Blast: Congratulations on your research studies! Could you explain briefly what your research focused on?

Minhye Kim: Thank you! The title of my project is “Hepatitis B Virus Infection Increases the Risk for Developing Diabetes.” I studied and found the mechanism that links the two diseases together.

Blast: What was your inspiration for this research?

MK: I was actually having a conversation with my mentor and he… mentioned something very interesting. He said that over 350 million people worldwide are infected with HBV. I had no idea HBV was such a serious health problem. So, I did a little research on my own and found out HBV leads to different liver diseases. I knew from past knowledge that glucose production happens in the liver and glucose production is very important in type 2 diabetes. So, I was curious whether HBV had anything to do with type 2 diabetes.

Blast: What is the goal of your research?

MK: The goal of my research was to find whether HBV and type 2 diabetes were linked at all. Actually, no previous research had been done about my topic of research. So there really wasn’t anything known about the link between the two diseases.

Blast: How long did it take you to come up with all the background information and analysis for your study?

MK: There were definitely lots of readings to do! There were a few days when I would just read manuscripts and not do anything else, like running experiments. I would say the entire project took about a year. It spanned throughout my junior year.

Blast: And being so young and talented in this field, do you feel or hope that more young people will get involved in research like this?

MK: Yeah! I think it would great for young people to go out there and have research internships because it’s an awesome experience. You find out what is like to be a scientist in a real-life setting and it’s worth it!

Blast: What is your ambition for the future? Do you plan on studying science or medicine?

MK: I definitely want to go to medical school. I want to become a pediatrician and have my own diabetic clinic for children… if there is no cure for diabetes by then.

Winners of the regional event are invited to compete at the National Finals at New York University December 3 — 7. For more info visit http://www.siemens-foundation.org.

The Siemens Foundation contributes over $7 million annually to support the field of science, math, engineering and technology in the United States. The Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology encourages and recognizes high school students who challenge themselves through their studies and research, and may obtain national recognition for their high school research projects in science and technology.

The software uses Microsoft’s own Dynamic Signature Service which fingerprints threats constantly, without having to wait for new definitional updates. The tool is low-resource, and minimizes CPU and memory usage while the computer in use. Of course, the biggest advantage will come when the vast majority of users have installed the software, preventing the spread of malware between users. While Microsoft has no plans to push MSE out to its users, the real benefit will come when it decides to do so.

MSE has remained largely unchanged since the beta tests, and requires no registration, trials or renewals and will be available for download directly from Microsoft for XP SP2 through Windows 7, although users will have to pass a Windows Genuine Advantage test to download the product.

But, did you know that merely googling “Harry Potter” right now can be dangerous? In fact, with the release of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” imminent, googling Harry Potter is almost a surefire way to land yourself in trouble — and we’re not even talking about finding Daniel Radcliffe’s nudie pics from Equus.

Sketchy criminals are making fake websites that promise a link where you can “watch Harry Potter for free” — and in the midst of a recession, who doesn’t want to save $10? They then fill the blog post with lots of comments lauding the virtues of the page. Link to a page full of screenshots from the movie, and prompt the user to install a “streamviewer.” One more click, and Accio! Your computer is now full of malware, and you’re still going to have to pay $10 to see the movie.

Presented like this, most Internet users would swear they would never fall for something this obvious, but the truth is that they do, and that’s why these techniques are still being used. This is complicated by the fact that the criminals are using the dreaded search engine optimization techniques to push their sites up Google’s result listings, and submitting their sites to Digg and Reddit, and pushing the files onto P2P networks.

The best way to protect yourself is something we’ve suggested to you before, and we’ll suggest to you again. Get  decent malware and virus scanners, such as the ones offered by PC Tools, and use them. We searched for any number of Harry Potter related terms writing this article and we didn’t die, so obviously the simple act isn’t inherently dangerous. Just be careful and smart.

And then there’s also the whole not being a sketchball and trying to download the movie illegally thing too. We’ll be with you at midnight tonight to see “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”

Most people though work for companies or use computers at schools and libraries that like to (rightfully) protect their electronic and intellectual property, and tend to engage in IT lockdown. How does this happen? You might be surprised at how it all works.

