Merry Christmas! Love, Christine Armbruster Photography Image taken in Wadi Araba, Jordan in January of this year. To purchase a print, visit my shop.
This weekend I was asked to participate in Andi Pitcher Davis’s annual “All She Wants is Art” show. Functioning as a large art sale and exhibit of what she thinks are the new up and coming artists and to showcase the new artists she has been collecting all year. It is a fun event, hosted […]
During the summer we spend a lot of time adventuring with boys or handfuls of teenage girls. So we decided a ladies camping trip to Yosemite was necessary. Getting the opportunity to spend an uninterrupted week going on all the hard hikes and multi-pitch climbs we want, we packed up our cars and headed out. […]
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The 4th annual Juice ‘n Java pin up calendar is here! It is carnival themed and here for the holidays. Order yours today at http://shop.christinearmbruster.com or pick one up at either the Provo or Orem Juice ‘n Java location. $20.
Welcome to my information security blog. I hope the information I publish and comments I provide can offer some insight, for better or worse, into current industry trends, technologies, and innovations. One of the purposes for this blog is to encourage creative and constructive dialogue, so feel free to comment. If you do, please provide your name. If you have any feedback or would like to contact me offline, don't hesitate to email me: mike[@]cloppert[.]org
There's been an enormous amount of focus on the recent Sony DRM fiasco across the security industry recently, so rather than reiterate what's already been said, I figured I'd point out something that's been simmering in the back of my mind for a number of months now: what I call the "inter-species computer virus."
I see viruses as being on the cusp of a revolution. While it's true we've seen viruses move from computer to PDA in the past (I wish I could find a source, but at the moment I can't), this has so far failed to cause any major outbreaks. However, as the typical handheld device becomes increasingly complex and internetworked, the potential damage for such a worm has grown significantly in the past few years. This threat is especially pronounced with cellular devices. Recently, a virus was written that tried - unsuccessfully - to make the jump from a cellphone to PC. The spread method was rudimentary, using a smart card as the carrier mechanism for the code. But it foreshadows more virulent threats to come. Consider the different propogation vectors that are now available between some devices and "ordinary" computers that never used to exist:
Conventional PDA's. Data is transferrable via (1) memory chip, as with the aforementioned virus, (2) bluetooth, and (3) USB connection. Targets could include other PDA's, or PC's. Most of these devices are also infrared-enabled, as well, but I'd consider this threat minimal due to limitations of the technology.
Cellular Phones. Resembling more and more of a computer as the months progress, potential device-to-computer data paths include (1) memory chip, (2) SMS text messaging to other devices like blackberries, (3) instant messaging, and (4) bluetooth. And that's not beginning to cover the functionality available in devices like the Treo.
Blackberry devices. These are the penultimate virus propogation devices. They communicate with other devices via (1) internet access on the cellular network, (2) bluetooth, (3) SMS to other portable devices, (4) Instant Messaging through a third-party app, (5) Email, and (6) USB connection. That's no less than SIX different vectors an infected Blackberry device could leverage to attack other devices like cell phones or ordinary computer systems.
IP Phones. These don't represent a bridge between computers and mobile devices yet, but the phone on your desk is now a device that potentially touches the same data network as your computer, and the same phone network as your cell.
As we have seen in the past, if you build it, the h4X0rZ will come. There's no need to claim the sky is falling, and there's no sense in irrational policies based on speculation of what could happen. But the industry, and most importantly users, need to be aware of the implications that all of these shiny objects bring with them. I see this kind of a problem as more of an inevitability than some science-fiction concoction. It's up to us, and device manufacturers, to be proactive in addressing this. Hopefully, with strong user awareness and an industry prepared to deal with such threats, the damage will be minimal.
Most of your Treo's are attached with Internet Access just like the Blackberry. I would say the vector is exactly the same.
I have been employed in various information technology fields since 1997, and in information security since 2001. I have an undergrad degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Dayton, received various industry certifications (GCIA, GREM, GCFA, etc.), and am currently pursuing a MS in Computer Science from George Washington University. I have lectured on various information security topics to IEEE, internal organization-wide IT conferences, and the annual Department of Defense Cybercrime Convention. My international work experience consists of training on general information security topics and IDS design/implementation onsite in Egypt, Israel, and India, as well as providing incident response assistance in the Far East. I have been a contributing editor to incident response procedures for two major organizations, and have been involved in digital forensic investigations since 2001. Currently, my work consists of security-related research and development, covering topics from vulnerability and exploit reverse engineering to implementation of security technologies, as well as digital forensics for an enterprise Computer Incident Response Team.