Google promises 'the end of viruses' with its forthcoming cloud-based OS
Google's Engineering Director has promised that its forthcoming Chrome OS will see 'the end of malware'.
Google is promising what the latest issue of New Scientist magazine refers to as "a carefree antivirus nirvana" with its forthcoming Google Chrome OS.
Linus Upson, Google's Engineering Director, has promised the company is: "Completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work."
Chrome browser patched
Ironically, Google is also in the news this week due to security flaws in its Chrome browser.
Two of the most recent Google Chrome web browser security flaws (one relating to malicious code exploitation in the Chrome tab sandbox and one relating to memory corruption in the browser tab processes) have now been fixed.
You can see the full run-down of all the latest changes over on Google's Chrome site.
So is the cloud computing future really going to be more secure than our current system of downloading regular security patches to constantly fix the software that's sitting on our hard drive?
"Downloading updates is always going to be a step or two behind the cloud approach because it takes a while to get a fix out to a PC to install it," argues Paul Jackson of Forrester Research.
And while Jackson agrees that "the cloud approach allows patches to be applied much faster" he notes that any web-based OS is still going to be at risk from malware targeting the browser or Linux.
Robert Caunt, an analyst from CCS Insight in London, notes that Google has a good record on security to date: "Its Gmail spam filter and search engine's phishing-detection is good. They know what needs doing."
Major computing brands such as Nvidia, Dell, Asus, Acer and others have already confirmed that they will be fully supporting Google's Chrome OS. Stay tuned for further Chrome OS news updates as and when we get them.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
It can survive dust, shock, heat and being dropped down the loo...Say hello to the world's first 'indestructible' mobile phone
Its vehicles are used to surviving pretty tough terrain.
Now Land Rover has produced what it claims is the world’s first indestructible mobile phone.
For £250 you can expect a handset that will withstand temperatures of minus 20c, can be submerged in water and will survive being dropped on to concrete from a height of 6ft.
'Indestructible': The Land Rover S1 mobile can withstand being dropped on to concrete and short bursts of 100C heat
Wrapped in a tough rubber coating, the Land Rover S1 phone has been approved for use by the military.
It is proving a hit with both gadget collectors and the incurably clumsy.
Tesco, which began selling the phone this week, says it is already outselling its most popular brands.
‘All sorts of people are purchasing them,’ said a spokesman for the supermarket.
‘They’ve gone down well with men who love their gadgets and like to show them off down the pub but also with young mums whose chilindren have destroyed their old phone.
If it's good enough for him: Sir Ranulph Fiennes shows off his Land Rover mobile
‘It is the first phone in the world to be as tough as a Land Rover car. It’s the world’s only military-rated phone – making it resistant to humidity, dust, shock, salt and heat.
‘Add to that the ability to survive drops on to concrete and extreme temperatures, and resistance against being dropped into public lavatories and you have the most resilient phone the world. We think it will save people money.’
Research has estimated that around £157million is spent each year on replacing broken phones.
Land Rover has worked with software company Sonim Technologies to create the S1, which was launched last month by explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes. It may not go down too well with the fashionistas thanks to its
sturdy rather than stylish design. But it does come with all mod cons including a waterproof camera with flash, a GPS system, a torch, FM radio and an internet browser.
It also has an extra-long battery life with more than1,500 hours of standby time and 18 hours of talk time.
The truly clumsy will be happy to hear the phone even works after being immersed in water or dropped down the loo
And there are extra-loud speakers for use in noisy environments.
It is waterproof to a depth of one metre for up to 30minutes, can stand pressure of almost 100lb and can also survive short bursts of 100c (212f) heat.
Lindsay Weaver, of Land Rover, said: ‘It is made from hardened plastic which is water, oil and petrol-resistant. This is covered with a hardened rubber allowing the phone to withstand drops.
‘A non-porous coating is applied to stop anything penetrating the case. It has hardened rubber keys and a scratch-resistant screen.’
The phone is available only from Tesco’s stores and its website.
Now Land Rover has produced what it claims is the world’s first indestructible mobile phone.
For £250 you can expect a handset that will withstand temperatures of minus 20c, can be submerged in water and will survive being dropped on to concrete from a height of 6ft.
'Indestructible': The Land Rover S1 mobile can withstand being dropped on to concrete and short bursts of 100C heat
Wrapped in a tough rubber coating, the Land Rover S1 phone has been approved for use by the military.
It is proving a hit with both gadget collectors and the incurably clumsy.
Tesco, which began selling the phone this week, says it is already outselling its most popular brands.
‘All sorts of people are purchasing them,’ said a spokesman for the supermarket.
