August 05 2012
Story at-a-glance
- A massive data-mining virus named “Flame” has been detected in computers in the Middle East, particularly in Iran. It’s the first virus found with the added ability to spread wirelessly by attaching itself to Bluetooth-enabled devices. Once there, it can trace and steal information stored on those devices. The program also contains a “microbe” command that can activate any microphone within the device and record audio files
- The NSA is building a massive spy center in Bluffdale, Utah, which will intercept, decipher, analyze, and store vast amounts of the world’s communications—both foreign and domestic
- As of the first week of June, Google will warn you when it picks up activity on your computer account that looks suspiciously like state-sponsored monitoring of your computer activities
- To re-secure your account, Google recommends creating a unique password that includes a mix of capital letter, lowercase letters, punctuation marks and numbers; enable 2-step verification; and update your browser, operating system, plugins, and document editors Continued below.
Obama Planning Military Takeover In October, 2012. No National Election If Obama Has His Way!
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By Dr. Mercola
Big Brother is watching. No kidding. And the warning is coming from none other than Google, which says government spies may be spying on you. Some believe the Google announcement may be related to the recent discovery of the data-mining virus named "Flame." In a June 3 New York Times article, Andrew Kramer and Nicole Perlroth write1:
"When Eugene Kaspersky, the founder of Europe's largest antivirus company, discovered the Flame virus that is afflicting computers in Iran and the Middle East, he recognized it as a technologically sophisticated virus that only a government could create.
He also recognized that the virus, which he compares to the Stuxnet virus built by programmers employed by the United States and Israel, adds weight to his warnings of the grave dangers posed by governments that manufacture and release viruses on the internet.
"Cyberweapons are the most dangerous innovation of this century," he told a gathering of technology company executives… While the United States and Israel are using the weapons to slow the nuclear bomb-making abilities of Iran, they could also be used to disrupt power grids and financial systems or even wreak havoc with military defenses."
Mr. Kaspersky claims he was called in to investigate the new virus on behalf of the International Telecommunication Union, an agency of the United Nations. The virus was allegedly erasing files on computers belonging to the Iranian oil ministry.
What makes the Flame virus a major potential concern for common citizens of the world is the fact that it's the first virus found with the ability to spread wirelessly by attaching itself to Bluetooth-enabled devices.
Once there, it can not only trace and steal information stored on those devices; according to Kramer and Perlroth the program also contains a "microbe" command that can activate any microphone within the device, record whatever is going on at the time—presumably whether you're actually using the device or not—and transmit audio files back to the attacker. This, clearly, has huge privacy implications were it to be deployed against civilian populations.
New Revelations about the Links Between Flame and Stuxnet
While cybersecurity experts initially claimed there were no links between the earlier Stuxnet worm and the Flame virus, a recent article on The Verge now reports that the two are undoubtedly related2. Joshua Kopstein writes:
"[I]n examining an earlier version of Stuxnet, the lab's researchers now find that they were wrong: a previously overlooked module within the virus is now providing the "missing link" between the two pieces of malware. The module in question… matches very closely with a module used by an early version Flame. "It was actually so similar, that it made our automatic system classify it as Stuxnet," wrote Alexander Gostev… indicating that the module was likely the seed of both viruses. "We think it's actually possible to talk about a 'Flame' platform, and that this particular module was created based on its source code."
The new evidence suggests that Stuxnet and Flame are two sides of the same coin, with the former built for sabotage and the latter for surveillance. But researchers also say that the Flame platform pre-dated Stuxnet and its sister, Duqu, and was likely built in the Summer of 2008."
InformationWeek Security recently offered the following advice3:"… Microsoft has been working quickly to patch the certificate bug exploited by Flame. Notably, Microsoft released an update Friday [June 8] for Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2), which according to the release notes "strengthens the WSUS communication channels … [by] trusting only files that are issued by the Microsoft Update certification authority."
Microsoft is also set to issue an update Tuesday–as part of its monthly Patch Tuesday–that will further update all supported versions of Windows to block Flame. Security experts are recommending that all users install the update as soon as possible, since attackers will likely attempt to use the certificate vulnerability before it becomes widely patched. "Apply the certificate patch released a week ago today if you haven't done so already," said SANS Institute chief research officer Johannes B. Ullrich in a blog post. "This way, no patch signed by the bad certificate should be accepted tomorrow. Patch Tuesday is one of the best dates to launch such an attack, as you do expect patches anyway."
When installing the update, however, do so preferably only if using a trusted environment. "Avoid patches while 'on the road.' Apply them in your home [or] work network whenever possible," said Ullrich. "This doesn't eliminate the chance of a 'man in the middle' (MitM) attack, but it reduces the likelihood."
For users who must update while on the road, perhaps because they travel frequently, always use a VPN connection back to the corporate network, said Ullrich, since hotel networks can be malware and attack hotbeds. "Hotel networks and public hotspots frequently use badly configured HTTP proxies that can be compromised and many users expect bad SSL certificates–because of ongoing MitM attacks," he said."
Replies
If you have an electronic device, it is accessible world wide, for those with access. No virus must be installed. Every system windows, ios, linux, any program, has back door entry for those with access. This article is BS. If I had access, I could log into your computer, phone, ipad, as easily as I log in to an amazon account. Even if you were not online, even if you thought you didn’t have internet access at the time. Your device is still accessible. I could listen to anything happening within range, see through the camera of the device, etc… All levels of encryption can be read in real time, with access. This has been out there for a while. The word privacy is just a comfort word for your mind. It does not exist. That is why it is best to just do what you know to be right. Nothing is outside of God anyways.
Good advise,but if this is true can they(whoever),put things on your computer to frame you?
ROFL LMAO …… you couldnt get past a piece of paper with a sword.
I received this email from google yesterday with the title “suspicious sign in prevented” as soon as I read the headline of this article it kind of freaked me out a little bit….here is the exact email i received “Someone recently tried to use an application to sign in to your Google Account, cew8rc@gmail.com. We prevented the sign-in attempt in case this was a hijacker trying to access your account. Please review the details of the sign-in attempt:
Saturday, August 4, 2012 8:10:12 PM GMT
IP Address: …………… (mycingular.net)
Location: Fountainebleau, FL, USA
If you do not recognize this sign-in attempt, someone else might be trying to access your account. You should sign in to your account and reset your password immediately. Find out how at http://support.google.com/accounts?p=reset_pw
If this was you, and you want to give this application access to your account, complete the troubleshooting steps listed at http://support.google.com/mail?p=client_login
Sincerely,
The Google Accounts Team
@ YOU
QUOTE: “I could log into your computer, phone, ipad, as easily as I log in to an amazon account. Even if you were not online”
in your dreams chump.
your belief in the super sky fairy makes anything you say not credible in the least. idiot myth hugger