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Shecky Tweets for 2011-06-07

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  • RT @netForensics: 64-bit versions of Windows under threat of new malware attack #Security #Win7 #Vista #64bit #
  • Notorious #rootkit gets self-propagation powers – #TDSS boasts new DHCP server #Security #Malware #
  • @thurrott Maybe not, but I bet they wind up overlapping. which one is more important is the question. in reply to thurrott #
  • Interesting review on #Google Music Beta http://zd.net/iNpzCK Nice to see that some people get the betas. Still waiting for mine. #GMB #
  • @SujaAndersen Virtualization and Security is a bit more than Cloud computing. Putting into the cloud has more security issues than just VMs. in reply to MRCheking #
  • RT @RSAConference: We’re hit with internet ads everyday – and a number of them could be malicious. http://fb.me/CzRxIgaM #
  • Palin Fans Deface Paul Revere Wiki Page: #
  • Every time #Apple comes up with new ideas, their closed system make me think they are worse than #Microsoft has ever been. #
  • Looks like #Apple has taken others ideas and rebranded them as their own with the #iCloud Isn't what they always accused #Microsoft of? #

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A new way to fight Malware, Sort Of

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We all know Social Engineering is the most commonly used way to spread malware. There seems to be a device that can help with that, as far as e-mails go. Its not a cheap form of protection though.

We all know that Social Engineering is the easiest way to spread malware. As P.T. Barnum said, “There’s a sucker born every minute,” and in the age of the Internet, it is even easier to get to those suckers. Pyramid Schemes, Malware, Phishing Attacks, all heavily rely on the mark being trusting. Anti-Malware, Firewalls, and security devices have always had a problem with this angle of attack.

Now a company called Cyveillance is touting a new appliance to help mitigate the Social Engineering front. Two problems though. First, like all first generation, innovative ideas, the cost is more than most people make in a year. Over $100,000 for the device alone, not including all the scan types, and extra protection licenses added on.

Second, it only scans e-mail. This is nice for those instances where it is e-mail that has a bad link, but a lot of the malware is coming through hijacked ads on websites. This device doesn’t take any of that into account.

More information is available here and here. Overall the idea of a device like this, or algorithms and heuristics that can defend on this front, and be reliable, is where we need to focus our defenses on. Hopefully, someone can go the next step on this. After all, we are only as secure as the weakest link in the chain.