Stop the Apple and Google contact tracing platform
Apple and Google released a joint specification that allows both iPhones and Android devices to do contact tracing on a global scale. Even though "privacy, transparency, and consent are of utmost importance", this is a game changing event that has grave consequences. We must stop Apple and Google in their tracks. Or…
Lies, damn lies, and front-end tracking
I’m here to warn you about the dangers of front-end user tracking. Not because Google is tracking you, but because it doesn’t track you quite well enough.
GoDaddy employees used in attacks on multiple cryptocurrency services
Fraudsters redirected email and web traffic destined for several cryptocurrency trading platforms over the past week. The attacks were facilitated by scams targeting employees at GoDaddy , the world’s largest domain name registrar, KrebsOnSecurity has learned.
Hunting for Malicious Packages on PyPI
I installed every package on PyPI to look for malicious content. This is what I found.
Guessing smart phone PINs by monitoring the accelerometer
“Practicality of Accelerometer Side Channels on Smartphones,” by Adam J. Aviv. Benjamin Sapp, Matt Blaze, and Jonathan M. Smith. Abstract: Modern smartphones are equipped with a plethora of sensors that enable a wide range of interactions, but some of these sensors can be employed as a side channel to surreptitiously…
Microsoft Edge (Chromium) – Elevation of Privilege to Potential RCE
With some luck and a couple of XSS bugs I was able to break the new Edge
Arduino FIDO2 Authenticator
Introducing URU Card: an open-source, wallet-sized FIDO2 BLE authenticator based on ESP32, ATECC508A, OLED screen, and MPR121 touch keyboard. Join the project and start building your own secure authenticator.
I accidentally built a spying app
A personal story about creating new products and their unintended consequences
On the Twitter Hack
Twitter was hacked this week. Not a few people’s Twitter accounts, but all of Twitter. Someone compromised the entire Twitter network, probably by stealing the log-in credentials of one of Twitter’s system administrators. Those are the people trusted to ensure that Twitter functions smoothly. The hacker used that…
Smartphone contact tracing has failed everywhere
Even the ‘successful’ contact tracing apps have fallen well below expectations, and incapable of discovering their effectiveness.
A Guide to Threat Modelling for Developers
Threat modeling is a risk based approach to cyber security requirements analysis.
How to Use Trend Micro's Rootkit Remover to Install a Rootkit
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not reflect the opinions or views of my employer. All research was conducted independently. For a recent project, I had to do research into methods rootkits are detected and the most effective measures to catch them when
Millions of email addresses leaking to advertising and analytics companies
Breaches have been found on websites including Wish.com, JetBlue.com, Quibi.com, WashingtonPost.com, NGPVan.com and numerous other…
Hiding messages in x86 binaries using semantic duals
This is a quick writeup of a steganographic tool that I threw together: steg86 . It uses a quirk of the x86 instruction encoding format to hide messages in pre-existing binaries with no size or performance overhead.
FreeDVDBoot – Hacking the Playstation 2 through its DVD player
I've previously discussed how the PlayStation 2 doesn't have any good entry-point software exploits for launching homebrew. You need to either purchase a memory card with an exploit pre-installed (or a memory card to USB adapter), a HDD expansion bay (not available to slim consoles), open up the console to block the…
Google allows G Suite administrators to monitor and audit user emails
Google allows Google Workspace administrators to monitor and audit users emails. An Administrator may use Google Vault, Content Compliance rules, Audit API or Email delegation to view and audit users emails. It is recommend for Google Workspace Administrators to consider their local laws before performing email…
Me on Covid-19 contact tracing apps
I was quoted in BuzzFeed: “My problem with contact tracing apps is that they have absolutely no value,” Bruce Schneier, a privacy expert and fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, told BuzzFeed News. “I’m not even talking about the privacy concerns, I mean the efficacy. Does…
Zero Trust Information
Zero Trust Networking is security with Internet assumptions; there is tremendous value if we apply the same approach to information.
How to decrypt WhatsApp end-to-end media files
At the center of the "Saudis hacked Bezos" story is a mysterious video file investigators couldn't decrypt, sent by Saudi Crown Prince MBS t...
A first look at Ghidra’s Debugger – Game Boy Advance Edition
Building Ghidra and reviewing the debugging features
Using a Yubikey as a touchless, magic unlock key for Linux
Yubikeys are great for security, but their benefits decrease somewhat when you leave them in your computer unattended. I also have login passwords that are way too long. How to solve these problems? Use a Yubikey to unlock your computer!
Zero Trust Networks
I am leery of jargon. I am as guilty of using it as the next engineer, but there comes a point where there are just too many precise, narrowly-understood terms polluting your vocabulary. The circle of people you can talk to shrinks until going to the store to buy milk feels like an exercise in speaking a foreign…