gHacks technology news » fingerprint http://www.ghacks.net A technology blog covering software, mobile phones, gadgets, security, the Internet and other relevant areas. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:55:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 Fingerprint Files In Windows To Uncover File Changes http://www.ghacks.net/2009/08/30/fingerprint-files-in-windows-to-uncover-file-changes/ http://www.ghacks.net/2009/08/30/fingerprint-files-in-windows-to-uncover-file-changes/#comments Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:02:27 +0000 Martin http://www.ghacks.net/?p=15691 microsoft windowsWhat’s the best way of making sure that you know when files are changed in the operating system? It is possible to create a backup and compare the backup with a later stage. Other possibilities include software programs that have been designed to detect changes. Fingerprint is one of those software programs. The computer program can index files from multiple folders or hard drives.

Fingerprint calculates hash values of every file during the first selection unlike many other tools that simply report file size or file date modifications. This way might take a bit longer but it ensures that every modification can be noticed as the program compares the hash values and not data that can be easily modified.

fingerprint

Some aspects of a directory scan can be configured during setup. It is for instance possible to include or exclude files from the scan, switch from hash generation to file size, date and time records or schedule scans for the profile.

The Windows Task Scheduler is used to schedule file comparisons at a later time or on a regular basis. File changes will be written to a log file that is automatically displayed in the default web browser of the computer system. Fingerprint is a small program for the Windows operating system that can be downloaded from the developer’s website.

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]]> http://www.ghacks.net/2009/08/30/fingerprint-files-in-windows-to-uncover-file-changes/feed/ 3 German interior minister’s fingerprint replicated http://www.ghacks.net/2008/03/30/german-interior-ministers-fingerprint-replicated/ http://www.ghacks.net/2008/03/30/german-interior-ministers-fingerprint-replicated/#comments Sun, 30 Mar 2008 08:48:20 +0000 Martin http://www.ghacks.net/?p=3658 What’s a good way of catching the attention of someone who is advocating the use of biometrics? German interior minister Wolfgang Schäuble is pushing biometrics and data collection in Germany all for the sake of security and the fight against terrorism.

The Chaos Computer Club, a renowned and popular club of hackers and privacy advocates, decided to let the minister taste some of his own medicine by replicating the fingerprint of the minister and publishing that fingerprint in their magazine.

The fingerprint was available as a print in the magazine and on transparency slide ready to be put on the fingers of the readers of it. The sample was apparently taken from a glass that Schäuble was drinking at a panel discussion in Berlin.

The club also published a step by step instruction on how they managed to replicate the fingerprints. The process itself requires only a handful of common materials, a computer and laser printer, nothing that can’t be acquired in a regular tools store.

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]]> http://www.ghacks.net/2008/03/30/german-interior-ministers-fingerprint-replicated/feed/ 2 Rootkits: Sony does it again http://www.ghacks.net/2007/08/28/rootkits-sony-does-it-again/ http://www.ghacks.net/2007/08/28/rootkits-sony-does-it-again/#comments Tue, 28 Aug 2007 16:27:39 +0000 Martin http://www.ghacks.net/2007/08/28/rootkits-sony-does-it-again/ I would have never thought that a company like Sony would not learn from its mistakes especially after the first rootkit debacle which was a major public relations fiasco for Sony. The first rootkit was placed on several audio CDs that were distributed in 2005 and led to a $6 million settle case in the United States. While the rootkit was intended to make it impossible (albeit ineffectively) to copy music from the CDs it was effectively used by producers of malware, trojans and spyware to hide their code from antivirus software.

The sentenced that always reminds me of how amateurish Sony handled the whole affair went something in the line of “People who don’t know what rootkits do should not care about them”.

It seems Sony did it again. F-Secure is reporting that Sony is now selling a USB stick – the Sony MicroVault – which installs a hidden folder in c:\windows when installing the USB fingerprint software.


So, when enumerating files and subdirectories in the Windows directory, the directory and files inside it are not visible through Windows API. If you know the name of the directory, it is e.g. possible to enter the hidden directory using Command Prompt and it is possible to create new hidden files. There are also ways to run files from this directory. Files in this directory are also hidden from some antivirus scanners (as with the Sony BMG DRM case) — depending on the techniques employed by the antivirus software. It is therefore technically possible for malware to use the hidden directory as a hiding place.

F-Secure suspects that the hidden folder is used to protect the fingerprint authentication and strongly disagrees that this is the correct way to achieve a protection.

I think that Sony made a big mistake in using such a technology again even if it was intended to be of good use for the owner.

Read More:

F-Secure Blog

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]]> http://www.ghacks.net/2007/08/28/rootkits-sony-does-it-again/feed/ 3 Want to sell used CDs ? Identify yourself ! http://www.ghacks.net/2007/05/08/want-to-sell-used-cds-identify-yourself/ http://www.ghacks.net/2007/05/08/want-to-sell-used-cds-identify-yourself/#comments Tue, 08 May 2007 04:38:54 +0000 Martin http://www.ghacks.net/2007/05/08/want-to-sell-used-cds-identify-yourself/ Some states in the land of the free are pushing new legislations which have the purpose to curb the sale of stolen goods but affect you, me and your local used record store more seriously. Let us take Florida as the prime example how things can get really out of control. Stores who sell used CDs have to apply for a permit. Once a customer comes in they have to take his fingerprints (!) and get a copy of one of their documents that can legally identify them.

Stores are only allowed to pay with store credit and not with cash anymore and have to hold them for 30 days before being able to resell them. I don’t think that I’m the only person who thinks this new legislation sounds ridiculous. Especially if you consider that everyone will still be able to sell used CDs on eBay and Amazon without getting fingerprinted in first place.

Utah aims for the same legislation and Rhode Island has another pending one. When will the first record store clerk land in jail for selling used legit CDs ?

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