Acoustic attack lets hackers control smartphone sensor
A newfound vulnerability in smartphones could let hackers remotely control the devices. With the acoustic injection attack, “attackers that deliver high intensity acoustic interference in close proximity” can interfere with a device accelerometer and get the sensor to send “attacker – chosen” data to the smartphone’s processor, say researchers from the University of Michigan and University […] more…Ransomware Families Use NSIS Installers to Avoid Detection, Analysis
Malware families are constantly seeking new ways to hide their code, thwart replication, and avoid detection. A recent trend for the delivery of ransomware is the use of the Nullsoft Scriptable Install System (NSIS) with an encrypted payload. The list of the most common families using this technique is diverse and includes Cerber, Locky, Teerac, Crysis, […] more…What are the Pros and Cons of Snooping on Your Kids Online?
I’ve changed my mind on the snooping question quite a bit since I began writing about family safety over five years ago. I’ve had to. Technology has dramatically changed all of us in that short time. Still, at least once a month a parent asks me, “How much should I really be snooping on my […] more…Malware: 5 Tips for Fighting the Malicious Software
Malware—the term seems to be at the center of the news every day, with each headline telling of a new way the cyber threat has inserted itself into our lives. From an entire attack campaign on banks worldwide, to a strain residing within medical devices, to a variant that has learned to self-heal, the list […] more…EyePyramid and a Lesson on the Perils of Attribution
In the past weeks, information-stealing malware EyePyramid made headlines after it was used to steal 87GB of sensitive data from government offices, private companies and public organizations. More than 100 email domains and 18,000 email accounts were targeted, including those of high-profile victims in Italy, the U.S., Japan and Europe. The natural assumption for many […] more…Businesses as Ransomware’s Goldmine: How Cerber Encrypts Database Files
Possibly to maximize the earning potential of Cerber’s developers and their affiliates, the ransomware incorporated a routine with heavier impact to businesses: encrypting database files. These repositories of organized data enable businesses to store, retrieve, sort, analyze, and manage pertinent information. When utilized effectively they help maintain the organization’s efficiency, so holding these mission-critical files […] more…Teaching Kids to Rise Above the Twitter Trolls
The social media platform Twitter has been making the headlines every day lately and not for good reasons. The popular 140-character driven network is under fire for its increasingly troll-heavy content and its failure to regulate abusive tweeters. From celebrities shutting down accounts to politicians and special interest groups daily (and very publically) engaged in […] more…How to Secure the Future of the Internet of Things
The world of security for the Internet of Things just became more complex. IoT devices are no longer a potential threat to their owners; now they pose a significant threat to everything connected to the Internet. The old IoT security problem For the past year, the cybersecurity and IoT communities have been at odds regarding […] more…Google Safe Browsing gives more details to compromised website owners
Google is now providing more information to website owners whose online properties are temporarily blocked as unsafe by its Safe Browsing technology as a way to help them fix the identified problems faster. Google Safe Browsing is a technology used by Google’s search engine, the Google Chrome browser, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Android to […] more…Can Internet of Things be the New Frontier for Cyber Extortion?
The Internet of Things (IoT)—the network of devices embedded with capabilities to collect and exchange information—has long been attracting the attention of cybercriminals as it continues to gain momentum in terms of its adoption. Gartner has estimated that more than 20.8 billion IoT devices will be in use by 2020; IoT will be leveraged by […] more…Microsoft invokes Supreme Court opinion in Ireland email case
Microsoft believes its refusal to turn over email held in Ireland to the U.S. government got a boost from an opinion of the Supreme Court on Monday, which upheld that U.S. laws cannot apply extraterritorially unless Congress has explicitly provided for it. In a decision Monday in a separate case on the extraterritorial application of […] more…Got privacy? If you use Twitter or a smartphone, maybe not so much
The notion of online privacy has been greatly diminished in recent years, and just this week two new studies confirm what to many minds is already a dismal picture. First, a study reported on Monday by Stanford University found that smartphone metadata — information about calls and text messages, such as time and length — can […] more…Tor Project says it can quickly catch spying code
The Tor Project is fortifying its software so that it can quickly detect if its network is tampered with for surveillance purposes, a top developer for the volunteer project wrote on Monday. There are worries that Tor could either be technically subverted or subject to court orders, which could force the project to turn over […] more…ATMZombie: banking trojan in Israeli waters
On November 2015, Kaspersky Lab researchers identified ATMZombie, a banking Trojan that is considered to be the first malware to ever steal money from Israeli banks. It uses insidious injection and other sophisticated and stealthy methods. The first method, dubbed “proxy-changing”, is commonly used for HTTP packets inspections. It involves modifying browser proxy configurations and […] more…Source code for powerful Android banking malware is leaked
The source code for a powerful Android malware program that steals online banking credentials has been leaked, according to researchers with IBM. The malware family is known by several names, including GM Bot, Slempo, Bankosy, Acecard, Slempo and MazarBot. GM Bot has been sold on underground hacking forums for around US$500. But it appears someone […] more…Google expands Chrome’s Safe Browsing defenses to sniff out ad scams
Google today said it is expanding its Safe Browsing technology to take into account online ads that try to scam users into divulging personal information or downloading malware masquerading as name-brand software in need of an update. Safe Browsing is the name of both the backend technology Google created and the API (application programming interface) […] more…More information
- Power Electronics Manufacturer Semikron Targeted in Ransomware Attack
- AMD’s Zen CPU is now called Ryzen, and it might actually challenge Intel
- PASS NFS Gateway Update, July 2 & 3, 2013
- Behind the Scenes in the Deceptive App Wars
- "Zealot" Apache Struts Attacks Abuses NSA Exploits
- Chrome and Its Vulnerabilities – Is the Web Browser Safe to Use?
- Security firm clarifies power-station ‘SCADA’ malware claim
- Compromised Sites Pull Fake Flash Player From SkyDrive
- Perl.com gets its domain back – normal service restored!
- What’s *THAT* on my 3D printer? Cloud bug lets anyone print to everyone