Translated Article: Germany becomes the Federal Trojan Republic

Sanna/ July 12, 2021/ Security, Stories

Deutschland wird zur Bundestrojanerrepublik by Erich Moechel for fm4.ORF.at All 19 secret services now have a license to use malware. IT security vulnerabilities can therefore be kept open, preventive cyber attacks are the best defense – security expert Manuel Atug on the new German “cybersecurity strategy.” Since Friday, the “Law to Adapt the Constitutional Protection Law” has been in force in Germany. All 19 federal and state secret services are now allowed to use Trojan malware. Another law is already in the Federal Council, which authorizes the police authorities to use Trojans even before a criminal offense has occurred. German police and customs authorities have had a legal license to distribute such malware since 2017. At the same time, a new cybersecurity strategy is being worked out which, among other things, stipulates that newly discovered security

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2021 – The Year of the Supply Chain

René Pfeiffer/ July 8, 2021/ Conference

Logistics and supplies are the fuel that keeps modern society rolling. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that delivery of goods, medical supplies, and work place administration is a part of our daily lives. The container ship Ever Given blocking the Suez Canal serves as an illustration of how important these lifelines are. Even the digital world is based on supply chains. The computer you use receives updates regularly. Chances are high that you even have some data in online platforms (a.k.a. The Cloud™) somewhere. Thinking in terms of information security, these dependencies are a natural target for attackers. Swedish supermarket customers currently suffer from a digital attack on the US-American company Kaseya. The company develops software for managing IT infrastructure. The REvil malware hit them and disabled clients using the VSA remote managing software

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Reminder: DeepSec and DeepINTEL 2021 Call for Papers is still open!

René Pfeiffer/ July 6, 2021/ Conference

The year 2021 features some milestone anniversaries. Some of these anniversaries are tragedies. Others are milestones for change. A lot of them affect the world of information security. Technologies come and go, because more often than not we find better solutions. Implementations mature. Some don’t. So let’s take the anniversary of the RSA SecureID faux pas and combine it with the deleted tweet suggesting to replace TCP/IP with Something Based On Blockchain™. In order to grow and develop better applications, we should strife to improve how we approach the challenges of information security. Here is how we will do this. Read on. The DeepSec and DeepINTEL 2021 call for papers are still open. If you have in-depth content or have some observations to share, please submit your ideas! DeepSec is a 100% blockchain-free zone,

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Communiqué de Presse: Les Environnements de Bureau Modernes : Une Faille dans la Sécurité – La Conférence DeepSec propose des Formations et des Tests pour des Applications Sécurisées

Sanna/ June 21, 2021/ Conference, Press

Qu’est-ce qu’une application bureautique moderne a en commun avec un oléoduc en panne ? L’environnement de bureau qui a conduit à la catastrophe. Les interfaces utilisateur graphiques pour l’exploitation des ordinateurs remontent à des recherches menées dans les années 1960 et 1970. À l’époque, on réfléchissait à la manière dont les ordinateurs pourraient aider au mieux les gens. À partir des années 1990, le bureau est devenu un champ de bataille pour la domination du marché. Cela n’a pas changé, mais on retrouve désormais également des aspects liés à la sécurité. Après tout, l’environnement de bureau est souvent la première étape que les pirates informatiques franchissent pour accéder aux trésors numériques d’une entreprise. La conférence annuelle DeepSec propose aux professionnels de la sécurité et aux développeurs un cours intensif de deux jours consacré à la

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Deadline for Scholarship Program extended until 31 July 2021

René Pfeiffer/ June 18, 2021/ Conference

Being curious is the first step of answering a question. DeepSec has a long history of pushing the results of research on a public stage. Information security is a branch of computer science. Therefore, the scientific approach is the best way to tackle digital security. Past conferences have featured presentations about the work of dedicated groups of curious people. Now it’s your turn to get some extra support for your project. We have extended the deadline for the DeepSec scholarship program until the end of July 2021. We felt that having some extra time is never a bad idea. So if you have an idea for a research project, please let us know. Drop us an email or a message in a bottle.

Press Release: Germany Stipulates Security Gaps by Law – DeepSec Conference Warns: Legal Anchoring of the State Trojans Destroys the Security of the Infrastructure.

