A hack attack that targeted Google in December also hit 33 other companies, including financial institutions and defense contractors, and was aimed at stealing source code from the companies, say security researchers at iDefense.

Did they just say source code? Wow. No one really stated what was stolen or what data was compromised. This shows that storing anything on the internet is not safe practice. Some people think Google is invincible. They aren’t. Nobody is. That’s why I think it’s ridiculous that some companies store confidential information on Google Apps products like Google Docs. (Yes, I understand that companies can get hacked as well but Google is a big name player that has a lot more valuable data.) Now, if the hackers did take source code… they can find possible exploits to get access to data or just fuck up the system. And we don’t even know what data was compromised. I think it would be interesting to find out. But if that information got out to the public. How many App users do you think Google will lose? And I find it pretty sad that Gmail finally decides to go full https after they get hacked. Ha! Don’t get me wrong, I love Google products but I would never put anything important or confidential on their servers.

So how did they get hacked? Microsoft IE was a major contributor. Let’s examine more from the Wired.com article:

But according to iDefense, whose customers include some of the 33 companies that were hacked, the attacks were well targeted and “unusually sophisticated” and aimed at grabbing source code from several hi-tech companies based in Silicon Valley as well as financial institutions and defense contractors.

The hackers gained access to the company networks by sending targeted e-mails to employees, some of which contained a malicious PDF attachment. The malicious code exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Adobe’s Reader application.

Zero day vulnerabilities are security flaws in software for which there is currently no patch. Adobe announced in mid-December that a new zero-day vulnerability in its Reader and Acrobat programs was being actively targeted by attackers. The company made the announcement after security researchers not affiliated with Adobe discovered attacks being conducted against the vulnerability. Adobe patched the critical vulnerability only on Tuesday this week.

In the recent attack on some of the companies, once a recipient clicked on the malicious PDF attachment, a backdoor Trojan program called Trojan.Hydraq was installed on their machine in the form of a Windows DLL, according to iDefense.

IDefense says that when Google discovered malware on its systems in December, it found that the code was communicating with a server set up to receive information stolen from the targeted companies.

“It was configured in such a way that it was able to receive a massive amount of data being exfiltrated to it,” says an iDefense spokeswoman who asked not to be named.

Google was able to determine, by examining the server, that the hackers had struck numerous other companies, she said. Google said in its Tuesday announcement that 20 other companies had been hacked. But iDefense found evidence that at least 33 were targeted.

YES. I work very closely with the Red Cross. What most people don’t realise is that money donated doesn’t go directly to disaster relief efforts. Most money donated goes to helping them get out of their $200million+ debt. If they paid their executive directors less, I’m sure that debt could be corrected a lot faster.

Please, please (as a nonprofit employee that gets the shit end of the stick from Red Cross on a consistent basis) donate DIRECTLY to agencies helping Haiti.

EDIT: Most of the disaster relief volunteers that will be participating in Haiti may not even be continual Red Cross volunteers. A lot of American Red Cross chapters pull from volunteer agencies (like mine) and asks those individuals to help manage the shelters and cleanups (a lot of times on that volunteer’s own dime). I reiterate, if you are interested in helping donate to this unfortunate disaster, please review monoglot’s link to NPR’s list of ways to help.

Please see this list for better relief groups:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/01/haiti_earthquake_how_to_help_a.html

There are many disaster relief organizations that will go directly to the Haitians. Therefore, I ask you to make a donation soon.

Partners in Health is on that list and is my choice.

Paul Farmer and his large & long established in Haiti organization knows Haiti better than anyone else by far. Guy is a saint and I wouldn’t send my money to anyone else.

Never keep secrets from Thanh… He’s way too smart for that!

Apparently, everyone had the hardest time trying to figure out what to get me. I remember Channy (my brother’s GF) asking me one day what I wanted, and I tell her I don’t know, get me something useful. Well, after a horrible Sunday night of trying to sleep, I realized that I need a new mattress. So, I did some research and found us-mattress.com where they had a 50% off sale ending today. I ended up emailing my sister about how I want to buy this new mattress and would like to use her amex. So after work and the gym (yes, I went to the gym today to test out my bad shoulder), I got home and I was going to put it on my sister’s amex because I don’t trust myself with credit cards. Well, she started acting all weird about me using it. I started to think… don’t you have a credit line of a billion dollars with your super duper credit?! Well, it didn’t take long for her to crack after she mysteriously went to my brother’s room. They all chipped in to buy me what I really wanted… a new mattress. And I really didn’t want them to because I’m the type that likes to buy myself stuff. But they got me something that I will use EVERYDAY. This was pretty expensive, I’m surprised that they got it for me. But I’m so super excited. Best Christmas gift EVER. I love my family. They are awesome. And surprises are short lived here. Thanh is just way too smart.

So as time started to pass, I go to wander around the restaurant because I was in need of some nicotine. I noticed that this place has tons of plaques and awards. One that got me excited was a Yelp award which was AWESOME. And how can I forget to mention that there was even an acoustic band. These two guys made it an awesome night. Pretty funny guys. First to show up was Kris, she almost didn’t recognize me so I had to mess with her. Then Meimei and Flor finally shows up and we wanted to move tables. This was the 3rd time we moved tables. LOL. We wanted to be by the band. So we ordered some food and some drinks and had an awesome time. We goofed around with the band guys because they pulled Channy up to sing her requested song; I’m yours by Jason Mraz. She sang along… off her blackberry. Haha!

Eventually the cake came out. It was a massive size of a cake. It was a raspberry mousse chocolate cake. We enjoyed the acoustic guitar show for another 45 minutes and then we left. Wished Flor a happy birthday and headed off to Leon’s birthday party. By the time we left the restaurant, there was enough snow on my car where I had to scrape it off. But these new car tires of mine are amazing on the snow. Super duper control on wet conditions. To Allston Mass, we go.

Leon’s place… oh man. There were a lot of people there. Mainly in the kitchen. Eventually the party ended up in the living room where I was hanging out. A large group of people were setting up a drinking game called “Asshole” and they eventually pulled me in and taught me the game. Apparently, if you win the game, you get labeled as “The President.” Well, I played 3 games and was president all 3 times. I guess I’m a natural at drinking games. Haha. Not. I ended up giving my presidency to Leon because I just didn’t want to continue drinking beer with a full stomach. Not a good mix. The game eventually came to a hault because some of Leon’s best buddies prepared a ROAST (yes, like the one on comedy central) for him. It was a very educational Leon moment. They bashed him with embarrassing moments after next. It was hysterically funny, I laughed my ass off to know Leon did some of the things he did. For a Jewish kid, Leon’s closest friends are black and they roasted the f*ck out of him. One of my favorite jokes was when Leon got his Master’s degree and had his friend to call him Master. LMAO… so… wrong. Then they made Leon come out with a “I Love Black People” T-Shirt which made it even more hysterical. We eventually left after the roast but man… WHAT A FUN NIGHT.

I’m glad I went out. The last few days were pretty frigging crappy but we all need to find some kind of balance in life.

Sorry, I don’t have pictures at Leon’s place because I left my camera in my car… I had to park very far and didn’t want to get it wet on the walk back to his place.

Just a side note: I out ate a pregnant woman. Channy you disappoint me! And looking back, this is the 2nd time for me to celebrate Flor’s birthday. She sure turns 21 an awful lot. LOL.