[Novalug] [ncaug] Vast Chinese "Ghostnet" spying operation discovered

[Anthony Soucek]

I just read through the Cambridge paper on the "ghostnet" and the only
software mentioned specifically is Outlook Express.  So I don't see anything
that would disparage Linux here.  And as usual, the vector is a hyperlink in
an email or a .doc or a .pdf that gets clicked on by an end user.
In an all MS shop, I need like a Engarde linux server that users can VNC
into to check email in OWA on firefox.  though I suppose the weak link here
is that you would need LDAP integration on the Engarde Linux box since users
cant remember too many passwords and Exchange is still at risk.  Well,
eventually I suppose the economy will recover, and by then or MS
infrastructure will be so out of date, and Linux will be so polished that we
may just do a forklift upgrade.  oh yes, and massive trainging. and hire an
army of consultants. and my ship will come in. and I'll win the lottery...
but I digress.

On Sun, Apr 5, 2009 at 7:30 AM, Anthony Soucek <monkeywrenchit at gmail.com>wrote:

> I heard that there was a federal mandate, or at least suggestion to move to
> IPv6, and I think it has come and gone.  The Feds use IPv6 internally, but
> they have to nat to v4 to communicate with the ISPs.  working for a local
> government, I know we sure cant afford to replace our entire network
> infrastructure to go to IPv6.  There would have to be a huge lump of
> stimulus for that to happen, and I doubt it will.  Also, what would stop
> hackers from developing an IPv6 ghostnet?  No, I think it's just a classic
> arms race, but what the world needs is a monolithic platform (like windows)
> that is open source.  It needs to be monolithic so that has all the features
> and a huge patch and security crew, and open source so everyone can
> contribute to the security review and afford it.  But that probably wont
> happen in this wicked world.  Linux is probably the best bet.
>
> which begs the question, what are you runing for anti-spyware in linux if
> you think:
> "then that also means that Linux is probably in the mix, although the
> article is OS agnostic, given the Chinese rate of adoption of Linux  in lieu
> of {mostly pirated) instances of Microsoft OS's."?
>
> 2009/4/2 John B. Holmblad <jholmblad at aol.com>
>
>  All,
>>
>> fyi. As a followup to my earlier message on this thread, Today's WAMU
>> Dianne Rehm segment has a good panel discussion on US Cybersecurity. Here is
>> the url to the www page for the radio show:
>>
>>     http://wamu.org/programs/dr/09/04/02.php#24621
>>
>> I assume that a podcast of it will become available. Interestingly the
>> question of migrating to IPV6 was not discussed/proposed as a mitigant for
>> the problems we all face today. It occurs to me that our US Gov could give
>> IPV6 a needed shot in the arm by requiring that SmartGrid projects that
>> receive US funding and which will in any depend upon Internet based
>> communications must utilize IPV6 and not IPV4. IPv6 is by no means a panacea
>> but it is a step in the right direction for national cybersecurity.
>>
>>
>>   Best Regards,
>>
>>
>>
>> John Holmblad
>>
>>
>>
>> Televerage International
>>
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>>
>> Information security, telecommunications, and information technology
>> consulting
>>
>>
>>
>> (M) 703 407 2278
>>
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>>
>> primary email address:  jholmblad at aol.com
>>
>> backup email address:  jholmblad at verizon.net
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Bonnie Dalzell wrote:
>>
>> heard about this Ghostnet?
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/technology/29spy.html?_r=1
>>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>                         Bonnie Dalzell, MA
>> mail:5100 Hydes Rd PO Box 60, Hydes,MD,USA 21082-0060|EMAIL:bdalzell at qis.net
>>
>> freelance anatomist, vertebrate paleontologist, writer, illustrator, dog
>> breeder, computer nerd & iconoclast... Borzoi info at www.borzois.com.
>> Editor Net.Pet Online Animal Magazine  - http://www.netpetmagazine.com
>> HOME http://www.qis.net/~borzoi/ <http://www.qis.net/%7Eborzoi/>          BUSINESS http://www.batw.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
> --
> Anthony Soucek
>



-- 
Anthony Soucek
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