Robrief no. 1: Web-surfers should be aware of “clickjacking” attack in all browsers
From Macworld.com, a report about the dangers of “clickjacking” attack in all browsers.
Hansen’s research partner, Jeremiah Grossman, chief technology officer at WhiteHat Security Inc., explained how attackers could exploit clickjacking vulnerabilities.
“Think of any button on any Web site, internal or external, that you can get to appear between the browser walls,” Grossman said in an e-mail on Friday. “Wire transfers on banks, Digg buttons, CPC advertising banners, Netflix queue, etc. The list is virtually endless and these are relatively harmless examples. Next, consider that an attack can invisibly hover these buttons below the users’ mouse, so that when they click on something they visually see, they actually are clicking on something the attacker wants them to.”
Hansen seconded Grossman’s example with one of his own. “Say you have a home wireless router that you had authenticated prior to going to a [legitimate] Web site. “[The attacker] could place a tag under your mouse that frames in a single button an order to the router to, for example, delete all firewall rules. That would give them an advantage in an attack.”
Read it all. You all should be aware of this.
Robrief no. 2: The US a diminishing financial superpower?
I have been aware of a potential risk for a number of years that the United States of America may one day lose its financial superpower status, based on the latest financial turmoil within the US economy, all thanks to unchecked corporate greed and exploitation among the major financial institutions and giant lending companies in America. So, from FT.com, Peer Steinbrück, the German finance minister, blasted the US government for failing to stop the crisis in the first place by implementing stricter regulations, but, unfortunately, it’s too late and Steinbrück let it be known:
“The US will lose its status as the superpower of the world financial system. This world will become multipolar” with the emergence of stronger, better capitalised centres in Asia and Europe, Mr Steinbrück told the German parliament. “The world will never be the same again.”
His were the most outspoken comments by a senior European government figure since Wall Street fell into chaos two weeks ago.
He later told journalists: “When we look back 10 years from now, we will see 2008 as a fundamental rupture. I am not saying the dollar will lose its reserve currency status, but it will become relative.”
However, a large majority of American financial institutions, mainly banks, are not thoroughly affected by the crisis, since most of them do not engage in selling exotic products and risky assets, and riskier loans to those who cannot afford them long-term. Generally, many smaller banks remain unaffected and there’s no real risk of a bank run nationally. The problems steamed from the bigger Wall Street institutions and lending services that engaged in high-risk ventures, exotic/questionable assets, excessive short-sellings, riskier gambling with loans/credits and plain old greed.
Meanwhile, Washington Mutual just became JPMorganChase last night for only $1.9 billion and Seattle, Washington will see JPMC for the first time. See the acquisition history chart here, starting out from the Chemical Bank of New York in 1823. If JPMorganChase continues on its acquisition path with other banks in the future, it may become the largest bank in the world, potentially overtaking ICB of China, Bank of America, and HSBC of UK (see the world’s top largest banks).
Robrief no. 3: the first Presidential debate between Obama and McCain is tonight at 9 pm.
What I said above. Check it out. Theme is all about national security and foreign policy.
