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First Contagious WiFi Computer Virus Goes Airborne


Monroe

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I guess this is just a "practice run" for now ... the “Chameleon” virus ...

“It was assumed, however, that it wasn’t possible to develop a virus that could attack WiFi networks — but we demonstrated that this is possible and that it can spread quickly.”

First Contagious WiFi Computer Virus Goes Airborne, Spreads Like the Common Cold

02/25/2014

http://dailycaller.com/2014/02/25/first-contagious-wifi-computer-virus-goes-airborne-spreads-like-the-common-cold/

Computer science researchers have demonstrated for the first time how a digital virus can go airborne and spread via WiFi networks in populated areas at the same pace as a human diseases.

The “Chameleon” virus, designed by a University of Liverpool team, showed a remarkable amount of intelligence by avoiding detection and breaking into personal and business WiFi networks at their weakest points — spreading at an alarming rate.

Network Security Professor Alan Marshall said the virus doesn’t try to damage or disrupt established networks — instead, the virus slips in unnoticed to collect the data and log-in information of all users connected to the network via WiFi, and seeks other WiFi networks through them — a much more subtle, sinister and dangerous objective.

“WiFi connections are increasingly a target for computer hackers because of well-documented security vulnerabilities, which make it difficult to detect and defend against a virus,” Marshall said in a ScienceBlog report. “It was assumed, however, that it wasn’t possible to develop a virus that could attack WiFi networks — but we demonstrated that this is possible and that it can spread quickly.”

The secret to Chameleon is the method by which it avoids detection. Traditional computer antivirus programs look for viruses present on computers and the Internet itself. Chameleon sticks strictly to WiFi networks, bypassing secured, more heavily encrypted networks to enter and spread through weaker ones — especially free public access points like those found in cafes, on trains and in airports.

A lab experiment by the University’s School of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and Electronics simulated what researchers likened to an airborne contagion attack against Belfast and London, entering WiFi access points that connect public and private networks to the Internet.

The virus traveled fastest across access points within a 160 feet or less of each other, following similar rates of human infection by viruses among more densely populated areas.

“We are now able to use the data generated from this study to develop a new technique to identify when an attack is likely,” Marshall said.

...

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Hate to tell you this, but this "news" is several months old. It appears that these folks are pushing their "research" to gain notoriety.

I've yet to find the "research paper" and must also note I had found it on Twitter, including the fact that it was refuted by other scholars that -had- read the research. (I can't find it again ATM.)

I wouldn't take much stock in it except the "unprotected public" wifi part.

edit - and I do believe they don't even have the definition right - Trojan vs Virus?

Chameleon as Virus (really old) - http://virus.wikia.com/wiki/Chameleon

As a Trojan, it appears to be the "Ransomware" one (google it).

More on the one in said article here - http://www.deccanherald.com/content/388529/airborne-wifi-virus-threat-virtual.html

While many access points are sufficiently encrypted and password protected, the virus simply moved on to find those which weren't strongly protected, including open access WiFi points common in locations such as coffee shops and airports.

The disinformation campaign to get a Paper accepted and published?

edit2 - ?May be the "research"? http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186%2F1687-417X-2013-2

edit3 - YES, that's the one! Note how it says that the FIRMWARE is replaced? THAT is "I call BS" part that was being refuted. HOW does FIRMWARE get updated?

Edited by submix8c
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I was wondering if this story "might" be real but I had never heard of a WiFi virus before and since I do most all my internet time with a WiFi connection ... I decided to post it. Figured some of the regulars would debunk the story or add more information.

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Sure, no offence whatever intended to duffy98 :), some serious offence intended for the group of demented people (that call themselves, respectively, journalists and editors) that do publish this kind of bull§hit on seemingly respectable sites.

The actual scientists involved in the research/paper should be anyway crucified:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079470/quotes?item=qt0471984

for talking about the experiment without exactly clearing the limits and real nature of the experiment.

