december 2009

issue date: 15 february 2010

Contents
03 Using Advertising Networks as Novel Attack Vectors
06 Cracking as a Service
09 UAV Video Feed Interception by Insurgents
14 Annex

The Daedalus Report Series

The Entity X Daedalus series of reports informs clients of emerging trends
and developments in the areas of cyber threats, net-centric security and
electronic attack, authored by respected experts on the subject. The monthly
Daedalus Report provides comprehensive analysis of emerging issues and
incorporates an annex generated by our partners Lexis Nexis Analytics which
provides a summary of the world’s press articles from over 68,000 sources,
enabling subscribers to easily maintain a deep and up-to-date understanding
of this dynamic subject. Also in the series are Daedalus Focus reports issued
as new threats emerge and for certain government clients only Special Reports
highlighting sensitive matters relating to exploitation opportunities.

About Entity X
Electronic warfare was formerly an issue for the military on the battlefield,
but now it affects every aspect of our lives, our work and our government.
At Entity X Inc we have recognized the growing significance of cyber threats
and net‑centric warfare. We’re a team of highly experienced IT professionals
working at the cutting edge of technology. Unlike conventional IT security firms
we seek to develop in our clients a greater and deeper understanding of the
range of disparate yet rapidly evolving threats that governments, businesses and
individuals face. Entity X Inc produces the Daedalus report series to inform and
brief our clients and we also provide consultancy and training in this specialized
but increasingly significant field.

Contact Contributors
info@entity-x.com Robi Sen, Analysis Director, Entity X
Ian Starnes, Senior Analyst, Entity X
Shane Frasier, Senior Analyst, Entity X

All material © Entity X Inc, 2010. All rights reserved. Not for further distribution.

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Using Advertising Networks as
Novel Attack Vectors
Article Overview
This article examines new cyber attack vectors and describes a specific method of attack
that causes a fake virus warning to appear on users’ computers.

Summary
• Awareness and up-to-date antivirus tools will protect users
• However, the vector is novel and with greater sophistication it could
pose real challenges
• The potential for such vectoring to target specific users through social engineering is
the most significant implication and raises broad concerns
• Security professionals and policy makers should consider these potentialities
• These vectors have implications for how advertising space is sold and bought on
websites, considering that the buyer can host adverts on their own server

There have been a number of new attack vectors by scareware and scamware groups
that have important ramifications for security professionals. Both attack trends make novel
use of established and trusted commercial companies to disseminate or manage attacks and
provide command and control support. This creates scenarios which could inspire more
sophisticated malware distributors or hostile actors to use the same techniques to rapidly
disseminate malware through these normally trusted channels. Such trends need to be
carefully monitored because of their great potential for cyber warfare, cyber espionage, and
information operations.

New York Times Scareware Attack

On September 14, 2009, the New York Times had to suspend its online adverts after a
scareware group posing as a legitimate advertising agency negotiated advertising
space with the newspaper. The group provided legitimate advertisements but over the
weekend swapped them with an advertisement served from their own server that caused a
pop-up browser window to display a message that the user’s computer was infected and that
they needed to click on a link in order to remove the infection.

The user is advised to download and install an antivirus application, which is in fact
malware. If successfully duped, the user’s computer will be infected with a real malware
application and they will then be pestered by the scareware group into paying for its removal.

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 Using Advertising Networks as Novel Attack Vectors

Many, but not all, antivirus tools will warn of an ‘HTTP fake website attack’, but once the
malware is installed it can be very difficult to remove. Moreover, this particular attack will not be
the last to use advertising platforms to disseminate malware.

Threat Overview
This method of attack, when a company or group posing as a legitimate company buys
advertising, was quickly adopted by scareware distributors and similar attacks were soon
made from numerous other websites. The attack, which is really a form of social engineering,
makes use of the fact that clients are able to host advertising on their own servers, which
allows the scareware distributors, posing as legitimate clients, to swap the approved advert
with one that attempts to scare the user into downloading malware.

These sorts of scareware scams are an enormous problem and one of the worst offenders is the
‘Koobface’ gang, also known as ‘Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves LLC’ – see Figure 1. Koobface
specializes in using trusted commercial entities such as Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace, to
spread its viruses and command and control services for its Koobface botnets. Furthermore,
the Koobface gang was behind a significant black hat search engine optimization scheme
focused on Google that attempted to game popular search terms, such as ‘9/11’, so that its web
pages and links were ranked at the top of the search results. When a user clicked on
a link, Koobface attempted similar scareware attacks as outlined above or attempted to push
malware directly on to the user’s computer.

While most of these attacks are often relatively simplistic, easy to detect, generally only target
Windows computers, and often require a large amount of user interaction and social engineering
to succeed, there is nothing stopping attackers from pushing more sophisticated or direct attacks
on the user. This is where the real concern lies.

Figure 1. Koobface gang, and many

others, operates out of Ukraine due to
high unemployment, poor digital law
enforcement, and a large number of
well-educated and talented engineers
Ukraine
and software developers

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 Using Advertising Networks as Novel Attack Vectors

Dancho Danchev’s blog has consistently broken news on the Koobface

gang as well as assisted in its disruption in the past. See ‘Massive
Scareware Serving Blackhat SEO, the Koobface Gang Style’: http://
ddanchev.blogspot.com/2009/11/massive-scareware-serving-blackhat-seo.
html and for more information on SEO attacks: http://ddanchev.blogspot.
com/2009/11/massive-scareware-serving-blackhat-seo.html

While such an attack is easy to detect via normal antivirus tools and is essentially a social
engineering attack, a more sophisticated organization could use this same vector as a low-
cost, efficient method for the targeted dissemination of malware. An organization with hostile
intentions could simply create a shell company or pretend to be a legitimate company to
buy advertising space in a targeted community. For example, an Iranian organization could
buy advertising space in the Los Angeles Times or a newspaper in a community with a large
population of dissident Iranians. It could then use much more sophisticated exploits that are
harder for antivirus software to defeat, or offer items like free ‘Iranian MP3s’ or ‘movies’,
which may also contain malware that would be able to install backdoors in some of the
targeted users.

For organizations undertaking intelligence and information operations, this is a very

cheap and effective way to target a specific group with low consequences and a high level
of obfuscation or lack of attribution. As such, greater attention needs to be paid to how
advertising agencies not only disseminate adverts, but also what they allow and how they
monitor their customers.

An intelligence agency could simply disguise such an effort as a criminal

operation or motivate a criminal group to perform these tasks by providing
them training and tools while collecting the information.

