DoS Attack Reveals Widespread Vulnerabilities
By Anthony M. Freed, Director of Business Development, Infosec Island Network
Infosec Island has once again gained exclusive access to a video demonstration of the XerXeS DoS attack recently developed by the infamous patriot-hacker known only as The Jester. As noted in an analysis of DoS vulnerabilities by security consultant Michael Menefee, more than half of all the websites in the world use Apache, which means this exploit potentially poses a very serious problem should it ever be utilized by nefarious elements…
Exclusive Video of XerXeS DoS Attack Demo
By Anthony M. Freed, Director of Business Development, Infosec Island Network
Infosec Island has gained exclusive access to a video demonstration of the XerXeS DoS attack as it is unleashed on the Taliban website www.alemarah.info, and carried out by infamous patriot hacker The Jester (th3j35t3r). The video release follows an earlier announcement that The Jester has been working to improve and automate aspects of the attack method, which unlike a DDoS attack, requires only one low spec machine to implement…
Fatal System Error - Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid
By Richard Stiennon, Chief Research Analyst, IT-Harvest
It is hard to believe upon reading Menn’s account that the night before Barrett had excused himself from the rehearsal dinner to secretly pass off a key fob with a digital audio recorder that he had used to capture a day’s worth of conversation with one of the Prolexic partners to an FBI agent waiting around the corner in a dark sedan…
Vigilante Hacker Fans Have Eyes Wide Shut
By John-Patrick Skaar, Network Security Expert at Alcatel-Lucent
Everyday the news bombards us with security issues of minor or major magnitude. Currently, some of the hottest topics are the Chinese Google Hacking, Botnets, Online War between organized Crime Cartels, and Vigilante Hackers on a Jihad Crusade. Applauding hacking vigilantes like The Jester is just another road to hell paved with good intentions…
Top Cyber Defense Vendors to Watch in 2010
By Richard Stiennon, Chief Research Analyst, IT-Harvest
The security industry is poised for its biggest upheaval ever in 2010. While defense contractors move into the space (redubbed “cyber”), and the big players adjust their product portfolios by making strategic acquisitions and large IT vendors (HP) break into the space, there are many small companies offering innovative products and services. Here is a list of just a few that are on IT-Harvest’s rada…
Jester Unveils XerXeS Automated DoS Attack
By Anthony M. Freed, Director of Business Development, Infosec Island Network
Anti-jihadi hacker The Jester (th3j35t3r), continues his campaign against militant Islamic websites, and now reveals the development of an automated version of his DoS attack, which he calls the XerXeS project. While most of the conversations concerning Jester are regarding the ethics and lawlessness of his crusade, no one has addressed the fact that The Jester has developed an attack technique that could be employed against our own critical systems…
More Talks with Anti-Jihadi Hacker The Jester
By Anthony M. Freed, Director of Business Development, Infosec Island Network
Anti-jihadi hactivist The Jester (th3j35t3r), the self-proclaimed Nicest Hacker in the World, has returned for part two of our conversation concerning his campaign of intermittent disruption of militant pro-jihad websites. Part one, Q&A With anti-Jihadi Hacker The Jester, elicited both ire and accolades for the cyber-vigilante in nearly equal volume, revealing just how polarizing the issues surrounding ownership, permissions and access have become in this age of information.
Vigilante Hackers as Heroes, but at What Cost?
By John-Patrick Skaar, Network Security Expert at Alcatel-Lucent
In the online world where personal information in extremely large volumes is merchandise for organized crime, where law enforcement is more focused on building war-rooms and appointing cyber security tzars, and where everyone leaves a digital footprint, cyber vigilantes have become something like worshiped heroes…
China: Internet Freedom Is Culturally Relative
By Richard Stiennon, Chief Research Analyst, IT-Harvest
We have had a few weeks to absorb the implications of wide spread Chinese supported attacks against Google and thirty or so other organizations. The US Secretary of State made one of the most affirmative statements on Internet freedom yet articulated by a government. Various policy analysts have chimed in as well. Some thoughts on what they have said…
Q & A With Anti-Jihadi Hacker The Jester
By Anthony M. Freed, Director of Business Development, InfosecIsland.com
Recently we have witnessed the emergence of international hactivist and vigilante “The Jester” through his crusade against jihadi and militant Islamic networks, and some third party networks that contain evidence of having been infiltrated by rogue elements. Jester’s activities raise an important question: Where do cyber vigilantes fall on the infosec ethics spectrum?
