Hackers can steal cloud computing time

November 29, 2012 Off By David
Object Storage

Grazed from GMANetwork. Author: Editorial Staff.

A vulnerability in cloud-based mobile browsers may allow hackers to steal cloud computing time from users of such apps in mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, a tech site reported Thursday. Security researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of Oregon said the cloud resources that do the heavy lifting can be tricked into doing "other things," according to an article posted on PC World.

"(It) depends on how well-provisioned the cloud browser platform is, as well as how large of a job the attacker is executing. Cloud browsers operators who are monitoring resource use will definitely notice a spike in service use. However, reacting to BMR (Browser MapReduce technique) jobs requires the operator to build additional defenses into their framework," it quoted NCSU assistant professor William Enck, a co-author of the paper, as saying…

Cloud browsing uses computing power from outside the mobile device to process web pages and deliver them to users. Examples of cloud-based browsers include Opera Mini and Android Silk…

Read more from the source @ http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/284357/scitech/technology/hackers-can-steal-cloud-computing-time