Security Management Weekly - March 18, 2011

Learn more! ->     March 18, 2011     Corporate Security Sponsored By: "Renault's Swiss Connection" Industrial Espionage Case at French Automaker "Chinese Writers Accuse Baidu of Stealing" Copyright Infringement by Chinese Search Engine "Feds Raid Alleged Pirated Software Dealer's Everett Apartment" Washington State "Anonymous' Perplexing Leak of Bank of America Documents" "White House Wants New Copyright Law Crackdown " Homeland Security "Europe Seeks Transparency From U.S. on Anti-Terrorism Program" "Upheaval in Mideast Sets Back Terror War" "Report: Boost Airport Screening With 'Trusted Traveler' Lanes, Free Checked Bag" "National Guard Troops to Leave Border in June " "Mounties Obtain Warrants for Missing Winnipeg Boys in Anti-Terrorism Probe" Cyber Security "Spam Network Shut Down" "Twitter Adds Option to Always Use HTTPS" "Get SMART in Cyberspace: Protect Your Data" New Data Security System "'We Need to See Ahead'" Science and Technology Research and National Security "Open-Source Vulnerabilities Paint a Target on Android"             Renault's Swiss Connection Wall Street Journal (03/17/11) Moffett, Sebastian A lawyer for Dominique Gevrey, the Renault security agent who is being investigated for his role in the recent industrial-espionage case at the French automaker, said Wednesday that his client had put money from the company into a Swiss bank account in order to pay an informant. The attorney said that the money was not for Gevrey's personal use and was not the result of fraud. Prosecutors in France have said that the allegations of corporate espionage against the three Renault executives, who have been exonerated, may have been part of an attempt to defraud the company. Now that the three executives have been cleared of any wrongdoing, investigators are focusing on the money Renault spent during its internal investigation into the matter. Prosecutors said that Renault had paid out €300,000 to cover the expenses associated with the investigation, and had another €400,000 in bills that still need to be paid. Web Link | Return to Headlines Chinese Writers Accuse Baidu of Stealing AFP (03/16/2011) The search engine giant Baidu has been accused of infringing upon the copyrights of dozens of popular Chinese writers. A letter was posted on the web site of China Written Works Copyright Society, branding the company as a "thief." The writers claim the site allows users to download works from its online library for free, stealing their works, rights and property. While readers can purchase books from Baidu's online library, it also allows them to read, share and download the works for free. As of November the search engine had more than 10 million files, which accounted for more than 70 percent of China's file sharing market. The search engine "attaches great importance to intellectual property rights protection" and has deleted "tens of thousands of infringing items" that were uploaded by web users, said Baidu spokesman Kaiser Kuo. Kuo said that if authors report a case of infringement, the search engine will remove the file within 48 hours. The site has a disclaimer stating that users who upload material have the responsibility for copyright disputes or compensation. The writers do not agree, claiming the company takes advantage of uploads to "enhance its own influence, boost its stock price and increase its profits." In February, the U.S. Trade Representative's Office said Baidu was the world's largest online marketplaces for pirated goods and uses "deep linking" searches to enable illegal sharing. Web Link | Return to Headlines Feds Raid Alleged Pirated Software Dealer's Everett Apartment Seattle Post-Intelligencer (WA) (03/16/11) Pulkkinen, Levi Acting on a tip from Microsoft, Federal investigators with a Homeland Security Department task force raided the home of an Everett, Wash., man thought to be selling counterfeit Microsoft software on March 8. The man allegedly sold counterfeit copies of different Microsoft programs on Craigslist after importing the pirated copies from China, according to investigators. Microsoft corporate security alerted authorities in October that the man was selling the fake software, claiming they purchased several items from the man before determining they were illegal copies. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agent stated that customs officers seized a package for the man on October 18. This prompted Microsoft to send the man a letter, warning him to cease distribution of the software. The ICE agent claims to have purchased two of the copies from the man, which proved to be fake. The raid produced 75 copies of Microsoft software and different electronics. The man is currently not in jail and has not been officially charged. Web Link | Return to Headlines Anonymous' Perplexing Leak of Bank of America Documents Wall Street Journal (03/15/11) Koons, Cynthia; Fitzpatrick, Dan Although Bank of America Corp. has been preparing for a release of internal documents by Wikileaks, it was another whistleblower group called "Anonymous" that targeted the company