Google is finally giving endusers the option not to be monitored by Google Analytics anymore through the release of a new browser add-on named "Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on". It is available for Internet Explorer (versions 7 and 8), Google Chrome (4.x and higher), and Mozilla Firefox (3.5 and higher). Get it here!
From now on, you can protect your Google searches from eavesdropping as Google enabled HTTPS on its search engine.
A few notes on their blog indicate that it is still a 'beta' option:
- only the web search is SSL encrypted (image or map searches, for example, are not)
- slightly slower loading times to set up encryption
- your data and searches are not hidden from Google (if you read between the lines, that means that if law enforcement requests information about your search behavior, Google can still provide it) only from others that might eavesdrop on your connections
Kaspersky is organizing the IT Security for the Next Generation conference later this year, and is calling all students of European universities to submit their research papers for a contest to participate in the conference and have a chance to present their paper for a large audience. Students from any European university can participate, free of charge, by writing a research paper about one of these topics:
Technical nomination
- Trends in Anti-Spam Development – Techniques, Methods in the “Spam Arms Race” and new Innovations
- Dangers of an increasingly Networked World
- 'In the Cloud' Security
- Future Technologies for Detecting and Combating Malware (e.g. artificial intelligence, fuzzy systems, p2p networks)
Social, economic and legal nomination
- Emerging Threats (e.g. social network security, embedded systems security, mobile security, online banking security)
- Challenges and Opportunities for IT-Security Companies within the next 10 years
- Impact of technologies on Data Protection, Copy and Intellectual Property Rights and Jurisdiction
- Education in IT Security - Trends and Questions
More info here.
I'm usually a big fan on all things Google (from a user perspective, not
professionally), but using the storage of search logs as an excuse
for data data protection? Nu-uh!
Sophos shed
some light on a new Trojan 'Troj/Lneage-A' that takes advantage of
the cliche that all MMORPG'ers are lonely males, popping up naked elves
on the screens of drooling nerds while their game login information is
stolen.
I'm waiting for the female version!
I'm waiting for the female version!
Susan Brenner discussed
the interesting case of State v. Dingman, 149 Wash.App. 648, 202 P.3d
388 (Washington Court of Appeals 2009), in which the defense received
evidence files in proprietary EnCase format, and was asked to provide
the evidence in a different format as the defense did not have access to
the EnCase software. Interestingly, the court decided in the end that a
different format should be provided if asked for.
A counter-intelligence tool 'DECAF' has been released to defeat the use
of Microsoft's COFEE suite intended for computer forensic
investigations. DECAF has the following features (from their website):
It reminds me a bit of Netbus from all those years ago. It makes the job more difficult, but I admit is clever at the same time.
Update: Apparently DECAF was only a media stunt to increase security awareness and to attract attention to the need for better forensics tools.
- Contaminate MAC Addresses: Spoof MAC addresses of network adapters
- Kill Processes: Quick shutdown of running processes
- Shutdown Computer: On the fly machine power down
- Disable network adapters
- Disable USB ports
- Disable Floppy drive
- Disable CD-ROM
- Disable Serial/Printer Ports
- Erase Data: Quick file/folder removal (Basic Windows delete)
- Clear Event Viewer: Remove logs from the Event Viewer
- Remove Torrent Clients: Removes Azureus and BitTorrent clients
- Clear Cache: Remove cookies, cache, and history
It reminds me a bit of Netbus from all those years ago. It makes the job more difficult, but I admit is clever at the same time.
Update: Apparently DECAF was only a media stunt to increase security awareness and to attract attention to the need for better forensics tools.
Apparently not only in criminal
cases is metadata of great importance. As seen in a recent case
against the City of Phoenix, a new Supreme Court decision
overruled the Court of Appeals in saying that metadata is part of
public records, and should be provided if requested for under the
freedom of information act.
Susam Brenner discussed
the case of U.S. v. Haymond, 2009 WL 3029592 (U.S. District Court for
the Northern District of Oklahoma 2009), and the story is quite
interesting in how it discusses the use and importance of metadata, and
how a case can stand or fall with this information.
More and more organisations are beginning to implement biometric systems
for identification purposes in access control, and one of those uses is
tracking people by their fingerprints when entering a country. But what
happens if someone's fingerprints are changed? Doesn't seem reasonable?
Think again. A Chinese woman was able to have her fingerprints changed
through plastic surgery, and she was able to enter Japan while she was
previously deported for an expired visa and listed in Japan with her
'old' fingerprints.
Source: http://thecybersleuth.blogspot.com/2009/12/plastic-surgery-changes-identity-by.html
Source: http://thecybersleuth.blogspot.com/2009/12/plastic-surgery-changes-identity-by.html
