Windows 8 Keynote - Cloud Security

Was going through a video posted on youtube from Windows 8 keynote speech. And right when they started to talk about how cool Win8 is going to be with all these apps and cloud offerings like SkyDrive on the cloud, my mind began to drift away into its cozy zone wondering, well if all my app data is going to be on the cloud, it better be one helluva secure place.

And why? Because I wouldn't want to go through the trouble of differentiating what's safe enough to put on the cloud, all the time.

Every company worth its salt is jumping on the cloud, literally. Here we're talking about The Microsoft, and that means the expectations are as high.

Advanced Persistence Threat (APT)

The main technique behind Operation Aurora and attack on RSA, APT or Advanced Persistent Threat takes control over the target as follows:
1. Identifies the target victim <u>having access that the attacker needs</u>
2. Sends malicious attachments through spoofed emails and and infects victims machines
3. Gathers intelligence of the network layout, strategic assets and individuals with higher access levels.
4. if needed elevates the authorization level by spear phishing or hacking into the administrative passwords
5. Installs malware, hijacks system, establishes backdoor route to communicate with command and control servers.
6. Attacker activates command and control server to steal and transmit sensitive information.