{"id":26017,"date":"2011-06-11T23:41:23","date_gmt":"2011-06-11T22:41:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=26017"},"modified":"2011-06-11T23:43:50","modified_gmt":"2011-06-11T22:43:50","slug":"the-open-internet-%e2%80%a6-expression-access-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/the-open-internet-%e2%80%a6-expression-access-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"The Open Internet \u2026 Expression, Access, Risk"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The following is by G. A . “Andy” Marken, President of Marken Communications<\/span><\/a> Inc. He has kindly given us permission to republish his thought-provoking article. As with everything that we publish at AlienBabelTech, the opinions expressed are solely those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and the opinions of the rest of the ABT staff.<\/strong><\/span><\/span> <\/span> \u2013Mark Poppin,<\/span> ABT Senior Editor<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Life Hacked<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis thing doesn’t want to show itself, it wants to hide inside an imitation. It’ll fight if it has to, but it’s vulnerable out in the open. If it takes us over, then it has no more enemies, nobody left to kill it. And then it’s won.\u201d<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 MacReady, \u201cThe Thing,\u201d<\/em> David Foster Prod (1982)<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You can\u2019t flip a page, turn a virtual page, hear a newscast without a story of another attack and the growth of cyber mayhem.\u00a0 It\u2019s to the point where it ain\u2019t funny … it ain\u2019t cute \u2026 it ain\u2019t nice!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not retaliation against the big \u201cevil\u201d companies\/governments.\u00a0 It\u2019s putting millions of otherwise innocent people\u2019s personal, private, financial information in harm\u2019s way–or worse.<\/p>\n

Expensive List<\/strong><\/p>\n

Recent \u201cintrusions\u201d that come to mind include:<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PBS (Public Broadcast Service) infiltrated because they (We\u2019re leaving out the hackers\u2019 names; they get enough noise.) didn\u2019t like the way WikiLeaks founder was treated<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lockheed \u2013 military\/government supplier \u2013 hacked for sensitive files<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Citibank hacked with millions of personal records exposed<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sony PSN (PlayStation Network) hacked more times than we care to think about exposing member names, passwords and who knows what else<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sony Pictures hacked liberating email addresses, passwords<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Acer Europe database hacked for names, more<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Adobe\u2019s Flash has been used to distribute malware over and over and\u2026<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 MS Windows has been beaten up so many times it\u2019s old hat<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chrome has already been used to open doors, deliver nasty stuff<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nintendo\u2019s user site was relieved of email addresses, passwords<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 FBI security sites infiltrated, reverse engineered<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hundreds of United Arab Emirates government employee data posted<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Apple\u2019s OS X, iOS hacked, malware distributed<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Skype source code \u201cliberated\u201d because someone felt it should really be open source and free to the world<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, we can\u2019t agree with MacReady today, \u201cWhy don’t we just wait here for a little while … see what happens.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The list could probably go on for days just itemizing the occurrences over the past quarter.<\/p>\n

We can remember when referring to someone as a hacker was a wink-wink compliment.\u00a0 Now, attendees to the time-honored Black Hat Conference in July in Las Vegas are looked at as the guys\/gals starting WW III.<\/p>\n

<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Cyber War <\/strong>\u2013 WW III is already well underway.\u00a0 Governments and agencies are breaking into each other\u2019s networks\/websites to plant bogus information and grab important information.\u00a0 Hactivists, vigilanties and cybercriminals have entered the battles but often direct their energies against corporate and individual databases where they can mine and sell valuable information.\u00a0 Their activities are far from victimless crimes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This isn\u2019t a war against good\/evil or filthy rich companies\/countries vs. the oppressed.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t about super smart, pasty guys\/gals having fun mucking up individual and organization systems.<\/p>\n

No they\u2019re doing more\u2026lots more.<\/p>\n

Palmer knew it when he said, \u201cIt happens all the time, man. They’re falling out of the sky like flies. Government knows all about it, right?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Getting Worse \u2013 <\/strong>Hacking and cybercrime has grown in dollar losses and frequency in the past year and the trend is less than optimistic.\u00a0 Software, security firms and IT organizations can do a lot to limit the losses\/damage but they haven\u2019t quite figured out how to protect users from themselves.\u00a0 Source \u2013 Computer Security Institute<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As the National Research Council pointed out in their 1991 (yes, way back then) Computers at Risk report, \u201cThe modern thief can steal more with a computer than with a gun. Tomorrow’s terrorist may be able to do more damage with a keyboard than with a bomb.” <\/em><\/p>\n

They Want Yours<\/strong><\/p>\n

This \u201cfact\u201d hasn\u2019t been overlooked by individuals\/groups who feel they deserve \u201ctheir share.\u201d\u00a0 Some of them even have their own publicity machines to promote their achievements.<\/p>\n