To start with, Windows comes with many IT solutions baked in. We recall that our high school disabled the “Properties” menu on the background after one too many phallic backgrounds made in MS Paint. Some companies go so far as to lock you into a single program and disable your right-click because you supposedly shouldn’t need it. This started with computer controlled cash registers at retail stores, but has grown to a surprising other collection of computers, such as the ones that customer service representative run at the phone banks.

Windows also comes with the ability to prevent installers (.msi files) from running. This works to keep employees from wasting all day on AIM, but not all programs come with installers—in fact, most malicious software comes in the form of the simple executable (.exe files). This is where programs like Faronics Anti-Executable come in. The program, which runs in the background, prevents all executables that aren’t on a whitelist from running. This drastic but highly effective method prevents any program that is explicitly allowed to run from doing so.

This stops everything from e-mail embedded Trojans to Outlook hijacking malware from running. The program even comes with a one-click set up solution that sets up the whitelist according the programs running on a sample computer—useful as long as you’re absolutely sure that computer has never been compromised.

Of course, the best thing to arm yourself with is a good education. Don’t open attachments or click on links from people you don’t know. Be careful when installing anything, especially when you’re at work. Don’t attempt to circumvent the IT lockdown you might be under at work either. At best, you might get a virus; at worst, you could lose your job—probably not worth installing TweetDeck over. So use your best judgment, and wear—er, um, install, your protection.

Ever since XP Service Pack 2, the company has always strongly suggested that users should install anti-virus software, displaying one of those nagging yellow bubbles in the taskbar. Before, the only tool Microsoft offered was its Windows Defender software, a free download which protects users from spyware related assaults. Now, largely in response to the never ending onslaught of new security threats, Microsoft is getting ready to release its first full blown anti-malware software, Microsoft Security Essentials.

Originally codenamed Morro, the software will offer a full range of virus and malware removal as well as real time protection. While Windows Defender offered spyware protection, this addition of protection from viruses will make this a solid, complete solution, especially considering it will be available free.

Of course, to avoid even more anti-trust issues, the software can’t be bundled directly with Windows, so exactly how Microsoft intends to “strongly suggest” that users download the software, free it may be, is yet to be seen. Also of note is that installation of the software will require users to use the Genuine Advantage program.

Leaked yesterday, the program itself is very lightweight and has very low system requirements—all good things for a program you’ll have to keep running 24/7.  As we said, this new offering will be a free downloadable addition to all Windows versions, XP through 7, when it’s released this fall. Before then though, Microsoft is opening the product (link not yet live) to 75,000 beta testers on June 23, if you want to test putting your security in Microsoft’s control.

Actually, the Conficker worm, which has been quietly distributing itself across Windows PCs since 2008, was supposed to start phoning home Wednesday. Reports are conflicted whether or not anything has actually happened yet. Most experts agree that it could be a few days until the effects of the virus are known, though predictions run the gamut from a simple botnet that will send more spam or commit DDoS attacks to more sinister actions like stealing credit card information.

While the whole Conficker situation could be a very elaborate but harmless April Fool’s joke, the fact that everyone is so worked up into a frenzy over it shows that computer viruses are still as much of a threat in the ever-connected, ever-computerized world we live in now as they have been.

Last week marked ten years since the first “malware” virus, the Melissa virus, first started wrecking havoc on users’ computers and overloading email systems. While viruses that hijack email clients and propagate by mailing copies of themselves to everyone in address book are largely extinct now, the Melissa virus was a real problem in 1999.

Dmitry Gryaznov, a member of the original McAfee team who discovered and tracked down the Melissa virus, points out that “Ten years ago, malware writers were interested in creating a name for themselves. It’s a vastly different picture today. Cybercriminals are financially-driven; they’re eager to steal personal information and cash-in on the cyber attacks.” It’s true that most viruses in the past were about being flashy, like by deleting important system files. Most viruses today are Trojan programs that watch your computer in the background to steal credit card information and passwords that could lead to identity theft.