Implications
Security professionals: Consider raising awareness of such tactics to your staff and
review processes which allow advertising buyers to host their own adverts.
Policy makers: Consider social engineering vector and its policy implications.
Intelligence professionals: Consider black hat/white hat potential of such activity.

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Cracking as a Service
Article Overview
This article looks at a clear and emerging trend in the use of cloud computing for cracking
encryption.

Summary
• Raises awareness of the insecurity of WPA and WPA2
• Potential for the use of such platforms for unprecedented large-scale exploitation of
wireless systems, encryption keys, and security systems

Attacks on Secure Wireless Networks

Most security-conscious organizations recognize that wireless networks have major
potential security issues. They therefore take numerous measures to secure them, for
example network administrators will use Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA or WPA2)
protocol for securing their wireless networks. However, the recent trend towards attacks
on WPA coupled with the low cost for developing cheap supercomputer clusters has
created serious concerns for networks that rely only on wireless security protocols and
provided opportunities for savvy criminal organizations, oppositional groups, or even
security agencies to exploit wireless infrastructure.

The ‘Web Cracker’ WPA Cracking Service

Recently, ‘Moxie Marlinspike’, the alias of the IT security professional who has published
such tools as sslstrip, released a new ‘cloud’-based WPA cracking service ‘Web
Cracker’ that allows security professionals to use their 400 CPU Beowulf computing
cluster to rapidly crack WPA keys. The Web Cracker service allows users to upload their
network capture from a tool like Aircrack-NG, pay a fee from US$17–40, and have
their key cracked in as little as 20 minutes. While there have been a number of new
methods to exploit WPA, often considered a ‘secure’ Wi-Fi protocol, they all only shorten
the amount of time it takes to crack a WPA, which is often days on a standard desktop or
even longer for a laptop.

Indeed, many network administrators rely on the time-consuming process of brute force
decryption of WPA keys to deter wardrivers or other less committed attackers. What is
worse is that some network administrators hold the mistaken belief that WPA is secure from
any form of decryption attack, with the exception of a supercomputer, something they often
incorrectly assume no hacker has access to. As such, the Web Cracker service offers the
potential to greatly increase the ease of exploitation of wireless networks for malicious users
and potentially exposes all information and systems that use such networks.

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 Cracking as a Service

Recently, more security professionals and hackers have been developing

purpose-built hacking appliances using graphical processing units (GPUs).
These are inexpensive, can be run in parallel and already have software
developed that allows them to be used as cost-effective supercomputers.
For as little as US$10,000 for a GPU-based desktop supercomputer, and
some time spent configuring, setting up, and programming, a hacker could
create a system to crack WPA keys in minutes to hours.

Threat Overview
Web Cracker (and cheap home-built supercomputers) also increases the likelihood of large-
scale exploitation of wireless systems because individuals could easily survey an area with a
laptop or other device equipped with an 802.11 radio (potentially any smart phone) and collect
all the WPA keys in the area. These keys could then be uploaded to a WPA cracking cluster
like Web Cracker or purpose-built mini supercomputers for later mass exploitation. A highly
resourceful malcontent could even seed an area, such as an office, with a number of wireless
devices that could send back the WPA key using other methods of transport. Once the keys
are decrypted and delivered back to the devices they could unobtrusively act as Wi-Fi bugs,
collecting all information coming over access points in the building and then redirecting it.

For a few thousand dollars a sophisticated attacker could emplace such wireless bugs at key
access points and then, by combing it with something like Shodan (see the Entity X Daedalus
Special Report on the subject of the SHODAN search engine.), create a system to discover,
enumerate, and automate the large-scale exploitation of numerous targeted systems in near
real time. For example, a hacker could emplace Wi-Fi bugs around an office park and crack
the WPA encryption on its Wi-Fi access points. Then from there they could have a tool sniff
for all the HTTP headers coming out of poorly secured or configured devices such as web
cameras and potentially, in near real time, discover when a user opens their laptop, sets up
a video over Internet Protocol chat, and watch it in real time. Of course, all the methods
described here could also be used by law enforcement or security services.

While the Web Cracker service is potentially a great boon for IT security specialists
to demonstrate the insecurity of wireless protocols, it offers even more opportunities to
malicious users. While Entity-X in no way suggests that this is the intent of the Web
Cracker service, we believe that it demonstrates a clear trend in the increasing availability
and low cost of high-performance computing being used to crack security systems. We
therefore recommend that our readers reconsider their security policies, reduce or remove
the use of Wi-Fi systems, and use virtual private networks (VPNs) over their Wi-Fi access
points. Furthermore, all third-party Wi-Fi access points should be assumed to have been
exploited and users with sensitive information on their systems should never use Wi-Fi points
at coffee houses, hotels or other uncontrolled environments.

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 Cracking as a Service

Implications
Security professionals: Web Cracker is a potentially useful tool for IT security
professionals to test wireless network security. Network administrators or security
officers should consider banning the use of wireless access points. Educate users to not
use Wi-Fi access points for telecommuting even if they are using a VPN.
Policy makers: Consider social engineering vector and its policy implications.
Intelligence professionals: Consider black hat/white hat potential of such activity.

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UAV Video Feed Interception
by Insurgents
Article Overview
This article examines concerns about the exploitation of video and communications systems
for US UAVs, planes, and robotic platforms.

Summary
• While the issue of enemies listening or watching communications is serious, there is
no indication that systems are able to be hacked or were hacked in any way
• Increased awareness is likely good for the industry which needs to realize that it must
perform security audits by third-party experts for any platform that communicates
with any other system

Predator UAV ‘Hacked’

In December 2009 the Wall Street Journal reported the apparent hacking of Predator
UAV video feeds by insurgents. Although no UAVs were hacked and nor were any
insurgents shown to be able to control UAVs in any way, the story highlighted a known
design flaw in the Predator UAV and other military vehicles and platforms: the lack
of end-to-end security and encryption that not only exposes data and information to
interception by insurgents, but also could expose military communications to subversion
by sophisticated opponents. It also potentially offers a window of opportunity for
information operations against insurgents, with large-scale ramifications for the future of
warfare and trusted communications.

On December 17, 2009, The Wall Street Journal inaccurately reported in another story,
highlighting a known weakness of Predator video feeds: the lack of encryption between
the drone and soldiers on the ground. The video feed can be intercepted by anyone with
an antenna capable of receiving a signal and hardware that can decode it. In the case of
the insurgents, it appears they were using a simple satellite television antenna, a laptop
computer, and a software product called SkyGrabber that simply decodes the video
signal into formats that can be played on a computer or copied to DVD.