and posted its own set of documents. Anonymous has posted a series of e-mails between employees of Balboa Insurance, a division that Bank of America recently sold to QBE Insurance. Members of Anonymous have claimed that these e-mails represent "fraud" because the bank hid foreclosure errors from "federal auditors," but from the e-mails it is unclear what the alleged wrongdoing is. A former employee claims that these e-mails, dated from November 2010, are related to an error about whether certain homes that required flood insurance were located in a flood zone. Several former employees said that the bank removed files so that auditors would not be alerted to the mistake. While the bank did not deny the existence of the e-mails, it did deny any wrongdoing. Web Link | Return to Headlines White House Wants New Copyright Law Crackdown CNet (03/15/11) McCullagh, Declan The Obama administration on Tuesday released a 20-page white paper that outlined several proposed changes to the nation's copyright laws. Among the proposals in the paper, which was prepared by Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel, is for illegal streaming of content online to be made a felony in some circumstances. In addition, the paper calls for copyright and trademark infringement to be added to the list of crimes that law enforcement can investigate with wiretaps. The paper also calls for the Department of Homeland Security to inform copyright holders if it seizes hardware or software that can be used to bypass copy protection technology, and to provide samples of these devices and assist copyright holders in bringing civil lawsuits. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has said that it supports the proposals. Web Link | Return to Headlines Europe Seeks Transparency From U.S. on Anti-Terrorism Program New York Times (03/18/11) Kanter, James The European Commission on Thursday released a review of a U.S. counterterrorism program that aims to track the finances of terrorism suspects. Under the program, U.S. agencies can obtain access to European banking data held by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (Swift), a cooperative that routes trillions of dollars in transactions between a variety of financial institutions, brokerage houses, and stock exchanges. In its review, the Commission called on the U.S. to make the benefits of the program more transparent so that it would be supported by the public. In addition, the Commission said in its review that the U.S. should make other relevant aspects of the program known, such as how much data it will access through Swift. The Commission went on to call for the U.S. to provide more information about its justifications for requesting information from Swift and for those requests to be made in writing when possible so that European officials can evaluate them. Finally, the Commission recommended that the U.S. post more information on the Treasury Department's Web site about what types of information in Swift's database can be corrected, erased, or blocked. The U.S. has said that it will consider the Commission's recommendations. Web Link | Return to Headlines Upheaval in Mideast Sets Back Terror War Wall Street Journal (03/17/11) Barnes, Julian E.; Entous, Adam U.S. officials are expressing concern that the unrest that has swept the Middle East and North Africa over the last several months is hurting the nation's counterterrorism efforts. According to officials in both the U.S. and Europe, former Guantanamo detainees that have been sent back to Yemen have been subjected to little or no government surveillance since the unrest began in that country. Congressional aides say that is because Yemen's embattled president is so distracted by the protests that are taking place in his country that he has stopped using all of his counterterrorism forces against al-Qaida. In Libya, which a senior U.S. official said has been a vital partner in counterterrorism efforts, officials have lost track of two Guantanamo detainees who were sent to the country in 2006. Meanwhile, U.S. officials are worried that cooperation from security services in Egypt--which some say has been the country's most important counterterrorism partner over the past 10 years--will decline as the country's new leaders attempt to distance themselves from abuses committed by security forces in the past. Although the unrest in Egypt, Libya, and Yemen have had an impact on the intelligence partnerships those countries have with the U.S., the U.S. continues to receive regular intelligence updates from Saudi Arabia about al-Qaida militants operating in Yemen. Web Link | Return to Headlines Report: Boost Airport Screening With 'Trusted Traveler' Lanes, Free Checked Bag Seattle Post-Intelligencer (WA) (03/16/11) Cohen, Aubrey A report commissioned by the U.S. Travel Association recommends that the federal government enhance trusted traveler programs and require airlines to allow passengers to check one bag for free. According to recent research, travelers avoid between two and three trips per year because of security hassles. In order to