UNSECURITY Episode 137 Show Notes
It’s been a few weeks since I posted show notes, and even then, I’m late!
If you working in the information security industry, you’re probably extremely busy. My busyness is what’s kept me from updating show notes and things.
Episode 137 was a fun one. Brad was back and we talked about all Microsoft’s recent blunders/issues.
John McAfee
Before we get into it, I want to take a moment to remember John McAfee. On June 23, he was found unresponsive in his jail cell at the Brians 2 Penitentiary Center near Barcelona, Spain. Sadly, he passed away at the age of 75 after an apparent suicide by hanging. He had just lost his hearing for extradition to the United States.
John McAfee was a very interesting guy, and some might say he was nuts and a crook. While that might be true (I don’t have evidence to say either way), I remember him before the mid-2000s, when he was an icon in our industry. The guy was smart as hell!
- 1968 – 1970, programmer for NASA working on the Apollo Program
- Software designed for Univac
- Operating system architect for Xerox
- Software consultant for Computer Sciences Corporation
- Consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton
- Software engineer for Lockheed (where he first learned about computer viruses and came up with the idea to remove them programmatically)
- 1987, founded McAfee Associates Inc which sold the world’s first anti-virus software
- 1990, sold millions of copies of McAfee anti-virus software leading to John’s $5M/year salary
- 1992, McAfee’s initial public offering (IPO)
- August 1993, steps down as CEO.
- 1994, sold all his remaining stake in McAfee Associates Inc.
In January 2014, after Intel (who’d acquired McAfee in August 2010) announced that McAfee products would be marketed as “Intel Security”:
“I am now everlastingly grateful to Intel for freeing me from this terrible association with the worst software on the planet.” – John McAfee
Soon afterwards, the business was de-merged from Intel and re-acquired the McAfee name.
John McAfee was all over the place after divesting from the company with his name. He invested in many ventures, travelled, dabbled in politics (two U.S. presidential candidacies), was a person of interest in a Belize homicide investigation, charged with tax evasion, posted hundreds of public remarks and videos on social media, before it all eventually ended on June 23rd. He was a very interesting person who was influential in our industry.
I will miss him.
OK, now the show notes. Here’s the notes (with relevant links). Episode 137…
SHOW NOTES – Episode 137 – Tuesday June 29th, 2021
Opening
[Evan] Welcome listeners! It’s good to have you join us. Thanks for tuning into this episode of the UNSECURITY Podcast. This is episode 137, and the date is June 29th, 2021. Joining me is my good friend, Mr. Brad Nigh. Good Morning Brad!
[Evan] Welcome back sir. Happy that you’re back in the saddle again. Microsoft was front and center in the information security news this week. Let’s dissect some of this.
Microsoft in the (Information Security) News
Here’s a list of articles that we talk about in this episode:
- New malware in pirated games disables Windows Updates, Defender: https://www.hackread.com/pirated-games-malware-disable-windows-defender
- Nobelium hackers accessed Microsoft customer support tools: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/nobelium-hackers-accessed-microsoft-customer-support-tools/amp/
- Microsoft Warns of Continued Attacks by the Nobelium Hacking Group: https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsoft-warns-of-continued-attacks-by-the-nobelium-hacking-group?amp=true
- Group Behind SolarWinds Attack Targeted Microsoft Customers: https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/group-behind-solarwinds-attack-targeted-microsoft-customers-a-16945
- Hackers hit Microsoft customer service system, make off with data: https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/hackers-hit-microsoft-customer-service-system-make-off-with-data/
- Microsoft admits to signing rootkit malware in supply-chain fiasco:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/microsoft-admits-to-signing-rootkit-malware-in-supply-chain-fiasco/amp/ - Microsoft approved a Windows driver booby-trapped with rootkit malware: https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/28/microsoft_malware_signing/
- Microsoft Edge Bug Could’ve Let Hackers Steal Your Secrets for Any Site: https://thehackernews.com/2021/06/microsoft-edge-bug-couldve-let-hackers.html
Obviously, Microsoft has its hands full. Don’t we all? One issue with Microsoft is how much control they have over our industry and how much data they hold. Significant information security events at Microsoft have a significant impact for millions of organizations.
Just one other news article of interest this week: One billion dollars lost by over-60s through online fraud in 2020, says FBI – https://hotforsecurity.bitdefender.com/blog/one-billion-dollars-lost-by-over-60s-through-online-fraud-in-2020-says-fbi-26049.html
That’s a lot to unpack! Hopefully you caught all that.
Wrapping Up – Shout Outs
Who’s getting shout outs this week?
Thank you to all our listeners! Thank you Brad for a great conversation! If you have something you’d like to tell us, feel free to email the show at unsecurity@protonmail.com. If you’re the social type, socialize with us on Twitter, I’m @evanfrancen, and Brad’s @BradNigh.
Other Twitter handles where you can find some of the stuff we do, UNSECURITY is @unsecurityP, SecurityStudio is @studiosecurity, and FRSecure is @FRSecure.
That’s it. Talk to you all again next week!
…and we’re done.
