Presenting my social media research @ #BSidesSF 14Feb, its use for intelligence and exploitation is very real and shud concern all.
With more than a decade as an intelligence and special signals analyst in the U.S. Navy, Aaron Barr spent a significant amount of time learning how systems worked and discovering he had a knack for figuring things out. After he got out of the Navy in 2001, he entered the booming IT market. Knowing he wanted to focus more on IT security, Barr took a position at Northrop Grumman TASC, where he started out conducting vulnerability assessments and penetration tests, as well as teaching the early version of the company’s CyberWarrior course. After moving from Colorado to Washington, D.C., mostly for the career possibilities, Barr was offered a technical director position managing the technical strategy and execution for one of Northrop’s cybersecurity business units, which was “an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” he told TNNI. After a year, he decided to try something he had always been curious about and transitioned into the small-business side and currently serves as CEO of HBGary Federal…
Or did. Sadly, HBGary Federal’s site is unwell at the moment, so I dunno if Aaron is still serving the corporation (perhaps from under his desk).
Hunting & Investigating: It’s a Challenge!
As an enormous number of “websites” on the ah, “Internets” are busily documenting, late last year Aaron–in an apparent bid to drum up publicity for HBGary Federal–had a bRanestorm: target Anonymous, and expose its key players–Moe, Larry, and Curly–to public (or at least corporate) scrutiny. Why Anonymous? Partly on account of the fact that Anonymous had rallied to Wikileaks in its many battles with The Forces of Evil, and a demonstrated ability to detail the lives and loves of Tom, Dick and Harry would send a clear message to potential clients–especially union-busting law firms such as Hunton & Williams–that HBGary Federal was the shizz. “Roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty. In this field, you learn most by doing, even by tinkering.”
Unlike Aaron’s decision to move to Washington and link arms with Northrop Grumman TASC–a subsidiary of one of the world’s largest killing machines–targeting Anonymous in this way was not the bestest career move.
Anonymous:
See also : Crowdleaks | Free Bradley Manning!
Anonymous: US security firms ‘planned to attack WikiLeaks’
Josh Halliday
guardian.co.uk
February 15, 2011
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/15/anonymous-us-security-firms-wikileaks
… … …
‘We’ll get our revenge!’ – HDGary tells Anonymous
p2pnet
February 8, 2011
http://www.p2pnet.net/story/48677
Victim Of Anonymous Attack Speaks Out
Parmy Olson
Forbes
http://blogs.forbes.com/parmyolson/2011/02/07/victim-of-anonymous-attack-speaks-out/
Anonymous Hackers to Aaron Barr: Snitches Get Online Stitches
Joe Coscarelli
Village Voice
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/02/anonymous_hacke_1.php
I confess. I’m a member of Anonymous. Hail Xenu.
Bernard Keane
Crikey
February 7, 2011
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/thestump/2011/02/07/i-confess-im-a-member-of-anonymous-hail-xenu/
Financial Times reveals Anonymous hierarchy
Jon Newton
p2pnet
February 6, 2011
http://www.p2pnet.net/story/48687
Cyberactivists warned of arrest
Joseph Menn
FT
February 4, 2011
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/87dc140e-3099-11e0-9de3-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz1E1b2wsOz
More facts emerge about the leaked smear campaigns
Glenn Greenwald
Salon.com
February 15, 2011
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/02/15/palantir
Firm in WikiLeaks plot has deep ties to Feds
Justin Elliott
Salon.com
February 16, 2011
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/02/16/hbgary_federal
Anonymous victim HBGary goes to ground
BBC
February 16, 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12481803
‘Anonymous’ Victim Withdraws From Security Conference
Sara Yin
PCMag.com
February 16, 2011
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2380469,00.asp
HBGary Statement regarding RSA Conference 2011
A group of aggressive hackers known as “Anonymous” illegally broke into computer systems and stole proprietary and confidential information from HBGary, Inc. This breach was in violation of federal and state laws, and stolen information was publicly released without our consent.
In addition to the data theft, HBGary individuals have received numerous threats of violence including threats at our tradeshow booth.
In an effort to protect our employees, customers and the RSA Conference community, HBGary has decided to remove our booth and cancel all talks.
HBGary is continuing to work intensely with law enforcement on this matter and hopes to bring those responsible to justice.
Thank you to all of our employees, our customers and the security community for your continued support.
HBGary, Inc.
The cyber world has grown out of control. State and national law enforcement mechanisms are not equipped to deal with the rapidly evolving threat. The complexity of information systems has far exceeded the ability to secure them, while reliance on these systems has only increased. HBGary has an intimate understanding of this problem; We know that understanding the attacker and his methods is the only way to defeat him. This is the core strength of HBGary and why our technology and services outperform the competition. To us, it’s personal.
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