Monthly Archives: March 2008

4
Mar

MBR rootkit ups the ante

Posted by | Categories Byte | Tagged

The battle against malware has just become a bit harder. Welcome the MBR rootkit!

This new Windows MBR rootkit launches itself very early during the Windows startup process without requiring any registry or file modifications. In fact, it is quite surprising that it’s possible to write to the MBR from within Windows to begin with.

The MBR rootkit — known as “Mebroot” — is very advanced and probably the stealthiest malware we have seen so far. It keeps the amount of system modifications to a minimum and is very challenging to detect from within the infected system.

A rootkit allows a program to be hidden from the user – it is used as a stealth mechanism, to hide from old antivirus applications and plain computer users (like me). But most AV products nowadays can detect rootkits, so rootkits’ usefulness ebbed somewhat. An MBR rootkit changes the game.

A master boot record contains the first code loaded during the computer’s startup process. That means an infected MBR will load the suspect code even before your operating system is loaded. That means your AV product, if not updated, will not be able to find it. That means the rootkit is loaded every time the system is started.

Always update your security software, and be careful in downloading files from the Internet. Also, do not open email attachments, specially coming from untrusted sources.

3
Mar

Fortress bothered by OFW remittance boycott

Posted by | Categories Ink | Tagged , ,

The threatened remittance boycott by OFWs has the Fortress and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas bothered, reports GMA News.

Let’s give way to Lorelei Fajardo, Fortress loudspeaker and one reasons why I don’t like Fortress propaganda:

Such a call is irresponsible and tantamount to economic sabotage. Their action will not benefit anybody. It could cause a serious setback to our economic gains, bringing greater damage to their loved ones and the nation as a whole.

Huh? But you told us that the economy is on its way up? What’s US$30 million delayed a day against that ginormous 7.3% GDP rate that you are harping about? Well, what the Fortress doesn’t want every Juan to know is that our economy is being driven by OFW remittances.

Ms. Fajardo, here’s a tip: tell your Raul Gonzalez to charge each and every OFW who doesn’t send remittance with economic sabotage. Wag natin daanin sa daldal, idaan natin sa proseso, ilabas ang ebidensya. Mmmk?

OFWs, show the Fortress who’s the boss.

(LOYALISTS: If the economy is that robust as your idol claims, how come she and her people are afraid of one-day-only boycott? Surely it should not affect the economy, right? Besides, the day after the boycott OFWs will remit the money naman eh. Masyado lang paranoid ang idol nyo. So just sit back, relax, and see the lies crumble. Enjoy!)

2
Mar

Undermined institutions will continue as such

Posted by | Categories Ink | Tagged , ,

What if institutions are undermined and no longer works?

Some people keep on harping that we should let institutions run as they were, as if they were not undermined and co-opted by this regime. Heck, some of them blamed the people for electing such buffoons as leaders. While this is a reality that we should face, the fact that some of these people who play the blame game did not vote anyway, so their finger-pointing smacks of hypocrisy. Besides, that is not enough a reason to blame others when clearly someone manipulated these institutions to submission.

One such institution is the so-called Philippine National Police, now being derisively called Palpak na Police. It is on a roll nowadays. The PNP, led by the intellectually-dishonest Avelino Razon, has shown how it is being undermined. Just take these examples:

* A day before the interfaith rally at Makati (held last Friday), the PNP has deployed checkpoints along the routes where participants from provinces would traverse. The pretext was security, but it was obvious that the reason was to delay if not stop participants from joining. Here we can see Razon being dishonest. On the day of the rally itself, there were complaints that the participants were being stopped. Razon admits ordering checkpoints to stop these rallyist, but only for inspection. His dishonesty is shown by the experience by De la Salle-Dasma student Jhay Rocas.

* Then there’s the no-fly zone order by the same, dishonest Razon. And again, the claim was security. Yeah, but for whom? The no-fly-zone order was from 5PM-9PM, the time given for the rally. How convenient.

* And there’s the arrest of 4 Trillanes Senate staff members for dubious reasons. According to Ellen Tordesillas, these 4 were arrested immediately after the rally because someone complained that the 4 were claiming to be policemen. At the Southern Police District, the story was different: they were caught laying spikes along the road. When asked for evidence, the police couldn’t produce evidence. The 4 were released without being charged.

This is just the PNP. What more about the other institutions?

Institutions that are undermined will continue to be undermined because of people like this one, who choose to blame others instead of the one undermining the said institutions:


(Placard reads: GLORIA, URS S D SILENT MAJORITY)

1
Mar

Security breach

Posted by | Categories Journal | Tagged

I went to Makati yesterday with two friends. After looking around, listening to speeches, gawking at faces and merchandise, and met some prominent personalities, we went to this strip mall to grab something to eat. The fastfood store has two doors – one outside, at the side walk, the other inside the mall. The mall entrance had a lone guard. The door to the fastfood facing the sidewalk had no guard, and you can actually get in the mall without undergoing security check.

That is what we call a security breach. Arbet, welcome to the Enchanted Kingdom of Gloria Arroyo.