FaberBrent Security Blog

Sunday, 3 May 2009

Government moving ahead with total Internet monitoring

So once again we have been misled by our spin orientated goverment.

Dispite Jacqui Smith making public statements about scrapping a central database to monitor all email and communications traffic it has been revealed (although not a supprise to some of us) that GCHQ's 'Mastering the Internet' or MTI program is already 1 year in, and costing £1 billion over 3 years.

This program is effectivly creating a master database by installing monitoring systems at ISP's and network hubs.

This contract has been split between Lockheed Martin and Detica who are all bound by the OSA (Official Secrets Act) not to reveal details; but for some reason GCHQ saw fit to place a job advert whose tasks include “operational responsibility for the ‘Mastering the Internet’ (MTI) contract”

more here... and here...

Thursday, 30 April 2009

Can hackers steal your data from your glasses?

Very interesting article about the threat from side-band attacks.

Whilst this kind of technique has many challenges the concept of monitoring reflective surfaces with a telescope is a classic.

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

US burglars target small business PC's in mass robbery

In one of the first reported cases of its type a business centre in Los Angeles has been the victim of a systematic robbery where over 60 small businesses have lost there computers.

The overnight theft has left an array of different businesses (including attorneys, real-estate management and talent agencies) trying to assess the damage.

For some occupants this may well be terminal event for their business.

It is probably safe to assume that this kind of targeted computer theft will increase, it you want to know how to avoid becoming a victim contact FaberBrent.

UK identity theft up 40%

The first quarter of 2009 has shown a 40% increase in identity theft according to Cifas, the UK's fraud prevention organisation.

We all need to keep a keen eye out for scams, phishing and unsolicited requests and if in doubt, shred.

Sunday, 26 April 2009

Lost business laptops cost the company an average of $50,000 each

A new survey has attempted to quantify the average cost of lost business laptops.

In a survey covering 138 seperate lost laptop incidents losses were calculated using several factors including data breach cost, loss of productivity, investigative costs and other variables.

The minimum damage in the survey was $1,200 and the biggest loss was just short of $1M!

London workers will sell company secrets - for a price

One in three London workers (out of a survey of 600) said they would be prepared to sell their company data and information for the right price.

The amount of access they have is a real eye-opener. Levels of access include; customer data bases (83%); business plans (72%); accounting systems (53%); human resources databases (51%); and IT admin passwords (37%).

If you want to know how to minimise exposure to insider threats like this contact FaberBrent.

Thursday, 23 April 2009

Luxury car dealers accused of spying for commercial edge

3 senior employees of luxury car dealership Universal Autosports in New York have been accused of illegally accessing the e-mail system of a rival dealer.

Cash prize for smart mobile design

There is now a cash incentive for designers to come up with a design for secure mobile phones.

The Design Council has recognised the considerable crime associated with mobile devices and this has driven the initiative.

UK considering hardwireing to provide on-demand wiretapping

Lord West (the security minister) told Parliament on Monday that the government are considering installing hardware that would provide instant information on demand for all Internet traffic in the UK.

The technology under consideration is Deep Packet Inspection (DPI).

Welsh trial to track schoolkids with GPS to start in May

A trial will be starting in wales in May to track school children during their journey to and from school.

Parents will be able to use a web portal to see their children's geographical location.

Tuesday, 21 April 2009

The British Council has been ordered to encrypt all portable data

Following a loss of a disc containing data on 2,000 people including trade union membership and banking details the British Council has been ordered to encrypt all data by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

We say ENCRYPT ALL PORTABLE DATA NOW, the campaign starts here. How many more 'horses bolted' stories do we need?

Monday, 20 April 2009

The FBI have been using homebrew spyware for years

Recently declassified documents have revealed that the FBI have been using their own brand of spyware to install on targets computers and gather wide range of data to send back to Virginia.

Thursday, 16 April 2009

Tramp has phone numbers of Cabinet ministers on stolen Blackberry

A journalism student purchased the Blackberry device while working on an assignment about the homeless.

He discovered phone numbers several cabinet ministers and other sensitive data.

Now Blackberries have pretty good security.... as long as it is switched on! more here...

Fraudsters discover how to decrypt banking PIN numbers - is this the end of PIN's as we know it?

Hackers have discovered how to decrypt the algorythm that protects

bank card PIN data.

The best way to explain this is the Kentucky Fried Chicken anology.

Previously they could loiter at KFC and steal 1

piece of chicken at a time (perhaps a full bucket on a good day),

now they have the Colonel's secret recepie!

SAS laptop containing confidential information is unencrypted and missing

The Telegraph are reporting that a laptop belonging to the Signals Regiment attached to the SAS has gone missing.

The laptop containing counter terrorism and military data was discovered missing during an equipment audit. Unbelievably the laptop was unencrypted.

Employees still have access to company data after they leave

A new survey has highlighted a very common problem. when an employee leaves they frequently still have access to systems, login's and data.

The figures are shocking, read the full article here...

If you want help designing an effective policy for departing staff contact FaberBrent.

Monday, 13 April 2009

Coronation Street producers sweep for bugs to combat leaks

Coronation Street producers have been sweeping for bugs as part of

their security measures to combat plot line leaks.

Senior production staff have been asked to provide mobile phone

records and other data to try to identify where leaks may have

happened.

This comes as cost and wage cutting hangs over the heads of both

actors and production staff at ITV.

When times are hard we see an increase in unscrupulous activity such

as this. If you are concerned about industrial espionage contact FaberBrent.

Sunday, 12 April 2009

Watching a burglary live on web cam

Great video of a live burglary watched by a Florida woman live on her own covert security web cam.

Our mobile phones are self-inflicted surveillance

Great article on The Register detailing how our phones are effectively surveillance tags giving away endless data about our movements and behavior patterns.

Another delay for ICO data breach powers

Once again this government has failed to deliver on deadlines to bring in new powers for the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) to fine companies who lose personal data. There has been no comment on why they missed the deadline, or when they now plan to publish the secondary legislation.

Perhaps they need time to gather the funds required to meet all the fines that will be leveled against government departments.... or just to try to get their own house in order?

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