It’s important to point out that running a decent virus scanner or just installing the patches that Windows pushes out over Windows Update would have prevented this whole situation from ever happening. Of course, if you’re on a blog like this one, you probably already knew this-or you just run OS X. And if you haven’t, go scan your system-NOW. There are lots of free (http://free.avg.com/) and open source (http://www.clamwin.com/) tools available, so there are no excuses.

On January 23, PC Tools reported on a new computer worm disguised as a Valentine’s Day program: Waledac worm victims can be infected through links distributed in email or instant messages that redirect consumers to exploited websites, which allows cybercriminals to gain control over the user’s computer.

PC Tools says the “digitally active” are in a higher risk category than other consumers because they frequently use new and alternative  technologies to look for love, such as instant messaging, social networking, dating and adult web sites, popular targets for cybercriminals. According to a recent study by Web of Trust of 19 million web sites, adult websites pose the single most significant security threat for Internet users.

The “digitally active” are also regularly posting their personal information on social networking and dating websites, only to wake up the “morning after” to find their computer has been compromised and that they are a potential victim for identity theft and financial loss.

Here’s a little checklist:

• Do you visit adult websites?
• Do you use your credit card to purchase items when you visit?
• Do you have your birth date, street address, or any other personal information listed on any social networking sites or dating sites?
• Do you often open links through IM or email?
• Do you access the Internet without protection (i.e. security software, browser and firewall protection)?

“Answering ‘yes’ increases a user’s vulnerability to DTD’s,” said Greene.  “That’s why PC Tools has developed a list of common sense tips so the ‘digitally active’ can play safe while online.”

PC Tools’ tips for playing it safe for the “Digitally Active.”

1. PRACTICE SAFE EX-CHANGES – Be careful with e- cards

While many people trade e- cards on Valentine’s Day, birthdays and special occasions, be careful about opening e-cards and the associated links-even during an IM or social networking chat. Check the address of the link carefully before clicking on it. If the email or IM is from an address you are unfamiliar with or the link is to a Web site you are unfamiliar with, don’t open it-you could be exposing yourself to a DTD. Likewise, confirm with your friend that they have sent you a file or link to confirm its legitimacy.

2. LOOK FOR LOVE IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES – Looks can be deceiving…

Just as our virtual networking techniques become increasingly sophisticated so too are the techniques applied by cybercriminals such that it is increasingly difficult to tell the difference between legitimate websites and hacker-created websites. Both adult and dating Websites are known to have a high incidence of malicious code that could steal your identity and finances. It is also important to note that legitimate and reputable sites have also been a target for cybercriminals-be warned, looks can be deceiving! To avoid this, first be on the alert and be aware, only visit and download from websites that are recommended by well-known and reputable sources and never visit any website without protection.

3. DON’T BECOME DATE BAIT AND OVERLY PROMISCUOUS – Don’t give out too many personal details

Social networking, Instant Messaging (IM) accounts, adult websites and online dating sites should only require your basic contact details (for example, name, billing address and contact number) to register for services.  Consumers should demonstrate caution if a website requests too much information. Contact them by phone to find out why they need so much information, how they plan to use it and if they have a privacy and security policy to protect you and use your commonsense when updating an online profile. Also, don’t be complacent and use the auto-complete feature in your browser to save your passwords, logins or other personal information-its prime real estate for the cybercriminals.

4. KISS AND TELL – Keep records all online transactions

If a website requires payment for any reason, check out its refund policies, privacy policy and legal notices. These documents should be readily available on the company’s websites and are a good indication that a site is reputable. Consumers should always print and save records of any online transactions, including the product or service description, price and the receipt of payment. If the site turns out to be fraudulent, you’ll need this information to advise the relevant authorities in order to try to get your money back. If you are going to transact online then have a separate credit card for online purchases only that has a low credit limit and is not linked to any other accounts.

