2808, 2020

Press Release: Intensive Courses for crisis-proof Digitisation taking place in Vienna

Sanna/ August 28, 2020/ Conference, Press

DeepSec security conference focuses thematically in depth on critical dangers for IT. As is well known, the digital world never sleeps. The last few months have shown that society and the economy are more dependent than ever on globally networked technology. The worldwide spread of SARS-CoV-2 has given telecommunications an enormous boost. The home office, already known before, teleconferencing systems and internet applications had to stand in for physical meetings and enable the exchange of information. As the use of these technologies increased sharply, security problems were of course discovered. Zoom is a prominent example. However, only the tip of the iceberg was analysed. Many vulnerabilities are still waiting to be discovered around the world. Anyone who demands more digitisation is actually talking about information security. Precisely for this reason, the DeepSec Security Conference

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2207, 2020

Press Release: Digital Infrastructure should integrate Malware

Sanna/ July 22, 2020/ Conference, Press, Security

The German government wants to force Internet providers to install malicious software and intercept network traffic. Since the 1990s, there has been a constant struggle between authorities and security experts. One side wants to make digital infrastructure, especially data transport and communication, as secure as possible for business and society. The other side constantly strives for back doors to intercept data and correspondence. The fight for access to secure data transmissions, originally titled “Crypto Wars” is entering the next round. The German federal government has created a draft law that is intended to legally force Internet providers and companies with related activities to distribute malware and manipulate network traffic. In future, the installation of apps on smartphones or automatic software updates can compromise computer systems. This destroys the basis of digitalisation – with far-reaching

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1305, 2020

Communiqué de presse traduit: Les applis COVID-19 dévoilent leur logiciel pendant la crise

Sanna/ May 13, 2020/ Conference, Press, Training

En novembre, la conférence sur la sécurité DeepSec mettra en lumière la mascarade des logiciels. On dit souvent, « il y a forcément une appli pour ça ! ». Cette formule toute faite est souvent prise à la légère, même en dehors du secteur informatique. La crise actuelle du COVID-19 a de nouveau désigné le code informatique comme solution universelle aux problèmes qui ne sont pas strictement liés à la technologie de l’information. La numérisation générique semble être la réponse à tous nos problèmes. Bien sûr, le traitement des données peut aider. À condition toutefois de posséder des données réelles, vérifiables et recueillies soigneusement. C’est là qu’échouent de nombreux projets. Téléphones magiques à l’intelligence infinie La demande d’applis n’a fait qu’augmenter ces dernières années. Ces visions n’ont rien à envier aux idées créatives des

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0805, 2020

Translated Press Release: Covid-19 Apps show Software Development in Crisis

Sanna/ May 8, 2020/ Conference, Press, Training

In November, the DeepSec security conference will highlight the software masquerade. In everyday language there is the saying “There’s an app for that!”. The phrase is often used as a joke, even outside the IT industry. The current Covid-19 crisis has once again addressed computer code as a universal solution to problems that are not exclusively related to information technology. Generic digitization seems to be the answer to all problems. Of course, data processing can help. The prerequisite for this, however, is the existence of real data that has also been collected in a comprehensible and careful manner. This is exactly why many projects fail. Magical phones with infinite Intelligence The call for apps has been repeated again and again in recent years. The visions are in no way inferior to the creative ideas

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0509, 2019

DeepSec Press Release: Internet of Facts and Fear in the Name of IT Security – Bits, Bytes, Security and Geopolitics

Sanna/ September 5, 2019/ Conference, DeepIntel, Press, Schedule, Security, Security Intelligence

(Original press release was published on 29 August 2019 via pressetext.com) Nobody is an island. This statement is attributed to the English writer John Donne. The sentence became known in the 17th century. In the meantime, this has changed as a result of digitization. The modern version of the statement should read: There are no more islands. Increasing networking is reaching more and more areas of everyday life and society. So this year’s DeepSec In-Depth Security Conference wants to look soberly at the Internet of facts and fear from an information security perspective. Systems are currently less isolated and much more complex than the theory of information security technically allows. The DeepSec conference therefore dedicates its two days of conference and two days of training to current technologies and their vulnerabilities. At the same

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1007, 2019

Translated Article: Reporters Without Borders protest against planned Criminalization of Tor Servers

