The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

Linux encryption app Cryptkeeper has universal password: ‘p’

The flawed version is in Debian 9 (Stretch), currently in testing, but not in Debian 8 (Jessie). The bug appears to be a result of a bad interaction with the encfs encrypted filesystem’s command line interface: Cryptkeeper invokes encfs and attempts to enter paranoia mode with a simulated ‘p’ keypress – instead, it sets passwords Read more about Linux encryption app Cryptkeeper has universal password: ‘p’[…]

PostScript printers extremely vulnerable outside of the network

If PostScript is the printer driver, the printer is vulnerable to what they call Cross-Site Printing attacks, documented in detail at Hacking Printers here. The bugs range from attackers exfiltrating copies of what’s sent to printers, to denial-of-service, code execution, forced resets and even bricking the targets. The work from the University Alliance Ruhr landed Read more about PostScript printers extremely vulnerable outside of the network[…]

Suffered a breach? Expect to lose cash, opportunities, and customers – report

More than a third of organisations that experienced a breach last year reported substantial customer, opportunity and revenue loss. The finding is one of the key takeaways from the latest edition of Cisco’s annual cybersecurity report, which also suggests that defenders are struggling to improve defences against a growing range of threats. The vast majority Read more about Suffered a breach? Expect to lose cash, opportunities, and customers – report[…]

Trump’s ‘Extreme Vetting’ for US Visitors Could Involve Social Media Posts and Browser Histories

Phone numbers, browser histories, and social media posts are all examples of the sort of data that could be mined from those entering the US under Trump’s “extreme vetting” policy, Department of Homeland Security secretary John Kelly said today. As Talking Points Memo reported, Kelly held a press conference this afternoon to discuss the president’s Read more about Trump’s ‘Extreme Vetting’ for US Visitors Could Involve Social Media Posts and Browser Histories[…]

2016 Hard Drive Reliabilty Benchmark Stats by Backblaze

Backblaze has recorded and saved daily hard drive statistics from the drives in our data centers since April 2013. At the end of 2016 we had 73,653 spinning hard drives. Of that number, there were 1,553 boot drives and 72,100 data drives. […] In 2016, three drives models ended the year with zero failures, albeit Read more about 2016 Hard Drive Reliabilty Benchmark Stats by Backblaze[…]

Secret Rules Make It Pretty Easy for the FBI to Spy on Journalists

Secret FBI rules allow agents to obtain journalists’ phone records with approval from two internal officials — far less oversight than under normal judicial procedures. The classified rules, obtained by The Intercept and dating from 2013, govern the FBI’s use of national security letters, which allow the bureau to obtain information about journalists’ calls without Read more about Secret Rules Make It Pretty Easy for the FBI to Spy on Journalists[…]

Viruses, spyware found in ‘alarming’ number of Android VPN apps

A team from CSIRO’s Data 61, University of NSW and UC Berkley in the US found a whole bunch of Android VPN apps contain viruses, spyware and other adware. Researchers analysed the apps available for Android to look for nasties like trojans, spyware and adware — giving each an “anti-virus rank (AV)” based on what Read more about Viruses, spyware found in ‘alarming’ number of Android VPN apps[…]

Dropbox: Oops, yeah, we didn’t actually delete all your files – this bug kept them in the cloud

“Typically, we permanently remove files and folders from our servers within 60 days of a user deleting them. However, the deleted files and folders impacted by this bug had metadata inconsistencies,” Dropbox employee Ross S said on the company’s support forum. “So we quarantined and excluded them from the permanent deletion process until the metadata Read more about Dropbox: Oops, yeah, we didn’t actually delete all your files – this bug kept them in the cloud[…]

google/glazier: A tool for automating the installation of the Microsoft Windows operating system on various device platforms.