5. PRACTICE CONSENTUAL UPDATING – Ensure your computer is up to date

Software companies continually issue updates to fix new security flaws, ensure you update your operating system, browser and security software regularly. Also use a web browser that is known to be relatively safe from Internet threats and vulnerabilities to ensure your computer isn’t exposed to threats where your personal and financial details, as well as your browsing habits, can be accessed by cybercriminals.

6. ALWAYS USE PROTECTION – Install comprehensive security protection

Finally, when being active, both online and offline, always use protection! There are tools consumers can use to protect themselves from DTD’s like spyware, viruses, Trojans, rootkits, and other malware. Leading independent publications recommend installing comprehensive behavior-based security software such as PC Tools Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus or PC Tools Internet Security.

Make sure your security product of choice has real-time protection, proactive behavioral protection, which helps protect against new and unknown threats, an advanced firewall to block unauthorized parties trying to access your computer via the Internet and browser protection which warns you about potentially malicious sites and identifies browser exploits.

Get a free copy of PC Tools’ Internet Security Suite 2009 on the Blast Magazine freebies page!

]]> http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2009/02/do-you-have-a-digitally-transmitted-disease/feed/ 3 http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/entertainment/2008/09/dangerous-celebs-to-google/ http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/entertainment/2008/09/dangerous-celebs-to-google/#comments Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:57:30 +0000 Blast Magazine Newsroom http://blastmagazine.com/?p=3233 Research from security firm McAfee shows that some celebrities are just dangerous to Google and search for around the web because of the litany of fake websites out there that try to infect your computer with viruses and malicious code as you innocently seek out wallpaper and screensavers of your favs.

Brad Pitt leads the pack on a list that includes Jessica Alba and Katherine Heigl.

“Fans searching for “Brad Pitt,” “Brad Pitt downloads,” and Brad Pitt wallpaper, screen savers and pictures have an 18% chance of having their PCs infected with online threats, such as spyware, spam, phishing, adware, viruses and other malware,” McAfee said. “Cybercriminals are using A-listers’ names and images, like Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake, to lure Internet users who surf the Web for the latest gossip, screen savers and ringtones to “fake” Web sites that look legitimate.”

The list includes:

1. Brad Pitt – When “Brad Pitt screensavers” was searched, more than half of the resulting Web sites were identified as containing malicious downloads with spyware, adware and potential viruses.

2. Beyoncé – Inputting “Beyoncé ringtones” into a search engine yields risky Web sites that promote misleading offers to gather consumers’ personal information.

3. Justin Timberlake – Interest in his high-profile relationships makes him an easy target for spammers and hackers. When searching for “Justin Timberlake downloads” one Web site advertised free music downloads that were flagged as directly leading to spam, spyware and adware.

4. Heidi Montag – “The Hills” star is a popular search term when it comes to searching for wallpaper. A host of wallpaper Web sites contained hundreds of malware-laden downloads.

5. Mariah Carey – Spammers and hackers are using Mariah Carey screen saver Web sites to link to other sites proven to contain spyware, adware and other threatening downloads.

6. Jessica Alba – Red-ranked risky sites were identified when searching for “Jessica Alba” and “Jessica Alba downloads.” The sites contained hundreds of malicious downloads, links to other bad sites, misleading offers to gather information, and a high number of spam emails when an email address was provided.

7. Lindsay Lohan – This young Hollywood starlet is as dangerous to search online as she is famous. Searching for “Lindsay Lohan downloads” resulted in several dangerous Web sites laden with hidden adware.

8. Cameron Diaz – Cybercriminals use download Web sites related to Cameron Diaz’s image to link to other harmful sites containing spyware.

9. George Clooney, Rihanna – The technology found one Web site embedded with hundreds of dangerous wallpaper and photo downloads after inputting “George Clooney downloads.” “Rihanna pictures” was also a risky search term, as McAfee identified a site that spammed its test email address.

11. Angelina Jolie – When “Angelina Jolie downloads” was searched, the software highlighted a risky site with 978 hidden malware-infected wallpaper and photo downloads, as well as links to other potentially dangerous URLs.

12. Fergie – A Fergie screen saver site was flagged as offering 111 risky downloads that could seriously compromise a PC’s privacy with unwanted spyware and adware.

