Leaked programming manual may help criminals develop more ATM malware

<b>A leaked programming manual for interacting with the physical components of automated teller machines might have helped attackers create malware programs that were used to steal cash from ATMs in various parts of the world this year.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVEfRN8IQmlMWEcE5I9etyRIfHPF4_CV-oBEj4RKUUWa12G2WtTImbf3nqRUAZ6G3Kfe4YzcP95CVoe0IcE6VYX38oTBEs7J8MIdTdZ7Ut8qkelvAF3KpH8S9jQw2y-Dcj7UkizxhzG9CT/s1600/ATM-malware-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVEfRN8IQmlMWEcE5I9etyRIfHPF4_CV-oBEj4RKUUWa12G2WtTImbf3nqRUAZ6G3Kfe4YzcP95CVoe0IcE6VYX38oTBEs7J8MIdTdZ7Ut8qkelvAF3KpH8S9jQw2y-Dcj7UkizxhzG9CT/s1600/ATM-malware-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Leaked programming manual may help criminals develop more ATM malware" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaked programming manual may help criminals develop more ATM malware</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> Security researchers from antivirus vendor Kaspersky Lab reported Tuesday that at least 50 ATMs in Eastern Europe and elsewhere have been infected with a malware program dubbed Tyupkin that can be controlled through the machines’ keypads to dispense bills stored in their cassettes. It’s believed that Tyupkin was used to steal millions, but it’s not the first threat of its kind.<br /> <br /> In October 2013 security researchers from Symantec warned about an ATM backdoor program dubbed Ploutus, which was used to steal money in Mexico. In May theydocumented another ATM Trojan, dubbed Padpin, that’s very similar to Tyupkin.<br /> <br /> Eighteen ATMs were infected with malware in Malaysia recently, allowing criminals to steal 3 million Malaysian Ringgit, or over US$900,000, according to a local media report. It’s not clear which malware program was used in the attack, but Padpin is one of the possibilities.<br /> <br /> Security researchers from F-Secure analyzed Padpin samples recently and determined that the malware is designed to interact with a particular DLL library known as Extension for Financial Services (XFS) that only exists on ATMs. The library, called MSXFS.dll, provides a special API (application programming interface) that enables software to communicate with an ATM’s PIN pad. According to researchers from the Kaspersky Lab, Tyupkin also uses MSXFS.dll.<br /> <br /> “Analyzing the code, we started wondering how the malware author knows which pin pad service name to provide to the API so that the program is able to interact with the pin pad device,” the F-Secure researchers said in a blog post, noting that Microsoft doesn’t provide any official documentation for this library’s functions. “It’s a valid question because the pin pad service name used in the code is quite unique and it is very unlikely one can figure out the service name without documentation.”<br /> <br /> The answer was eventually found in a programmer’s reference manual from NCR, a U.S. manufacturer of ATMs, point-of-sale devices and self-service kiosks, that was posted on an ebook site owned by Chinese online search company Baidu.<br /> <br /> It’s possible that this manual was uploaded by someone other than Pinpad’s authors and that the malware was created by programmers experienced in writing ATM applications. However, the leaked document could allow others to easily create ATM malware, according to the F-Secure researchers.<br /> <br /> After skimming through the documentation, the researchers concluded that writing a program that interacts with ATMs would be easy even for someone with no prior knowledge about how to write software communicating with the devices. “The documentation is helpful enough to give programmers some sample code as well,” the researchers said.<br /> <br /> Unlike credit card skimming, the theft of money from ATMs via malware does not directly impact consumers, as the losses are incurred by the financial institutions that own the compromised machines. There are methods to prevent such attacks since they require physical access to the ATMs—like changing the default locks on the machines, disabling their internal CD-ROMs and USB ports or installing additional alarm systems.<br /> <br /> In the past, banks might have weighed the cost of locking down ATMs against the actual probability of those machines being attacked and concluded that the risk was acceptable. However, if the number of attacks using malware like Tyupkin, Padpin or Ploutus increases, as security researchers predict, then financial institutions might be forced to reconsider their ATM security practices.</div>

Leaked programming manual may help criminals develop more ATM malware

A leaked programming manual for interacting with the physical components of automated teller machines might have helped attackers create mal...