In one instance they targeted the personal and business data of the head of a security system\/service provider and they were pretty clear about their objective, “Let’s just simplify: you have lots of money, we want more money.”<\/em><\/p>\n

No wonder organized criminal organizations find cybercrime easier, less risky, more profitable.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Organized Effort \u2013 <\/strong>Cybercrime has grown rapidly in size and sophistication.\u00a0 Some have even hired their own social engineers to help them improve their return on effort.\u00a0 Very simply, they convince people to bypass computer security for them or \u201cassist\u201d them in leaving security gates open or developing security holes that can be exploited.\u00a0 Source \u2013 TechRepublic <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The attacks and well-directed phishing and spear phishing expeditions can produce excellent returns for them.\u00a0 All it takes is a room full of dedicated \u2013 really dedicated \u2013 people intent on relieving organizations and individuals of personal\/private\/corporate information they can sell on the open market.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Dedicated Teams \u2013 <\/strong>Spread around the globe in dark rooms where tens, hundreds of screens glow or in apartments\/homes anywhere there is a good Internet connection hackers, hactivists, cybercriminals no longer simply challenge the system, they\u2019re in it for the money.\u00a0\u00a0 And they\u2019re getting plenty.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s easy to put the blame at the feet of software and service firms for delivering buggy software and sloppy service.<\/p>\n

To some extent that\u2019s true because the philosophy has historically been get the next version out, start the revenue stream and patch the product as we go.\u00a0 Companies like Microsoft, Google, Apple, you name it are only now focusing on \u00a0better coding practices and constantly checking for bugs during development.<\/p>\n

At a meeting last week a serial entrepreneur said the only real answer was a whole team of Andy Grove mentality programmers (retired CEO of Intel, author of Only the Paranoid<\/em><\/strong> Survive<\/em><\/strong>).<\/p>\n

Kill Your Own Stuff<\/strong><\/p>\n

He explained, \u201cHalf of the team should be developing the software and the other half working their behinds off to find issues, problems, targets of opportunity so the product that\u00a0 shipped was 99.9 percent hack\/bulletproof.\u00a0 It may never be 100 percent, but fixing it on the fly doesn\u2019t work.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the patches are never installed by the IT department or individual user,\u201d<\/em> he added.<\/p>\n

PBS (and many other IT groups) found that out the hard way.\u00a0 The updates that would have protected their system were available for over six months but were never installed.<\/p>\n

Yes, it\u2019s easy to blame the malicious hackers, hactivists, cybercriminals because that is \u201cour\u201d personal\/professional identity\/information they\u2019re stealing and using.\u00a0 To look out for our<\/em><\/strong> identity\/information governments around the globe are busy drafting legislation that will hold the software\/service firms and online businesses strictly accountable for breaches of our data.<\/p>\n

Great, but the weakest link is sitting in front of the keyboard and people have the same philosophy as MacReady, \u201cNow I’m gonna show you what I already know.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Yeah, You \u2013 <\/strong>All of the best software on your company\u2019s network and your system still doesn\u2019t slow people down from doing really dumb, really innocent\/greedy things.\u00a0 People regularly download files with viruses, open documents\/attachments that wreak havoc on your system and the company.\u00a0 Employees abuse their Internet services and privileges.\u00a0\u00a0 And they access (and leave unprotected) files, databases that are available to intruders.<\/p>\n

Sorry, no legislative body can pass a law to keep you from doing really stupid stuff!\u00a0 A lot of the time they don\u2019t have to spend time and energy getting into the network or system.\u00a0 All they have to do is convince you to open the door for them.<\/p>\n

And BAM!!!<\/em><\/strong> It\u2019s that easy.<\/p>\n

One click, one harmless conversation, one move on an unbelievable offer and you\u2019ve lit the match that showed the way.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Doesn\u2019t Take Much \u2013 <\/strong>Just open an innocent attachment or visit a nice\/friendly site and all of a sudden your system and maybe even your network are in flames.\u00a0 Screenshot \u2013 David Foster Productions<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The hackers, cybercriminals approach their work the same way MacReady did, \u201cIf he tries to make it back here and we’re not with him … burn him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Maybe instead of the UN\u2019s (United Nation\u2019s) Special Rapporteur that emphasizes that there should be as little restriction as possible to the flow of information via the Internet, we\u00a0 should give a little more weight to the EU\u2019s (European Union\u2019s) legislation that gives individuals the “right to be forgotten” \u2026 to drop off the grid.<\/p>\n

There are millions of folks every day who do really stupid things that would love to have their virtual appearance to disappear in a heartbeat.<\/p>\n

Or, figure out a way to keep the really bad blackhats off the grid.<\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

by: G.A. “Andy” Marken<\/strong><\/p>\n

President<\/strong><\/p>\n

Marken Communications Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Andy@markencom.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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