Flokibot Invades PoS: Trouble in Brazil

Introduction Threat actors salivate at the thought of an increased volume of credit and debit card transactions flowing through endpoints they have compromised with card-stealing malware. While there are many distinct malware families that scrape unencrypted process memory to obtain cards, some of these malware capabilities overlap with generic information stealing trojans such as Flokibot […]

VRF Series Article 5 – Stateful Inter-Vrf connectivity

This is the fifth and final article in a series that focused on Segmenting Layer 3 Networks with VRFs. In the third article, we discussed creating a shared services VRF and using it within the otherwise segmented network. In that article I alluded to the fact that we would asav-1later cover a way to securely allow traffic to flow between security zones. That is the intent of this article.

In this article, I am going to attach two sub interfaces between asav-1 and Main. One will attach into data and the other into pci. We will apply a simple policy that denies all traffic from data to pci, but allows telnet from pci to data (bad security example, but easy to demonstrate).

Before we jump into the configuration, I want to share the entire topology and give a summary of the current configuration status.

VRF_No_Int_Index

Current Configuration

In the above topology, anything that starts with “data” is in the data VRF. Likewise, anything that starts with “pci” is in the pci VRF. Everything within a given VRF can communicate with everything else in that same VRF. Both pci and data can communicate with the shared VRF (test IP address is Continue reading

Convince your manager to send you to DockerCon

Has it sunk in yet that DockerCon is in roughly 2 months? That’s right, this year we gather in April as a community and ecosystem in Austin, Texas for 3 days of deep learning and networking (with a side serving of Docker fun). DockerCon is the annual community and industry event for makers and operators of next generation distributed apps built with containers. If Docker is important to your daily workflow or your business, you and your team (reach out for group discounts) should attend this conference to stay up to date on the latest progress with the Docker platform and ecosystem.

Do you really want to go to DockerCon, but are having a hard time convincing your manager on pulling the trigger to send you? Have you already explained that sessions, training and hands-on exercises are definitely worth the financial investment and time away from your desk?

Well, fear not! We’ve put together a few more resources and reasons to help convince your manager that DockerCon 2017 on April 17-20, is an invaluable experience you need to attend.

Something for everyone

DockerCon is the best place to learn and share your experiences with the industry’s greatest minds and the guarantee Continue reading

Looking Ahead: My 2017 Projects

For the last few years, I’ve been sharing my list of projects for each year (here’s the list for 2012, the list for 2013, 2015’s list, and last year’s list—I didn’t do a list for 2014). Toward the end of each year, I also publish a “report card” assessing my performance against that year’s list (here’s the 2016 assessment). In this post, I’m going to share my list of planned projects for 2017.

Without further ado, here’s the list for 2017:

  1. Finish the network automation book. One way or another, the network automation book I’m writing with Jason Edelman and Matt Oswalt is getting finished in 2017. (It’s available now as an Early Access edition if you’d like to give it a look and provide some feedback.)

  2. Launch an open source book project. This is something I’ve been tossing around for a while now. Since my efforts at making code contributions to an open source project aren’t going so well (though I’m going to keep moving in that direction), I figured I’d contribute in a way I know I can do. This is going to be a “cookbook”-style book, and the goal I’m setting Continue reading

VRF Series Article 4 – VRF-lite in a DMVPN Network

As we’ve progressed through the Segmenting Layer 3 Networks with VRFs series, we have continued to build out a network that looks more like what we would see within an enterprise environment. This post takes it one step further and leverages the DMVPN (dynamic multipoint VPN) functionality to extend the network securely over the publicDMVPN Internet. In the examples here, we actually go one step beyond a typical DMVPN and map VRFs to tunnels using the tunnel key. This allows the pci and data VRFs to maintain isolation across the VPN.

One more thing that we will do that isn’t related to the core requirement of segmenting pci from data is leveraging a F-VRF (or front side vrf) on the DMVPN routers to isolate the Internet facing interfaces that connect them to the public cloud. This is my preferred method for DMVPN deployment if I’m not doing split tunnelling (i.e. I am back-hauling all traffic to a central location).

As a prerequisite, I will go ahead and build out the Internet router and the interface on Main that connects to DMVPN-hub.

Internet

hostname Internet

interface gig2
 description to DMVPN-hub
 ip address 1.1.1.1 255.255.255. Continue reading

30% off WeMo Wi-Fi Smart Plug, Works with Amazon Alexa – Deal Alert

Did you forget to turn off the window A.C.? How about that curling iron? Want the living room lamp to turn on when the sun goes down—automatically? The Wemo Switch gives you control of your lamps and small appliances whenever you want, wherever you choose, with tons of options for scheduling and automation. Paired with Amazon Alexa, you can control your lamps and appliances with just the power of your voice. When Wemo works with Nest Thermostat, you can set your lights to turn off automatically when you leave the house, and on when you get home again. No central hub or subscription is required. Wemo also has an on/off switch on the unit, in case the Wi-Fi goes down. This smart plug is currently discounted 30% down to just $34.99.  For more information and buying options, see the discounted WiFi Smart Plug on Amazon.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

30% off WeMo Wi-Fi Smart Plug, Works with Amazon Alexa – Deal Alert

Did you forget to turn off the window A.C.? How about that curling iron? Want the living room lamp to turn on when the sun goes down—automatically? The Wemo Switch gives you control of your lamps and small appliances whenever you want, wherever you choose, with tons of options for scheduling and automation. Paired with Amazon Alexa, you can control your lamps and appliances with just the power of your voice. When Wemo works with Nest Thermostat, you can set your lights to turn off automatically when you leave the house, and on when you get home again. No central hub or subscription is required. Wemo also has an on/off switch on the unit, in case the Wi-Fi goes down. This smart plug is currently discounted 30% down to just $34.99.  For more information and buying options, see the discounted WiFi Smart Plug on Amazon.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

