29 Dec 11. The Stuxnet virus that last year damaged Iran’s nuclear program was likely one of at least five cyber weapons developed on a single platform whose roots trace back to 2007, according to new research from Russian computer security firm Kaspersky Lab. Security experts widely believe that the United States and Israel were behind Stuxnet, though the two nations have officially declined to comment on the matter. A Pentagon spokesman on Wednesday declined comment on Kaspersky’s research, which did not address who was behind Stuxnet. Stuxnet has already been linked to another virus, the Duqu data-stealing trojan, but Kaspersky’s research suggests the cyber weapons program that targeted Iran may be far more sophisticated than previously known. Kaspersky’s director of global research & analysis, Costin Raiu, told Reuters on Wednesday that his team has gathered evidence that shows the same platform that was used to build Stuxnet and Duqu was also used to create at least three other pieces of malware. Raiu said the platform is comprised of a group of compatible software modules designed to fit together, each with different functions. Its developers can build new cyber weapons by simply adding and removing modules. (Source: Reuters)
19 Dec 11. Cryptography Research, Inc. (CRI), a division of Rambus and INVIA SAS (INVIA) have entered into an agreement enabling INVIA to develop products incorporating Differential Power Analysis (DPA) countermeasures for use by licensees of CRI’s DPA patents. INVIA provides security-related semiconductor design IP and embedded software to ASIC and FPGA designers. DPA is a form of attack that involves monitoring the fluctuating electrical power consumption of a target device and then using advanced statistical methods to derive cryptographic keys and other secrets. Strong countermeasures to DPA help protect tamper-resistant products used in applications such as military and aerospace products, smartphones and other mobile applications, banking, pay television, mass transit, secure ID, secure storage, automobiles and consumer electronics. Cryptography Research has been awarded a portfolio of over 55 patents covering countermeasures to DPA attacks, with additional patent applications pending worldwide. For additional information about CRI or the DPA Workstation(TM) platform visit http://www.cryptography.com.