SkyGrabber appears to be the product of Russian developer Cherkashyn

Vyacheslav in Nab Podeba, Ukraine, and is one of several products of his.

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 UAV Video Feed Interception by Insurgents

It is not particularly surprising that Iraqi insurgents chose to use this method because in
the Middle East satellite TV is either expensive or restricted, therefore there are numerous
individuals with experience in finding alternative ways of accessing it, who can also provide
tools and training to those who wish to have similar expertise. In this case the insurgents
simply had to take advantage of this same expertise already in the region to intercept the
line-of-site video feeds from UAVs.

Therefore, the Wall Street Journal was not accurate in describing the tactic as ‘hacking’ since
neither the UAV nor the signal was hacked; it was intercepted in the clear. However, in
many ways this is worse because it demonstrates a complete lack of security and awareness of
oppositional capability, especially given the ease with which a signal can be intercepted.

Threat Overview
Intercepting UAVs and other military platforms’ line-of-site video feeds is relatively
simple. First, you need a satellite antenna to receive a signal. Typically this is a dish
antenna like those used for commercial satellite cable and internet services. Secondly,
you need a digital video broadcasting (DVB or DVB-S for satellite) PC card or USB
modem which is used to decode, or encode, the signal received from the satellite dish. The
DVB-S card or USB modem then needs to be connected to a computer which, running
software like SkyGrabber, can then be used to view, edit, or process the received signals
as needed. Once the user has all necessary components, they simply need to know what
frequency the target source is transmitting at so they can then pull the available signal.
Figure 2. provides an example of how an insurgent in an area where a UAV is operating
could gain access to a signal.

The laptop, DVB-S device, antenna, and software can all be purchased for a
combined cost of less than US$1,500. The components can be obtained for
even less through used electronics stores or retailers.

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 UAV Video Feed Interception by Insurgents

Figure 2. Most UAVs

communicate via satellite
(1). Video transferred
from a UAV (2) to the
1 SATELLITE satellite is generally, but
not always, secure. Due
2 PREDATOR (UAV) to its directional nature it
is hard to intercept, but
when ground forces (3)
attempt to communicate
directly with the UAV
anyone with an antenna
DISH ANTNNAE DVB-S LAPTOP
that operates on the same
frequency and is close
enough can intercept the
3 GROUND FORCES signal and then decode it
for viewing

Once the user is able to acquire a signal, they can use software to convert it into a variety of
video formats for distribution and viewing (see Figure 3.). As such, the ease of intercepting
the signal coupled with the simplicity of distributing videos over the internet offers serious
potential harm to the US military or other organizations using similar unencrypted line-
of-site video transmission. Not only can opponents gain real-time tactical information but
also, and perhaps more importantly, the video can be used for information operations and
propaganda purposes.

A more concerning capability is the near real-time interception and editing of line-of-site
video, which could be used to subtly corrupt or confuse legitimate users of the video feeds. It
is possible for an opponent to perform a man-in-the-middle attack of such signals by acting
as a proxy. The opponent, for example, could intercept the feed and start to relay it to a
legitimate user and then, at the right moment, inject a manufactured image. For instance, the
image could show a group of hostiles in a building setting up a portable missile launcher, and
this could then trigger preemptive firing from the legitimate user on the ‘ghost’ target. This
would be an effective method for insurgents, terrorists, and malcontents in general, to wage
successful information operations to create controversy with little to no risk to themselves. At
the same time these issues create opportunities for the Department of Defense (DoD) and other
organizations to perform their own information operations.

Such a system to intercept, spoof, and relay near real-time edited video
content would generally be outside the reach of insurgents. However, it
could be achieved by talented engineering students who have access to the
necessary equipment and software, which can be procured commercially
and via open source.

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 UAV Video Feed Interception by Insurgents

Figure 3. Image
showing a SkyGrabber
tutorial from a forum
explaining how to use
the application to
retrieve files

While the best method to deal with the current problem with unsecured video feeds is to
rapidly move to systems and methods that secure all communications end to end, this
is not likely to happen soon for a variety of reasons, few of which have to do with technology.
One method proposed by some at the United States Naval Institute is to inject exploits in
the video feeds being transmitted, which would allow the DoD to monitor who is intercepting
these feeds. While this is not necessarily a bad idea, it is very likely that the exploits would
be shortly discovered, reverse engineered, and then used to target both DoD assets and
commercial users for nefarious purposes. Indeed, sophisticated opponents could potentially
perform man-in-the-middle type attacks and inject their own malware targeting DoD devices,
which are also potentially exploitable and once again highlight the larger issue of end-to-end
information protection and assurance.

An alternate approach which presents itself is to perform a disinformation campaign on the

insurgents by performing near real-time edits to the video feeds coming from sensor platforms. It
is possible to delay the feeds for a few seconds and allow for the slight editing of important points
from a video (and Entity X staff have performed similar work in the past). For example, during
counter-terrorism operations, ground forces could use a UAV in the area to provide overhead
surveillance. The video feed could be subtly altered to remove the counter-terrorist team from the
video or potentially even create ghost images to make the terrorists believe the counter-terrorist
team is in another position. The ground forces could even see real and unaltered video though
a variety of software and routing mechanisms allowing for this potential exploit to be used as a
mechanism to sow uncertainty and doubt about all digital sensor feeds from US forces. Therefore,
this approach is far superior in both the short term and long term than an overtly aggressive
exploitation, as suggested by the USNI, in that it would not only allow for tactical surprise but also
offer long-term strategic potential as well as be a very effective mechanism for psychological and
information operations.

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 RUNNING HEADER

Regardless, the security issues that have come to the fore regarding unsecured direct line-
of-site video communications pose serious issues to active forces that potentially could
lead to a much greater issue of general information corruption and manipulation by
sophisticated state actors of US information systems.

Implications
Security professionals: Relying on obscurity versus a robust security chain is a
poor choice. Consider mechanisms beyond just standard encryption to certify the
trustworthiness of information in an enterprise. Educate stakeholders on the risks of
not doing security testing.
Policy makers: Publicly funded information systems need to be audited by
professional third-party security experts.
Intelligence professionals: Consider risks of relying on unencrypted sensor
platforms. Realize that even ‘secure’ video and audio systems can be monitored
and corrupted. Realize the opportunity in video and voice over IP monitoring and
spoofing.

