Ryan Naraine

Hacker Jon Lech Johansen (aka DVD Jon for anti-DRM exploits) has launched a new social media-type startup. The 24-year-old Norwegian, who became famous around the world for his work on DeCS-a utility that cracked the encryption on DVDs-has released a free application called DoubleTwist desktop that promises users the ability to share and sync video, […]

That networked multifunction printer sitting innocently in the corner of your office just might be the most significant entry point for hackers to hijack sensitive data from your business. Even worse, security researchers warn, they are a forgotten risk in every enterprise, featuring hardware that combines several functions in a single unit-fax, copier, printer and […]

Adobe’s security struggles have hit a new gear with three new bulletins warning about “critical” code injection and system takeover vulnerabilities in enterprise-facing products.On the heels of the recent disclosure hiccup surrounding Adobe Reader, the vendor Feb. 12 released patches for two critical issues affecting the Flash Media Server and the Adobe Connect Enterprise Server.A […]

Mozilla is inching closer to delivering the next major refresh of its flagship Firefox browser. Late this evening, the open-source group shipped Firefox 3 Beta 3, an update that features approximately 1,300 individual changes from the previous beta, including fixes for stability, performance, memory usage, platform enhancements and user interface improvements. The latest beta is […]

The 15 Most Influential People in Security Today The 15 Most Influential People in Security Today – 1. Tavis Ormandy, Google Security Team As goes Google, so goes Web 2.0 security. Tavis Ormandy, one of the most visible hackers/researchers on the Google Security Team, faces the unenviable responsibility of making sure all of Google’s products […]

Microsoft has issued 11 security bulletins with patches for 17 documented software flaws. But Windows IT administrators are raising alarm bells because Microsoft hasn’t issued a fix for a critical-and already exploited-Excel vulnerability. Microsoft originally planned to ship a dozen bulletins, but at the eleventh hour one of the “critical” advisories was yanked to address […]

If you subscribe to the main security mailing lists like Full Disclosure or Funsec, chances are you’re familiar with the name Dude VanWinkle. According to confirmed reports, the man behind that moniker (Justin Marcus Polazzo), passed away suddenly at his home on February 4, 2008. He was 31. At the time of his death, Polazzo […]

Out of the box, the highly touted Asus Eee PC ships with a known code-execution vulnerability that allows a hacker to remotely gain root over a network. According to a warning from RISE Security, the Linux-powered machine uses an old–and vulnerable–version of the Samba daemon for Windows file and print sharing. Using the Metasploit point-and-click […]

Published reports of an information leakage vulnerability affecting fully patched versions of the open-source Firefox browser have been greatly exaggerated, according to Mozilla chief evangelist Mike Shaver.Shaver’s sharp retort follows the release of an advisory by hacker Ronald van den Heetkamp claiming that the most recent Firefox 2.0.0.12 is susceptible to a bug that allows […]

The Mac OS X security train pulled into the patching station Feb. 11 with fixes for a total of 10 vulnerabilities, including one that was first disclosed more than a year ago during the Month of Apple Bugs project.The megapatch-available for both Tiger and Leopard users-covers holes that put Mac users at risk of code […]

Mozilla’s fast-growing Firefox browser has undergone a major security makeover to fix at least a dozen security flaws that put users at risk of identity theft, cross-site scripting and remote code execution attacks. The update, released late Feb. 7, provides cover for four vulnerabilities rated “critical” and three that carry a “high risk” severity warning.The […]

After a relatively light Patch Tuesday load in January, Windows administrators are bracing for a barrage of security updates from Microsoft.According to the software maker’s advance notice mechanism, there are 12 bulletins slated for release Feb. 12. Seven of the 12 will be rated “critical,” Microsoft’s highest severity rating.Four of the seven critical bulletins will […]