13. David Beckham, Katie Holmes – The “David Beckham” search term generated a great deal of wallpaper and screen saver downloads veiled with malware. Consumers should also exercise caution when searching for “Katie Holmes” online – one download site advertised free screen savers that, if downloaded, would infect your computer with malicious programs like spyware.

15. Katherine Heigl – Hollywood’s big headliner in recent years is now susceptible to Internet lurkers too. “Katherine Heigl” was searched and a site was identified containing hundreds of malware-infected pictures.

 ”Cybercriminals employ numerous methods, yet one of the simplest but most effective ways is to trick consumers into infecting themselves by capitalizing on Americans’ interest in celebrity gossip,” said Jeff Green, senior vice president of McAfee’s Product Development and Avert Labs. “Tapping into current events, pop culture or commonly browsed sites is an easy way to achieve this. And because of Americans’ obsession with following celebrities’ lifestyles, they are an obvious target. We have to take precautions in casually navigating the Web since many subtle sites may be rife with malware for consumers’ computers.”

The list was compiled using McAfee SiteAdvisor, which can be downloaded for free at www.mcafee.com/siteadvisor.

]]> http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/entertainment/2008/09/dangerous-celebs-to-google/feed/ 0 http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2008/05/mcafee-identifies-downloader-uah-first-medium-risk-malware-in-three-years/ http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2008/05/mcafee-identifies-downloader-uah-first-medium-risk-malware-in-three-years/#comments Wed, 07 May 2008 01:28:01 +0000 John M. Guilfoil http://blastmagazine.com/?p=1288 McAfee Avert Labs reported Tuesday the most significant malware outbreak in three years with more than 500,000 detections of a Trojan horse they’re calling “Downloader-UA.h,” which is spreading by masquerading as a media file.

“The malicious MP3 music or MPEG video files have appeared on popular file-sharing services such as Limewire and eDonkey,” Avert Labs said in a statement.

McAfee has rated “Downloader-UA.h” as a “medium” risk threat. It is the first malware to receive that risk rating since 2005. It is the most dangerous threat to mask itself as a multimedia file ever recorded.

“This is one of the most prevalent pieces of malware in the last three years,” said Craig Schmugar, threat researcher at McAfee Avert Labs. “We have never before had a threat this significant that arrives as a media file.”

The last time McAfee went to “medium” on a computer threat was W32/Sober from November 2005. Sober was a virus that proliferated massively through email.

The malicious files are all named differently in multiple languages and vary in size to make them appear like legitimate music or video files, McAfee said. Attempting to play one of the malicious files will trigger a program called “PLAY_MP3.exe” to download, launch, and force advertisements to appear on the infected computer.

Some of the sample names used by the malicious media files include “preview-t-3545425-adult.mpg” ; “preview-t-3545425-changing times earth wind .mp3″ ; “preview-t-3545425-girls aloud st trinnians.mp3″ ; “preview-t-3545425-jij bent zo jeroen van den.mp3″ ; “t-3545425-lion king portugues.mpg” and “t-3545425-los padres de ella.mpg”

If you need a another reason to get rid of Limewire and other filesharing apps, you might not get a better one.

]]> http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2008/05/mcafee-identifies-downloader-uah-first-medium-risk-malware-in-three-years/feed/ 2 http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2008/02/case-mod-of-the-year/ http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2008/02/case-mod-of-the-year/#comments Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:08:30 +0000 John M. Guilfoil http://blastmagazine.com/2008/02/case-mod-of-the-year/ It’s Friday afternoon. It’s been a long week. Here’s one of those email forwards that was too hilarious to ignore.

After going through a virus attack,

losing a hard drive,

fighting off hackers,

upgrading all my software,

installing fire-walls,

being threatened with being cut-off by my email provider,

and a host of other problems…

I have fixed my computer…

and NOW it works exactly the way I want it to!