reduce these figures, the report says a trusted traveler program should use biometrics to confirm identity, and allow them to avoid removing personal items, coats, and shoes. As for free baggage check, report authors say it will reduce the number of carry-on bags, which lead to longer wait times in passenger screening lines due to baggage congestion and increased alarms caused by passengers intentionally or unintentionally packing prohibited items in their carry-on bags. Other panel recommendations included transferring responsibility from airports to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for entire checkpoint areas, including security lines; using places travelers are likely to see when booking or preparing for a trip to improve awareness of security rules and regulations; and converting the TSA administrator post to a five-year position that would extend across presidential administrations. The panel added that the position should be filled by a non-partisan official with knowledge in both security and facilitation. Web Link | Return to Headlines National Guard Troops to Leave Border in June Arizona Republic (03/16/11) Kelly, Erin; Wagner, Dennis In his testimony before the House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday, Maj. Gen. Hugo Salazar, the adjutant general of the Arizona National Guard, said that the National Guard troops that were deployed along the U.S.-Mexico border last year will be withdrawn in mid-June as scheduled. The 1,200 Guard troops were deployed by President Obama as part of an effort to improve security along the border. According to Salazar, the mission has been a success because the troops have helped the Department of Homeland Security monitor the border and gather intelligence on international crime cartels that smuggle weapons and other contraband into the U.S. Homeland Security Department spokesman Matt Chandler agreed that the mission has been successful, saying that the presence of the National Guard troops has allowed more enforcement manpower and technology to be deployed to the border. But not everyone is ready to see the troops leave. Among them is Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and Pinal County, Ariz., Sheriff Paul Babeu, both of whom said that the withdrawal of the troops is a sign that the Obama administration is not willing to take the necessary steps to secure the border. Web Link | Return to Headlines Mounties Obtain Warrants for Missing Winnipeg Boys in Anti-Terrorism Probe Globe and Mail (CAN) (03/15/11) Freeze, Colin; McArthur, Greg The Royal Canadian Mounted Police on Monday obtained warrants for two men from Winnipeg who are wanted on terrorism charges. Among the terrorist suspects that the RCMP is looking for is Ferid Imam, a University of Manitoba student who is believed to have trained Najibullah Zazi and the other alleged al-Qaida terrorists who are thought to have been behind the 2009 plot to attack the New York City subway system. Counterterrorism authorities have been looking for Imam, who is thought to be hiding in the mountains of northwestern Pakistan, for several years now, though RCMP has made the manhunt official by obtaining warrants from a Winnipeg court. RCMP also obtained a warrant for Miawand Yar, who could face as much as 10 years in prison if he is convicted on charges of participating in a terrorist conspiracy. Authorities are also looking for another missing University of Manitoba student named Muhannad al-Farekh, though no charges have been brought against him. The suspects are not believed to have devised any terrorist plots to attack civilians, and are not thought to have had a direct role in the New York subway bombing plot. The case against Imam and Yar represents a test of Canada's Anti-Terrorism Act, which allows authorities to charge terrorism suspects who are believed to have committed acts of terrorism outside of Canada. This is the first time that the RCMP has charged someone with crimes that took place in an entirely different country besides Canada. Web Link | Return to Headlines Spam Network Shut Down Wall Street Journal (03/18/11) Wingfield, Nick Microsoft on March 16 took action to shut down the Rustock botnet, which was responsible for sending nearly half of the world's spam at the end of last year, according to the security firm Symantec. As part of its effort to shutdown Rustock, employees of Microsoft's digital crimes unit and U.S. marshals used a federal court order to seize computers within a number of Internet hosting facilities across the country that were being used by the botnet's operators to send instructions to more than 1 million infected computers. In addition, Microsoft worked with the companies that provide Internet access to the Internet hosing facilities that were raided in order to prevent communications with the Internet protocol addresses that were allegedly being used by Rustock. The efforts appeared to be successful, as Rustock was found to be no longer sending spam shortly after Microsoft's actions began. Web Link | Return to Headlines Twitter Adds Option to Always Use HTTPS CNet (03/16/11) Whitney, Lance Twitter has modified its security settings to offer an option to always enable Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, or HTTPS. Although the more secure setting has always been available, before Twitter users had to specifically visit https://twitter.com to utilize it. Now, the tighter security is a new option located on the Twitter settings page. The capability to use HTTPS is already the default option for Twitter's mobile iPhone app, according to a Twitter blog post, but not for Twitter's mobile site. To activate the tighter security when browsing the mobile version, users will still have to specify the address as https://mobile.twitter.com. Twitter also says that individuals who use a third-party mobile Twitter app will need to make sure it allows for HTTPS. Twitter says it intends in the future to set up HTTPS as the default option on its Web site so that users will not need to manually activate it. Web Link | Return to Headlines Get SMART in Cyberspace: Protect Your Data Newcastle University (03/15/11) Newcastle University researchers have developed SMART AM, a data security system that acts as an extra virtual gateway that other users must pass through if they want to use or share data relating to a specific individual. The system, developed by Newcastle researcher Maciej Machulak and professor Aad van Moorsel, was recently demonstrated as part of a national conference on threats and trust on the Internet. Machulak says that as more people store their data on the Web, it is important to provide a new way to secure their data while still allowing users to share it in a controlled manner. He says the next step will be to use SMART AM as a virtual gateway or barrier, protecting individuals’ data from unwanted viewing, such as global positioning system tracking via mobile phones. "With our system the user could control what types of services should 'see' them in cyberspace and which should not," Machulak says. Web Link | Return to Headlines 'We Need to See Ahead' MIT News (03/15/11) Dizikes, Peter U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary Janet Napolitano recently cited science and technology research as a crucial element of national security. She also laid out ways that the U.S. government would like to recruit skilled academic researchers for public service. "We need to see ahead, and we need scientists to help us do that," Napolitano said. She addressed a broad range of research areas where the government is planning additional investment, including materials science and information theory. Napolitano noted that the sheer volume of digital information that U.S. intelligence organizations must mine for meaning every day represents a big data problem. "We therefore can't overstate the need for software engineers and information systems engineers," she said. "We need communications and data-security experts. And we need that kind of talent working together to find new and faster ways to identify and separate relevant data from non-relevant data." Napolitano stressed that DHS and other federal agencies are renewing their efforts to support scholarly research that is pertinent to U.S. security objectives. DHS also is launching a cyberworkforce program that aims to hire 1,000 researchers and workers to manage its growing computer science and information technology requirements. Web Link | Return to Headlines Open-Source Vulnerabilities Paint a Target on Android Dark Reading (03/14/11) Lemos, Robert An attack on smartphones such as the recent DroidDream attack, in which 58 infected apps were uploaded from the Android Marketplace and downloaded by nearly 260,000 users, will likely happen again at some point in the future. One reason why additional attacks are likely is the fact that the openness of the Linux-based Android operating system means that a large number of hackers can attempt to find security flaws in the system. Cybercriminals have an incentive to find these security vulnerabilities, since exploiting them can open up certain functionalities on infected phones, including the ability to switch wireless providers. Compounding the problem is the fact that wireless carriers and smartphone manufacturers are usually slow to patch their phones, since the process of developing a patch and distributing it to users is typically long. However, it remains unclear how successful attacks against smartphones will be, given the fact that the devices have significant security controls in place. Both the iPhone and Google's Android operating system benefit from Linux's security controls and the use of some type sandboxing. In addition, experts say that the best way to access data from a smartphone is to steal the device, not infect it with malware. Web Link | Return to Headlines Abstracts Copyright © 2011 Information, Inc. Bethesda, MD   ASIS also offers a daily and a non-sponsored, special-content Professional Edition of Security Newsbriefs. Please click to see a sample or to contact us for more information. Unsubscribe | Change E-mail | Advertising Opportunities | Security Management Online | ASIS Online