Security

Real-World Marauders Infest Online Games
April 12, 2013

A scenario involving cybercriminals using techniques developed by state-sponsored cyberespionage groups sounds like a plot point in a video game, but the Winnti crew aren't the villains in some new release. These Chinese hackers are very real, and online games are their target. The group has been conducting a long-running cybercrime campaign targeting online gaming companies worldwide, Kaspersky Lab reported this week.

Civilian Oversight Overlooked as CISPA Clears House Committee
April 12, 2013

A revived version of the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act -- with provisions for civilian oversight absent -- passed by a vote of 18-2 Thursday in the U.S. House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The committee adopted six amendments, but removed others aimed at privacy protection. Three of those were proposed by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., with one offered by Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.

The Hidden Risks of Mobile CRM, Part 1
April 12, 2013

As mobile marketing evolves, so do its risks. The Federal Trade Commission last month released its updated "Dot Com" guidelines. An update long in coming -- the first since the report was released in 2000 -- the guidelines take special note of mobile. In short, they state that the same rules that apply to ads in newspapers, radio and television apply to mobile devices -- and social media too, for that matter.

Remote Airplane Hijack Threat Demoed: Simon Says 'Crash!'
April 11, 2013

Airplanes can be hijacked using an Android smartphone, security consultant and trained commercial pilot Hugo Teso told an audience at a conference in Germany on Wednesday. Teso, who works for N.runs, created an exploit framework he calls "SIMON," and crafted an Android app he named "PlaneSploit" that delivers attack messages to an aircraft's flight management system.

IRS May Be Sifting Through Email in Defiance of Court Order
April 11, 2013

The ACLU has raised a disturbing possibility after reading 247 pages of records it obtained from the Internal Revenue Service via a Freedom of Information Act request: The agency may be reading taxpayers' emails without a warrant. The IRS was told not to do this after a 2010 appellate court ruling in United States v. Warshak. However, the ACLU now seems to think the IRS has reverted to its previous behavior -- or perhaps never stopped.

Brainwaves Could Make Passwords Old School
April 10, 2013

Brainwave authentication can be used instead of passwords to protect computer logins, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley's School of Information said this week. The development opens up the potential for users thinking certain thoughts or picturing specific images to gain access to devices, thereby adding a layer of biometric security.

Real World Burglars Rain on Vudu's Cloud-Based Service
April 10, 2013

Streaming video service Vudu is the latest Web-based business to be the victim of data theft, although unlike some recent highly publicized data breaches, this one began with a physical break-in. Thieves broke into the Vudu offices on March 24 and stole hard drives that contained personal customer information including names, email addresses, phone numbers, addresses and dates of birth.

LulzSec Hackers Plead Guilty in UK Court
April 10, 2013

Four members of the LulzSec hacker community have pleaded guilty in a British court to charges of hacking into the computer systems of various organizations, including Sony, PBS, the Arizona State Police, and HB Gary. Ryan Ackroyd, whose LulzSec handle was "Kayla," on Tuesday was the last to enter his guilty plea.

Trusteer Ventures Into the Chinese Hackers' Den
April 08, 2013

China has a reputation as a center for international hacking, so why would a U.S. security company want to set up shop there? Before hackers launch their international escapades, they typically cut their teeth in their local markets, explained Rakesh Loonkar, president of Trusteer, which announced last week that it was opening an office in China.

Virtualization: An IT Prescription for Healthcare Providers
April 08, 2013

Healthcare providers know that technology can provide an answer to higher operating costs and ailing efficiencies within their organizations, but strict regulatory issues and other compliance matters have always proved to be tough obstacles. The security of patient health data, after all, must never be compromised in pursuit of greater efficiencies.

Facebook Home Will Roll Out the Welcome Mat for Ads
April 05, 2013

Facebook fans will get the chance to have the social network take over their lock and home screens on certain Android phones as of April 12, thanks to the introduction of the company's Home apps. That prime mobile phone real estate will also serve as comfortable surroundings for advertisements when ads start cycling through Home's Cover Feed.

Google Searches for a Fight on National Security Letters
April 05, 2013

Google is reportedly challenging a government request for private information on its users, just weeks after it became the first major tech company to release information about the security probes it receives from the FBI. The tech giant is mounting a court challenge against a National Security Letter (NSL), a highly secretive demand issued by the FBI that asks Google to provide private information on certain users.

Baidu May Be Developing a Glassy Eye
April 03, 2013

Living up to its billing as the Chinese Google, Baidu, China's top search engine, reportedly is working on Baidu Eye, something that sounds a lot like Google's Glass. Worn like eyeglasses, the Internet gadget will be controlled by voice and will feature an LCD display that can recognize images. While these features are rumored to be up and running, the product's design and battery life are still works in progress.

Scant Brain Power Behind Massive DDoS Attack
April 01, 2013

One of the largest denial of service attacks in the history of the Internet didn't take rocket science to execute. The offensive was conducted over several days last week after the anti-spam group Spamhaus placed a Dutch hosting service, located in a former NATO bunker, on a blacklist reserved for spammers.

Dutch Spam Fight Boils Over Into Largest-Ever DDoS Attack
March 27, 2013

A week-old squabble between two Dutch groups -- the spamfighting Spamhaus Project and Web hosting service Cyberbunker -- has resulted in what has been called the largest distributed denial of service attack in Web history. The cyberfight reportedly has spilled over onto the global Internet and slowed down some data communications, especially in Europe.

Linux Devs Take Win 8 Secure Boot Complaint to EC
March 27, 2013

Microsoft is once again being challenged in Europe over alleged anti-competitive practices. A group representing Linux developers in Spain has filed a complaint with the European Commission charging that Microsoft's desktop operating system, Windows 8, supports technology that makes it difficult for users to place other operating systems on their computers.

pwSafe Cracks the Safe-Password Problem
March 26, 2013

Hardly a day goes by without a data breach making the news or a social media account being hacked. That kind of news can be unsettling to many of us and leave us wondering how we can better protect our online security. One way to address the problem is to beef up your first line of defense against hackers: the passwords to your online accounts.

Cyberattackers Brewed Special Malware Cocktail for South Korea
March 25, 2013

Cybersecurity news had a distinctive international flavor last week. In South Korea, a cyberattack from unknown sources disrupted portions of the nation's banking and broadcast industries. During the attacks, a North Korean Human Rights website based in Washington, D.C. was also defaced.

Microsoft Pulls Back the Curtain on Law Enforcement Requests for Data
March 22, 2013

Microsoft on Thursday released its first transparency report, detailing what information was sought from the company last year by governments and law enforcement agencies around the world -- and what information Microsoft gave up to those authorities. The 2012 Law Enforcement Requests Report covers all the company's major online services.

Yontoo Trojan Unleashes Adware Assault on Mac Browsers
March 21, 2013

New malware is making the rounds with Mac users in its sights: Yontoo.1 can download and install an adware browser plug-in to an infected system. Adware for Mac OS X has been increasing since the beginning of this year, according to Doctor Web, the antivirus company that identified Yontoo.1, but so far it is the most prominent of them all.