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Infographic: SMB Cloud Adoption Trends in 2014

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">Infographic: SMB Cloud Adoption Trends in 2014</span></h2> <b> Today, the cloud is a mainstream part of IT, having been adopted to some degree by nearly 90 percent of businesses. This rapid growth is due largely to the new and unexpected ways in which the cloud has matured over the last few years.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkhTjWiuDWUu93lnn2VeINonsiBYNBW8UfSpmDk9qfNmTHKz6t_PK8Zj28mlWkmoKQh41fCnhNvgWlYl-mzKYlDWw9tgcsStBxpt5M7h_Whh_pGasVIwB8h2PgIOvUaQXZdkE-cS_vjjn/s1600/SMB-Cloud-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkhTjWiuDWUu93lnn2VeINonsiBYNBW8UfSpmDk9qfNmTHKz6t_PK8Zj28mlWkmoKQh41fCnhNvgWlYl-mzKYlDWw9tgcsStBxpt5M7h_Whh_pGasVIwB8h2PgIOvUaQXZdkE-cS_vjjn/s1600/SMB-Cloud-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="SMB Cloud Adoption Trends in 2014" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SMB Cloud Adoption Trends in 2014</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> The value proposition of cloud computing has always been clear—easy provisioning, flexible scaling and cost savings. But we’re now seeing apps and workloads that IT never expected would run in the cloud—and they’re often running leaner and faster than ever before.<br /> <br /> Say the word “cloud” to an IT professional today, and an entirely different image comes to mind than would have popped up five years ago. <br /> <br /> Early on, “the cloud” meant public cloud. Today it encompasses a range of hybrid offerings—combinations of cloud hosting and dedicated hardware, along with the software tools that enable these systems to work together seamlessly. Cloud security has evolved, too. For years, security concerns have been a major barrier to adoption. But as studies have increasingly concluded that the cloud is as secure as on-premise infrastructure, we’re beginning to see this sentiment shift. One recent study found that 94 percent of SMB cloud adopters report that they have experienced security benefits since moving to the cloud.<br /> <br /> And with the advent of bare metal servers that can be provisioned in minutes, even dedicated hardware is evolving to be more cloud-like.<br /> <br /> Businesses now have an expanded set of options for operating in the cloud. They can choose to manage their cloud infrastructure in-house, or opt for a managed cloud and have their cloud provider shoulder the burden of day-to-day management. In short, the cloud of the past was a one-size-fits-all offering. Today it is easy for businesses to design a custom solution around their precise needs.<br /> <br /> A close look at the landscape of cloud adoption turns up some interesting and surprising statistics:<br /> <br /> • 70 percent of companies surveyed report reinvesting money saved back into their business as a result moving to the cloud.<br /> <br /> • Across the board, web hosting is the number one cloud service businesses have adopted. Email is a close second; though the larger a business grows, the more likely they are to host their email on dedicated hardware.<br /> <br /> • A company with fewer than 19 employees is almost 20 percent more likely to have adopted the cloud than a midsize company with more than 500 employees.<br /> <br /> Check out the infographic below for more revealing statistics on SMB cloud adoption rates, how businesses use the cloud and the benefits they are realizing as a result of adoption.<br /> <br /> If you work in an IT department that has yet to fully embrace the cloud, download our PowerPoint presentation, “The Cloud: Powering the Modern Business,” packed with key statistics and benefits of cloud adoption. It’s a great tool for pitching cloud to business decision makers within your company.</div>

Infographic: SMB Cloud Adoption Trends in 2014

Infographic: SMB Cloud Adoption Trends in 2014 Today, the cloud is a mainstream part of IT, having been adopted to some degree by nearly...

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Google app gets a conversational search upgrade, learns to use OpenTable

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">Google app gets a conversational search upgrade, learns to use OpenTable</span></h2> <b>Nothing makes voice-recognition software shine more than good conversational algorithms -- and the natural-search function in the Google app just got a minor upgrade.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-YaTgFvTG7b1eF0CgffDwvXq5AS2NzRIds1S5zWRXY6gBGJrI-ItzBZZEV6Ezv5kIivfK8TjYsbgbRH2qQJzi0dpcfqfKiJ3YjtcADuvnA0ufmnuUUF73fYJHtp72Px2R3k_dwpdyxVl/s1600/Google-app-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-YaTgFvTG7b1eF0CgffDwvXq5AS2NzRIds1S5zWRXY6gBGJrI-ItzBZZEV6Ezv5kIivfK8TjYsbgbRH2qQJzi0dpcfqfKiJ3YjtcADuvnA0ufmnuUUF73fYJHtp72Px2R3k_dwpdyxVl/s1600/Google-app-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Google app gets a conversational search upgrade" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google app gets a conversational search upgrade</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> Not only can use your hotel confirmation to find nearby restaurants, but also now you can casually ask it to show you the restaurant's menu or book a reservation viaOpenTable. You'll still have to do a little work to complete the reservation, however (Google only gets the booking started), and it's still not perfect: If a given restaurant doesn't support OpenTable or doesn't have a menu online, the process kind of falls apart. Still, it's a nice upgrade, assuming you've already come to terms with the fact that Google's algorithms are skimming your email.</div> </div>

Google app gets a conversational search upgrade, learns to use OpenTable

Google app gets a conversational search upgrade, learns to use OpenTable Nothing makes voice-recognition software shine more than good con...