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annex
Russia’s Military Performance in Georgia
Military Review November 2009 - December 2009 Russia’s Military Performance in
Georgia BYLINE: Bukkvoll, Tor. Tor Bukkvoll, Ph.D. Tor Bukkvoll is currently head of the
Russia program at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment. He was previously an
assistant professor at the Norwegian Military Academy. His research interests are in defense
and security politics, with a particular focus on Russia and Ukraine. He holds a Ph.D. from
Norwegian University of Science and Technology. SECTION: Pg. 57 Vol. 89 No. 6 ISSN:
0026-4148 LENGTH: 3821 words ABSTRACT According to U.S. military personnel who
trained the Georgians, one of the major reasons for the Russian victory was that the Georgian
forces trained at the tactical level, but underwent only limited reorganization and training at
the operational and strategic levels.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : Military Review )

Military investigates hacking of Seoul’s war operations plan

THE KOREA HERALD December 19, 2009 Saturday Military investigates hacking
of Seoul’s war operations plan BYLINE: Song Sang-ho LENGTH: 363 words Military
authorities are investigating the hacking of classified educational material on Korea-U.S.
combined war plan “OPLAN 5027,” a source said yesterday. The material was leaked late
last month when a military officer at the Combined Forces Command connected his USB
drive containing them to an unsecured computer. A China-based hacker accessed it via the
internet, the source said. “Educational material in the form of PowerPoint slides - designed
to brief military officials visiting the CFC - was leaked.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : T_AIWTKH )

Cyber spies can be anyone, anywhere and may have any motive
The Vancouver Sun (British Columbia) November 7, 2009 Saturday Final Edition Cyber
spies can be anyone, anywhere and may have any motive BYLINE: Wesley Wark, Special
to the Sun SECTION: ISSUES & IDEAS; Pg. C4 LENGTH: 904 words Not long after an
Italian inventor, Guglielmo Marconi, proved that messages could be sent through the air
over long distances by radio, modern espionage went airborne. The First World War was
just around the corner. Spy services were tasked to hunt out not just enemy agents but the
radio whispers of friends and foes, in a new form of intelligence gathering called SIGINT
(signals intelligence).
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : THE VANCOUVER SUN )

ALLEGED INTERNATIONAL HACKING RING CAUGHT IN

$9 MILLION FRAUD
Justice Department Documents and Publications November 10, 2009 ALLEGED
INTERNATIONAL HACKING RING CAUGHT IN $9 MILLION FRAUD SECTION:
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT PRESS RELEASES LENGTH: 1099 words TUESDAY,
NOVEMBER 10, 2009 (202) 514-2007 ALLEGED INTERNATIONAL HACKING RING

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 annex

CAUGHT IN $9 MILLION FRAUD Major Credit Card Processor Victimized in Elaborate Theft
of Account Numbers WASHINGTON - Sergei Tsurikov, 25, of Tallinn, Estonia; Viktor Pleshchuk,
28, of St. Petersburg, Russia; Oleg Covelin, 28, of Chisinau, Moldova; and a person known only
as “Hacker 3;” have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Atlanta, Ga., on charges of hacking
into a computer network operated by the Atlanta-based credit card processing company RBS
WorldPay, which is part of the Royal Bank of Scotland , announced Assistant Attorney General of
the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer; Acting U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates of the Northern
District of Georgia; and Special Agent-in-Charge Greg Jones of the Atlanta Field Office of the FBI.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : Justice Department Documents and Publications )

US must focus on protecting critical computer networks from cyber

attack, RAND study finds
Network Business Weekly November 2, 2009 RAND CORPORATION; US must focus
on protecting critical computer networks from cyber attack, RAND study finds SECTION:
EDITOR’S CHOICE; Pg. 11 LENGTH: 594 words Because it will be difficult to prevent cyber
attacks on critical civilian and military computer networks by threatening to punish attackers, the
United States must focus its efforts on defending these networks from cyber attack, according to
a new RAND Corporation study. The study finds that the United States and other nations that
rely on externally accessible computer networks -- such as ones used for electric power, telephone
service, banking, and military command and control -- as a foundation for their military and
economic power are subject to cyber attack. “Adversaries in future wars are likely to go after
each other’s information systems using computer hacking,” said Martin C. Libicki, the report’s
lead author and senior management scientist at RAND, a nonprofit research organization. “The
lessons from traditional warfare cannot be adapted to apply to attacks on computer networks.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : Network Business Weekly )

Friend speaks out in support of Josh Powell

Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City) December 19, 2009 Saturday Friend speaks out in
support of Josh Powell LENGTH: 545 words WEST VALLEY CITY ? As police continued
collecting and analyzing evidence Friday in the disappearance of Susan Powell, at least one
friend of her husband was speaking out in support of him. Wayne Hamberg says the media
shouldn’t convict Josh Powell despite circumstantial evidence and apparent distance growing
between Susan Powell’s family and her husband. “There is nobody being nice to him,”
Hamberg said. “Everyone is treating him like a Mark Hacking or Scott Peterson.” Hacking
was convicted of killing his wife, Lori Hacking, in Utah in 2004.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : DESERET MORNING NEWS )

Knockout Punch
Defense Technology International December 1, 2009 Knockout Punch BYLINE: David A.
Fulghum SECTION: Non-Kinetic Warfare; Pg. 38 Vol. 3 No. 11 LENGTH: 1463 words David
A. Fulghum?Washington The U.S. is moving rapidly in the development of next-generation
weapons for cyber-combat, electronic attack, network invasion, information operations and other
non-kinetic warfare. But so are others. Potential enemies and non-state foes are employing digital
weapons, while allied defenses against them lag. Organized crime, cyber-thieves, industrial spies
and specially trained military operators are creating network breaches faster than they can be

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 annex

repaired.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : Defense Technology International )

“CYBERSECURITY: HOW TO PROTECT OUR DIGITAL ASSETS”

States News Service November 2, 2009 Monday “CYBERSECURITY: HOW TO
PROTECT OUR DIGITAL ASSETS” BYLINE: States News Service LENGTH: 2554
words DATELINE: WASHINGTON The following information was released by U.S.
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Note: This is the text
of Senator Susan M. Collins prepared remarks for a speech, entitled, Cybersecurity: How to
Protect Our Digital Assets, delivered at noon today at the Homeland Security Policy Institute
at George Washington University. The Monday symposium on cyber deterrence is co-hosted
by the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA).
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : STATES NEWS SERVICE )