F5 Networks taps versatile Ciena higher-up to take over as CEO

F5 Networks CEO and President John McAdam, thrust back into that role in late 2015 under unusual circumstances, has announced that Ciena SVP and COO Francois Locoh-Donou will succeed him on April 3.McAdam joined F5 in 2000 and served as CEO and President until July 2015, when he handed the reins to Manuel Rivelo. But Rivelo stepped down in December of that year for unspecified personal conduct issues, and McAdam jumped back into the fray at the Seattle company, which he has helped to build into an application delivery powerhouse generating about $2B in annual revenue.  To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

F5 Networks taps versatile Ciena higher-up to take over as CEO

F5 Networks CEO and President John McAdam, thrust back into that role in late 2015 under unusual circumstances, has announced that Ciena SVP and COO Francois Locoh-Donou will succeed him on April 3.McAdam joined F5 in 2000 and served as CEO and President until July 2015, when he handed the reins to Manuel Rivelo. But Rivelo stepped down in December of that year for unspecified personal conduct issues, and McAdam jumped back into the fray at the Seattle company, which he has helped to build into an application delivery powerhouse generating about $2B in annual revenue.  To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

F5 Networks taps versatile Ciena higher-up to take over as CEO

F5 Networks CEO and President John McAdam, thrust back into that role in late 2015 under unusual circumstances, has announced that Ciena SVP and COO Francois Locoh-Donou will succeed him on April 3.McAdam joined F5 in 2000 and served as CEO and President until July 2015, when he handed the reins to Manuel Rivelo. But Rivelo stepped down in December of that year for unspecified personal conduct issues, and McAdam jumped back into the fray at the Seattle company, which he has helped to build into an application delivery powerhouse generating about $2B in annual revenue.  To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

33% off SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive 32GB for iPhone and iPad – Deal Alert

The SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive lets you quickly free up space on iPhones, iPads, and iPods; automatically back up photos and watch videos straight from the drive. The flexible Lightning connector works with most cases, while the USB 3.0 connector makes it easy to move content between devices. This flash drive also includes encryption software to password protect files, so you can share content while keeping sensitive files secure. Plus, the SanDisk iXpand Drive app provides a fast and simple way to organize content and play music and videos directly from the drive.  TheSanDisk iXpand Flash Drive currently averages 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon from over 600 customers (read reviews) and its list price of $59.99 is currently discounted 33% to $39.94.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

New ‘Made in China’ chip on the way as country boosts indigenous tech

The number of powerful chips coming out of China keeps growing as a war of words on semiconductors with the U.S. escalates.A joint venture between Qualcomm and China's Guizhou province, called Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology, has started the development of a new server chip based on ARM technology.The joint venture is "now busy developing a customized server CPU product based on our technology and designs for the China market," said Derek Aberle, president at Qualcomm, according to a Seeking Alpha transcript of an earnings call last week.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

New ‘made in China’ chip on the way as country boosts indigenous tech

The number of powerful chips coming out of China keeps growing as a war of words on semiconductors with the U.S. escalates. A joint venture between Qualcomm and China's Guizhou province, called Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology, has started the development of a new server chip based on ARM technology. The joint venture is "now busy developing a customized server CPU product based on our technology and designs for the China market," said Derek Aberle, president at Qualcomm, according to a Seeking Alpha transcript of an earnings call last week.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Harbinger of The Great Internet Wall arrives

By Presidential proclamation, non-U.S. citizens' data is in jeopardy. An executive order by President Trump could hurt a data transfer framework that allows EU citizens’ personal information to be transmitted to the U.S. for processing with the promise that the data would have the same privacy protection in the U.S. as it has in the EU. That’s because a section of the order says, “Agencies shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law, ensure that their privacy policies exclude persons who are not United States citizens or lawful permanent residents from the protections of the Privacy Act regarding personally identifiable information.” To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Harbinger of The Great Internet Wall arrives

By Presidential proclamation, non-U.S. citizens' data is in jeopardy. An executive order by President Trump could hurt a data transfer framework that allows EU citizens’ personal information to be transmitted to the U.S. for processing with the promise that the data would have the same privacy protection in the U.S. as it has in the EU. That’s because a section of the order says, “Agencies shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law, ensure that their privacy policies exclude persons who are not United States citizens or lawful permanent residents from the protections of the Privacy Act regarding personally identifiable information.” To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Facebook tries to revamp password recovery by supplanting email

Forgot your password? Well, Facebook wants to help you recover your internet account.The company is releasing an open source protocol that will let third-party sites recover user accounts through Facebook.Typically, when people forget their password to a site, they’re forced to answer a security question or send a password reset request to their email. But these methods of account recovery can be vulnerable to hacking, said Facebook security engineer Brad Hill.He recalled a time when he was granted permission to break into an online bank account. To do so, he took advantage of the password reset questions.“It asked me what my favorite color was, and it let me guess as many times as I wanted,” he said Monday, during a presentation at the USENIX Enigma 2017 security conference.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Facebook tries to revamp password recovery by supplanting email

Forgot your password? Well, Facebook wants to help you recover your internet account.The company is releasing an open source protocol that will let third-party sites recover user accounts through Facebook.Typically, when people forget their password to a site, they’re forced to answer a security question or send a password reset request to their email. But these methods of account recovery can be vulnerable to hacking, said Facebook security engineer Brad Hill.He recalled a time when he was granted permission to break into an online bank account. To do so, he took advantage of the password reset questions.“It asked me what my favorite color was, and it let me guess as many times as I wanted,” he said Monday, during a presentation at the USENIX Enigma 2017 security conference.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here