Mitnick Security Consulting
Head of Mitnick Security Consulting, an Internet security business; former computer hacker, who served five years in prison for computer and wire fraud; co-author of The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security and Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker
Sony Pictures and Cyber Warfare The Los Angeles Times is reporting that two former employees filed a class action suit today against Sony Pictures over the massive computer breach that exposed details about upcoming movies, business deals, juicy Hollywood gossip—and the personal information of thousands of current and former workers. Sony is in major damage control three weeks after what FBI agents call a cyber attack of unprecedented sophistication. Executives are apologizing, but the flow of inside information continues as self-proclaimed hackers Guardians of Peace promise there’s more to come. Nobody knows if it’s really about The Interview, a Seth Rogen comedy about assassinating the leader of North Korea. The big questions are who did it and who might be next. Is every corporate communication system vulnerable to total exposure?
Cyberwarfare in the Era of Stuxnet and Flame President Obama picked up the unmanned drone program where George W. Bush left off. He has also vastly expanded the use of cyber-weapons by ordering the Stuxnet attacks that partly disabled Iran's nuclear program. That's according to New York Times Chief Washington correspondent David Sanger, in his new book, Confront and Conceal : Obama's Secret Wars and Surprising Use of American Power, just published today.
The New World of Cyber Warfare and Espionage Barack Obama picked up the unmanned drone program where George W. Bush left off. The Stuxnet computer virus that disabled part of Iran's nuclear program was science fiction made real by President Obama's executive order. He proved that computer codes can do what used to require military action. Does that mean they're subject to the rules of warfare? Can other nations strike back? The so-called “Flame” virus doesn't do physical damage, but it can learn the most closely guarded secrets of nation states and corporations. If the US uses these technologies, is it vulnerable to counter-attack? Is it prepared or in a state of denial?
Cyber Security and Internet Freedom This has been the biggest year ever for cyber crime, from Stuxnet, the worm that was deployed to disrupt Iran's nuclear program, to China's attack on Google. Now defenders of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have launched "Denial of Service" attacks on Visa, MasterCard, PayPal and Amazon. Institutions, including governments, are on the defensive and they're trying to beef up cyber security. But how does cyber crime happen? Is it all technology, or is the human element just as important? Will cyber security mean suppressing free speech?
The week that wouldn't quit Will next week get even weirder? (Special one-hour episode)
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.