[SecurityRatty] tag: robot

robots.txt is NOT a security control

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:24:56 +0000

Sitting in a meeting the other day, my mind hoisted a little red flag when I heard someone say the robot.txt file was a good security control. Not only is it not a security control, it also doesnt add much value beyond helping control which search engines get to index your Web sites and what they get to index. In other words, they have no value when attempting to stop an attacker from retrieving information during target reconnaissance activities.

Your Own Personal Robot Voyeur

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 03:39:49 +0000

Spykee is your own personal robot spy. It takes pictures and movies that you can watch on the Internet in real time or save for later. You can even talk with whoever you're spying on via Skype. More here, and you can buy one here: only $300.

Wee-Fi: Wi-Fi Robot Attack; Silicon Valley Plan Proceeds

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:13:28 +0000

The Spykee is a $300 Wi-Fi Skype robot: Lots of strange coolness here. I don't know how I missed hearing about this before, but apparently an actual customer got his hands on the thing and recorded a video. It's cute. You can access its video through control software or a remote Skype video connection. It's got a speaker and microphone, and can be used for VoIP calls. The control software allows it to move around, play sound effects, and produce music. Like the computer in Superman III (or a Roomba), it craves power, and knows to return to its charger.

The name reveals some of its creepy appeal: Spykee = Spy Camera. I suppose the nanny you're trying to make sure isn't shaking your baby might be freaked out when it suddenly starts emitting Star Wars music, or such like. Made by Meccano under the Erector brand, its control software is Mac and Windows compatible.

I, for one, welcome our new Spykee overlords--on 15-Oct-2008 when it starts to ship generally.

Silicon Valley project finally gets underway: It's a still a pilot, small, with no promised outcome. And after all this time, a switch of partners, and new parameters, they've still mounted just 20 of 28 access points.

Researchers Use Facebook App to Create Zombie Army

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:40:00 +0000

Facebook users who choose to install the wrong third party application could find themselves inducted into a robot computer army controlled by a hacker. At least, that's what a team of Greek computer researchers proved with their rogue Photo of the Day application.

Army Wants 'Psychologically Inspired' Robot Vision

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:45:00 +0000

Machines and robots still have a hard time figuring out what they're seeing. Which is why the Army wants 'em to start sorting through images -- and thinking -- more like human beings.

IPhone Deploys Drone Squadron. Can Missiles Be Far Behind?

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:16:00 +0000

Since 2004, a team from the University of California, Berkeley has searched for ways to let a single human supervise teams of robot planes. Now, this Center for Collaborative Control of Unmanned Vehicles has a new device for pushing around its drones: an iPhone. And we have the video.

Security Briefing: May 30th

Fri, 30 May 2008 10:29:34 +0000

What a week - it’s like I’m swimming uphill both ways and it’s snowing. An extra large helping of news to make up for being late this morning. And hey - thanks to all of our new subscribers that joined us yesterday. Welcome!

Click here to subscribe to Liquidmatrix Security Digest!

And now, the news…

The Attack that made Kevin Rose Cry - Revision3
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Monkey’s brain controls robot arm Always mount a scratch monkey - seriously.
Will your mobile squeal to the police? | The Register Will your mobile find a horse head in it’s bed?
Download al Qaeda manuals from the DoJ, go to prison? | The Register Another pair of articles analyzing the somewhat chilling effect of doing research and finding yourself in jail… do we accept this as a society or not?
The New Order: When reading is a crime | The Register
Facebook mob trashes Â£4.4m Spanish villa | The Register Anyone else surprised that the girl didn’t claim it was hackers — and faintly reminiscent of the Craigslist “The contents of this house must go” issue.
Bletchley Park and the decay of the museum buildings Plcurecuernxf - fcraq n craal ba gur ravtzn naq fnir gur jbeyq sebz Uvgyre ntnva - be gur npnqrzvp trgf vg.
22 French Hackers Arrested 22 SkriptKiddies singing the Jean Valjean lines from Les Miserables… the horror.
USA 2008 : Briefings Schedule All your briefs belong to Jeff Moss
Rands In Repose: We Travel in Tribes I’m sneaking this one in to see if you are paying attention - which Diamond Age phyle do you belong to?
State of the Internet It’s all about the metrics baby.
Red Curtain: An Unsung, Free Security Application Anyone willing to sing in the comments?
Computer trained to read minds Neo sez - BLUE PILL, take the frakkin blue one!
National Journal Magazine - Chinas Cyber-Militia Good catch Matt Franz - is this responsible journalism or just journalistic asshattery.
Did Hackers Cause the 2003 Northeast Blackout? Umm, No | Threat Level from Wired.com And 27/b6 weighs in on the issue… with maybe a little more journalistic integrity.

Tags: News, Daily Links, Security Blog, Information Security, Security News

Paranoia Acting Up or Just Being Reasonable?

Wed, 28 May 2008 09:37:00 +0000

I am still reading "Geekonomics" and - honestly! - I cannot handle more than 10-20 pages at a time since I develop a rage and start looking for a software developer to kill :-) If you need a reminder about how fragile the foundations of our civilization are, go read the book!

So, is there any public bodycount of people killed by bad (low quality OR insecure) software? All those robot gun victims, runaway robot trans, PC-controlled radiation therapy equipment? It's got to be in the hundreds by now... I thought RISKS list was doing it, but I can't find it.

Links for 2008-05-27 [del.icio.us]

Tue, 27 May 2008 20:00:00 +0000

Robot + Super Gun = 'Crowd Control' | Danger Room from Wired.com

Robot + Super Gun = 'Crowd Control'

Tue, 27 May 2008 17:00:00 +0000

Electronic-gun developer Metal Storm has been working with iRobot to develop a rapid-fire bot capable of firing up to a million rounds per minute. Such advanced technology could be applied to border patrol or crowd control.