Resources

Blog

unSecuring TNS Listener in 10g and Beyond

Prior to the release of Oracle 10g, the TNS Listener – by default – was not secured with a password. In the default state, anyone who could access the TNS Listener remotely could issue commands to it, including shutting it down. The TNS Listener had two security settings: 'OFF,' the default state without a password set, and 'ON' when a password was...
Blog

More Than 90% of Suspicious IP Addresses Not Identified by Blacklists

A new report reveals that current blacklists are failing to identify approximately 90% of suspicious IP addresses. The report, "Two Shady Men Walk Into a Bar: Detecting Suspected Malicious Infrastructure Using Hidden Link Analysis," is the culmination of an effort led by threat intelligence firm Recorded Future to illustrate how mentions of...
Blog

The Problem with Know-It-All Security

I am not one for quotes and ‘Facebook philosophy’ memes but recently, I was reminded of my favourite quote on a certain social media platform: “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” – Socrates The pursuit of education can convert a criminal into a solicitor; it can envelop minds and...
Blog

'Privacy Visor' Designed to Interfere with Facial Recognition Technology

Many see endless possibilities in facial recognition technology, an optimism which has all ready led to a number of applications for this emerging form of identification and verification. For example, local and state police departments, not to mention the Federal Bureau of Investigations, have spent the past few decades incorporating recognition...
Blog

VERT Threat Alert: August 2015 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses 14 new Microsoft Security Bulletins. VERT is actively working on coverage for these bulletins in order to meet our 24-hour SLA and expects to ship ASPL-628 on Wednesday, August 12th. MS15-079 Multiple Memory Corruption Vulnerabilities MULTIPLE Multiple ASLR Bypass Vulnerabilities ...
Blog

Zero-Day Deserialization Vulnerability Affects 55% of Android Devices

Security researchers have uncovered a zero-day deserialization vulnerability that allows for arbitrary code execution in 55% of Android devices. For their presentation at USENIX WOOT '15, researchers Or Peles and Roee Hay at IBM Security explain that their vulnerability (CVE-2015-3825) can be exploited in the context of many apps and can be used to...
Blog

Context Counts: Introducing TARDIS

Noise is a problem. As information security practitioners, we've been dealing with the problem of the signal-to-noise ratio for a long time. The solution hasn't really changed, but the landscape certainly has. Ultimately, what drives noise down and elevates signal is, context. For his presentation at Black Hat USA, Travis Smith, a fellow Tripwirian,...
Blog

Black Hat USA 2015 Highlights

The 18th annual Black Hat USA conference gathered thousands of professionals, researchers and enthusiasts to discuss not only the industry’s current trends and threats but also what we, as a community, can do to improve the security of ourselves, and of those around us. With over 100 briefings to choose from, this year’s presentations discussed a...
Blog

Attackers Exploit Ashley Madison Hack to Spread Spam, Malware

Attackers are exploiting the hack of adulterer website Ashley Madison to disseminate spam and malware across the web. In July, Brian Krebs reported that a group of hackers known as The Impact Team had released some sensitive internal data stolen from Avid Life Media (ALM), a Toronto-based company that owns Ashley Madison as well as other hookup...
Blog

BEC Scam Results in $39.1 Million Loss for Ubiquiti Networks

A Business Email Compromise (BEC) scam has resulted in a $39.1 million loss for Ubiquiti Networks, an American technology company that manufactures wireless networking products. On August 6th, Ubiquiti Networks issued a press release summarizing the results of its fourth fiscal quarter of 2015, which ended on June 30, 2015. The company reveals in...
Blog

Security breach at ICANN. Email addresses and password hashes stolen

ICANN, the organisation which oversees the internet's domain name system, regulating web addresses and working with registrars around the world, has revealed that it has fallen victim to a hacker attack during which the details of users who had created profiles on the organisation's public website were exposed. Email addresses (which act as...
Blog

Here’s What You Missed at BSides LV – Day 2

Today was another successful day at BSides Las Vegas, with more intriguing presentations and an amped up crowd ready to hear from security researchers, engineers, analysts and catalysts alike. Although there were numerous interesting topics to choose from, my time only permitted for about a half-day of sessions. Luckily, many of the presenters noted...
Blog

Attackers Using RATs to "Slave" Victims' Computers, Sextort Children

Malware is one of the most dangerous classes of computer threats facing users today, and as a risk category, it is growing in sophistication. First, malware is now more difficult to detect. In an effort to stay one step ahead of security researchers, authors of malicious software are integrating evasion techniques, including environmental awareness...
Blog

DEF CON 23 “How To Train Your RFID Hacking Tools” Preview

RFID is one of those ubiquitous technologies showing up everywhere from contactless payment cards to the neighborhood swimming pool. Some of these technologies offer appropriate security controls but many applications still use legacy technology that is easily subverted by an attacker. Back in 2013, data from HID Global indicated that 70-80% of...
Blog

Here’s What You Missed at BSides Las Vegas – Day 1

This year’s BSides in sunny Las Vegas, Nevada, is off to an amazing start, with an overwhelming crowd and a great lineup of presentations from some of the industry’s brightest – and most inspiring – professionals. In the biggest BSides LV event yet, hundreds of attendees gathered at the Tuscany bright and early – eagerly waiting to hear from experts...
Blog

Why Do We Care About Zero Days?

A true zero day, such as the recent vulnerability affecting Apple’s DYLD_PRINT_TO_FILE variable that an adware installer is said to be exploiting in the wild, is called that because it comes without warning, because by the time you know about it, you have already been compromised. They're expensive; they are the domain of nation states and the most...