الملخص التقني 18-نوفمبر-2012: مشاكل ويندوز فون 8

New malware variant recognizes Windows 8, uses Google Docs as a proxy to phone home Symantec believes the threat has been updated by the malware author to include the Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 references, but doesn’t do anything specific for them (yet). This is no surprise: the two operating systems were released less than a month ago but of course they are already popular, and cybercriminals are acting fast. Yet the more interesting part is the Google Docs addition. Backdoor.Makadocs gathers information from the compromised computer (such as host name and OS type) and then receives and executes commands from a C&C server to do further damage. In order to do so, the malware authors have decided to leverage Google Docs to ensure crystal clear communications. As Google Docs becomes more and more popular, and as businesses continue to accept it and allow the service through their firewalls, this method is a clever move. The reason this works is because Google Docs includes a “viewer” function that retrieves resources of another URL and displays it, allowing the user to view a variety of file types in the browser. In violation of Google’s policies, Backdoor.Makadocs uses this function to access its C&C server, likely in the hopes of preventing the link to the C&C from being discovered since Google Docs encrypts its connection over HTTPS. http://thenextweb.com/google/2012/11/17/new-malware-variant-recognizes-windows-8-uses-google-docs-as-a-proxy-to-phone-home/ ------------------------ Anonymous takes sides in Gaza conflict, launches offensive against Israeli websites Hacker group Anonymous is claiming to have successfully knocked offline and in some cases erased a number of prominent Israeli websites. The comprehensive attack, dubbed operation "OpIsrael," comes in direct retaliation to threats from Israel's government that it may shutter internet access to and from Gaza as violence between its Israel Defence Force (IDF) and Hamas continues to escalate. "For far too long, Anonymous has stood by with the rest of the world and watched in despair the barbaric, brutal and despicable treatment of the Palestinian people in the so called 'Occupied Territories' by the Israel Defence Force," reads a statement from the group. "But when the government of Israel publicly threatened to sever all Internet and other telecommunications into and out of Gaza they crossed a line in the sand." A document publicly made available on Pastebin lists well over 600 URLs that the group has reportedly targeted, and The Verge can confirm that many of the specified sites are currently unavailable. Anonymous also claims to have deleted databases belonging to both Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bank of Jerusalem — the latter remains unreachable though the Ministry's site appears to be functioning normally. http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/17/3659410/anonymous-hacks-israel-websites ----------------------------- Qeexo's FingerSense lets touchscreens listen, makes any object an input device (video) While the humble touchscreen has become the standard interface for most smartphones, and capacitive displays make it a painless experience, the folk at start-up Qeexo think things could still be improved. It's developed a technology called FingerSense that could add even more functionality. Essentially, by using a small acoustic sensor, it measures the vibrations as objects tap the screen, and can tell the difference between them. So, for example, a knuckle tap could be used for "right-click." The tech is able to spot the difference between materials, too, so even when no finger is involved, it can register input, a great assistance to those with longer fingernails. The fun doesn't stop there, though, with the demo video after the break showing a Galaxy SIII with a modified display, able to register stylus input, even without official support for it. More input options can never be a bad thing, and if nothing else