Oh, look! Another web-based vulnerability!

According to this article, some vulnerability researchers have found a new vulnerability that can definitely be exploited through Safari for Windows. They believe the vulnerability can also be exploited through other web browsers on Windows. The article notes that the exploit uses a Windows library that web browsers call, so it's really a problem with Windows.

The web browser has become the most common vector through which malware gets on a victim's system. It used to be all about bad guys exploiting systems through the OS directly. Now, they make use of the ubiquitous WWW and all the software that's designed to browse it.

---

Web Browser Vulnerabilities

Your web browser gapes
Like a path through underbrush.
Secret garden found.

Invite the foxes
Into the warm, dry hen house.
Open your browser.

Take care! You go where
Vulnerabilities live.
Spiders on The Web.

Oh, look! Another Firefox!

New versions of Firefox have been coming fast and loose lately. Firefox 9.0.1 is being released a day after version 9.0.0 was released. Such speed inspires the mind.

---

Firefox Haiku

Try to count the flakes!
Snow falls on itself and grows.
New Firefox out.

Growth must follow birth.
The hunters prey on the young.
Security patch.

Firefox versions
Like June firefly flashes.
Miss one, one more comes.

Chamber of Secrets

Hot on the tail of news of the US Chamber of Commerce being hacked, I offer some haiku.

---

Chamber of Commerce
Pierced by winds and driving rain.
Servers are all wet.

Feds investigate
Like deer browsing underbrush.
Fresh morsels are found.

China will insist:
Innocent like sprouting bulbs.
Do you smell something?

Who's Afraid of SCADA?

By request...

---

Who's Afraid of SCADA?

The lights, they are a-dimmin'.
Humidity's high, I'm swimmin'.
'gainst heat, AC's not winnin'.
All fans have stopped their spinnin'.

None of the doors will a-open.
All locks are completely frozen.
The stop lights won't stop their blinkin'.
Fountains think ghosts are a-drinkin'.

We put 'em on the Internetwork.
Now they're hacked by some stupid dumb jerk.
In shadows those bad guys seem to lurk
Creating for us so much more work.

Social Network De Jour

It seems like new social networks of various types are popping up everywhere. They all have different themes and work in slightly different ways. But one thing is common among them all: they make you a product that they sell to others. Your data is worth a lot to these people.

---

Social Network De Jour

I rolled myself a VM
And deployed. Carpe Diem!
No time to plan a mature service out.

My server was unhardened.
My code could not be pardoned.
First to market's what it's all about.

I encouraged you to share
All your facts and details there.
My social network links from all around.

I never promised you I'd hide
The juicy details found inside.
I'll ship your data off without a sound.

Marketers will love me.
I'm selling you, you must see.
Another item sitting on a shelf.

Privacy is long gone,
Not something you can count on.
You handed it all over your own self.

Outsource Rock

My boss was lamenting the lack of Schoolhouse Rock-esque songs about outsourcing and sending things "to The Cloud".

I took that as a challenge.

---

Outsource Rock

CHORUS
Outsource is the horse to bet on,
Though your service is nervous to leave.
Just consider the better return on
Your investment in business IT.

Backups and patching's for losers.
Running a helpdesk's a bore.
Do like those savvy tech choosers:
Send servers packing for off-shore!

CHORUS

We watch as your email host flounders.
We see hard drives falling away.
Fly in the face of your founders.
IT wasn't destined to stay!

CHORUS

Don't worry too much over data.
Privacy's lawyers' concern.
It's only the service that mattas!
Just let your old server farm burn!

BRIDGE
Don't be annoyed at the marketer's ploy
She's trying so hard to assist.
When all's said and done you'll have so much more fun
Your old ways will hardly be missed!

Staff costs just lower the margin,
There's no need to keep them around.
Just like the poor echo and chargen,
They'll bury us all in the ground.

So, ho!
Outsource is the horse to bet on,
Though your service is nervous to leave.
Just consider the better return on
Your investment in business IT.