In any case the paper in itself is mostly "fluff".

jaclaz

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No No ... I don't mind all the posts ... maybe if this was my very "first post" and all this was going on, I might be inclined to move on.

I've been fooled before, I posted something way back and it was sort of a hoax ... jaclaz had a link to an urban legend site, Snopes - Urban Legends.

I was just recently fooled this past Sunday by the Discovery Channel dealing with Mermaids and the Megalodon shark ... they ran a three hour special on Mermaids possibly existing in the ocean and then a two hour special on the Megalodon shark still alive in the ocean ... all were broadcast in 2013 but I missed them ... the mermaid show had video and eye witnesses but when I checked it all out on Monday, the whole thing was a joke/hoax ... but I didn't "expect" that from the Discovery channel.

I am easily fooled which means you may be reading more future posts that will need debunking !!!

...

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That's what was presented in the two hour special about the Megalodon Shark possibly still alive in ocean ... Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives

There was, in the beginning of the program, a "discovered" video (a la Blair Witch) of a South African charter fishing vessel with 5-6 people aboard being capsized by some sort of sea animal. The video is purportedly real, and even includes news footage of South African authorities conducting a news conference re: the incident. The vessel was capsized on April 5, 2013 in Hout Bay South Africa and the people's bodies were never recovered. The television program goes on to speculate that a giant "Megalodon" shark (60-100 feet long and thought to be extinct for 2 million years) was responsible for the boat capsizing.

Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives

http://www.snopes.com/critters/malice/megalodon.asp

Then the two Mermaid shows (three hours total) had interesting video and eyewitness accounts that Navy sonar was not only killing whales but also mermaids. OK, so you are laughing but remember I was watching all this on the Discovery Channel and I was inclined to buy into the whole thing.

Mermaids: The Body Found

http://www.snopes.com/photos/supernatural/mermaids.asp

OK ... so now we can't trust the Discovery Channel anymore ... what's next !

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OK ... so now we can't trust the Discovery Channel anymore ... what's next !

Wait, are you telling me that you ever trusted anything on TV? :w00t:

But yes, the mermaids (and to a lesser extent the megalodon) stuff is a good example of BAD entertainment (only because it was misrepresented as being documentary, not by itself if seen - as it is - as science fiction).

HECK! Gotta go, my phoenix just started spreading pyrotrons like mad:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_human_combustion#Unverified_natural_phenomena

and they are d@mn dangerous particles to have around :whistle:

jaclaz

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I've read about this for years ... "Spontaneous human combustion". True or not ... or just known as "unverified natural phenomena" this story from the link is humorous ... the wick effect !

Henry Thomas, a 73-year-old man, was found burned to death in the living room of his council house on the Rassau council estate in Ebbw Vale, south Wales, in 1980. His entire body was incinerated, leaving only his skull and a portion of each leg below the knee. The feet and legs were still clothed in socks and trousers. Half of the chair in which he had been sitting was also destroyed. Police forensic officers decided that the incineration of Thomas was due to the wick effect. His death was ruled 'death by burning', as he had plainly inhaled the contents of his own combustion.

...

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I'm a born-again christian, however, back when I was an atheist I used to read all about the paranormal, UFOs, bigfoot, loch ness monster, ESP, and all that stuff.

Skeptic's Dictionary is a good debunking website :-)

http://www.skepdic.com/shc.html

An excellent pro-paranormal news website is The Anomalist.

http://www.anomalist.com/

Edited by LostInSpace2012
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I'm surprised no mentioned the biggest hoax of them all Climate change. First it was global cooling http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/03/01/global-cooling-compilation/ . Now it has become global warming, and honestly some of it is pathetic. http://wattsupwiththat.com/climate-fail-files/over-4-5-billion-people-could-die-from-global-warming-related-causes-by-2012/ :whistle: . Or even my favorite this one

EDIT: did anyone mention the Finding bigfoot show on animal planet http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/finding-bigfoot . :w00t:

Edited by Flasche
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