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VoIP, Trojans and automation systems security warning
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26/11/2007
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Internet telephony (VoIP) and so-called `white hat’ stealth Trojan technology from Germany, capable of stealth hacking terrorists’ PCs, could cause problems for manufacturers – even at the plant level – in the near future.
The advice on VoIP comes after Peter Cox, ex-CTO of BorderWare, now VoIP consultant, reveals completing R&D on an Internet telephony eavesdropping application called SIPtap. “This type of application sounds a warning because it demonstrates the ease with which VoIP networks can be hacked and IP stolen,” says Geoff Sweeney, CTO of behavioural analysis IT security specialist Tier-3.
“The SIPtap demonstration package reportedly allows multiple VoIP call streams to be decoded on-the-fly and stored to hard disk as a .wav file. The most worrying aspect of this is that the software can be loaded onto a company’s internal systems using Trojan Horse malware,” adds Sweeney.
“The fact that a complete VOIP phone eavesdropping application can be remote loaded on to a company’s systems using a simple malware email is very worrying.”
Talking of Trojan Horse malware, he also warns that German anti-terrorist plans to use the technology are moving forward, with the German government hiring programmers.
“The original plans, which were revealed in the German media in late August, caused such an outcry that the German government reportedly placed the project on hold, pending the passing of new legislation to specifically allow such snooping,” says Sweeney.
“Despite the new legislation still being in progress, the German government is said to be wasting no time and has now instructed the BKA Federal Police to hire specialist programmers to develop the Trojans,” he continues.
Sweeney reckons that because the Trojans will be launched against suspects disguised as harmless emails, they pose a serious IT security threat. “Reworking of malware goes on all the time… It’s almost certain that conventional IT security software will have no protection against their usage on civilian PCs. Companies can only protect themselves against this new type of threat by installing behavioural analysis software on their IT systems.”
Meanwhile, manufacturing plants and automation systems are not immune. Joachim Fietz, CEO of factory IT security systems builder Innominate Security Technologies, says: “We have seen viruses spread from the office network to the industrial manufacturing facilities many times. And if the number of infected sites increases, so does the risk that employees accidentally download malware onto their computers.
“This means that, in addition to the usual firewall, companies need a ‘Defence in Depth’ security strategy. Innominate’s solutions, such as mGuard, offer maximum security whilst at the same time allowing maintenance technicians to work flexibly at industrial sites.”
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Author
Brian Tinham
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