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Irfanview hacked on Windows 10, as was VLC player



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 11th 17, 03:20 AM posted to rec.photo.digital,alt.comp.os.windows-10
Niamh Bodkin
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Default Irfanview hacked on Windows 10, as was VLC player

First two items on the list are programs I use.
https://wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/cms/page_20251107.html

Irfanview -- apparently they can use it to turn on microphone & camera

VLC -- apparently they can use it to turn on your microphone
  #2  
Old March 11th 17, 03:11 PM posted to rec.photo.digital,alt.comp.os.windows-10
Sergey
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Default Irfanview hacked on Windows 10, as was VLC player

On 11-Mar-2017 8:30 AM, Wolf K wrote:
On 2017-03-10 21:20, Niamh Bodkin wrote:
First two items on the list are programs I use.
https://wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/cms/page_20251107.html

Irfanview -- apparently they can use it to turn on microphone & camera

VLC -- apparently they can use it to turn on your microphone


"They" have been able to do this for quite a while now. "They" can turn
on/eavesdrop/scavenge data from any internet-connected device, such as
your iPhone-activated front door lock.

"They" includes a lot more people than the CIA.

Have a nice paranoid day.


+1
  #3  
Old March 11th 17, 04:04 PM posted to rec.photo.digital,alt.comp.os.windows-10
Mayayana
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Default Irfanview hacked on Windows 10, as was VLC player

"Niamh Bodkin" wrote

| First two items on the list are programs I use.
| https://wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/cms/page_20251107.html
|

Browsing through the Wikileaks data I was
surprised by how little info there actually was.
One of the few "hacks" I actually saw was how
to look up the current UAC level in the Registry.
That's basic sys admin stuff.
With one of the hackable programs, Libre Office,
there's a Procmon screenshot of DLLs loaded.
It means nothing without explanation. Irfan View
and VLC? Maybe I missed it, but it seemed to me
that there was no actual information there. Just
an incriminating list.

In any case, the programs you're talking about
are generally not Internet-connected, which
means they're talking about hacks by malware
that's already on your computer. Why do they need
to hack when they're already on your computer?
Probably most of it is concerned with how to bypass
the restrictions on someone running in "lackey mode",
as a limited user. Likely they're dealing with corporate
employee computers in many cases. Otherwise, why
would it matter? They don't need to hack IrfanView
to run code if you're running with moderate permissions.

But there are lots of ways to get around UAC.
That's a nuisance, not security.

What you're talking about is realizing your home
desk drawer is not locked and your TV is not
chained to the wall. But what about a front door
lock? The real concern is malware getting in in
the first place. Scam emails. Running javascript
in the browser. Installing Java, Flash, Silverlight,
or PDF plugins. Allowing autorun for USB sticks.
(Or using USB sticks promiscuously in general. If
you need to transport files to someone else it's
safer to use a CD.) Using remote functionality
software like Skype or remote desktop functionality.
Enabling file sharing.... Those are the things you
have to watch out for. If you leave your house
with the front door unlocked and the side window
open, having no lock on your desk drawer is the
least of your worries.
(Actually, police will tell you the same thing about
house break-ins: The entry point is critical. Once
they get into a foyer or start dealing with your
desk drawer lock, they can afford to take their time
and make more noise.)

And for most people, ransomware is a far bigger
threat than hackers stealing your files. (Ideally, you're
not keeping banking/credit card records on your
computer.)
Ransomware will probably come from online. Likely
through a sneaky email or browser vulnerability. In
order to work it will have been designed to bypass
file restrictions, so UAC will do you no good and all
those security updates to the likes of Irfan View or
VLC will just get irretrievably encrypted along with
the rest of your data.



  #4  
Old March 11th 17, 04:35 PM posted to rec.photo.digital,alt.comp.os.windows-10
pjp[_2_]
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Posts: 3
Default Irfanview hacked on Windows 10, as was VLC player

In article , says...

First two items on the list are programs I use.
https://wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/cms/page_20251107.html

Irfanview -- apparently they can use it to turn on microphone & camera

VLC -- apparently they can use it to turn on your microphone


So don't plug in the camera and don't connect the mic. For laptops put
tape over the camera and maybe something more over the mic. Or take it
apart and disconnect the wires. Might be enough to simply remove the
appropriate drivers assuming they don't get reinstalled every time you
reboot system.
  #5  
Old March 11th 17, 06:47 PM posted to rec.photo.digital,alt.comp.os.windows-10
nospam
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Posts: 24,165
Default Irfanview hacked on Windows 10, as was VLC player

In article , Wolf K
wrote:


"They" have been able to do this for quite a while now. "They" can turn
on/eavesdrop/scavenge data from any internet-connected device, such as
your iPhone-activated front door lock.


no they can't.
  #6  
Old March 11th 17, 06:47 PM posted to rec.photo.digital,alt.comp.os.windows-10
nospam
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Posts: 24,165
Default Irfanview hacked on Windows 10, as was VLC player

In article , Mayayana
wrote:


And for most people, ransomware is a far bigger
threat than hackers stealing your files.


the only people for whom ransomware is an issue are those who don't
have backups.

these are the same people who are at risk for all sorts of problems,
ones that are far more likely to occur than ransomware.

if someone has a full backup, then it's a complete non-issue, whether
it's ransomware, a hard drive failure, loss/theft or something else.
reformat, restore, and everything is back to normal, often in less than
an hour.

(Ideally, you're
not keeping banking/credit card records on your
computer.)


it's much better there than on paper that anyone can read.
  #7  
Old March 11th 17, 09:42 PM posted to rec.photo.digital,alt.comp.os.windows-10
Keith nuttle
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Posts: 93
Default Irfanview hacked on Windows 10, as was VLC player

On 3/11/2017 12:47 PM, nospam wrote:
In article , Wolf K
wrote:


"They" have been able to do this for quite a while now. "They" can turn
on/eavesdrop/scavenge data from any internet-connected device, such as
your iPhone-activated front door lock.


no they can't.

Especially when you turn it off when you are not using it.
  #8  
Old March 11th 17, 09:45 PM posted to rec.photo.digital,alt.comp.os.windows-10
nospam
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Posts: 24,165
Default Irfanview hacked on Windows 10, as was VLC player

In article , Keith Nuttle
wrote:


"They" have been able to do this for quite a while now. "They" can turn
on/eavesdrop/scavenge data from any internet-connected device, such as
your iPhone-activated front door lock.


no they can't.

Especially when you turn it off when you are not using it.


and even if you don't.

there may be a very small number of vulnerable devices, but it's not
trivial to gain access and easily blocked anyway.

it's certainly not 'any internet-connected device'. not even close to
reality.
  #9  
Old March 13th 17, 05:04 AM posted to rec.photo.digital,alt.comp.os.windows-10
Savageduck[_3_]
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Posts: 16,487
Default Irfanview hacked on Windows 10, as was VLC player

On 2017-03-13 04:54:13 +0000, nospam said:

....and I see your post time has just gone haywire again.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

  #10  
Old March 13th 17, 05:29 AM posted to rec.photo.digital,alt.comp.os.windows-10
nospam
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Posts: 24,165
Default Irfanview hacked on Windows 10, as was VLC player

In article 2017031221040280366-savageduck1@REMOVESPAMmecom,
Savageduck wrote:

On 2017-03-13 04:54:13 +0000, nospam said:

...and I see your post time has just gone haywire again.


no, that post was posted from another computer.
 




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