Sanna/ June 18, 2021/ Conference, DeepIntel, Press

People on business trips are accustomed to take precautions against untrustworthy Internet access. Employees have been equipped with Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology in order to have secure access to company resources and internal systems. VPNs are also often used to circumvent the insecurity of the so-called last mile, i.e. the connection between your own computer and the actual systems on the Internet. The law, which was passed in the German Bundestag on June 10th, creates opportunities for the use of so-called State Trojans (term literally translated from the German Staatstrojaner, meaning a malicious piece of software provided and used by authorities). This institutionalizes security gaps so that state Trojans can be installed on end systems. The safe home office is a thing of the past. Comprehensive surveillance through digital intrusions The alterations to

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Communiqué de Presse: Menaces Actuelles sur les Réseaux Mobiles – La Conférence DeepSec sur la Sécurité propose une Formation à L’utilisation des Technologies Mobiles Actuelles

Sanna/ June 14, 2021/ Conference, Press

En 40 ans, la technologie des communications mobiles a connu un véritable essor. La disponibilité, la stabilité et les débits de données ont considérablement augmenté par rapport aux origines des réseaux 1G/2G. En revanche, la recherche sur la sécurité dans ce domaine n’a pas connu un succès comparable. Il existe encore des faiblesses et des lacunes en matière de sécurité de l’information. En 2007, la première conférence DeepSec a exposé les faiblesses du chiffrement A5. La conférence de cette année proposera donc à nouveau un atelier de deux jours sur la sécurité des technologies actuelles de communication mobile. La base de la société de communication De nombreuses commodités de la vie moderne seraient inconcevables sans les réseaux mobiles. L’Internet est presque toujours à notre disposition. La communication est également très facile en dehors des

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Communiqué de Presse: Attaques « low-tech »: Infrastructures Critiques mal Sécurisées – Les Attaques contre Colonial Pipeline reposaient sur des outils d’accès standard

Sanna/ June 7, 2021/ Conference, Press

En mai, l’entreprise américaine Colonial Pipeline a été victime d’une attaque par ransomware. Après de tels événements, il y a toujours une demande en sécurité accrue et en nouvelles mesures. Pourtant, l’analyse de ces attaques révèle souvent des lacunes dans la sécurité de base. Il n’est souvent pas nécessaire d’utiliser des outils compliqués et sophistiqués pour cibler des infrastructures critiques. Les attaquants aiment utiliser des outils standards, disponibles partout, pour éviter d’être détectés. Ceci est rendu possible par une sécurité de base insuffisante. Un camouflage adapté Pour défendre ses propres systèmes et réseaux, il est nécessaire de connaître en profondeur les particularités de son infrastructure. Les groupes organisés qui ciblent les entreprises recherchent exactement ce qu’utilise la cible avant d’attaquer. Suite à cette phase de planification, ils utilisent seulement des outils que la victime

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Translated Article: EU-US Negotiations on Cloud Monitoring started

Sanna/ June 7, 2021/ Stories

Verhandlungen EU-USA zur Cloud-Überwachung gestartet by Erich Moechel for fm4.ORF.at The EU has quietly started negotiations on direct data access for European law enforcement officers to data from Whatsapp, YouTube, Zoom and Co with the USA. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for June. The EU Council of Ministers has started negotiations behind the scenes with the USA on “cross-border access to electronic evidence”, according to a Council document classified as “sensitive” that ORF.at has. The first round at diplomatic and official level was held on March 26th. The declared aim of the council is direct access to data in the clouds from WhatsApp, YouTube, or Zoom. The EU directive of the same name on transnational data access within the EU is currently stuck in the trialogue negotiations between the Commission, Council and Parliament. There

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Press Release: Modern Desktops as a Security Hole – DeepSec Conference offers Trainings and Tests for Secure Applications

Sanna/ June 1, 2021/ Press, Training

What do a modern office application and a fancy oil pipeline have in common? A desktop that led to disaster. Graphical interfaces for operating computers go back to research in the 1960s and 1970s. At that time people thought about how computers can best support people. By the 1990s at the latest, the desktop became a battleground for market dominance. That has stayed the same, only there are additional security aspects. After all, the desktop is often the first step from an attacker to a company’s digital treasures. The annual DeepSec conference offers security experts and developers a two-day crash course on desktop security. No attack without interaction Many successful attacks on companies or infrastructure depend on cooperation with the victims. Malware is executed using tricks and only then does it compromise the system.