The Bright Side of $26 Drone Hacks

Washington Independent December 22, 2009 Tuesday 9:31 AM EST The Bright Side
of $26 Drone Hacks BYLINE: Spencer Ackerman LENGTH: 294 words Dec. 22, 2009
(Center for Independent Media delivered by Newstex) -- Speaking of cybersecurity, Naval
blogger Galrahn has a fascinating take on last weeks big Wall Street Journal story about
insurgents in Iraq using an off-the-shelf $26 hack to intercept video feeds from U.S.
unmanned aerial vehicles. Its actually an opportunity, he explains: From a cyber warfare
perspective, the short term solution to the UAV video issue is not to encrypt the data (which
is the long term solution), rather to use the unencrypted video stream to go after the cyber
insurgents “ with the specific intention of getting inside their network.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : Washington Independent )

Recent Air Force Law Review discusses Cyberlaw

The Montgomery Advertiser (Alabama) November 19, 2009 Thursday Recent Air Force Law
Review discusses Cyberlaw BYLINE: Carl Bergquist SECTION: DISPATCH ; Pg. NaN
LENGTH: 626 words Volume 64 of the Air Force Law Review is now available in hardcopy
and online. Published this year, it is sub-titled the “Cyberlaw Edition.” Largely the result of
a symposium held at the Judge Advocate General School at Maxwell Air Force Base, the
edition addresses many of the issues involving the cyber domain. “About a year ago, we held a
symposium here [Maxwell], and cyberlaw was discussed,” Capt.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : The Montgomery Advertiser (Alabama) )

The Cyberwar Plan

The National Journal November 14, 2009 The Cyberwar Plan BYLINE: Shane Harris
SECTION: COVER STORY LENGTH: 4740 words In May 2007, President Bush authorized
the National Security Agency, based at Fort Meade, Md., to launch a sophisticated attack on
an enemy thousands of miles away without firing a bullet or dropping a bomb. At the request of
his national intelligence director, Bush ordered an NSA cyberattack on the cellular phones and
computers that insurgents in Iraq were using to plan roadside bombings.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : NATIONAL JOURNAL )

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 annex

Digital Mysteries Surround Afghanistan Fight

Aerospace Daily & Defense Report November 5, 2009 Thursday Digital Mysteries Surround
Afghanistan Fight BYLINE: David A. Fulghum SECTION: News; Pg. 4 Vol. 232 No. 26
LENGTH: 545 words The Pentagon has systemic problems with operationalizing and even
understanding the effect on warfighting of non-kinetic and digital attack capabilities, even
when technology offers successful new weaponry. The U.S. has had a vision for the conduct of
irregular warfare for «an extremely long time,» says Maj. Gen. David Scott, Air Force director of
operational capability requirements and deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : AEROSPACE DAILY )

Microsoft COFEE, Some of the Most Illegal Software You Can Pirate
[Hacking]
Gizmodo November 7, 2009 Saturday 2:00 PM EST Microsoft COFEE, Some of the Most
Illegal Software You Can Pirate [Hacking] LENGTH: 118 words Nov. 7, 2009 (Gawker Media
delivered by Newstex) -- Apparently Microsoft ‘s (NASDAQ:MSFT) COFEE software that helps
law enforcement grab data from password protected or encrypted sources is leaking all over the
internet. So not only can you steal the software, but break the law by using it too. Yep, it’s all out
there on the internet, but if you use it to grab private data from someone else’s computer chances
are you’re in for a world of legal hurt.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : Gizmodo )

Alleged International Hacking Ring Caught in $9 Million Fraud

PR Newswire November 10, 2009 Tuesday 11:00 AM EST Alleged International Hacking
Ring Caught in $9 Million Fraud LENGTH: 1108 words DATELINE: WASHINGTON,
Nov. 10 Major Credit Card Processor Victimized in Elaborate Theft of Account Numbers
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sergei Tsurikov, 25, of Tallinn,
Estonia; Viktor Pleshchuk, 28, of St. Petersburg, Russia; Oleg Covelin, 28, of Chisinau,
Moldova; and a person known only as “Hacker 3;” have been indicted by a federal grand
jury in Atlanta, Ga., on charges of hacking into a computer network operated by the
Atlanta-based credit card processing company RBS WorldPay, which is part of the Royal
Bank of Scotland , announced Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny
A. Breuer; Acting U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates of the Northern District of Georgia;
and Special Agent-in-Charge Greg Jones of the Atlanta Field Office of the FBI.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : PR NEWSWIRE )

United States : There Probably Will Be an Electronic Pearl Harbor

TendersInfo December 7, 2009 Monday United States : There Probably Will Be an Electronic
Pearl Harbor BYLINE: prashant03 LENGTH: 430 words Microsoft denies blame for ‘black
screens of death’ Apple, Psystar strike deal in copyright case Restaurants sue vendors after
point-of-sale hack IE8 can’t stem bleeding of Microsoft ‘s browser market share Keep an eye on
temps, and other holiday season security tips for retailers Microsoft readying SP3 for Exchange
2007 CSO - For 15 years now, I have been publicly lambasting all of those people who have
made their careers, or at least made fleeting news headlines, based on their declaration of an
imminent Electronic Pearl Harbor.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : Tenders Info )

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CBS “60 minutes” interview with admiral Mike Mcconnell, former

director of national intelligence; subject: cyber war defense;
interviewer: Steve Kroft
Federal News Service November 8, 2009 Sunday CBS “60 MINUTES” INTERVIEW
WITH ADMIRAL MIKE MCCONNELL, FORMER DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE; SUBJECT: CYBER WAR DEFENSE; INTERVIEWER: STEVE
KROFT SECTION: PRESS CONFERENCE OR SPEECH LENGTH: 3345 words
CBS “60 MINUTES” INTERVIEW WITH ADMIRAL MIKE MCCONNELL,
FORMER DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SUBJECT: CYBER WAR
DEFENSE INTERVIEWER: STEVE KROFT TIME: 7:00 P.M. EST DATE: SUNDAY,
NOVEMBER 8, 2009 MR. KROFT: Nothing has ever changed the world as quickly
as the internet. Less than a decade ago, we went down to the Pentagon to do a story on
something called information warfare or cyber war as some people called it.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : FEDERAL NEWS SERVICE )

Twitter hackers appear to be Shiite group

CNN.com December 18, 2009 Friday 3:46 PM EST Twitter hackers appear to be Shiite
group SECTION: TECHNOLOGY LENGTH: 406 words The popular microblogging
site Twitter was hacked briefly by a group calling itself the Iranian Cyber Army, but the site
was quickly restored after the incident early Friday. Those who tried to access Twitter were
redirected to a site displaying a green flag and proclaiming, in English, “This site has been
hacked by Iranian Cyber Army.” The group’s Web address was provided.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : CNN )

CYBERSECURITY; COMMITTEE: SENATE JUDICIARY; SUBCOMMITTEE:

TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY
CQ Congressional Testimony November 17, 2009 Tuesday CYBERSECURITY;
COMMITTEE: SENATE JUDICIARY; SUBCOMMITTEE: TERRORISM AND
HOMELAND SECURITY SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY
LENGTH: 3647 words TESTIMONY-BY: LARRY M. WORTZEL, PH.D., VICE
CHAIRMAN AFFILIATION: U.S.-CHINA ECONOMIC AND SECURITY REVIEW
COMMISSION Statement of Larry M. Wortzel, Ph.D. Vice Chairman U.S.-China
Economic and Security Review Commission Committee on Senate Judiciary Subcommittee
on Terrorism and Homeland Security November 17, 2009 Chairman Cardin, Ranking
Member Kyl, thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify today on cyber threats,
security, preventing terrorist acts, and protecting the privacy of Americans.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : CQ Congressional Testimony )

Cybercrime verging on war -- McAfee report

UPI November 24, 2009 Tuesday 7:30 PM EST Cybercrime verging on war -- McAfee
report LENGTH: 885 words DATELINE: WASHINGTON, Nov. 24 Organized Internet-
based crime has reached such intensity and scale that the distinction between cybercrime and
cyberwar is being blurred, security giant McAfee said in its annual Virtual Criminology Report.
McAfee Inc., based in Santa Clara, Calif., is the world’s largest dedicated security technology

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company. The report’s findings come less than a month after the United States ran a nationwide
campaign to raise awareness of cybercrime risks among individuals and businesses. “Is the age of
cyberwar at hand?” McAfee asked in the report, citing evidence that countries hostile to industrial
democracies are involved in some of the more serious and sustained cybercrime.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : UPI )

Four Indicted In $9 Million RBS WorldPay Hack

TECHWEB November 11, 2009 Wednesday 11:50 AM GMT Four Indicted In $9 Million
RBS WorldPay Hack LENGTH: 492 words HIGHLIGHT: One of most sophisticated
computer hacking rings in the world has been broken, claims Acting U.S. Attorney Sally
Quillian Yates. Four men were indicted on Tuesday for allegedly hacking into Atlanta, Ga.-
based payment processor RBS WorldPay and stealing over $9 million from ATMs around
the globe. A federal grand jury returned indictments against Sergei Tsurikov, 25, of Tallinn,
Estonia; Viktor Pleshchuk, 28, of St.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : TechWeb )

IdentityTruth IDs New Trends in Identity Theft

Entertainment Close-Up November 4, 2009 Wednesday IdentityTruth IDs New Trends in
Identity Theft LENGTH: 644 words IdentityTruth, a provider of a new breed of services
to help consumers safeguard their privacy and identity, is issuing an alert to businesses and
consumers on new trends in identity theft. IdentityTruth’s statistics point to a continual year-
to-year increase in identity theft related crimes, indicating that as criminals get more savvy,
identity theft becomes easier to perpetrate. As more and more of our financial transactions
take place online, the company said, our laptops and desktops are loaded with incredibly
sensitive information - social security numbers, tax filings, banking passwords, credit card
numbers, medical records and more.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : Entertainment Close-up )

Phone-hacking scandal: why the PCC should have special powers

Guardian Unlimited November 9, 2009 Monday Phone-hacking scandal: why the PCC
should have special powers BYLINE: Roy Greensladeguardian.co.uk LENGTH: 451 words
I appear to be alone at The Guardian in not being surprised at the decision of the Press
Complaints Commission in its response to the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.
From the moment the commission announced that it would consider the new allegations, I
expected this result. I have only a little to add to the outrage of the editor, Alan Rusbridger -
crystal clear from his comments and in the leading article, - and .
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : Guardian.co.uk )

CERT pushes on network security

The Australian December 1, 2009 Tuesday 2 - All-round First Edition CERT pushes on
network security BYLINE: Karen Dearne SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 34 LENGTH: 865
words THE new computer emergency response team, CERT Australia, will expect internet
service providers to be more active in cleaning up infected computers operating on their
networks. Following the federal government’s e-security review last year, the Internet Industry
Association has been hammering out a voluntary ISP code of practice aimed at identifying

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botnet activity and alerting customers to security breaches.

Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : ABIX - Newspaper: The Australian )

U.S. President Selects Head of Cyber Security

Global Insight December 22, 2009 U.S. President Selects Head of Cyber Security
BYLINE: Seth Wallis-Jones SECTION: In Brief LENGTH: 269 words TheWashington
Postreports that U.S. President Barack Obama ‘s administration has announced the
national cyber security co-ordinator to be Howard Schmidt. Schmidt started as police
officer before becoming a pioneer in investigating computer crimes with the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He has worked as the vice-chair of the President’s Critical
Infrastructure Protection Board under former president George W. Bush and as the special
adviser for cyberspace security.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : GLOBAL INSIGHT )

War From Cyberspace

The National Interest November 2009-December 2009 War From Cyberspace BYLINE:
Richard Clarke LENGTH: 2595 words ON OCTOBER 1, just beyond the Beltway inside
Fort Meade, a four-star general became the first head of America’s new Cyber Command.
Subordinate to General Keith Alexander are the Tenth Fleet and the Twenty-Fourth
Air Force. The fleet has no ships, and the air-force unit has neither aircraft nor missiles.
Their weapons are ones and zeroes. Their battlefield is cyberspace. The mission of Cyber
Command is to protect the U.S. military’s networks and to be ready to launch offensive cyber
attacks on a potential enemy.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : The National Interest )

FBI says hackers targeting law firms, PR companies

Associated Press Online November 17, 2009 Tuesday 1:30 PM GMT FBI says hackers
targeting law firms, PR companies BYLINE: By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated
Press Writer SECTION: BUSINESS NEWS LENGTH: 611 words DATELINE:
WASHINGTON Hackers are increasingly targeting law firms and public relations
companies with a sophisticated e-mail scheme that breaks into their computer networks to
steal sensitive data, often linked to large corporate clients doing business overseas. The FBI
has issued an advisory that warns companies of “noticeable increases” in efforts to hack
into the law firms’ computer systems a trend that cyber experts say began as far back as two
years ago but has grown dramatically.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : ASSOCIATED PRESS ONLINE )

WEST COAST MAN CHARGED WITH DEVELOPING, DISTRIBUTING

CABLE NETWORK HACKING TOOLS
US Fed News November 3, 2009 Tuesday 10:43 AM EST WEST COAST MAN
CHARGED WITH DEVELOPING, DISTRIBUTING CABLE NETWORK
HACKING TOOLS LENGTH: 410 words BOSTON, Nov. 2 -- The U.S. Department of

