Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity
    • Database

    Black Hat Confab to Spotlight Database Security

    By
    Ryan Naraine
    -
    July 26, 2005
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      LAS VEGAS—Rootkits. Zero-day exploits. Social engineering. Encryption cracking. Cryptography. File format fuzzing. Kernel exploitation.

      These are just some of the buzzwords making the rounds at the Black Hat USA 2005 security conference here, where some of the sharpest minds in the research community will congregate to share information on computer and Internet security threats.

      The powwow, organized by Black Hat Inc., promises 60 new security research presentations, 13 hacking tools, 15 new exploits, the first-ever example of exploit shellcode in Cisco IOS, and numerous debates on privacy, defense mechanisms and industry trends.

      When the briefings start on Wednesday, all eyes—and ears—will be on David Litchfields presentation on new zero-day vulnerabilities. Litchfield, a founder of Next Generation Security Software Ltd., is best known for his work on finding gaping security holes in Oracle Corp. database products, and his discussion is expected to shine the spotlight on a new range of unpatched vulnerabilities in several Internet-facing applications.

      At last years Black Hat, it was Litchfield who blew the lid off Oracles tardiness in patching highly critical Oracle database flaws. His research work prompted widespread criticism of Oracles response to known vulnerabilities and forced the company to implement a quarterly patching schedule.

      /zimages/4/28571.gifAnalyst Charles Garry says instead of racing to provide new features, database vendors should take the time to upgrade patch management tools. Click here to read more.

      Oracles security will again fall under the microscope this week. Alexander Kornbrust, founder and chief executive of German research outfit Red-Database-Security GmbH, is expected to demonstrate a simple way of cracking the encryption used by Oracle to secure its database products.

      Kornbrust, a former Oracle employee, told Ziff Davis Internet News that DBMS Crypto and DBMS Obfuscation, two encryption features that ship with Oracle database products, can be cracked to reveal sensitive corporate data.

      Kornbrust, who recently warned that Oracle had failed to patch several critical flaws that had been reported for more than 600 days, said malicious hackers can combine exploits for other known flaws to take complete control of an Oracle database.

      Michael Lynn, research analyst with Internet Security Systems Inc.s X-Force group, is also on the Black Hat schedule, putting Cisco Systems Inc.s IOS security architecture under the microscope. Lynn promises to demonstrate the first-ever example of exploit shellcode in the networking giants operating system.

      The growing threats from stealth rootkits will also be part of the discussions here, with representatives from eEye Digital Security on tap to showcase eEye BootRoot, a rootkit detection prototype. Independent researcher Sherri Sparks and Jamie Butler, the director of engineering at HBGary Inc., also plan to display “Shadow Walker,” technology that promises to raise the bar for rootkit detection.

      /zimages/4/28571.gifClick here to read how Microsoft plans to add rootkit detection into its anti-spyware application.

      “Black Hat is a very important show on the security calendar,” said Thor Larholm, senior security researcher at PivX Solutions LLC. “One of the most exciting things about Black Hat is that everything there is supposed to be new.”

      Black Hat typically requires each speaker to present new security research that has not yet been published, making it a must-attend event for computer security professionals, Larholm explained.

      The two-day event will also mark a comeback of sorts for Phil Zimmermann, the cryptographer who created PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) in the mid-1980s as a human rights project and later sold the encryption software to Network Associates Inc. in the late 1990s. Zimmermann declined to discuss his “next big project” ahead of his presentation on Thursday but told Ziff Davis Internet News he is looking for funding for a product in the sphere of communication and encryption.

      Also on the schedule: Rich Baich, CISO of Choicepoint Inc., will discuss the future of personal information; Dennis Bailey promises to defend national IDs; Ian Clarke and Oskar Sandberg will show how to save the free flow of digital information with private, searchable peer-to-peer theories; and Paul Vixie will discuss security issues around the Internets DNS (Domain Name System).

      /zimages/4/28571.gifCheck out eWEEK.coms for the latest security news, reviews and analysis. And for insights on security coverage around the Web, take a look at eWEEK.com Security Center Editor Larry Seltzers Weblog.

      Ryan Naraine

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×