Category Archives: Miscellaneous
Security software or adware?
It recently came to my attention that Adobe is now including an option (which is checked by default) in their installers for Adobe Reader and the Shockwave player to install a Norton Security Scan program. I think this raises some … Continue reading
UWnews hacked?
I stumbled upon this and wanted to share: First go here -> http://uwnews.washington.edu/ni/article.asp?articleID=34207 Now go here -> http://uwnews.washington.edu/ni/ Any thoughts? Just a basic site defacing?
One Username to Rule Them All
My husband has been working on a pet project lately that needs to have a user login system. Although he could build one himself or purchase a system, he is probably going to go with OpenID. Using OpenID simplifies the … Continue reading
Polish teen uses TV remote to derail trains
Covered on The Register, Telegraph.co.uk, and Slashdot. Earlier this month, a 14-year-old in Poland used a modified TV remote control to directly interfere with rail junction controls in the city of Lodz. He obtained information on the operation of the … Continue reading
Social Engineering Your Way Into a Dorm Room
It is shocking to learn that while the University of Washington Housing and Food Services own nine residence halls with a total capacity of nearly 5000 students, the security barring access to individual students’ rooms can be compromised with little … Continue reading
Security Review: “Biometric” Passports
I recently had to get a new passport; one with a computer chip, and a handy brochure touting why it was so great, and how I was protected by “two tier system.” This post is to analyze these “Biometric Passports,” … Continue reading
Security Review – Parental Controls for TV
Summary Parental controls on television sets (or on the Internet, or mobile phones, etc.) allow parents to restrict the media to which their children have access to an age-appropriate level. Parental controls allow parents to restrict access to television based … Continue reading
Security Review – Parking Meters
Summary Parking meters are a common access control system used by thousands of people every day. There are many types of meters but for this assignment I will conduct a security review on a specific one. The meters I will … Continue reading
Watching an Exploit Unfold: Sex Offenders and the ESRB
This post documents an actual vulnerability exploit I recently witnessed. Details have been changed to protect the stupid. I happened to be loafing around on IRC yesterday, when an unusual opportunity to observe some pointless cybercrime in action presented itself. … Continue reading
Keeping an Open Wireless Network?
I’d like to briefly share with you an interesting article by famed computer security scientist Bruce Schneier that he recently wrote for Wired. In it he argues against securing your wireless network and for having open networks that others can … Continue reading