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Feb 28

Alternative OS on Xbox 360 is now possible

in Hardware, In the news, Quick Note and integrity. 0 Comments Printable version Printable version

According to a SecurityFocus advisory Xbox 360 using kernel version 4532 an 4548 are vulnerable to a privilege escalation. This vulnerabilty allows to run abitrary code on the Xbox 360. In other word it means that it is technically possible to install an alternative OS on the Xbox 360 that can access 360 hardware.
From the user perspectivre this mean that there might be possible to have a XMBC (Xbox Media Center) installed on vulnerable version.
It is probable that in few weeks (Days ?) an POC will be release. However we can’t say that Xbox360 is breaked t as only kernel 4532 and 4548 are vulnerable. Moreover people using live have already patch their Xbox.

Here is a partial copy of the advisory
“We have discovered a vulnerability in the Xbox 360 hypervisor that allows
privilege escalation into hypervisor mode. Together with a method to
inject data into non-privileged memory areas, this vulnerability allows
an attacker with physical access to an Xbox 360 to run arbitrary code
such as alternative operating systems with full privileges and full
hardware access.”

Feb 24

USB flash SnoopStick “The moral spyware”

in Confidentiality, Hardware and Quick Note. 0 Comments Printable version Printable version

sskey300I came across SnoopStick last week. According to their web site a Snoopstick is described as this :

“SnoopStick is a USB flash drive type device that allows you to monitor what your kids, employees, or anyone using your computer is doing while on the Internet.”

However it is not a hardware device just two software bundled on an cheap USB key. It as nothing to do with a hardware key logger or such. If the soft have been ship on a CD it have been the same (but it wouldn’t have been look as good I guess).

More over using these software is dangerous for sure and mostly illegal :

 

As Symantec said the server is a plain spyware: Snoopstick reports confidential information ranging from IM to web page to a third party namely Solid Oak Software. The client software connect to Solid Oak Software server and retrieve the information collected.

  1. It is illegal to spy on someone.
  2. You don’t know what the soft really reports. Nothing prove that the data you acess are the only one reported by the spyware
  3. You don’t know where the data are stored or who acess it.
  4. Data may even been eavesdrop as far as I know.

But what’s make this product so evil is that is try to justify the installation of spyware by moral reason. Moreover it ask you to pay for that. Trying to sell a spy ware as a moral software is disgusting. Fooling people to make them pay for a cheap USB key with spy ware in it is a pure and simple scam. The saddest part is that it has have positive feedback from parents.

Lastly the site said it is invisible well it is an other lie just look for the following keys in your registry:

# C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data{67E71F41-70D9-4823-8EC0-78BC232B5E7A}instance.dat
# C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data{67E71F41-70D9-4823-8EC0-78BC232B5E7A}mia.dll
# C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data{67E71F41-70D9-4823-8EC0-78BC232B5E7A}SnoopStick.dat
# C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data{67E71F41-70D9-4823-8EC0-78BC232B5E7A}SnoopStick.exe
# C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data{67E71F41-70D9-4823-8EC0-78BC232B5E7A}SnoopStick.msi
# C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data{67E71F41-70D9-4823-8EC0-78BC232B5E7A}SnoopStick.par
# C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data{67E71F41-70D9-4823-8EC0-78BC232B5E7A}SnoopStick.res
# C:WINDOWSInstaller[RANDOM NUMBER].msi
# %System%logsClientSSFileUpdater.txt

An other lie for a product that offers to do illegal action.

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