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Researchers in Black Hat computer security conference Las Vegas, that is expected to be held next week, will show a demo of the Java based Software that can steal Personal Information of the most popular Social Networks Users such as Facebook, MySpace, eBay and Google with a single image.

The ingenious developers have planned their attack with the help of a Hybrid file (a merger of two files with different extensions). The file will alter its looks in different programs and can be placed on Web sites that allows users to upload their images on on Web sites. This is where the actual trick starts… The file will artfully maneuvered Security Systems and will easily pull the accounts info of all users who would be surfing  these sites.

The type of an above mentioned hybrid file is known as GIFAR, an outcome of two separate files i-e GIF (graphics Interchange Format) and JAR (Java Archive). The Web Server will see it as .Gif file while Java Virtual Machine of a browser will open it as a JAR file and run an applet. This could make victims browser more vulnerable to an attack as hackers can run a Java code in the victim’s browser while the browser will treat this malicious applet as a Web site’s developer’s code.

Thus , it clearly reveals the whole attacking process. The bad guy with an evil intention will create a profile on any popular site with his/her GIFAR image. Browser of any victim who will fall a prey of this tricky attack, will open this GIFAR image and this would run a malicious applet and will enable hacker to access authenticated information of victim.

This piece of Java applet can be considered as a hazardous and destructive malicious software. Being a platform independent language, Java will help GIFAR image to open in many types of browsers and as the attack works on the web sites that facilitates users to upload file, E-commerce sites for instance Amazon will also will also suffer

Developers at Black Hat Conference will teach audience to merge two files and to create a GIFAR by hiding some fundamental details to avoid its immediate widespread usage with a presentation entitled “The Internet is Broken”. 

John Heasman, Vice President of research at Next Generation Security Software Ltd said

"We’ve been able to come up with a Java applet that for all intents and purposes is an image”

His statement depicts that they were genuinely working to break Internet with a single Image, most probably because people can easily get fooled by a picture and will hardly suspect it as malicious file for their machine.

However, various measures can prevent this attack from being widespread such as Web sites can enhance their security by altering filter techniques to detect hybrid files or Sun Microsystems Inc, itself can make its Java runtime environment more compact to distract such kinds of attacks.

But Nathan McFeters, GIFAR developer and a researcher at Ernst & Young LLP’s Advanced Security Center is far more confident and say that attacking methods exceeds prevention measures.

There will be other ways to do this, with other technologies. In the long term, Web applications are going to have to take control of the content. It’s a Web application issue. The Java attack that we’re currently using is just one vector.

The demo of this inevitable software at Black Hat will allure millions of Hackers around the world. Does it really mean that our WorldWideWeb is facing a distractive threats and will soon be full of ever growing spies? Or it actually conveys a simple message of stop using File Uploads Web sites as they are more vulnerable to worms and virus and are least secure.  One of the most possible way to avoid this attack is to slap them with tightened and secured Browsing Settings thus making hell lot of responsibility on the browser makers’ shoulders.