Over the past few days there have been a number of reports in the mainstream media about targetted Information Warfare attacks against the Tibetan NGO community. These attacks are attempts by a third party (I wonder who that could be) to send malicious emails to various members of these communites. If these attacks succeed then the victim’s computer could end up with Keyloggers and other trojans that would allow the third party access to everything typed on the infected system and full control of the PC.
The Sans Internet Storm Centre has a good technical summary and another here, while other news agencies such as the Washington Post and the Register have more general information.
I urge all NGO’s to be aware of the dangers of having an insecure computer and policies.
Things you can do stay secure:
* Always update your software (Update Operating Systems and Applications), everything from Ubuntu updates, Windowsupdate to Adobe Reader updates and flash player updates. All your software needs to stay updated. Now if this means buying new licenses please consider the alternatives.
* Beware of opening attachments – are you expecting it if not use caution. Even if they appear to come from someone you know.
* Use strong passwords on all your systems and websites and try not to use the same password everywhere!
* Use virus scanning software and keep it updated (especially important if you use the Microsoft Windows Operating System
Sans Internet Storm Centre – Article 1
Sans Internet Storm Centre – Article 2
Peru are implementing One Laptop Per Child program that will distribute laptops to 260′000 school children. A pilot project involved 50 laptops being sent to a remote village. Read the article for a fascinating and surprising look into the results.
I wanted to know what the laptops had done for the kids. I told them I’m not a reporter, I don’t answer to the Ministry, and — an important disclaimer for an overpoliticized country like Peru — I don’t pander to bullshit politics. I wanted to hear if they thought the laptops were helping.
After looking at me blankly for a good half-minute, Mr. Navarro shot back with “evidentemente”, “obviously”, and palpably left off “you idiot” from the end of the sentence. I appreciated the small courtesy and asked a more specific question: what changed in the 8 months since the laptops arrived?
Astound in Arahuay
Due to restrictions with access to the internet in Cuba based around cost and control, the younger generation are passing around memory sticks containing the media they crave. An interesting article from the NYTimes.
HAVANA — A growing underground network of young people armed with computer memory sticks, digital cameras and clandestine Internet hookups has been mounting some challenges to the Cuban government in recent months, spreading news that the official state media try to suppress.
Last month, students at a prestigious computer science university videotaped an ugly confrontation they had with Ricardo Alarcón, the president of the National Assembly.
Mr. Alarcón seemed flummoxed when students grilled him on why they could not travel abroad, stay at hotels, earn better wages or use search engines like Google. The video spread like wildfire through Havana, passed from person to person, and seriously damaged Mr. Alarcón’s reputation in some circles.
Cyber-Rebels in Cuba Defy State’s Limits
