This week in InfoSec reminisce about reporting the death of a media mogul Rant of the Week is government abuse that is less “ooh la la” and more “sacre bleu!” Billy Big Balls is about a reformed criminal Industry News brings us the latest and greatest security news stories from around the world And Tweet of the Week helps to make you feel better about yourself
This week in InfoSec (09:59)
With content liberated from the “Today in infosec” Twitter account and further afield
18th July 2011: LulzSec hacked the Sun newspaper's website, redirecting visitors to a hoax article claiming Rupert Murdoch died after ingesting palladium.
Hacked Sun site greatly exaggerates Murdoch's death
https://twitter.com/todayininfosec/status/1681469966527213568
14th July 2000: #Wireshark was released
Wireshark Is 25: The email that started it all and the lessons learned along the way
Rant of the Week (16:49)
French law enforcement may soon have far-reaching authority to snoop on alleged criminals. Lawmakers in France's National Assembly have passed a bill that lets police surveil suspects by remotely activating cameras, microphones and GPS location systems on phones and other devices. A judge will have to approve use of the powers, and the recently amended bill forbids use against journalists, lawyers and other "sensitive professions," according to Le Monde. The measure is also meant to limit use to serious cases, and only for a maximum of six months. Geolocation would be limited to crimes that are punishable by at least five years in prison.
An earlier version of the bill passed the Senate, but the amendment will require that legislative body's approval before it can become law.
Civil liberties advocates are alarmed. The digital rights group La Quadrature du Net previously pointed out the potential for abuse. As the bill isn't clear about what constitutes a serious crime, there are fears the French government might use this to target environmental activists and others who aren't grave threats. The organization also notes that worrying security policies have a habit of expanding to less serious crimes. Genetic registration was only used for sex offenders at first, La Quadrature says, but is now being used for most crimes.
Billy Big Balls of the Week (26:37)
OBITUARY Kevin David Mitnick
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/las-vegas-nv/kevin-mitnick-11371668
Kevin David Mitnick, 59, died peacefully on Sunday, July 16, 2023, after valiantly battling pancreatic cancer for more than a year. Kevin is survived by his beloved wife, Kimberley Mitnick, who remained by his side throughout their 14-month ordeal. Kimberley is pregnant with their first child. Kevin was ecstatic about this new chapter in his and Kimberley's life together, which has now been sadly cut short.
When his desire to push boundaries led him too far astray, he landed in juvenile detention and eventually served a couple of stints in prison. His time on the FBI's Most Wanted List was well documented in his New York Times bestselling book, The Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker, and his other titles: The Art of Deception, The Art of Intrusion, both co-authored with William Simon, and The Art of Invisibility with Robert Vamosi.
Kevin emerged from his final prison term, which he deemed a 'vacation,' in January 2000. He was a changed individual, and began constructing a new career, as a White Hat hacker and security consultant. He became a highly sought-after global public speaker, a writer, and established the successful Mitnick Security Consulting. In November 2011, he became the Chief Hacking Officer and part owner of security awareness training company KnowBe4, founded by close friend and business partner Stu Sjouwerman.
Industry News (36:23)
IT Security Pro Jailed for Attempted Extortion
Suspected Scareware Fraudster Arrested After Decade on the Run
NCA: Nation States Using Cybercrime Groups as Proxies
Scam Job Offers Target Uni Students
Industry Experts Urge CISA to Update Secure by Design Guidance
Biden-Harris Administration Unveils Smart Device Cyber Program
Estee Lauder Breached by Two Ransomware Groups
Old Roblox Data Leak Resurfaces, 4000 Users' Personal Information Exposed
Microsoft Strengthens Cloud Logging Against Nation-State Threats
Tweet of the Week (44:05)
https://twitter.com/mattjay/status/1681710314381770752
