GCHQ has launched a Puzzle book to crack codes
GCHQ – UK’s Signal Intelligence and cyber security agency has launched puzzle book aims to crack codes. The book includes codes, puzzles and challenges created by code breakers. Nearly 600K people across the globe took part in this content. The book will be sale from 20 October at book retailer and online. All GCHQ earnings will be donated to Heads together – a campaign run for help of mental health challenge.
Blockchain.info suffered from cyber-attack but restored quickly
Blockchain.info – a Bitcoin wallet has been suffered from cyber-attack and Block Explorer service was down from last few hours. The website displayed a message about website down when users were trying to access the website. Around 8 million customers use this wallet service to monitor their transactions. Blockchain.info confirmed later that their DNS records were hijacked and now they have reinstated the website successfully.
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are involved in Data Sharing
As per ACLU revelation, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are involved in data sharing with social media surveillance startup named “Geofeedia”. This tool sells data to law enforcement agencies for surveillance purposes. Geofeedia pulls social media feeds from API and other access then this data become available for clients who can search by targeting keyword and location. Around 500 law enforcement and public safety agencies are taking benefit from this tool. Even, Denver police has also signed $30K annual deal with this social media monitoring startup.
Microsoft researchers developed NetCease- anti reconnaissance tool
Two security researchers from Microsoft have released an anti-reconnaissance tool named “NetCease” that detects reconnaissance attack done on network. Such type of attack takes place before any breach as attacker tries to explore the weak point or sensitive endpoints inside a network. NetCease is a PowerShell script that protects many types of network scans that a hacker would perform after network breach. NetCease change the registry key to unauthenticated so low privileged users cannot perform data query.
UK Police have purchased IMSI-catcher to snoop mobile communication
According to Bristol Cable report, UK police have purchased IMSI-catcher equipment that could be used for dragnet surveillance. It is used to intercept mobile phone traffic, calls, tracking movements of mobile phone users. An IMSI catcher performs like a man-in-the-middle attack, pretending to be a mobile tower between the mobile phone and service provider’s real tower. The UK police want to track suspicious mobile device and intercept its communication. IMSI-catcher can work in radar of around 8 km and cause threat to user’s privacy.
