Network Hacking

Wrighter the Pessimist writes: "In this article on Yahoo, they report that computer hacking has become easier, partially because of devices that have built-in computers, like printers and playstations. However, it also lists a number of 'ordinary' (obsolete?) methods of 'hacking' - such as gaining physical access to a corporate computer, and social engineering. It would be interesting to see a study done on this, to see how many attacks are actually carried out from such devices." The article touches on the Dreamcast Attack mentioned the other day, but also some slightly less bulky approaches. Be on the lookout for dark-clad intruders slipping CD-Rs into machines at your workplace ...

Comments

Re:news?

[Kierthos]

Um, no. Hacking is not a crime. Cracking is a crime. The term 'hacking' has been misused by government "experts", reporters who can't learn the difference, and idiots since damn near the dawn of the age of the Internet. I put you in the last category.

Kierthos

Gee, hacking is dangerous

[epseps]

Better give security guys more cash.

All these "what if" scenarios and "theoretical" hacks, and very little in the way of real world demonstration.

Now Printers are vulnerable....but I didn't see or read about any demonstrations that showed how to determine what printer was on a network, how to get into that network and how to "own" a printer, and what could be done after the printer was compromised. Did anyone do an nmap -sS -O on an IP of a Lexmark 1200 to see what processor and OS came up?....doubtful. Anyone demonstrate how to connect and get a banner and prompt with netcat? (if they did, what would they do, print with only magenta or screw around with the queue?)

I'd worry more about the fact that they got on the network in the firt place than the fact that they could take over the printer.

And the CDROM attack...A Hacker could mail a CDROM and get it to install on a PC because some luser is curious? Yah, I suppose. Or the sysadmin could make accounts in NT and W2k that doesn't allow programs to be installed...hell, they don't even have to allow CDROM access.

Maybe they should testify before congress and claim that they can bring down the internet in 30 minutes from a HP Plotter, or that Osama Bin Laden will now mail CD's promising free "Click Art" to unsuspecting secretaries around the US with a thing for "Precious Moments" themes. Because Congress will shovel any amount of money to greedy bastards wearing a propeller beanie, and talking about things they know nothing about.

Ironic that these guys often start out by breaking into places, then demanding alot of money to protect the world from people like them, and then advocating jail time for future business competitors down the road.

Password Rememberers/Managers etc.

[t_allardyce]

I always thought it was ironic that the dumbest users (no offence) had to use a password-managing program to keep track of all their passwords. What they don't realise is that all (closed source) password-managing programs send the user's passwords back to the programs author. Either through a direct connection to some computer, or by emailing them to a hotmail account :) lol. These are the same kind of people that use Microsoft Outlook, or have no firewalls setup to block that kind of thing.. making it all the easier.