‘They’ve gone down well with men who love their gadgets and like to show them off down the pub but also with young mums whose chilindren have destroyed their old phone.
If it's good enough for him: Sir Ranulph Fiennes shows off his Land Rover mobile
‘It is the first phone in the world to be as tough as a Land Rover car. It’s the world’s only military-rated phone – making it resistant to humidity, dust, shock, salt and heat.
‘Add to that the ability to survive drops on to concrete and extreme temperatures, and resistance against being dropped into public lavatories and you have the most resilient phone the world. We think it will save people money.’
Research has estimated that around £157million is spent each year on replacing broken phones.
Land Rover has worked with software company Sonim Technologies to create the S1, which was launched last month by explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes. It may not go down too well with the fashionistas thanks to its
sturdy rather than stylish design. But it does come with all mod cons including a waterproof camera with flash, a GPS system, a torch, FM radio and an internet browser.
It also has an extra-long battery life with more than1,500 hours of standby time and 18 hours of talk time.
The truly clumsy will be happy to hear the phone even works after being immersed in water or dropped down the loo
And there are extra-loud speakers for use in noisy environments.
It is waterproof to a depth of one metre for up to 30minutes, can stand pressure of almost 100lb and can also survive short bursts of 100c (212f) heat.
Lindsay Weaver, of Land Rover, said: ‘It is made from hardened plastic which is water, oil and petrol-resistant. This is covered with a hardened rubber allowing the phone to withstand drops.
‘A non-porous coating is applied to stop anything penetrating the case. It has hardened rubber keys and a scratch-resistant screen.’
The phone is available only from Tesco’s stores and its website.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Warning: New S60 3rd Ed Worm Circulating In The Wild!
Transmitter.C - SymbOS/Yxe.D
New S60 3rd Ed Worm Circulating In The Wild!
'Sexy View' Worm? ZDNet's Dancho Danchev has posted an interesting story regarding newly discovered mobile malware variant of the Transmitter.C (Symb OS/Yxe), which appears to be a significant modification of the Sexy View SMS worm that reported about earlier this year.
Just as its former versions, new variant is also camouflaged in a normal and very popular third party mobile phone application "Advanced device locks"
Even worse it bears a valid Symbian signed certificate, and installs as a valid application on any S60 3rd Edition device and now there are two Symbian approved worm vendors for S60 3rd Edition phones
After installation, this virus will be started up and it will attempt to access network for about 3 minutes. After accessing the network it will gathers phone numbers from the infected device's file system, and repeatedly attempts to send SMS messages to those at interval of 10 - 15 seconds.
Furthermore, this virus can automatically identify mobile phone languages and send different short message contents including “Classic Gongfu stories, City passion, Wife change, School girl, Violent incest… Please immediately access?” A very interesting girl. Try it now!” etc., and attach a URL after each short message.
The messages feature a malicious Web address (URL); upon "clicking" on the address in the received message, the recipients will download a copy of the worm (provided their phones/subscriptions allow for internet browsing).
Beyond propagating to as many users as possible via the strategy mentioned above, the worm's aim is to gather intelligence on the infected victim (such as serial number of the phone, subscription number) and post it to a remote server likely controlled by cyber criminals. Whatever the latter may do with such information is unknown as of writing.
Shake hands
Source: Zdnet and F-Secure Author: Teo
--------------------------
Researchers from NetQin Tech. are reporting on a newly discovered mobile malware variant (Transmitter.C) distributed through a modified version of legitimate mobile application. Upon execution, the malware attempts to automatically spread by SMS-ing hundreds of messages linking to a web site where a copy of it (sexySpace.sisx) can be found.
NetQuin’s CEO, Dr. Lin Yu provides more insight into the nature of the malware, its financial implications for the infected user, as well as thoughts on the future of mobile malware.
Go through the Q&A.
Dancho: What are some of the characteristics of Transmitter.C?
Dr. Lin Yu: As a foreign variant of previous erotic short message virus (Transmitter.A), this virus camouflages in a normal third party mobile phone software ” Advanced device locks” to inveigle the users to install it.
After installation, this virus will be automatically started up. Just a minute, it will automatically access network for about 3 minutes. Later, this virus will send short messages externally at interval of 10 - 15 seconds. As can be observed from the communication record, there are large amount of records of sending short messages, all the numbers to which short messages are sent are strange numbers, but it is completely impossible to find the record of short messages that have been sent in the Sent Box.
After having sent about 500 strange short messages, this virus will traverse the cards folder to send out short messages. Furthermore, this virus can automatically identify mobile phone languages and send different short message contents including “Classic Gongfu stories, City passion, Wife change, School girl, Violent incest… Please immediately access?” A very interesting girl. Try it now!” etc., and attach a URL after each short message.
