Monday, October 26, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Social engineering for penetration testers
Sharon Conheady's BruCON talk discusses the practical aspects of a social engineering attack, providing plenty of war stories from her career as a social engineer. The key to preventing social engineering attacks from being successful lies in education and awareness. This talk will give the audience an insight into the techniques used by social engineers, whether as part of an ethical social engineering test or as a malicious social engineering attack.
Social engineering for penetration testers - Sharon Conheady - BruCON 2009 from security4all on Vimeo.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
30 years of Failure: the Username/Password combo.
Interesting new study, which is being published by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
"The use of alphanumeric usernames and passwords is the
most often used (and also the cheapest) method of computer
authentication. However, unfortunately human beings are
limited in their information processing capabilities (Cowan, et
al., 2008). People either use simple passwords that are easy to
remember but easy to crack or difficult passwords which are
difficult to remember. Results of our study have shown that
there are very few people who do not deviate from the best
practices for password use."
"The use of alphanumeric usernames and passwords is the
most often used (and also the cheapest) method of computer
authentication. However, unfortunately human beings are
limited in their information processing capabilities (Cowan, et
al., 2008). People either use simple passwords that are easy to
remember but easy to crack or difficult passwords which are
difficult to remember. Results of our study have shown that
there are very few people who do not deviate from the best
practices for password use."
Saturday, October 10, 2009
CNN Money - 50 Best Jobs in America
8. Computer/Network Security Consultant
Median salary (experienced): $99,700
Top pay: $152,000
Job growth (10-year forecast): 27%
Sector: Information Technology
What they do: Protect computer systems and networks against hackers, spyware, and viruses. "I consider myself a cybercrime fighter," says Gregory Evans, an independent computer security consultant in Atlanta.
Why it's great: No company or government agency can afford to have a serious breach in the security of its computer system. New technologies and an unending supply of creative hackers around the world keep the field challenging. Consultants can often work from home. And top-level pros command big paychecks.
Drawbacks: Talk about stress. If a system is infiltrated by a virus or hacker, it could mean lights out for the security consultant's career. "This is a job you can't afford to ever fail in," says Evans.
Pre-reqs: Mostly major geekdom, since the skills can be self-taught. Still, a computer science degree comes in handy. An information systems security professional certification (CISSP) is increasingly favored. Experience is key for better-paying positions: Most companies won't hire a consultant with less than five years of experience.
Story here.
Median salary (experienced): $99,700
Top pay: $152,000
Job growth (10-year forecast): 27%
Sector: Information Technology
What they do: Protect computer systems and networks against hackers, spyware, and viruses. "I consider myself a cybercrime fighter," says Gregory Evans, an independent computer security consultant in Atlanta.
Why it's great: No company or government agency can afford to have a serious breach in the security of its computer system. New technologies and an unending supply of creative hackers around the world keep the field challenging. Consultants can often work from home. And top-level pros command big paychecks.
Drawbacks: Talk about stress. If a system is infiltrated by a virus or hacker, it could mean lights out for the security consultant's career. "This is a job you can't afford to ever fail in," says Evans.
Pre-reqs: Mostly major geekdom, since the skills can be self-taught. Still, a computer science degree comes in handy. An information systems security professional certification (CISSP) is increasingly favored. Experience is key for better-paying positions: Most companies won't hire a consultant with less than five years of experience.
Story here.
Friday, October 09, 2009
Happy Meal?
Someone dressed an already dead deer in a clown outfit and wig, and dropped it for a family to see.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Banking Trojan Infections Tripled.
Banking trojan infections almost tripled (up 186 per cent) between Q4 2008 and Q2 2009 according to APWG report.