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Justice’s Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Field Office issued the following press release:
Charges were unsealed in federal court against an Oregon man and the company he founded,
TCNISO, alleging that they developed and distributed products that allowed users to modify
their cable modems and obtain internet access without paying for it.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : US FED NEWS )

Hackers financed 26/11

The Pioneer (India) November 26, 2009 Thursday Hackers financed 26/11 LENGTH: 825
words DATELINE: India India, Nov. 26 -- Investigations into the activities of Italy-based
Madina Trading Company have revealed the role of the Pakistani diaspora in financing
terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Tayyeba. Funds for the fidayeenattack on multiple
targets in Mumbai a year ago came from Pakistanis in the West On June 12, 2009, US and
Italian investigators arrested some persons on the charge of stealing phone services from
phone companies around the world and using the illegal profits thus earned for funding
terrorism.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : The Pioneer (India) )

UAV hacking
Marine Corps Times December 28, 2009 Monday UAV hacking SECTION: SIT REP;
Pg. 3 LENGTH: 427 words Iraqi insurgents have been capturing the nonsecure, line-of-
sight communications signals from unmanned aerial vehicles such as the MQ-1 Predator
and MQ-9 Reaper since mid-2008, Defense officials have confirmed. Some military leaders
have downplayed the risks, but others say it’s giving insurgents an edge. As far back as 1996,
the military has known that outsiders can see these video feeds, which have been vital to
Marines and other ground troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : MARINE CORPS TIMES )

USA--Hacking of UAV data has been countered, pentagon says.

Periscope Daily Defense News Capsules December 18, 2009 USA--Hacking of UAV data
has been countered, pentagon says. LENGTH: 149 words AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE-
-The Pentagon is seeking to play down reportsof computer hacking of information from
U.S. drones. U.S. military officials say they long ago corrected a problem thatallowed Iraqi
insurgents to intercept Predator drone video feeds, Agence France-Presse reports. “This is
an old issue that’s been addressed,” said an unnamed defense official. Adm. Mike Mullen,
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did confirm that hackers had obtained data from
drones flying over Iraq.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : PERISCOPE DAILY DEFENSE NEWS CAPSULES )

Apple seeks new sheriff to lock up iPhones; iPhone smatphone

users worldwide embrace Blacksn0w to ‘free’ newest iPhones
Network World November 5, 2009 Apple seeks new sheriff to lock up iPhones; iPhone
smatphone users worldwide embrace Blacksn0w to ‘free’ newest iPhones BYLINE: John
Cox LENGTH: 727 words Just as a new hack, blacksn0w, promises to unlock iPhones with

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the latest Apple software from AT&T ‘s wireless network,Apple is looking for a sheriff to
lock the smartphones back up again, permanently. Motorola Droid vs. Apple iPhone 3GS:
finally, a contender? A job posting on Apple corporate Web site seeks a security manager
for the iPhone platform to lead a team focused on secure booting and installation of the
operating system, cryptographic services, partitioning and hardening its internal security
domains, and risk analysis of security threats.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : NETWORK WORLD )

TOP 5 EMERGING CYBER THREATS

Texas Banking November 2009 TOP 5 EMERGING CYBER THREATS BYLINE:
Horn, Russ SECTION: Pg. 8 Vol. 98 No. 11 ISSN: 0885-6907 LENGTH: 1879 words
ABSTRACT In August 2009, Israeli hacker Ehud Tenenbaum, aka “The Analyzer,” plead
guilty to a single count of bank card fraud for his role in a sophisticated computer-hacking
scheme that scored more than $10 million from US banks, some reportedly from Texas.
Similar attacks on US banks seem to occur more and more frequently. This increase in
attacks, coupled with economic strains that cause many banks to cut security budgets, have
many skeptics predicting 2010 could be a worse year for security breaches.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : Texas Banking )

THE NEW COLD WAR

Financial Express November 19, 2009 Thursday THE NEW COLD WAR LENGTH: 1147
words Cyberspace was once like Vegas. You were sure what you said or did in cyberspace,
stayed in cyberspace. Unfortunately, that is not the case of Internet today which has definitely
become the central nervous system for our networked life and India is no exception. Attacks on
the Internet first started as malicious mischief from internet-savvy teenagers who were in search
of some not-so-innocent fun, then moved to actual malicious activity, where criminals benefited
from stealing credit card numbers and identities.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : FINANCIAL EXPRESS )

British Hacker McKinnon Could Face Extradition Within Weeks 314825

EWeek.com November 27, 2009 Friday 12:28 PM EST British Hacker McKinnon Could
Face Extradition Within Weeks 314825 SECTION: SECURITY LENGTH: 275 words
HIGHLIGHT: Gary McKinnon, who is accused of hacking U.S. military and NASA
computers, experienced another setback in his bid to block extradition to the United States.
The British Home Secretary has decided not to get involved in McKinnon’s case, meaning
the hacker could be extradited in the coming weeks. The British home secretary has refused
to block Gary McKinnon’s extradition to the United States to face charges of hacking into
U.S. military computers.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : Eweek )

BATTLE-HARDENED SYSTEMS NEEDED FOR CYBER WARFARE

JANE’S DEFENCE WEEKLY November 25, 2009 Wednesday BATTLE-HARDENED
SYSTEMS NEEDED FOR CYBER WARFARE BYLINE: Daryl Cornelius SECTION:
Section 1; Column 1; Pg. 23 LENGTH: 74 words Daryl Cornelius commentary discusses
difficulty of securing against cyber attack on intranet citadel and exterior systems due

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to complexity of systems and human fallibility; calls for rigorous testing under simulated
real-life and extreme loads to ensure intranet remains fast and efficient under all loads
and circumstances; regards endpoint and perimeter security as weakest links, and
subtle manipulation of data and people as greatest threat LOAD-DATE: December 23,
2009 LANGUAGE: ENGLISH DOCUMENT-TYPE: EDITORIAL COLUMN
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Abstract JOURNAL-CODE: JDW Copyright 2009 The New York
Times Company All Rights Reserved Information Bank Abstracts
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : JANE’S DEFENCE WEEKLY )

China spying online, curbing market freedoms: U.S.

