Security

The only thing worse than a ransomware scam is an informed ransomware scam. According to reports, a new scheme uses a victim's browsing history to construct more believable threats. Ransomware is malicious software designed to scare Internet users ... into paying hackers cash. Ransomware creators achieve this goal by using special software that, once installed, disables critical system functions. The ransomware scammer then tells a victim that, in order to reclaim control of their PC, they must pay up. Beware Messages From DoJ, DHS, FBI A new ransomware scam involves sending victims a fake ... (view more)

Security firm Trend Micro says it has discovered a malicious software program that employs online notepad service Evernote as a communications tool. Evernote is a cloud-based note-taking software utility that allows users to place "notes, web clips, ... files and images ... on every device and computer." (Source: evernote.com ) That means you can make a note about a recently-discovered favorite wine on your smartphone and have that note instantly show up on your home computer. Unfortunately, it seems this handy little program has been exploited by cyber-crooks. Evernote Used to Communicate with ... (view more)

Security firm McAfee says it has discovered a new type of malware designed to steal credit card data from point-of-sale (POS) computer systems. The malware is of the Trojan horse variety and is being called 'vSkimmer'. Point-of-sale systems, or ... checkout systems, are the computers used in retail environments. Malware Communicates Credit Card Data to Hackers McAfee security researcher Chintan Shah reported on the vSkimmer threat in a recent blog post. According to Shah, the malware was discovered in mid-February 2013 and is currently being discussed on cybercriminal forums. (Source: pcworld.com ... (view more)

Black Creek, Wisconsin, resident Eric J. Rosol faces a lengthy prison term if convicted of helping 'hacktivist' group Anonymous disable Koch Industries websites two years ago. Charles and David Koch run a massive oil and manufacturing conglomerate ... that generates roughly $115 billion in annual revenue. They are prominent libertarians who have reportedly funneled huge sums of cash towards various conservative groups. Anonymous Targets Oil Billionaries That made the Koch Brothers a target for 37-year-old Rosol and Anonymous, who allegedly worked together to close down Koch-owned websites www. ... (view more)

A battle between an anti-spam company and a web hosting firm may have caused major Internet service disruptions for many Internet users. However, such claims haven't been verified. The issue involves a dispute between two European companies. The ... first is Spamhaus, which creates and shares lists of web servers known to be used for sending out spam. Companies can use these lists to block unwanted messages. The other firm is Cyberbunker, a controversial web hosting company based in the Netherlands. It's known for viciously defending the rights of its customers, saying it will only block ... (view more)

A new study shows that it's possible to use mobile phone location data to find an individual. Researchers say that, in most cases, getting four confirmed locations for a person is enough to identify their handset. The study's findings appear in the ... latest edition of Scientific Reports. According to the researchers, most users understand and accept that mobile phone service providers track their locations. Customers are usually 'OK' with this because the data is kept confidential and only provided to law enforcement authorities after a warrant has been issued. (Source: nature.com ) Anonymous ... (view more)

Members of Congress have published proposals that could result in longer prison sentences for hackers. The move has shocked some commentators who say existing laws are already too draconian. The House Judiciary committee is looking to expand the ... Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), an anti-hacking bill dating back to 1984. Under the new proposals, damaging a computer after accessing it without authorization would carry a maximum 10-year prison term, double the current punishment. "Trafficking" passwords would also carry a 10-year penalty. Hacking and damaging a "critical infrastructure ... (view more)

In one of the most spectacular research projects ever carried out online, an anonymous security researcher has scanned the entire Internet for security holes. They found that millions of devices have no password protection whatsoever. The project ... was simple in concept: the researcher tried to contact and then access devices by trying every possible IP (Internet Protocol) address using IPv4, a system by which every device connected to the Internet uses 12 digits as identification. This means that IPv4 allows for a maximum of around 4.2 billion IP addresses. The researcher tried to contact ... (view more)

After a simple yet devastating hack of its security went public last August, Apple has -- just eight months later -- introduced a two-step authentication system. Back in early August 2012, Wired.com's Mat Honan was devastated to find that hackers ... were able to gain access to his MacBook, iPhone, and Gmail account after easily bypassing both Apple and Amazon security systems. Hackers Exploit Simple Security Systems Hackers used a simple trick: they called Amazon to request a password change. When prompted by an Amazon representative, they presented Honan's name, billing address, and email ... (view more)

A man who illegally accessed personal data stored on Apple iPads has been sentenced to a 41-month prison term. However, defenders of Andrew Auernheimer believe the sentence is unduly harsh and question whether his actions should even be considered a ... crime. Auernheimer was among a group of computer enthusiasts who discovered a flaw in AT ... (view more)