]]> http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2008/02/case-mod-of-the-year/feed/ 0 http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2008/01/myspace-page-sends-fake-xp-update/ http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2008/01/myspace-page-sends-fake-xp-update/#comments Sat, 12 Jan 2008 02:00:40 +0000 Blast Magazine Newsroom http://blastmagazine.com/2008/01/myspace-page-sends-fake-xp-update/ McAfee Avert Labs announced Friday a Trojan horse attack disguised as a Microsoft update on a particular MySpace profile.

Attackers send friend requests to the victim MySpace users. Clicking on the person’s picture or name link loads a profile page with what looks like a legitimate Windows Automatic Updates pop-up box. When the user clicks the pop-up, it results in a request for a file download masked as a Microsoft update called “updateKB890830.exe” from a server that includes “winxpupdate.Microsoft” in its name.”

“The file in actuality is a true malware cocktail,” McAfee said. “If installed and run it downloads programs from multiple servers that in turn download more malware in addition to Trojans, and a remote control tool.”

Initially, McAfee thought the download files look to be from China, but its Avert Labs determined the origin of the IP address belonging to an ISP in Malaysia and further downloads directed from the Ukraine.

The malicious MySpace profile is still live, McAfee said late Friday. MySpace and Microsoft have both been notified. Users should beware of friend requests from people they don’t know and be cautious when surfing MySpace profiles.

]]> http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2008/01/myspace-page-sends-fake-xp-update/feed/ 2 http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2008/01/11-year-old-hacks-iphone/ http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2008/01/11-year-old-hacks-iphone/#comments Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:39:31 +0000 Torrey Meeks http://blastmagazine.com/2008/01/11-year-old-hacks-iphone/ What appeared to be a legitimate iPhone application, “iPhone firmware 1.1.3 prep,” turned out to be a piece of malicious software intended to ruin functionality on affected phones.

The programmer of this dangerous piece of code was an eleven-year-old boy.

Using the installer.app feature on the iPhone, users can access the diverse world of third-party applications. The malware in question passed itself off an update at www.jmwiki.com for applications including Erica’s Utilities, OpenSSH, Launcher and Doom. After downloading and installing the file via the iPhone’s installer.app, the malware displayed the word, “shoes” and proceeded to remove files critical to iPhone functionality.

Though by malware standards the virus was fairly tame, McAfee Avert Labs blogger Jimmy Shah noted that the piece of software highlights an important security concern with iPhone, one that depends entirely on the vigilance of well-informed users.

McAfee recommends users only acquire software only from trusted sources and install only official firmware updates.

After the child’s ISP was informed of the problem, his father was contacted and the site hosting the malicious application was taken down.

]]> http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2008/01/11-year-old-hacks-iphone/feed/ 4 http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2007/12/worm-found-on-google-orkut/ http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/technology/2007/12/worm-found-on-google-orkut/#comments Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:08:46 +0000 John M. Guilfoil http://blastmagazine.com/2007/12/worm-found-on-google-orkut/ Almost 400,000 members of Google’s social networking site, Orkut, were victimized by a new spam worm spreading around the site, said McAfee’s Avert Labs.

“While the worm doesn’t appear to harm users’ PCs, it does impact their profile and spread from friend to friend,” said McAfee. “This virus will add the user to a community called “Infectados pelo Virus Orkut” (“Infected by the Orkut Virus”) and starts to send messages to the friends of the infected user. Avert Labs believes Google is working to fight the worm.”

This raises concerns on how to keep the growing number of Web 2.0 sites safe and secure. MySpace and Facebook have faced similar issues recently, and everyone remembers the series of AIM Profile viruses and malicious code.

“I analyzed some suspicious scrap ‘2008 vem ai… que ele comece mto bem para vc’ from a bunch of friends on Orkut,” wrote McAfee’s Vinay Mahadik. “For a while it was all over Orkut!! Translated to English, it reads ‘2008 is coming…I wish that it begins quite well for you.’”

The worm is spreading through Orkut’s recently introduced tool that allows users to write messages that contain HTML code. The ability to add Flash/Javascript content to Orkut scraps was only recently introduced.

Click here for the full Avert Labs blog post.

The form has been named W32/KutWormer by McAfee.

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