MarketWatch November 20, 2009 Friday 2:52 AM EST China spying online, curbing
market freedoms: U.S. BYLINE: MarketWatch SECTION: NEWS & COMMENTARY;
Economy and Politics LENGTH: 235 words HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- China has
increased its investment in cyber warfare capabilities in what amounts to a growing threat
to U.S. computer networks, according to a U.S. government report Thursday. The U.S.-
China Economic and Security Review Commission said in its annual report to Congress
that cyber “incidents” against U.S. government Web sites rose 20% in 2008 to 54,640,
and could likely rise another 60% this year. “Much of that activity appears to originate in
China,” the commission said.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : MARKETWATCH )

Iran to set up cyber police to counter web crimes

Xinhua General News Service November 12, 2009 Thursday 12:25 PM EST Iran to set up
cyber police to counter web crimes SECTION: WORLD NEWS; Political LENGTH: 183
words DATELINE: TEHRAN Nov. 12 Iran’s police chief Esmail Ahmadi- Moqaddam said
Thursday that the country’s police plan to set up a “cyber police” division to counter Internet
crimes, the English language satellite Press TV reported. The unit would be tasked with
monitoring organized cyber crimes, the report quoted Ahmadi-Moqaddam as saying. “With
regards to Internet crimes, the police force should increase its capabilities to counter such
violations,” he said.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : XINHUA )

Israeli army prepares for growing “cyber warfare threat”

BBC Monitoring Middle East - Political Supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring
December 18, 2009 Friday Israeli army prepares for growing “cyber warfare threat”
LENGTH: 506 words Text of report in English by privately-owned Israeli daily The
Jerusalem Post website on 18 December [Report by Ya’aqov Katz: “IDF Bolstering
Computer Defences in Face of Growing Cyber Threat”] In the face of a growing cyber
warfare threat, the IDF is beefing up its defences against enemy hackers. The IDF operates
a number of units - in Military Intelligence and the IDF’s Computer Services Directorate
- which are jointly responsible for defending the IDF as well as other intelligence agencies’
networks from foreign infiltration. “The threat is always growing and we always need to
be one step ahead,” a senior IDF officer said Wednesday. “There are attempts all the time

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to try and hack into our networks, and we are aware of our enemies’ capabilities.” On
Tuesday, head of Military Intelligence Maj-Gen Amos Yadlin warned of the growing cyber
warfare threat against Israel and around the world.
Date : 09/02/2010 ( Source : BBC MONITORING MIDDLE EAST - POLITICAL )

COURTS WASHINGTON INTERNET DAILY December 30, 2009

Wednesday
WASHINGTON INTERNET DAILY December 30, 2009 Wednesday COURTS
SECTION: COURTS LENGTH: 186 words Albert Gonzalez admitted to hacking into
payment card networks of Heartland Payment Systems, 7-Eleven and Hannaford Brothers,
pleading guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Boston to two counts of conspiracy to gain
unauthorized access to the networks, the Justice Department said. He previously pleaded
guilty to 19 counts of fraud and identity theft in a hacking case involving TJX (WID Sept 14
p5). Gonzalez’s plea agreements specify that attorneys for him and the government will seek
between 17 and 25 years in prison in the Heartland case and that his sentence in the TJX
case will run concurrently.
Date : 08/02/2010 ( Source : WASHINGTON INTERNET DAILY )

Stealthy and Subtle

Aviation Week & Space Technology November 9, 2009 Stealthy and Subtle BYLINE:
David A. Fulghum SECTION: Electronic Warfare; Pg. 76 Vol. 171 No. 17 LENGTH:
1621 words David A. Fulghum/Washington and Douglas Barrie/London The report card
is mixed regarding next-generation nonkinetic, or limited effects, weaponry developed by
the U.S. and its allies. Cyber-warfare turns on three critical aspects--attack, defense and
assessment. Information-technology industry officials say attack capabilities are receiving
attention and funding. Defenses against cyber-attack have begun attracting support because
of persistent adversaries who flourish in the Wild West atmosphere of the Russian and
Chinese cyber-worlds.
Date : 08/02/2010 ( Source : AVIATION WEEK )

US officials say they’ve broken up ATM hacking ring that allegedly

stole $9M in 12 hours
The Canadian Press(CP) November 10, 2009 Tuesday US officials say they’ve broken
up ATM hacking ring that allegedly stole $9M in 12 hours BYLINE: SHANNON
MCCAFFREY, CP SECTION: FOREIGN GENERAL NEWS LENGTH: 328 words
ATLANTA _ Federal authorities say they’ve cracked an international computer hacking
ring that stole more than $9 million within 12 hours last November, securing indictments
against eight people from Russia, Estonia and Moldova. The acting U.S. attorney for the
Northern District of Georgia said Tuesday that the ring hacked into payroll debit card
information of Royal Bank of Scotland Group in Atlanta.
Date : 08/02/2010 ( Source : THE CANADIAN PRESS )

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U.S. student in court accused of hacking into Sarah Palin’s email

account
Date : 08/02/2010 ( Source : Future News - Media Planner )

Fed: Cyber ‘arms race’ afoot: McAfee

AAP Newsfeed November 17, 2009 Tuesday 7:29 PM AEST Fed: Cyber ‘arms race’ afoot:
McAfee BYLINE: Peter Veness SECTION: DOMESTIC NEWS LENGTH: 326 words
DATELINE: CANBERRA Nov 17 The cyber-battlefield is heating up, with the US, China
and France leading a new era of IT warfare, a security provider reports. “There is little
disagreement that there are increasing numbers of cyber attacks that more closely resemble
political conflict than crime,” the report from McAfee says. “The US, Russia, France, Israel
and China are not only preparing their cyber-defences, they’re also preparing cyber-offences.
“We have also seen evidence that nations around the world are ramping up their capabilities
in cyber-space, in what some have referred to as a cyber arms race.” Attorney-General Robert
McClelland has previously admitted Australia has been the victim of attacks, although he
has never said whether the government was being hit by other nations, criminal groups or
individual hackers.
Date : 08/02/2010 ( Source : AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS AAP NEWSFEED )

Group not satisfied by RCMP investigation into hacking

The Daily Gleaner (New Brunswick) December 22, 2009 Tuesday Group not satisfied by
RCMP investigation into hacking BYLINE: HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN mclaughlin.
heather@dailygleaner.com SECTION: NEWS;NEWS; Pg. A5 LENGTH: 478 words
Nackawic resident Michael Wright says a group is dissatisfied with the outcome of an RCMP
investigation into a computer hacking incident involving two town employees. The residents
are exploring avenues to appeal an RCMP decision to close the investigation with no plans to
lay charges. District 7 RCMP announced two weeks ago no criminal charges would be filed.
Date : 08/02/2010 ( Source : The Daily Gleaner (New Brunswick) )

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