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More Jabba the Hutt than lean Windows killing machine

Analysis Flame may be big in size but it's nothing like the supposedly devastating cyberwarfare mega-weapon early reports of the malware suggested. This new nasty is quite complex by design, yet researchers are still hunting for any truly evil and innovative attack techniques, or similar threats, within the code.…

from The Register http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/31/flame_hype_analysis/

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Yesterday we posted about a new strain of highly advanced malware (APT), dubbed Flame. It is potentially the most advanced malware to date, at least in terms of functionality combined with the ability to stay hidden over a long period of time. It’s also unusually large (20 MB), whereas most attacks contain small files (under 1MB). The file is so large because it incorporates a broad set of capabilities including recording audio, taking screenshots, compiling a list of nearby Bluetooth devices, and more. It even includes some rare techniques not commonly found in malware, such as using the LUA scripting language for some of its functions. The primary function of Flame is to collect and upload information.

While it really doesn't do anything we haven't seen before in other malware attacks—what’s really interesting is that it weaves multiple techniques together and dynamically applies them based on the capabilities of the infected system. Also, Flame has been operating under the radar for at least two years, which counter intuitively may partially be attributed to its large size.

Flame has been found mainly in the Middle East, specifically: Egypt, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Syria. Based on historical APT patterns, the target region, and complexity/quality of the code, our guess is that Flame was created by one or more Western intelligence agencies. I don't think we'll see too many copycats of Flame, but we will see more targeted attacks against nations. This is following the trend we have been seeing of nation vs. nation web threats that go beyond off-the-shelf Remote Access Kits.

How effective Flame has been remains to be determined, as there still have only been a small number of infections discovered. While we have identified it in approximately eight countries, it is targeted and on only a select number of systems. We will be sure to keep our readers updated on our findings.

It’s also important to mention that our Websense Web Security Gateway (Anywhere), Cloud Web Security, Cloud Email Security, and Email Security Gateway (Anywhere) customers all have protection in place for known samples of Flame. All of these solutions leverage our ACE (Advanced Classification Engine) technology.

Do you have any questions on Flame? If so, leave a comment and we can discuss.

from Security Labs http://community.websense.com/blogs/securitylabs/archive/2012/05/30/malware-t...

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Looks like a popular free encrypted proxy tool

Backdoored versions of a widely used privacy tool have surfaced in Iran, raising fears that its government is using the Trojanised software to spy on its citizens.…

from The Register http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/30/trojaned_privacy_tool_hits_iran/

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Miscreants exploit users' keenness to get rid of crapness

Two separate "Timeline-removing" spam scams are doing the rounds on Facebook, security watchers warn.…

from The Register http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/30/facebook_timeline_remover/

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Researcher’s second lesson: how to troll the entire Internet

Is it something to do with Slavic names? The Register is quite accustomed to Eugene Kaspersky’s astonishing ability to escalate every threat into a “cybergeddon”; now Cambridge researcher Sergei Skorobogatov seems to have taken his lessons to heart.…

from The Register http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/29/researcher_trolls_internet_with_silic...

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Shares of Facebook fell 9.62 percent today, to $28.84, continuing the downward slide the company has been on since it went public two weeks ago at $38 a share. The steady decline has many investors wondering where the bottom is.

If Facebook traded at the same price-to-earnings ratio as its competitors for online advertising dollars — such as Google — the social network's stock would be worth somewhere between $16-20. Right now Facebook is trading at a P/E ratio of roughly 74 to 1. Google, by comparison, is trading at 18 to 1. Price-to-earnings is a guide, not an unbreakable principle. Amazon, for example, stands apart from its peers, trading at a phenomenal 174 to 1 ratio. But Amazon also has tremendous revenue growth that investors...

Continue reading…

from The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/29/3050800/facebook-stock-tumbles-nearly-ten-p...

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Yesterday, news broke that a new strain of highly advanced malware (APT), dubbed Flame (Flamer/Skywiper), has been identified. The variant was found to be prevalent in the Middle East. Recent well-known malware that was also found in the Middle East are Stuxnet and Duqu, both very advanced and ground-breaking. Flame has most likely been in circulation since 2010, but has just been identified. The primary function of Flame is to collect and upload information, which it does in several ways, including recording audio, taking screenshots, compiling a list of nearby Bluetooth devices, and more.

The malware has a total size of about 20 MB, which is huge compared to most malware, which is usually less than 1 MB. One of the main reasons for its relatively much larger size is its extensive embedded functionality. It consists of several modules, such as decompression libraries, a SQL database, and a LUA virtual machine. So far, known vulnerabilities used in this malware are: MS10-046 and MS10-061. Those were both used in Stuxnet and Duqu to maintain persistence and move laterally on infected networks.

Does Websense protect customers?

Web Security Gateway (Anywhere), Cloud Web Security, Cloud Email Security and Email Security Gateway (Anywhere) all have protection in place for known samples of Flame.

More information

Analysis throughout the security industry is ongoing. This additional analysis is available right now at CrySys (PDF).

from Security Labs http://community.websense.com/blogs/securitylabs/archive/2012/05/29/flame-fla...

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In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

Imagine an iPhone cable that was only four-inches long, doubled as a tripod and could bend to your every whim? That's the idea behind Twig, designed by former WIMM engineer Jason Hilbourne, who wanted something sturdier, smaller and more portable than Cupertino's "limp noodle." In partnership with an iOS accessory maker, the cable's three sturdy prongs will transform into a dock, wrap around objects or create a free-standing tripod for your FaceTime needs. It needs $50,000 to turn from dismembered action-figure prototype to reality, with an $18 pledge enough to secure you one of the first to leave the factory. After the break we've got the pitch footage, which includes what happens when you start prototyping with your Speed Racer dolls.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Twig, the tiny iPhone cable that's also a tripod (video)

Insert Coin: Twig, the tiny iPhone cable that's also a tripod (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 07:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/29/insert-coin-twig/

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Claim world's first finding of secret features in chips

A pair of security researchers claim to have found a back door in a commercial field-programmable gate array (FPGA) marketed as a secure tool for military applications.…

from The Register http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/29/silicon_backdoor/

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Monopoly concerns outweighed by consumer benefits, apparently

Optus will exit the HFC business and pocket $AU800 million, if yesterday’s proposed determination from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission stands.…

from The Register http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/28/optus_hfc_deal_okayed_by_accc/

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Fyodor’s finest since 2009

Popular open source network discovery and security auditing tool Nmap has reached version 6.0.…

from The Register http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/25/nmap_6_released/

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from Wired Top Stories http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/05/flame/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_med...

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I'm afraid you're just too darn loud

Vintage photo collection website The Retronaut offers up a wonderful collection of behind-the-scenes photos from sets of all three Back To The Future movies, including this great one of Marty with the judge who crushed his musical dreams — a cameo by rock star Huey Lewis of course.

Head on over to see loads of shots of models being filmed – including a hilarious one of Doc and Marty in the DeLorean, wirework stunts for the hoverboards and the wild-west DeLorean being pulled along, not by horses, but by the camera truck.

If you’re a fan of vintage and retro photography in general, The Retronaut is well worth a spot in you RSS feed or Twitter stream.

from GeekDad http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/05/back-to-the-future-photos/

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