This virus will run away with user’s tariff by sending out short messages at such high frequency. In addition, it is very likely that this virus forcibly subscribes some services for the users, thus consuming user’s tariff.
Furthermore, this virus has transmissibility. In the form of obscene short messages, it will inveigle the users to click the links in the contents of short messages. Upon clicking such links, a user will download virus to his/her mobile phone, becoming the next virus-spreader. In addition, this virus can also transmitted in the form of legitimate third party software that is put in the Website and Forum for downloading mobile phone software.
* Go through related mobile malware posts: Attacks on NFC mobile phones demonstrated; New mobile malware silently transfers account credit; New Symbian-based mobile worm circulating in the wild
Dancho: How is Transimitter.C different than any other Symbian malware?
Dr. Lin Yu: As compared with the Symbian malicious software formerly discovered, Transimitter.C has even stronger transmissibility and harmfulness: It not only has the corresponding server end for coordination, but can also be dynamically adapted to the current language of mobile phone and thus send short messages to address lists and strange numbers in different languages Furthermore, utilizing obscene short messages with links, it can inveigle the users to click it for installation. If this virus has been transmitted to mobile phones, it will bring tremendous economic loss and reputation crisis to the users.
Dancho: Since the application mentioned as the propagation vector for the malware — Advaced Device Locks — is a legitimate one, is this a case where a legitimate software has been brandjacked and modified in order to trick users into installing it?
Dr. Lin Yu: Yes. This virus can camouflage as legitimate software for transmission. Camouflage mode: The executable body of virus attaches at normal software to inveigle the users to install it.
Dancho: Are the malware authors attempting to somehow monetize the campaign and earn profit in the process, or is Transmitter.C basically a proof of concept that can only result in huge phone bills due to the short time interval between sending the SMS messages?
Dr. Lin Yu: This malicious software is designed to realize the object of making commercial profit. Transimitter.C has promoted some malicious links. Very likely, it forcibly subscribes some services for the users, thus consuming the tariff of users; These malicious links may induce a user to download virus to his/her mobile phone, so that this user will become the next virus-spreader.
Dancho: How would you describe the current state of mobile malware? Is the inevitable growth of the micro-payment market prone to increase cybercriminal’s interest in mobile malware, or would they go after the intellectual property data stored on the smart devices?
Dr. Lin Yu: These two aspects will become the major targets attacked by mobile phone malicious software.
In our opinion, with the intellectualization of mobile phones and the increase in network bandwidth, there will be more and more mobile phone malicious software and their routes of transmission. Furthermore, because many users have get accustomed to saving their privacy information such as bank account, address list and photograph and their mobile phones have payment function, the mobile phone malicious software will generate much more hazards than computer malicious software.
According to the study on the viruses we have captured, most of mobile phone malicious software are still mainly designed to consume the tariff of users by means of automatic networking and automatic transmission of malicious short messages for fee reduction. In addition, few malicious software have turned to steal the privacy information of users. In particular, the privacy information in the users’ mobile phones (short message, address list and picture etc.) will become the main targets of attack by malicious software and will be likely transmitted in the modes of short messages and networking, resulting in the disclosure of user’s privacy.
New S60 3rd Ed Worm Circulating In The Wild!
'Sexy View' Worm? ZDNet's Dancho Danchev has posted an interesting story regarding newly discovered mobile malware variant of the Transmitter.C (Symb OS/Yxe), which appears to be a significant modification of the Sexy View SMS worm that reported about earlier this year.
Just as its former versions, new variant is also camouflaged in a normal and very popular third party mobile phone application "Advanced device locks"
Even worse it bears a valid Symbian signed certificate, and installs as a valid application on any S60 3rd Edition device and now there are two Symbian approved worm vendors for S60 3rd Edition phones
After installation, this virus will be started up and it will attempt to access network for about 3 minutes. After accessing the network it will gathers phone numbers from the infected device's file system, and repeatedly attempts to send SMS messages to those at interval of 10 - 15 seconds.
Furthermore, this virus can automatically identify mobile phone languages and send different short message contents including “Classic Gongfu stories, City passion, Wife change, School girl, Violent incest… Please immediately access?” A very interesting girl. Try it now!” etc., and attach a URL after each short message.
The messages feature a malicious Web address (URL); upon "clicking" on the address in the received message, the recipients will download a copy of the worm (provided their phones/subscriptions allow for internet browsing).
Beyond propagating to as many users as possible via the strategy mentioned above, the worm's aim is to gather intelligence on the infected victim (such as serial number of the phone, subscription number) and post it to a remote server likely controlled by cyber criminals. Whatever the latter may do with such information is unknown as of writing.