Glazier Glazier is a tool for automating the installation of the Microsoft Windows operating system on various device platforms. Why Glazier? Glazier was created with certain principles in mind. Text-based & Code-driven With Glazier, imaging is configured entirely via text files. This allows technicians to leverage source control systems to maintain and develop their imaging Read more about google/glazier: A tool for automating the installation of the Microsoft Windows operating system on various device platforms.[…]

Boffins perfect 3D bioprinter that produces slabs of human skin

In a paper for the journal Biofabrication, the team details how the printer lays down bioinks containing human plasma as well as primary human fibroblasts and keratinocytes. The printer first lays down a layer of external epidermis and then a thicker layer of fibroblasts that produce collagen, which will make the flesh strong and elastic. Read more about Boffins perfect 3D bioprinter that produces slabs of human skin[…]

Introducing Malwarebytes Anti-Ransomware Beta

a completely proactive and signature-less technology that is able to detect and block even the most dangerous of ransomware variants like CryptoWall4, CryptoLocker, Tesla, and CTB-Locker. Malwarebytes Anti-Ransomware monitors all activity in the computer and identifies actions which are typical of ransomware activity. It keeps track of all activity and, once it has enough evidence Read more about Introducing Malwarebytes Anti-Ransomware Beta[…]

Bitdefender limited Anti Ransomware Tool

Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware prevents the following families of ransomware from encrypting your files: CTB-Locker, Locky, Pertya, and TeslaCrypt. Bitdefender cannot guarantee the effectiveness of the tool against different strains of ransomware, nor be held liable for the loss of sensitive data. Source: Anti Ransomware Tool Shame…

Cryptostalker, a Tool to Detect Crypto-Ransomware on Linux

Cryptostalker and the original project randumb are the work of Sean Williams, a developer from San Francisco. Mr. Williams wanted to create a tool that monitored the filesystem for newly written files, and if the files contained random data, the sign of encrypted content, and they were written at high speed, it would alert the Read more about Cryptostalker, a Tool to Detect Crypto-Ransomware on Linux[…]

The No More Ransom Project: tools and howtos to decrypt ransomware from the EU

Law enforcement and IT Security companies have joined forces to disrupt cybercriminal businesses with ransomware connections. The “No More Ransom” website is an initiative by the National High Tech Crime Unit of the Netherlands’ police, Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre and two cyber security companies – Kaspersky Lab and Intel Security – with the goal to Read more about The No More Ransom Project: tools and howtos to decrypt ransomware from the EU[…]

Cybereason Introduces: Free Behavioral-Based Ransomware Blocking

Edit: It seems that this system creates a whole load of bogus files and dirs and monitors them, not the whole file system. This pollutes the file system and means that people can quite easily write around it. Every ransomware program goes over files, chooses the ones that look interesting, encrypts them and destroys the Read more about Cybereason Introduces: Free Behavioral-Based Ransomware Blocking[…]

Don’t smile too big to be effective in online marketing ads, study funds

“We found that broad smiles lead people to be perceived as warmer but less competent,” said Jessica Li, a KU assistant professor of marketing in the School of Business. “We ask how that can influence consumer behavior and in what situations might marketers want to smile more broadly.” […] Li said broader smiles that tend Read more about Don’t smile too big to be effective in online marketing ads, study funds[…]

Scientists create first stable semisynthetic organism

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have announced the development of the first stable semisynthetic organism. Building on their 2014 study in which they synthesized a DNA base pair, the researchers created a new bacterium that uses the four natural bases (called A, T, C and G), which every living organism possesses, but that Read more about Scientists create first stable semisynthetic organism[…]

Physicists show that real-time error correction in quantum communications is possible

Now researchers have shown that there is a grey area where Nature cannot tell the difference between the classical and the quantum. This opens the possibility of first performing quantum experiments with a type of classical light called “classically entangled” light. By preparing and sending a so-called “classically entangled” beam the team could show that Read more about Physicists show that real-time error correction in quantum communications is possible[…]

Your Android device’s Pattern Lock can be cracked within five attempts

New research from Lancaster University, Northwest University in China, and the University of Bath, which benefitted from funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), shows for the first time that attackers can crack Pattern Lock reliably within five attempts by using video and computer vision algorithm software. By covertly videoing the owner Read more about Your Android device’s Pattern Lock can be cracked within five attempts[…]

dataviz.tools – a curated guide to the best tools, resources and technologies for data visualization

This site features a curated selection of data visualization tools meant to bridge the gap between programmers/statisticians and the general public by only highlighting free/freemium, responsive and relatively simple-to-learn technologies for displaying both basic and complex, multivariate datasets. It leans heavily toward open-source software and plugins, rather than enterprise, expensive B.I. solutions. Why? Well, information Read more about dataviz.tools – a curated guide to the best tools, resources and technologies for data visualization[…]