When Pigs Fly, Hackers Will Stop Cybercrime

Take a glance at the most discussed cybersecurity topics of the week.

The rebellion of Wi-Fi routers

The Register on November 8, 2018

Machines’ rebellion? Once again, a hundred thousand or even more home routers have turned into a spamming botnet due to a security issue.

The vulnerability was found in a Broadcom UPnP implementation, so a group of routers manufacturers, using this technology, was impacted. 116 device models of Billion, D-Link, Linksys, Technicolor, TP-Link, ZTE, Zyxel and other companies were identified as infected by the malware.

Actually, Broadcom UPnP flaw was discovered in 2013 but many devices, despite fixes being developed, remain unpatched because users haven’t’ updated firmware of their routers.

AI in hackers’ weapons arsenal

Computing on November 7, 2018

Artificial intelligence is the greatest force of the 21st century that may simplify our life and become an effective tool in cybersecurity. However, a coin has two sides.

Researches analyzed the opportunities AI provides for hackers and made some predictions about what attacks would look like if charged with AI and contextual awareness.

The scenarios are not so bright – autonomous malware, quietly sitting in an infected environment and observing normal business operations, the ability to hide malicious operations and make them disguised as legitimate, the development of “low-and-slow” crime that is barely could be detected.

Thus, advances in artificial intelligence will make it increasingly difficult to tell whether an attack is carried out by a human or a machine.

7 unexpected things vulnerable to cyber threats

Dark Reading on November 5, 2018

Sometimes cyber threats may come from the most common things that we tend to overlook. However, malefactors can take advantage of users’ carelessness. Here is the list of objects, vulnerable for non-computer hacks:

1. Printers / Multifunctional machines
2. Old fax machines
3. Video systems in conference rooms
4. Mailroom systems
5. HVAC systems
6. Reception areas
7. Security cameras and door badge access systems

In fact, the protection of these objects does not require specific complicated measures. The tips on how to secure them are in the main article.

Indian start-ups on the cybersecurity front

NDTV on November 3, 2018

Last year, India faced 53,000 cyber attacks, according to the data released by the government. This statistic is unsurprising as computers and smartphones become more complex, Internet penetration widens, making the digital world a vulnerable place.

Nevertheless, India is making a contribution to the fight against cybercrime. At a special meeting at the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) experts have said security agencies are now using face-recognition techniques developed by Indian start-ups to identify stone-throwers and rioters. According to the developers, it will allow to keep data within the phone system and avoid the leakage of information outside the country.

Strict or fair? Vietnam starts cybersecurity regulation

Reuters on November 2, 2018

Eventually, it is Vietnam’s turn to make steps toward cybersecurity regulation. The Government announced a draft decree on guidelines to implement cybersecurity law. The security ministry said that the law is meant to protect the country from thousands of cyber attacks, threatening economics, security, and social order.

According to the draft, firms providing a range of services, including email or social media, will have to set up offices in Vietnam if they collect or analyze data, let their users conduct anti-state actions or cyber attacks, and if they fail to remove content deemed anti-state, fake, slandering or inciting violence.

However, the technology companies, rights groups, and Western governments emphasized strong objections to new regulations, hoping that draft decree would soften requirements like setting up local offices and storing data locally.