Shake hands
Source: Zdnet and F-Secure Author: Teo
--------------------------
Researchers from NetQin Tech. are reporting on a newly discovered mobile malware variant (Transmitter.C) distributed through a modified version of legitimate mobile application. Upon execution, the malware attempts to automatically spread by SMS-ing hundreds of messages linking to a web site where a copy of it (sexySpace.sisx) can be found.
NetQuin’s CEO, Dr. Lin Yu provides more insight into the nature of the malware, its financial implications for the infected user, as well as thoughts on the future of mobile malware.
Go through the Q&A.
Dancho: What are some of the characteristics of Transmitter.C?
Dr. Lin Yu: As a foreign variant of previous erotic short message virus (Transmitter.A), this virus camouflages in a normal third party mobile phone software ” Advanced device locks” to inveigle the users to install it.
After installation, this virus will be automatically started up. Just a minute, it will automatically access network for about 3 minutes. Later, this virus will send short messages externally at interval of 10 - 15 seconds. As can be observed from the communication record, there are large amount of records of sending short messages, all the numbers to which short messages are sent are strange numbers, but it is completely impossible to find the record of short messages that have been sent in the Sent Box.
After having sent about 500 strange short messages, this virus will traverse the cards folder to send out short messages. Furthermore, this virus can automatically identify mobile phone languages and send different short message contents including “Classic Gongfu stories, City passion, Wife change, School girl, Violent incest… Please immediately access?” A very interesting girl. Try it now!” etc., and attach a URL after each short message.
This virus will run away with user’s tariff by sending out short messages at such high frequency. In addition, it is very likely that this virus forcibly subscribes some services for the users, thus consuming user’s tariff.
Furthermore, this virus has transmissibility. In the form of obscene short messages, it will inveigle the users to click the links in the contents of short messages. Upon clicking such links, a user will download virus to his/her mobile phone, becoming the next virus-spreader. In addition, this virus can also transmitted in the form of legitimate third party software that is put in the Website and Forum for downloading mobile phone software.
* Go through related mobile malware posts: Attacks on NFC mobile phones demonstrated; New mobile malware silently transfers account credit; New Symbian-based mobile worm circulating in the wild
Dancho: How is Transimitter.C different than any other Symbian malware?
Dr. Lin Yu: As compared with the Symbian malicious software formerly discovered, Transimitter.C has even stronger transmissibility and harmfulness: It not only has the corresponding server end for coordination, but can also be dynamically adapted to the current language of mobile phone and thus send short messages to address lists and strange numbers in different languages Furthermore, utilizing obscene short messages with links, it can inveigle the users to click it for installation. If this virus has been transmitted to mobile phones, it will bring tremendous economic loss and reputation crisis to the users.
Dancho: Since the application mentioned as the propagation vector for the malware — Advaced Device Locks — is a legitimate one, is this a case where a legitimate software has been brandjacked and modified in order to trick users into installing it?
Dr. Lin Yu: Yes. This virus can camouflage as legitimate software for transmission. Camouflage mode: The executable body of virus attaches at normal software to inveigle the users to install it.
Dancho: Are the malware authors attempting to somehow monetize the campaign and earn profit in the process, or is Transmitter.C basically a proof of concept that can only result in huge phone bills due to the short time interval between sending the SMS messages?
Dr. Lin Yu: This malicious software is designed to realize the object of making commercial profit. Transimitter.C has promoted some malicious links. Very likely, it forcibly subscribes some services for the users, thus consuming the tariff of users; These malicious links may induce a user to download virus to his/her mobile phone, so that this user will become the next virus-spreader.
Dancho: How would you describe the current state of mobile malware? Is the inevitable growth of the micro-payment market prone to increase cybercriminal’s interest in mobile malware, or would they go after the intellectual property data stored on the smart devices?
Dr. Lin Yu: These two aspects will become the major targets attacked by mobile phone malicious software.
In our opinion, with the intellectualization of mobile phones and the increase in network bandwidth, there will be more and more mobile phone malicious software and their routes of transmission. Furthermore, because many users have get accustomed to saving their privacy information such as bank account, address list and photograph and their mobile phones have payment function, the mobile phone malicious software will generate much more hazards than computer malicious software.
According to the study on the viruses we have captured, most of mobile phone malicious software are still mainly designed to consume the tariff of users by means of automatic networking and automatic transmission of malicious short messages for fee reduction. In addition, few malicious software have turned to steal the privacy information of users. In particular, the privacy information in the users’ mobile phones (short message, address list and picture etc.) will become the main targets of attack by malicious software and will be likely transmitted in the modes of short messages and networking, resulting in the disclosure of user’s privacy.
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