New Research On Computer Backdoors Reveals Disturbing Long Term Risks For All Netizens

Nov 052012
 

Research by the University of Toronto Citizen Lab shows that computer back doors are a permanent security risk to users through out the world.

Their research based on events in the middle east demonstrates readily available commercial software is being used by governments to infiltrate computers used by critics and dissidents.

Bloomberg news reported the case of Ahmed Mansoor who was sitting in “his study in Dubai and made the mistake of clicking on a Microsoft Word attachment that arrived in an e-mail, labeled “very important” in Arabic, from a sender he thought he recognized.

“With that click, the pro-democracy activist unwittingly downloaded spyware that seized on a flaw in the Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) program to take over his computer and record every keystroke. The hackers infiltrated his digital life so deeply they still accessed his personal e-mail even after he changed his password.

Since then, Mansoor, 42, an electrical engineer and father of four, says he has suffered two beatings by thugs in September during his campaign for citizens’ civil rights in the Persian Gulf federation of the United Arab Emirates. While those assailants remain unknown, researchers say they’ve figured out what was behind the virtual assault.

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Flame And Stuxnet An Important Indication Of Malware Capability – It’s Time To Be Careful

Jun 122012
 

Flame and Stuxnet, the now seemingly related malware programs that have been linked to attacks on Iranians nuclear weapons program are a potent example of just how sophisticated online intrusion can be with enough resources.

The issue netizens need to focus on is not the end result – sabotaging Iran’s plans to create a nuclear weapon, but rather the means of that sabotage.

Putting Stuxnet to one side given its specific role in damaging centrifuges and looking at Flame we see malware that is ripe for misuse.

There is little doubt that it was developed by state agencies, almost certainly the US and Israel, and was aimed at countries in the middle east.

But there can now be little doubt that countries like China, Vietnam and other regimes involved in covert surveillance of their own citizens will now have their own cyber experts trying to emulate these programs.

And the targets are likely to be those netizens who try to obtain or share information that the state deems harmful such as calls for democratic reform or human rights, investigations into corruption or official malfeasance.

Flames abilities were comprehensive. It could take screen shots, turn on the computers microphone or webcam and listen and view what was going on in the room, steal passwords, data and even act a hub for blue tooth devices, stealing data from any in range.

Like any weapon be it conventional, nuclear or in this case cyber it is not the technology that is the concern but the use it is put to.

Now would be a good time to have a clean out of old files, exercise discretion on email and unplug microphones and webcams when the computer is not in use.

Background to latest developments in the Stuxnet and Flame storycan found in a very good report by online news source TPM. The re current story is below.

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