Sanna/ July 10, 2019/ Discussion, Press, Security

Reporter ohne Grenzen protestiert gegen geplante Kriminalisierung von Tor-Servern for netzpolitik.org by Markus Reuter [Note: netzpolitik.org is a German news portal covering the impact of a networked world on society and digital rights. They rely on donations and welcome your support. We translated this article for them, because we both like their work and use Tor on a daily basis.] With the new IT security law Interior Minister Horst Seehofer wants to criminalize the Tor network. That hurts the freedom of the press and the protection of sources. Opposition and Reporters Without Borders protest sharply against the plan. With the IT Security Act 2.0 the Federal Ministry of the Interior is planning to criminalize the operation of Tor servers. According to the draft, the person who “offers an internet-based service whose access and accessibility

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1610, 2018

Translated RadioFM4 Article: Hype about “Chinese Espionage Chips” stems from the Pentagon

Sanna/ October 16, 2018/ Discussion, High Entropy, Press, Security

[Editor’s note: This article was originally published on the web site of the FM4 radio channel of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation. We have translated the text in order to make the content accessible for our English-speaking audience, because the author raises some important questions.] In the FM4 fact check the sensational report by the business portal Bloomberg about manipulated hardware for cloud computing turns out to be almost completely fact-free. On Friday a long-awaited report from the Pentagon was released warning about electronics manufacturing in China. by Erich Moechel for fm4.orf.at In the US, the “Cyber Security Month” October has begun, related news come thick and fast. The documentary presented on Thursday about a Russian espionage attack that failed miserably was spectacular, but had already taken place in April. England, Holland and Canada have waited

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0910, 2018

Translated Press Release: Systemic Errors as Vulnerabilities – Backdoors and Trojan Horses

René Pfeiffer/ October 9, 2018/ Conference, Discussion, Press, Security

DeepSec and Privacy Week highlight consequences of backdoors in IT Vienna (pts009/09.10.2018/09:15) – Ever since the first messages were sent, people try to intercept them. Today, our modern communication society writes more small, digital notes than one can read along. Everything is protected with methods of mathematics – encryption is omnipresent on the Internet. The state of security technology is the so-called end-to-end encryption, where only the communication partners have access to the conversation content or messages. Third parties can not read along, regardless of the situation. The introduction of this technology has led to a battle between security researchers, privacy advocates and investigators. Kick down doors with Horses In end-to-end encryption the keys to the messages, as well as the content itself, remain on the terminal devices involved in the conversation. This is

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1209, 2018

Translated Press Release: Bug Bounty Programs – Vulnerabilities as a worthwhile Investment

René Pfeiffer/ September 12, 2018/ Conference, Press

DeepSec Conference offers trainings for security researchers Vienna (pts010 / 04.09.2018 / 08:30) – This year, in addition to lectures about the failing of security measures, the DeepSec In-Depth Security Conference will offer a workshop for finding vulnerabilities. Unfortunately the testing of software in the context of quality assurance is no longer sufficient in the modern, networked world. The prefix “Smart” does not change anything about existing weaknesses. The training is therefore aimed at professionals, already working in development, and at security experts, to specifically strengthen the development of safer products in industry and companies. Complex Technologies and their Susceptibility to Errors Not only since the birth of the Internet of Things modern products can’t manage without software. If you add networking and the high level of complexity of individual parts, this is a

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1109, 2018

Translated Press Release: Intelligence Agencies want to abolish Information Security

René Pfeiffer/ September 11, 2018/ Conference, Press

https://www.pressetext.com/news/deepsec-konferenz-veroeffentlicht-programm-fuer-2018.html DeepSec Conference criticizes the open Attack on secure End-to-End Encryption Vienna (pts014/21.08.2018/09:25) – Ever since security measures have been in existence, there have been discussions about their benefits and their strength. In digital communication, the topic of back doors keeps coming up. In the analog world high quality locks are desired to protect against theft. In the digital world this may now change. The Five Eyes (i.e. the intelligence services of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada) want to force all countries around the world to implement duplicate keys, thus to implement back doors, in their encrypted communication. For this purpose, at the end of August, a meeting of the Five Eyes Ministers of the Interior took place in Australia. This proposal has serious disadvantages for the economy