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Frozen fuel lines made those European satellites go off course

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">Frozen fuel lines made those European satellites go off course</span></h2> <b>Remember those two European satellites that went spectacularly off-course in August? Well, it turns out that the reason the vessels entered into the wrong orbit was due to frozen fuel lines.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-I8yx0WC9dhyphenhyphenrCKBo5OqzJrLa5cbRXKuLzTJDfqaYf7p7W4d9qly0Egd9ZBYmOrdZ-0oeDm52P8-q8o0UFrCABbsH7NPMH3dz1Yo7XZZa-CnkRJZNwpJbtJSy2H0D87wg6qj9vhnKflRa/s1600/Frozen-fuel-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-I8yx0WC9dhyphenhyphenrCKBo5OqzJrLa5cbRXKuLzTJDfqaYf7p7W4d9qly0Egd9ZBYmOrdZ-0oeDm52P8-q8o0UFrCABbsH7NPMH3dz1Yo7XZZa-CnkRJZNwpJbtJSy2H0D87wg6qj9vhnKflRa/s1600/Frozen-fuel-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Frozen fuel lines made those European satellites go off course" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frozen fuel lines made those European satellites go off course</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> Space Travel reports that pipes containing the Russian Soyuz rocket's (which put the satellites into space) propellent were placed too close to some pretty frigid helium lines, which in turn restricted the flow of fuel to a pair of altitude control thrusters and subsequently caused a lack of power. The good news is that this "design flaw" is apparently fixable easily and immediately for future missions. That won't help theGalileo GPS satellites for now however, because they don't have enough fuel to reach the intended orbit. Assuming there's enough money to go around there's always next time, at least.</div> </div>

Frozen fuel lines made those European satellites go off course

Frozen fuel lines made those European satellites go off course Remember those two European satellites that went spectacularly off-course i...

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A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope</span></h2> <b>There are many, many people who've always wanted a powerful space telescope in their backyards but can't exactly afford one. </b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AjCC2YDkJ58L5T7zci-i8GsajRqwSXF886CNUCgykj9XuijRuI1gHrzMNatgqR5Zrdzj-ZRAq1W6RmR-qu4yi4EO7HDC5tZlz4vJ9-_xg_fukx2Lk6IUYdGkFYocCWwRKdC2NGvBpgff/s1600/Nokia-Lumia-1020-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AjCC2YDkJ58L5T7zci-i8GsajRqwSXF886CNUCgykj9XuijRuI1gHrzMNatgqR5Zrdzj-ZRAq1W6RmR-qu4yi4EO7HDC5tZlz4vJ9-_xg_fukx2Lk6IUYdGkFYocCWwRKdC2NGvBpgff/s1600/Nokia-Lumia-1020-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> For avid makers and DIY enthusiasts, at least, that's not such an absurd dream anymore -- not when someone has designed an automated 3D-printed telescope that's powered by a commercially available phone: theNokia Lumia 1020. The device is called Ultrascope, and it stands one meter tall when assembled, with a base that measures 65 centimeters wide. It was created by Open Space Agency founder James Parr, who promised to upload the current design and future iterations to his organization's website once the ongoing beta testing's done.<br /> <br /> Here's how the robotic telescope works: first, your Windows laptop locates the ISS and forwards its location to Ultrascope's Arduino shield to move its motors. After the telescope positions itself, the 1020 starts snapping images and sends them to the cloud for post-processing. Parr hasn't revealed how powerful Ultrascope is exactly, but it's worth noting that the 1020's 41-megapixel camera blew us away when we tested it. It'll sadly take a while before you can find out for yourself, though, as OSA's busy working with Microsoft at the moment, developing an app that connects Lumia phones to the device.</div> </div>

A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope

A Nokia Lumia 1020 powers this automated 3D-printed telescope There are many, many people who've always wanted a powerful space telesc...

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