The second day of the Pwn2Own competition, organised by the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) team at security researchers TippingPoint, was devoted to iPhone and BlackBerry. Charlie Miller exploited a vulnerability in the mobile version of the Safari web browser on iOS 4.2.1 to delete the address book when a manipulative website was visited. . However, the first attempt failed when the browser merely crashed. But the second attempt succeeded and earned Mr Miller $15,000 and an iPhone. Miller had help from Dion Blazakis. To get around data execution prevention (DEP) on the iPhone, Miller used Return-Oriented Programming (ROP), in which no code is placed on the stack; instead, addresses that call existing code fragments are. Miller says his exploit does not, however, work on the recently published iOS version 4.3, where Apple has implemented Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) for the first time. Libraries are now loaded to random addresses, thereby preventing ROP from working without further work. However, the vulnerability that Miller exploits remains in iOS 4.3. The link for this article located at H Security is no longer available. . Alex Thompson adeptly utilized a vulnerability in Android 3.0's Chrome browser at the Security Fest 2020.. iOS Security Flaw,Pwn2Own Competition,Mobile Exploit,ToT Address Randomization,Safari Vulnerability. . Anthony Pell
A security expert working at Alert Logic has published a demonstration back door exploit for smartphones running Android. Criminals could use the principles of this exploit to gain control of a phone and install trojans. A potential victim need only call a malicious web site for infection to occur.. The example exploit will open the back door for demonstration purposes only on the fixed IP address 10.0.2.2 on port 2222. Although as it stands, the demo exploit is harmless, for an experienced cracker it would be relatively easy to customise the shellcode to create a malicious version. In a test conducted by The H's associates at heise Security with an HTC Wildfire (Android 2.1), the exploit only caused a browser crash. Officially, the exploit only is only effective on Motorola's Droid 2.0.1, 2.1, and the test was successful on an emulation of 2.0 - 1.2. The link for this article located at H Security is no longer available. . This piece details a vulnerability in iOS, underscoring the dangers and the possibilities for harmful software deployment.. Android Security, Backdoor Exposure, Malware Threats. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
Aaron Portnoy, TippingPoint Technologies Security Research Team Lead, has announced that the annual Pwn2Own contest will take place at this year's CanSecWest security conference on the 24th of March in Vancouver. To commemorate the 4th Pwn2Own contest, the total cash prize amount has been increased to $100,000 this year.. According to Portnoy, this year's event, which will take place over the course of three days, will focus on "two main technology targets". As with previous Pwn2Own events, the first portion of the contest will target web browser and operating system pairings. Over the course of the event, contestants will be able to attempt to exploit browsers ranging from Internet Explorer 7 & 8, to Firefox 3, Chrome 4 and Safari 4 on Windows 7, Vista and Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. According to the rules, the exploits used should work with little or no user interaction. Apple's iPhone 3GS, RIM's Blackberry Bold 9700, a Nokia Symbian S60 phone and a Motorola Android-based phone will also be targeted. The browser and mobile contest will run concurrently and those interested in participating are asked to register by emailing
A hacking contest next month will award cash prizes of $15,000 to anyone who can break into an iPhone, BlackBerry Bold, Droid or Nokia smartphone. The prizes are 50% more than the top awards given last year at Pwn2Own, which will kick off March 24 at the CanSecWest security conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. Altogether, $100,000 could be handed out by 3Com TippingPoint, the contest sponsor. . Pwn2Own will again offer a dual-track challenge with both browser and mobile OS targets, said Aaron Portnoy, a TippingPoint security researcher, on a company blog that announced details of this year's contest. Now in its fourth year, Pwn2Own has repeatedly made headlines for hacks of Apple 's Mac OS X and Microsoft 's Internet Explorer. In 2009, for example, researcher Charlie Miller broke into a Mac in less than five seconds to win $5,000. This year, hackers will take on an iPhone 3GS, a Blackberry Bold 9700, an unspecified Nokia smartphone running the Symbian S60 platform and a Motorola, most likely a Droid, powered by Google 's Android. A successful hack must result in code execution with little to no user-interaction, according to Portnoy. Any exploited phone wins its attacker $10,000 in cash, the phone and enough points in TippingPoint's Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) bug-bounty program to qualify for another one-time payment of $5,000. But the $60,000 that TippingPoint plans to put up for the mobile part of Pwn2Own may be safe: All five smartphones in last year's contest came through unscathed . The link for this article located at CIO Magazine is no longer available. . Pwn2Own announces a total of $100,000 up for grabs in rewards for successfully hacking mobile operating systems and web browsers this year, boosting the focus on security vigilance.. Pwn2Own, Hacking Competition, Mobile Security, Browser Exploit, Cash Prizes. . Anthony Pell
Get the latest Linux and open source security news straight to your inbox.