user the option to use SSL (Secure Socket Layer) to prevent packet sniffing which in turn could reveal user’s searches on the site.  The encrypted search service moved to https://encrypted.google.com.

Only Google web search is available over SSL.  Other search products like Google Images and Google Maps are not currently available over SSL.

Copy Machines

FTC targets privacy concerns related to copy machines

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has begun contacting copy machine makers, resellers and office-supply stores about privacy concerns over the thousands of images that can potentially be stored on the machines’ hard drives…

Copy Machine Security Risk

Copy machines, a security risk?

Copiers are computers and they need to be purged of data before disposal.

COMSEC

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. (Psa 91:6)

I don’t think they were talking about Communication Security (COMSEC) when they wrote that Psalm, but good COMSEC helps avoid terrors that come in the night.

Zfone for VOIP

Zfone  appears to be the lowest cost solution for robust VOIP encryption that you control.

Skype

Calls made over Skype are encrypted by 256-bit long Skype encryption keys are a length that at least in theory, would take a literal eternity to crack. But you don’t have control over the encryption, Skype does.

Oldstyle COMSEC

To avoid an electronic trail, hard copy letters that are distributed via snail mail in a circular rotation might work– these are known as circular letters.  Each letter is given a number, and each addenda that is added is given a letter. Subsequent letters can reference the content of earlier ones, for example, “as mentioned in Letter 2-A”, etc., etc..

This can be modified to include an emailed file that is encrypted and the message sending it digitally signed by each person.  Using nearly anonymous email accounts accessed through TOR would make this very secure.

The New Weapon of Mass Disruption

I guess we all now need to build a Faraday Room instead of a Safe Room or  Bomb Shelter — EMP Attack Would Decimate America and The Great Storm: Solar Tempest of 1859 Revealed. Damn, I thought I was going to get a week-end off this year.

Surveillance in a Wireless World

When a Windows PC, in its default configuration, is unable to find any wi-fi access point,  it actively seeks one out. In doing this it broadcasts signals trying to connect with any network to which it has previously connected. It will cycle through all of the network identities (names) it has previously used. All of this is sent in the clear and can be captured by anyone with a simple wireless tool running in “sniffing mode” nearby.  All of the network names it  connected with are disclosed over a few minutes. Coupled with an online resource such as WiGLE, this information can be used to establish a profile of the PC owner – where he lives, works, eats, drinks coffee, his gym, his favorite no-tell motel, and more. Any network that PC has connected to using wi-fi is an open book.

The Runaway Car

I’m not sure that I believe all the stories about unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles, but I do know what should stop this from becoming a disaster, and so does Tony Scotti, who has trained security drivers for decades. Please check-out his article on this topic.

Pocket Spy

The pocket spy: Will your Smartphone rat you out?
by Linda Geddes,14 October 2009 issue of New Scientist

  • learn where to get an app that will encrypt all the data on your phone
  • should you lose it
  • what happens with recycled cell phones
  • a smashed my SIM card can still have data extracted from it
  • and much more

Top 3 Lies Used to Get a Job

According FakeResume.com, a web site that teaches job seekers how to lie and get away with it,  53% of job applicants lie to get a job.

The top 3 lies  that candidates tell HR are as follows:

1. Covering up employment gaps
2. Fake references
3. Phony responsibilities

Learn How To Catch These Lies

Real Mall Cop Wanted For TV Show

I guess I have too much time on my hands — look at what I found.

CASTING CALL – Real Working Security Guards

If this sounds like you, we want to hear from you. You could be the star of the first season of The Real Security Guards.

I guess it had to happen — I just hope the resulting show favorably illustrates the value of this industry and the challenges its people face.

The add provides Sandi Butler as the contact at Tricon Films & Television in Toronto with  416-341-9926 or email: realmallcops@triconfilms.com.

Hotel Security

U.S. Hotels

During a recent project I came across an interesting study about the vulnerability of hotels from Cornell’s Center for Hospitality Research which finds that safety and security equipment in U.S. hotels varies dramatically by size, location, and overall hotel class.

Wi-Fi  Security

For more on hotel Wi-Fi security in hotels, check out Dan Lohrman’s blog post and Hotel Network Security: A Study of the Computer Networks in U.S. Hotels also from Cornell.

Terrorist Attack

An article entitled, Study: Terror attacks on hotels surge since 9/11, refers to a STRATFOR study entitled, Special Security Report: The Militant Threat to Hotels.

Social Network Sins

Seven social network security mistakes

 While it’s impossible to escape every social networking threat out there, there are steps one can take to significantly reduce the risks