News
Always Check Android Permissions
Just in from Packet Storm, Symantec has released information regarding the largest Android malware distribution yet. Named Android.Counterclank, it has been found in around 13 apps throughout the Market (most of which are pretty seedy) and still remains in 5. Whenever you download and install new apps to your mobile device, be sure to read the permissions it requests so you know roughly what you’re getting into. Often times, you’ll see something fishy that’ll change your mind.
read moreLessons From Shmoocon 2012
We’re back from another great Shmoocon weekend in DC with some very interesting lessons learned. For those of you who haven’t heard us talk about it before, Shmoocon is a yearly information security convention helded in Washington, D.C. Hermetic has been attending for 4 years now, bringing back as much knowledge to the area as we can and this year was no exception. There were some great talks hosted by some of the best minds in infosec and we always leave with our minds blown. We’re hoping to bring some of that back and...
read morePCAnywhere – More Like PCAnyone
As in, that could be anyone in your computer now. The zingers are flying left and right, but in all seriousness, the threat is very real. It was recently announced that one of the leaders in Antivirus and security software, Symantec, was compromised back in 2006 resulting in the theft of their application source code. We’ve been hearing about countless corporate security breaches within the last year, but what makes this one different is the fact that Symantec owns PCAnywhere, one of the best-selling remote desktop applications on the...
read moreHermetic’s PC Buying Guide: Pt.2
Picking up from where we left off last time, there’s a great deal to be said about how manufacturers price, build and sell their hardware. We’ll start by giving you an idea of the differences between a consumer-grade PC and a business-grade computer that’s going to be a reliable staple in your small business. Onward! Hardware quality The computer you see on the shelf for $500 is the cheapest thing that vendor can build. They literally can’t go any lower. It’s designed for the budget home user and,...
read moreHermetic’s PC Buying Guide Pt.1
As many of you already know, we’re very happy to be able to offer small businesses discounts on computer hardware from a slew of different vendors, such as Dell, HP and Lenovo. Typically we know our clients and what their needs are, so when they need new hardware, we’ll put together a few choices to show them the type of performance and price ranges that are available – computers change quickly and we’re always happy to put together custom quotations any day of the week. We’ll never buy computers in bulk and sell...
read moreSOPA Blackout: Our Take.
There’s a great deal to be said about SOPA and its repercussions on public discourse within the realm of IT. Never has a single legislative proposal created such an uproar throughout the information security community and high-tech corporate enterprise at the same time. Usually we see tech companies making market shifts or platform changes that tend to be much to the chagrin to the IT community or a group of idle network security professionals sticking it to the man in a public display of sub-par security standards (looking at you,...
read more2011′s Most Common Passwords
Crappy passwords… We’ve all had at least one. And we may have used it on more sites than we should have. But 2012 introduces a new chance to get rid of that old password and start fresh! Below is a list of the 25 most commonly used passwords from 2011 based on password databases posted on the web by hackers throughout the year. . 1. password 2. 123456 3.12345678 4. qwerty 5. abc123 6. monkey 7. 1234567 8. letmein 9. trustno1 10. dragon 11. baseball 12. 111111 13. iloveyou 14. master 15....
read moreExpect More Mac Malware in 2012
Research group F-Secure recently released their findings for the spread of malicious code on Macintosh computers for quarters 2, 3 and 4 of 2011, revealing 58 new threats released throughout the time period. Charting a total of 58 new variants found, it’s still nowhere near the number of threats existing for Windows-based computers, but represents a significant contribution to what is commonly thought to be one of the market’s most secure platforms. The research shows that the popularity of the Macintosh platform doesn’t...
read moreSecuring Your Wireless Network Round 1
Wifi is everywhere these days. It’s rare to hear of a computer or device coming to market without wireless capabilities that make networking with other home or business assets a breeze. Wireless can also be great for extending network coverage to places that prohibit physical cabling. One major aspect of wireless networking that home and business users often forget, though, is that while you may be adding range and convenience for authorized users, you’re also extending the range and convenience footprint for attack. One of the...
read moreGoogle Launches QR Code-Based Login for Public Computers
Have you ever wondered if the public computer you’re logging into has software to track your keystrokes? It’s not improbable, especially at heavily-used locations such as libraries and hotels. Attackers aim to record the characters typed into the publicly available computer in an attempt to harvest usernames and passwords, allowing them access to sensitive emails and personal information. Just recently, though, Google has devised a way to log into your account in a much more secure manner at public computers. Venturing over to...
read moreAbout This Blog
We love IT. Networking, security, hacking, and free stuff are our primary interests. You won't find a ton of self-promotion here - our main goal is to keep you safe and make your life easier.
We may not always be totally polite, but the IT world doesn't always revolve around marketing jargon and web 2.0 graphics. We're here to help and so is our blog. Please enjoy!