Cisco Provides Downloads SHA-512 Checksum

To prevent attackers from adjusting the integrity of downloaded files without users have this by networking giant Cisco has decided all images that users can download to give a SHA-512 checksum instead of the widely used MD5.

By using an algorithm as MD5 or SHA-512, there can be generated a checksum of a file. The checksum then makes it possible to check the integrity of a download. If the checksum on the website matches the checksum of the file calculated by the user himself, he can assume that the content is not modified.

The problem is that there are vulnerabilities in MD5 found that an attacker could modify a file without changing the checksum.The Flame virus was several years ago using here. SHA-512, according to Cisco therefore a safer alternative. How the checksum of a file can be calculated puts Cisco in this article from which the shasum tool is used.

Ransomware Crypto Defense allows decryption key behind computer victim

Ransomware Crypto Defense contains a crucial mistake: it allows the decryption key back to the computer of the victim.

Symantec analyzed Crypto Defense. The ransomware is part of the extended family of malware programs that encrypt files of victims until a ransom is paid. Crypto Defense uses Microsoft and Windows API to generate Encryption and decryption keys.

Key
Defense Crypto encrypts files using a 2048-bit RSA key. The secret key needed to de-crypt the files will be sent back to the server, the attacker until the ransom is paid again. Apparently the developers did not know that the secret key on the computer of the victim is in a directory containing application data. This key can decrypt the victim his data without the intervention of the cyber criminals. Itself, Unfortunately, the average user will not have enough knowledge to make this actually perform.

Success
Symantec estimates that have received, which shows the effectiveness of the scam. Cyber criminals within one month, more than $ 34,000 in bitcoins.
Symantec has blocked 11,000 Defense Crypto infection attempts in more than 100 countries. The majority of infection attempts were in the U.S., followed by Britain, Canada, Australia, Japan, India, Italy and the Netherlands.

MD5: f57d188c4667fab46208396af20badd2 (Virus Total Permalink)
         60f302b88160c27263c61c7e91dcb94e (Virus Total Permalink)