German Hacker Uses Cloud to Crack Passwords

A German hacker claims to have used cloud computing to crack passwords stored in an algorithm developed by the National Security Agency, according to ZDNet UK.

Thomas Roth announced Tuesday he had used one of Amazon Web Service’s Cluster GPU Instances to crack the passwords encrypted in a Secure Hashing Algorithm hash.

“I think that cloud cracking can be useful in the future because of its massive parallel nature. You can…

Juniper Networks Acquires Trapeze Networks for $152 Million

Juniper Networks struck a deal yesterday to purchase Trapeze Networks, a technology firm focused on enterprise wireless local area network systems and management software.

With the acquisition of Trapeze Networks, Juniper will expand its routing, security and switching portfolio with innovative WLAN technology to provide customers a seamless, high-quality, secure…

Cubic Corporation Buys Abraxas

Cubic Corporation announced yesterday its acquisition of Herndon, Va.-based Abraxas Corporation, a national security, law enforcement and homeland security risk-mitigation firm.

San Diego, Calif.-based Cubic paid $124 million in cash, and the acquisition is expected to close next month.

Abraxas, which has more than 280 operational and technical experts, will become a wholly…

Harris to Provide IT Infrastructure for US Army Materiel Command HQ

Harris Corporation has been awarded a $77 million contract by the National Capital Region Contracting Center to provide IT infrastructure for the U.S. Army Materiel Command Headquarters building at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala.

Under the AMC contract, Harris will engineer, furnish, install and test the command, control, communications, and computer…

Zeus Trojan Invades Syria’s Financial Sector

Online-banking customers in Syria have been warned to be extra vigilant when conducting their financial matters on the web to avoid falling prey to the Zeus Trojan malware, according to Day Press News.

Cyber criminals using the Zeus Trojan have been able to siphon millions of dollars from bank accounts worldwide by stealing online banking credentials. More than 40,000 variants of the malware have been recorded. In February 2010,…

Female Charged for Hacking Playboy Model’s Email, Stealing Racy Pics of Baseballer

A 19-year-old Minnesota woman has been charged with hacking into a model’s email account and stealing revealing photos of Cleveland Indians baseball player Grady Sizemore, Minneapolis StarTribune reports.

Fifteen photos of Sizemore were posted online last year, sparking speculations of cyber theft. Somebody had accessed the email account of his girlfriend Brittany Binger, a former Playboy Playmate of the Month, four times to steal the photos, which were taken with…

The Philippines Plans Cybersecurity Portal to Battle Internet Crime

The government of the Philippines is planning to launch a cybersecurity portal to counter the alarming increase of cyber attacks on government online infrastructure, Asia Pacific FutureGov reports.

A roundtable of government agencies, chaired by the Chief Information Officers Foundation Inc, was held late last month to discuss the creation of a Shared CyberSecurity Services Portal. The National Bureau of…

FBI’s Cyber Crime Complaint Center Logs Two Million Entries

The FBI’s cyber crime complaint center has logged its two-millionth consumer complaint about online criminal activity.

Launched in May 2000, the Internet Crime Complaint Center, also known as IC3, is a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center. The center received its one millionth complaint seven years after its inception,…

Private Clouds Could be ‘Cloud Nine’ for Government Contractors

Cloud computing has been on everyone’s lips the past couple of years, some believers touting it as a panacea to propel innovation and save money. The Obama administration, especially, has turned out to be its biggest fan. In September 2009, the federal government announced a long-term cloud computing policy intended to cut costs…

Intelligent Decisions Adds Carleton Jones to Team

Intelligent Decisions has named Carleton S. Jones senior adviser, a position in which he will assist the firm’s strategic growth plan.

Jones will work to enhance ID’s business development activities, identify beneficial new partnerships with small and large businesses, and promote current relationships. Additionally, Jones will provide advice…