Pegasus Spyware

[MikeAntonetti]

Zero Click access. No need to click on anything they’re already in(maybe, but you wouldn’t even know) Thinking about you CFR.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegasus_(spyware)

 

[C.J.]

Somewhere in Iran they are watching me laugh at fart videos through my cell phone camera.

 

[Mark Brown]

If someone somewhere wants to watch me fappin to videos of plus sized ladies, I say have at 'er and whatever floats your boat.

I presume I have no privacy and live accordingly. Every morning I wonder out onto my unwalled deck stark naked and soak in my hot tub. If someone is that curious or likes the show, by all means.

 

[MikeAntonetti]

Thanks s a scared emoji right?

 

[C.J.]

It is if you see Mark in the morning. I think for safety and security reasons I’m going to start ******* it with a gorilla mask on.

 

[MikeAntonetti]

Oh, it’s not just spying (video/audio) it’s able to get passwords and take over everything.

here’s where I heard it
https://www.upr.org/post/washington-post-reporter-how-pegasus-spyware-worked

 

[Commercial Floor Rep]

I'm on a mailing list for a site called ZDnet. I get daily security news (among other IT news) from them and it's interesting how fast new hacks, viruses, phishing schemes, zero-day exploits, and ransomware attacks come about.

This morning's news story offers a little hope though:

Ransomware: Here's how much victims have saved in ransom payments by using these free decryption tools | ZDNet

Glad to see that there are individuals and government agencies who are actively trying to put an end to this nonsense.

 

[Mark Brown]

There is no end Chuck, you know that. Its whack a mole with atomic bombs.

The key is that people are actively thwarting the threats. And that, as you say, is good news.

 

[C.J.]

The oil pipeline that got hacked in the South paid something like 4 million in ransom. You would think large corporations would be smart enough to be proactive and avoid that kind of stuff. Sad thing is that 4 million will just be passed off to consumers.

 

[Commercial Floor Rep]

Many people don't realize that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak started into the computer industry and were largely funded by their production of "Blue Boxes" back in the day. These were devices that were used to skirt the phone system and make long distance calls without incurring charges.

This stuff's been around as long as the systems themselves and it's pretty much a given that it always will be. The only thing you can do is make it as hard as possible for them to get at you. There are no full proof systems to stop any of this.

After my issue, as some extra safe guards to my own stupidity, I did install some additional anti-malware and security software. Interestingly, one of the things that it showed me was that some of the legit systems that I access through my browser were actually set so that they had control over and could turn my camera on and off. (I primarily work from a Microsoft Surface). I have my system set up now so that whenever anything activates my camera I get alerted.

Really though, so many of the breaches into security systems are occurring from weak spots in IoT (Internet of Things) devices that are hooked to companies networks. For example, a burglar alarm system that's connected to your computer network, door openers connected to a network, thermostats that can be accessed remotely, etc. As you may have seen Microsoft is having a hell of a time locking down this "Print Spooler" problem for networked printers. People are gaining access through networked printers and seizing whole systems. Once they are in then they can start installing back doors that can be hard to detect and shut down.

You can literally drive yourself crazy trying to keep up with it. Our state has some pretty substantial programs to cover the cost of tuition for anyone who wants to go to work in cyber security. It's a high dollar field and it's highly in demand. Who knows, maybe when I retire I'll go back to school and finish my degree in computers and become a cyber cop.

 

[Commercial Floor Rep]

The oil pipeline that got hacked in the South paid something like 4 million in ransom. You would think large corporations would be smart enough to be proactive and avoid that kind of stuff. Sad thing is that 4 million will just be passed off to consumers.

Yeah, and it wasn't even through a computer that they got in. It was through a monitoring device that had weak security set up on it. People don't want to make things too hard to get into so they set up passwords that are just asinine like 1234 or 0000 so that all their workers know how to get into a remote piece of equipment. And, even worse, they never change them even after people quit or are fired and so these people who may or may not have a bone to pick with their former employer can literally access stuff. Duh!!!! Computer systems will always be hackable as long as humans are allowed to administer them and I don't see that changing. The human element is the weakest link in the system.

 

[Commercial Floor Rep]

Not sure if anyone picked up on it, but several flooring manufacturers and distributors have been hit with ransomware in the past 3 years. Tarkett and Mannington have both had significant attacks. It took months for them to work through and resolve everything.

 

[C.J.]

That may qualify as an actual flooring emergency

 

[DarisMulkin]

they had control over and could turn my camera on and off.

Easy fix, put a piece of black tape over your camera and take it off only when you want to use it. I'm so smart I even surprise myself.

 

[MikeAntonetti]

Chuck , you have a lot on your plate, From Freeing Britney to Defending the Distributorship, Good Job!

 

[Commercial Floor Rep]

Easy fix, put a piece of black tape over your camera and take it off only when you want to use it. I'm so smart I even surprise myself.

It's not even that complicated. They can't see anything anyway because my surface sits with the keyboard closed (backwards) which blocks the backside camera underneath my monitor stand so the only thing they'd see from my front camer if they cared to would be the bottom of my monitor stand.

I use the camera so seldom (occassionally in a Zoom meeting) that I don't worry about it too much. I have a docking station that I connect a single plug into the Surface and It handles all my other connections...network, monitor, speakers, external drive, backup drive, etc. I have the exact same set up at home when I work from there. One plug and everything is the same - keyboard, monitor, mouse, speakers, etc.

Even if they got me while I had the camera facing me, they would only see the same sad photo that you see (my avatar). That was actually a capture from a Zoom meeting.

However, it should be noted that while I wear a shirt and a sweater vest quite a bit, I do not wear pants very often in the office. This keeps my co-workers at the cool wary distance that I prefer so that they don't coming running over to ask me questions every five minutes. I also occasionally take my dentures out and set them on my desk, just to add some additional level of concern for them.

Basically, they should have just left me continue to work from home but some people have to learn the hard way I guess.

Just me and my polo shirt, my boxers and my compression stockings sitting here typing away!! Now that ought to scare the hell out of anybody who wants to access my camera.

 

[Commercial Floor Rep]

Here's my view all day!