Category Archives: Policy
Current Event : Keyboard hacking (from thin air!)
A move over scanning the keyboard with infra-red cameras for heat signatures, listening to keystrokes and simple shoulder surfing. Say hello to hacking through thin air or electromagnetic waves, rather. Apparently, all keyboards generate unique electromagnetic waves for every single … Continue reading
Current Events: One more botnet-related legal fray
As part of an “expose’” on cyber crime, BBC’s “Click” team took it upon themselves to hire a botnet. With the stated goal of demonstrating the power of “cyber criminals” in today’s world, the journalists purchased the use of ~22,000 … Continue reading
Security Review – Mobile Banking in the Developing World
One of the interesting topics brought up by Microsoft Research India during their Change talk last week was that of mobile banking in the developing world. Managing and distributing money can be a tricky proposition in the developing world – … Continue reading
Facebook’s lax security
Facebook’s policy on applications have a some people concerened and wondering if application writing should be more restricted. The latest attacks have involved privacy leaks, and the installation of malware. Over the last week, five seperate security issues have come … Continue reading
Current Event: Convicted Botnet Leader Retains Job
In three sequential articles, ComputerWorld traces the sentencing of convicted botnet leader John Schiefer as well as his continued employment at the start-up Mahalo. Schiefer is an ex-security consultant and is the first botnet leader to be charged under the … Continue reading
Security Review : Add-ons
An add-on is a simple plugin that you use, say for firefox, to let you do your work more easily. This also lets you customize the browser in ways that do not affect the productivity of other people. Add-ons are … Continue reading
Police Searches of Personal Electronics
Source: Cnet In June 2008 Florida Highway Patrol officer John Wilcox pulled over Ariel Quintana for speeding, who was then discovered to be driving with a suspended license. The officer also suspected Quintana of being in possession of marijuana, but … Continue reading
Arrested in Washington? Give us your DNA!
As I found on Slashdot, a controversial piece of legislation is being considered that would allow for the collection of DNA from arrested persons. The DNA may be collected prior to the arrested person being charged with a crime, and … Continue reading
Current Event: WarCloning Passport RFID Tags
According to Slashdot, researcher Chris Paget was able to capture many identification numbers from the new passports containing RFID tags while driving around San Francisco. Using $250 of equipment (a RFID reader and an antenna) hooked up to his laptop, … Continue reading
Security Review: Pandemic Prevention
According to a New Scientist Article, a company called Biorics wants to control the spread of pandemic disease by dispersing “cough-detecting” microphones throughout airport lounges. The proposed technology would detect coughing passengers and distinguish a common-cold-like cough from one that … Continue reading