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0609, 2018

Translated Press Release: DeepSec Conference releases Schedule for 2018

René Pfeiffer/ September 6, 2018/ Conference, Press

Focusing on the Insecurity of Things and infrastructure Vienna (pts014 / 21.08.2018 / 09:25) – This year’s DeepSec In-Depth Security Conference will focus on the topic of Insecurity of Things (IoT) and components of everyday infrastructure. The ever-advancing networking opens up completely new ways for attackers – faster than developers and manufacturers can fix bugs. Instead of using secure design for products and code, machine learning and artificial intelligence are integrated – unfortunately, implemented using convenient statistics and the algorithm of the week from the daily menu of the development kit. The presentations at the DeepSec conference will therefore put the alleged technologies of the future to the test. Mobile networks, the Internet of Things, collaboration platforms in the cloud, customer relationship management systems and the human factor are in the cross-hairs. Smart is

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0311, 2016

DeepSec 2016: Social Engineering remains the most dangerous Threat to Companies – DeepSec offers a Workshop on the Defence of social Manipulation as part of IT

Sanna/ November 3, 2016/ Conference, Press, Schedule, Training

If you follow the news on information security, you see superlative after superlative. Millions of passwords were stolen. Hundreds of thousands of cameras suddenly became tools for blackmail. Countless data got copied unauthorized. Often, after a few paragraphs, your read about technical solutions that should put a stop to these burglaries. Therefore one forgets that nowadays hermetically locked doors can be easily opened just by a telephone call or an e-mail message. According to a publication of the British Federation of Small Businesses, almost 50% of attacks are social engineering attacks, which means attacks through social manipulation.Thus, investments in technical defense measures remain completely ineffective. Mere security awareness does not help anymore In the past approaches to defend against attacks on the weak spot human being have focused on awareness trainings. But in our

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1410, 2016

Smart Homes are the battlefield of the future – DeepSec Conference examines the Internet of Things

Sanna/ October 14, 2016/ Conference, Internet, Press, Security, Veranstaltung

The Internet of Things is knocking at your door. Many businesses and private individuals have already admitted IoT to their offices and homes, unfortunately often without knowing what they’ve let themselves in for. A naive belief in progress opens all gates, doors and windows to attackers. This is a serious matter. Therefore, DeepSec Conference will focus on this topic on the occasion of its 10th anniversary. The program includes lectures and workshops about the components of smart devices, smart houses and smart networks. Not all products come with a solid security concept. How to test if your devices function properly? What consequences has the total conversion to “smart”? How to proceed correctly to select appropriate systems? Hacked by your fridge Spectacular burglaries have always been the best material for screenplays. We know the scene

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0810, 2016

DeepSec2016 Talk: The (In)Security or Sad State of Online Newspapers – Ashar Javed

Sanna/ October 8, 2016/ Conference, Internet, Press

Web sites are simply, one might think. The client requests a page, the server sends it, the layout is applied, and your article appears. This is a heavy simplification. It worked like this back in 1994. Modern web sites are much more complex. And complexity attracts curious minds. Usually that’s what gets you into trouble. Now content management systems serve the web page of the 1990s with a lot of queries, executable code, and from different servers. The ever changing Top 10 list of mistakes from the Open Web Application Security Project can show you the tip of the iceberg. Ashar Javed took a closer look at online newspapers, and he found some scary stuff. The goal of his talk is to raise awareness about the (in)securities of online newspapers. Ashar Javed hopes that their

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1404, 2016

Thoughts on Lawful Malicious Software and its Impact on IT Infrastructure

Sanna/ April 14, 2016/ Interview, Press, Security

During the premiere of „A Good American“ we had a chat with journalists. Markus Sulzbacher of Der Standard wanted to know what the implication of the so-called Bundestrojaner (litterally federal trojan, the colloquial German term for the concept of inserting government malware in order to extract information from a suspect’s computer and telephone devices). The idea is to infect a computer system with malicious software that sits in the background and to siphon off the hard-to-get data connected to communication (i.e. messengers, Skype, emails, etc.). We have translated the interview from German to English for you. You can find the original on Der Standard web site. Der Standard 12.04.2016 “The federal Trojan is governmental malware” Police praise the software as a “wonder weapon against terror”. But for IT expert René Pfeiffer the planned introduction

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