IT-Security-Links #47

Internet of things and botnets: According to Proofpoint more than 750 000 phishing and spam e-mails have been launched from so called “Thingbots” including televisions and a fridge. Really? Arstechnica did an analysis of the report and is skeptical. “In any case: it could happen, and sooner or later it will.” (Bruce Schneier)
Win32/Sefnit: Despite you are not using Tor maybe your computer does. This blogpost from Microsoft explains how the Tor client service, added by Sefnit, is posing a risk to millions of machines. What you’ll learn also: Microsoft has the ability to remotely remove programs en masse from people’s computers.
By exploiting bugs in Google Chrome, malicious sites can activate your microphone, and listen in on anything said around your computer.
NSA “Dishfire” program: The NSA collects and analyses millions of SMS text messages daily and extracts location, contacts and financial transactions – ‘The Guardian’ wrote.
Surveillance & Misuse: ‘Die Zeit’ did an interview with Morgan Marquis-Boire, Security Engineer at Google and researcher at the Citizen Lab of the University of Toronto.
DDoS: Who is commandeering your hosting center? DDoS attacks being launched against business web sites and networks often originate within web hosting centers.
EncFS: Taylor Hornby published a report of an EncFS security audit.
Windows Forensics is the topic of Packetpushers Healthy Paranoia Show 21 – surveillance-free and EFF-approved 😉