Latest security news updates from the week gone by

India and hardware makers at loggerheads over cyber security guidelines
The Indian Government wants all hardware manufacturers to include a mandatory brochure on cyber security. This stretches to all forms of hardware right from computers and mobile phones to modems and USB drives. However, the hardware companies are not too happy about this as this would cause a disruption to their supply chain logistic operations and also their packaging processes. For instance, in the specific case of a USB drive, this brochure would actually be bigger than the product itself.

Soon, cyber security will be taught in colleges and universities
A special taskforce on national security has recommended that cyber security be introduced as a formal subject in technical colleges and universities. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has now written to all under-graduate and post-graduate institutions to follow this protocol and implement cyber security as a teachable subject. This takes our efforts to strengthen cyber security processes a step further.

New wave of piracy – Android apps on BlackBerry devices
BlackBerry 10 is being touted as the savior of BlackBerry and RIM in the mobile world. However, stolen Android apps have been discovered in the existing BlackBerry App World. It seems someone downloaded the build of certain Android apps from Google Play and then offered them to BlackBerry users as his own. Apparently, BlackBerry 10 allows Android apps to work on BlackBerry devices but this would inadvertently mean that instances of Android app piracy will rise.

USB drive based malware hits US power plant
A power plant based in the United States was targeted through a malware infested USB drive. The malware entered the network and afflicted around 10 machines which led to a 3 week stop to operations. Interestingly, the afflicted machines did not have antivirus software due to operational reasons. When the USB drive was inserted into a machine with antivirus software for testing, 3 malware samples were detected immediately.

Anonymous starts 2013 by hacking the Mexican Department of Defense
At the start of 2013, Anonymous announced that the world should expect them. Ominously, they have now breached the website of the Department of Defense of the Mexican Government. The DDoS attack rendered the website unusable for a few hours and the online hacktivism legion left a message stating that Mexico is run by a “bad Government”.

Rahul Thadani