WireShark-Introduction: WireShark is an open source network packet capture, display and analysis tool that runs in many versions of Linux, UNIX, and Windows.  It can be used to achieve many positive outcomes, including: troubleshooting network problems, examining security problems, debug protocol implementations and learn internal details and functioning of network protocols.  It also can be used for nefarious purposes that breach the confidentiality of network data exchanges by observing the users as they interact with systems within intranets and across wide-area networks. Confidentiality breaches include: extracting usernames and passwords; identifying data stores, servers, services and applications, and determining how users access and use them directly and indirectly them through browser based screens, pages, applications and services.

WireShark-Using: This reading introduces how Wireshark works, including how to capture, view, filter, and analyze data packets exchanged over an IT network via a number of different computer, telephony, internet, and web data interchange protocols.

In The News: c|net Not in my house: Amazon’s unencrypted devices a sitting target, cybersecurity experts say: Amazon Fire tablet device latest OS5 upgrade removes device encryption for the product line. Encryption for data in transit and data stored in the cloud is still protected, but personal or sensitive data stored on the Fire tablet will no longer be encrypted with the latest update.   Amazon claims that their latest upgrade to the Fire’s OS removes features users did not take advantage of.  OS5 ships with new devices, and the OS upgrade removes encryption existing in prior OS’s running on users’ Fire tablet devices. Industry watchers suggest removal of encryption was implemented to speed the OS.

http://www.cnet.com/news/not-in-my-house-amazons-unencrypted-devices-a-sitting-target-cybersecurity-experts-say/

Question for class: Is there a way to control the Kali Linux font and screen resolution to make Wireshark more usable?

Readings:

Wireshark was developed in 2006 (originally called Ethereal as was developed by Gerald Combs back in 1998) and so far is the best free Open Source tool that is used for deep network data packet analysis, in which comprehensive information is extracted from captured network transmissions. Wireshark provides analysis of all 7 layers of the OSI model, which helps to troubleshoot network communications issues, discover security flaws, debug and learn network protocols. Wireshark is compatible with various OS flavors and customizable for development purposes.

Question to the Class: Would BurpSuite be a good fit as competitor for packet analysis of Layer 7 of OSI model?

In the News: Subgraph OS — Secure Linux Operating System for Non-Technical Users

Subgraph OS was designed from the ground-up to reduce the risks in endpoint systems so that individuals and organizations around the world can communicate, share, and collaborate without fear of surveillance or interference by sophisticated adversaries through network borne attacks.

Subgraph OS is designed to be difficult to attack. This is accomplished through system hardening and a proactive, ongoing focus on security and attack resistance. Subgraph OS also places emphasis on the integrity of installable software packages.

Special Features:

• Oz is a system for isolating programs so that if an attacker exploits an application security vulnerability, the rest of your machine and your network will remain largely unaffected.

• Mandatory Full Disk Encryption (FDE)

• Online Anonymity — Everything through Tor

• Advanced Proxy Setting

• System and Kernel Security

• Secure Mail Services

• Package Integrity

Read more @: http://thehackernews.com/2016/03/subgraph-secure-operating-system.html

Since there’s no assigned readings (according to the syllabus), I thought I would share this interesting article:  “Office puts chips under staff’s skin”.

Epicenter, a new hi-tech office block in Sweden, are trying a new approach on how they conduct business. The company is implementing an RFID chip about the size of grain of rice under employee’s hand. This allows the 700 employees to access doors, photocopiers, pay in the café all with a touch of a hand.

Even though this is a great idea to allow the convenience of the employee, but what about the actual radio frequency of that chip? How easy is to re-direct the frequency towards that chip or to interfere with other frequencies? It looks like chips will soon replace wearable technology, but how safe and secure are they? I will leave that to future studies…to be continued.

For more information, feel free to access it here.