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Press Release: Current Threats in Cellular Networks – DeepSec Security Conference offers Security Training in dealing with Current Cellular Technology

Sanna/ May 26, 2021/ Press, Training

In the past 40 years, cellular technology has achieved a veritable triumph. Availability, stability and data rates have increased significantly compared to the origins of 1G / 2G networks. The enthusiasm for security research in this area is not quite as enthusiastic. There are still weak points and tradeoffs in information security. At the first DeepSec conference in 2007, the weaknesses of A5 encryption were revealed. This year’s conference therefore again offers a two-day workshop on the security of current cellular technology. Basis of the communication society Many of the conveniences of modern life are inconceivable without cellular networks. The internet is almost always available. Communication is very easy even outside of cities, during leisure activities or when going for a walk, reception is of course required. The evolution of the technological generations up

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Press Release: Low-tech Attacks. Critical Infrastructure poorly secured – Attacks against Colonial Pipeline used Standard Access Tools

Sanna/ May 20, 2021/ Press, Training

In May, the operator of the US Colonial Pipeline was the victim of a ransomware attack. After such reports, calls for better security and additional measures are always loud. In fact, analyzes of these attacks often reveal deficiencies in basic security. Often it is not even necessary to use complicated and sophisticated tools to attack critical infrastructure. Attackers like to use standard tools that are available everywhere so as not to attract attention. The lack of basic security makes it possible. Custom camouflage When defending your own systems and networks, it is necessary to know exactly what the infrastructure is like. Organized groups that attack companies research exactly what is being used at the target before the attack. According to this planning phase, only tools are used that are plausible to the victim and

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Murder Board Blog Series: Chapter 4 – Trojan Horses or: State Hacking

Sanna/ May 17, 2021/ Internet, Security, Stories

Feeding Pigeons in the Park—Espionage Knowledge is power. Knowing nothing makes one envious when looking at the model of modern information societies. The natural application of networks that transport information is espionage. So the Internet early made acquaintance with it. The aspect of smuggling messages in and out of an area is obvious. It also involves breaking through security measures to gain access to protected information. Whereby large parts of our own information are much less protected than we would like or even be aware of. The e-mails mentioned above are always in plain text and therefore are visible to everyone. An unknown number of third parties read them on the way from sender to recipient and assess this information. And all the information we have in accounts on US platforms (photos, more or

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First DeepSec 2021 Trainings published

René Pfeiffer/ May 12, 2021/ Conference, Training

We dug through the submissions and selected trainings for the preliminary schedule. It’s just the trainings, and the intention is to give you some information for planning the rest of the year. We intend the trainings to be on site at the conference hotel. We will also explore ways to offer a virtual training or to attend the course virtually. The topics range from attacking modern desktop applications, in-depth network security (mobile networks and traffic analysis), penetration testing industrial control systems over to how to break and secure single-sign on systems. The entire collection of content aims to educate your IT department and your development team regarding the current state of affairs in companies with employees connected in home office. All technologies and tools are vital parts of the workplace. We included attacking industrial

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ROOTS 2021 – Call for Papers

René Pfeiffer/ May 10, 2021/ Conference

The Reversing and Offensive-oriented Trends Symposium, an academic workshop, is again co-located with the DeepSec conference in its fifth year. ROOTS solicits contributions that focus on theorems and root shells: In security, two things you absolutely cannot argue with. Security is hard to define. Most often, security is defined by its absence. For scientists, this is particularly unsatisfactory. A lack of definition increases the difficulty to find suitable quantitive and qualitative models. Even though the overall landscape is blurry at best; exploitation, reverse engineering, and offensive techniques have their place. ROOTS aims to explore this territory. The first European symposium of its kind, ROOTS aims to provide an industry-friendly academic platform to discuss trends in exploitation, reversing, offensive techniques, and effective protections. Submissions should provide novel attack forms, describe novel reversing techniques, or effective

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