Month: June 2017

The FAA Is Arguing for Security by Obscurity

Posted on By infossl
airtravel, nationalsecuritypolicy, Security technology, securityengineering

In a proposed rule by the FAA, it argues that software in an Embraer S.A. Model ERJ 190-300 airplane is secure because it’s proprietary: In addition, the operating systems for current airplane systems are usually and historically proprietary. Therefore, they are not as susceptible to corruption from worms, viruses, and other malicious actions as are … Read More “The FAA Is Arguing for Security by Obscurity” »

The Secret Code of Beatrix Potter

Posted on By infossl
concealment, encryption, Security technology

Interesting: As codes go, Potter’s wasn’t inordinately complicated. As Wiltshire explains, it was a “mono-alphabetic substitution cipher code,” in which each letter of the alphabet was replaced by a symbol­ — the kind of thing they teach you in Cub Scouts. The real trouble was Potter’s own fluency with it. She quickly learned to write … Read More “The Secret Code of Beatrix Potter” »

Amazon Patents Measures to Prevent In-Store Comparison Shopping

Posted on By infossl
amazon, cellphones, patents, Security technology, wifi

Amazon has been issued a patent on security measures that prevents people from comparison shopping while in the store. It’s not a particularly sophisticated patent — it basically detects when you’re using the in-store Wi-Fi to visit a competitor’s site and then blocks access — but it is an indication of how retail has changed … Read More “Amazon Patents Measures to Prevent In-Store Comparison Shopping” »

NSA Insider Security Post-Snowden

Posted on By infossl
edwardsnowden, foia, insiders, leaks, nsa, Security technology

According to a recently declassified report obtained under FOIA, the NSA’s attempts to protect itself against insider attacks aren’t going very well: The N.S.A. failed to consistently lock racks of servers storing highly classified data and to secure data center machine rooms, according to the report, an investigation by the Defense Department’s inspector general completed … Read More “NSA Insider Security Post-Snowden” »

Is Continuing to Patch Windows XP a Mistake?

Posted on By infossl
internetofthings, microsoft, patching, Security technology, windows, zeroday

Last week, Microsoft issued a security patch for Windows XP, a 16-year-old operating system that Microsoft officially no longer supports. Last month, Microsoft issued a Windows XP patch for the vulnerability used in WannaCry. Is this a good idea? This 2014 essay argues that it’s not: The zero-day flaw and its exploitation is unfortunate, and … Read More “Is Continuing to Patch Windows XP a Mistake?” »

New Technique to Hijack Social Media Accounts

Posted on By infossl
fakenews, hacking, impersonation, phishing, Security technology, socialmedia, twitter, twofactorauthentication

Access Now has documented it being used against a Twitter user, but it also works against other social media accounts: With the Doubleswitch attack, a hijacker takes control of a victim’s account through one of several attack vectors. People who have not enabled an app-based form of multifactor authentication for their accounts are especially vulnerable. … Read More “New Technique to Hijack Social Media Accounts” »