Details of the largest breach of customer data are starting to come to light.
,----[ Quote ]
| "The people who started the breach opened up the back of those terminals and
| used USB drives to load software onto those terminals," says the source. In a
| March filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,TJX acknowledged
| finding "suspicious software" on its computer systems.
|
| The USB drives contained a utility program that let the intruder or intruders
| take control of these computer kiosks and turn them into remote terminals
| that connected into TJX's networks, according to the source. The firewalls on
| TJX's main network weren't set to defend against malicious traffic coming
| from the kiosks, the source says. Typically, the USB drives in the computer
| kiosks are used to plug in mice or printers. The kiosks "shouldn't have been
| on the corporate LAN, and the USB ports should have been disabled," the
| source says.
`----
http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=201400171
I know only one O/S that executes unknown and untrusted code when a devices
gets merely connected. One of those 'ease of use' features that go malicious
even on voting machines.
Related:
Update -- TJX Reveals Extent Of Hacker Damage
,----[ Quote ]
| In Wednesday's filing, TJX said for the first time that it first learned
| that there was suspicious software on its computer system on Dec. 18, 2006.
`----
http://www.forbes.com/2007/03/29/tjx-companies-fraud-markets-equity-cx_mk_0329markets35.html?partner=yahootix
http://tinyurl.com/38tyyq
Is Vista stupid (or is it me)?
,----[ Quote ]
| XP was smarter than this. So I ask again: Is Vista stupid or is it me?
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Orchant/?p=521
USB flash drive worm arrives
,----[ Quote ]
| The LiarVB-A worm hunts for removable drives such as floppy disks and
| USB memory sticks and then creates a hidden file called autorun.inf to
| ensure a copy of the worm is run the next time it is connected to a
| Windows PC.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=40454
Hackers debut malware loaded USB ruse
,----[ Quote ]
| Malware purveyors deliberately left USB sticks loaded with a Trojan
| in a London car park in a bid to trick users into getting infected.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/25/usb_malware/
Security Experts Warn of a Worm Creeping into PCs Via USB Ports
,----[ Quote ]
| Security Experts at MicroWorld Technologies has warned of increased
| occurrences of a Worm with Trojan potentials, which has been
| infecting Enterprise systems and home PCs for the past two weeks.
`----
http://www.spywarehunter.org/entry/security-experts-warn-of-a-worm-creeping-into-pcs-via-usb-ports/
Spyware infection prompts McDonalds MP3 recall
,----[ Quote ]
| Users who connected the McDonalds-branded MP3 player to their
| Windows PC were exposed to spyware code programmed to transmit
| their web passwords and other sensitive information to hackers.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10/16/mcd_spyware_mp3_recall/
Small Number of Video iPods Shipped With Windows Virus
,----[ Quote ]
| We recently discovered that a small number - less
| than 1% - of the Video iPods available for purchase
| after September 12, 2006, left our contract manufacturer
| carrying the Windows RavMonE.exe virus. This known
| virus affects only Windows computers...
`----
http://www.apple.com/support/windowsvirus/
Apple blames Windows for iPod virus
,----[ Quote ]
| "As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy
| against such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not
| catching it," they wrote.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/061017/1361931.html?.v=1
Analysis: Vista's Ready Boost is no match for RAM
,----[ Quote ]
| There's a new way to enhance your cache in Vista - simply plug in
| your Flash memory stick. But how much performance gain can you
| really expect? TG Daily ran an average PC through a benchmark
| parcours and discovered that the old rules still apply: There
| is no substitute for an adequate amount of system memory. Period.
`----
http://tomshardware.co.uk/2007/02/08/analysis_vista_ready_boost/
Windows ReadyBoost Doesn't Deliver
,----[ Quote ]
| I don't know if this is a problem with Vista or the drive, but it is
| annoying to have to check to see if it off and then turn it back on
| again. Sometimes the disk space is used after ReadyBoost is off,
| forcing me to format the flash drive again before turning it back on.
`----
http://www.omahablogger.com/2007/06/windows_readyboost_doesnt_deliver.htm
Vista, iTunes and ReadyBoost do not play well
,----[ Quote ]
| The only solution for the problem is to unplug your ReadyBoost drive, close
| and restart iTunes and then play back your video normally. I have
| replicated this no less than 30 times on my laptop with a ReadyBoost
| drive plugged in. Unplugging the drive never fails to fix the problem
| and plugging it in never fails to cause the problem.
`----
http://vista.blorge.com/2007/04/16/vista-itunes-and-readyboost-do-not-play-well/
Microsft Vista's ReadyBoost: Is worth the hype??
,----[ Quote ]
| The performance gain in second time 18seconds vs 5:30 seconds was
| due to SuperFetch technology which has nothing to do with ReadyBoost.
|
| Then Microsoft Word 2007 was loaded. Without ReadyBoost for first time
| took 5 seconds and with ReadyBoost took 26 seconds :-s.
|
| [...]
|
| Is ReadyBoost meant to work this way :-/ Is this a Flaw in Vista or like
| Microsoft is doing making Flaws as Features. Is this also a feature??
|
| The mystery continues....
`----
http://techreckoner.com/microsft-vistas-readyboost-is-worth-the-hype/
|
|
