Data compromises and the identity-related crimes that flow from them are now the third certainty in life, right behind death and taxes. That said, there is plenty you can do to stay as crime-proof as possible. According to Risk Based Security, more than 4.2 billion records were compromised worldwide in 2016 alone. In truth, the total number of compromised records is unknowable. Here’s what you do need to know: it is a near certainty that most, […]
If you didn’t like WannaCry, you’re really going to hate the sequel. Like the Godfather and Star Wars movie franchises, the second installment of “the world gets its bell rung by ransomware” is way better than the original. In the May WannaCry ransomware attack, users running obsolete versions of Microsoft software were affected in more than 150 countries with a purloined N.S.A.-designed exploit that let hackers encrypt files and demand a fee to restore access to them, paid […]
With the announcement of Verizon Up, a new wireless rewards program that provides users with customer incentives, first-dibs opportunities on things like VIP tickets and other exclusive deals, we thought it was time to review how reward marketing plans work. First, the good news: Verizon Up is free! Like their intrusive cousin the loyalty program, reward-based marketing schemes usually require no additional fees. In essence, Verizon Up is a camouflaged version of what author Seth […]
The treasure trove of stolen personal information which grows exponentially year after year on the Dark Web is attracting cyber criminals like ants to a picnic. Thousands of commercial, government and political entities have cumulatively lost hundreds of millions of personal records to hackers. The targets have been (and continue to be) iconic public and private sector organizations in retail, finance, health care, sports, education, energy, agencies of the state and federal governments, our election system–your friends, family and neighbors. Tip […]
“These apps are brutal,” Ondrej Krehel told me during a conversation about spyware, or “spouseware” as the software is sometimes called. “It doesn’t matter what ‘intended use’ these app developers claim in their sales pitches. They are increasingly being used by teens to spy on their love interests,” Krehel said. “It’s quite prevalent.” Krehel is CEO and founder of LIFARS, a digital forensics and cybersecurity intelligence firm. He sees spyware as a concern for consumers. […]
When Apple announced a serious hardware flaw last week, and the critical security patch that addressed it, my first thought was perhaps arbitrary: “That exploit would work at the gym.” My next thought: what else would? The discovery of a zero-day exploit affecting hardware—specifically a WiFi chip embedded in the main processors of Apple devices—was serious news. The vulnerability makes it possible for a hacker within range to “execute arbitrary code on the Wi-Fi chip.” […]
It has been almost four years since the massive Target data breach. Astoundingly, managing third-party risks still does not command the vigilance it should in all too many organizations. The latest proof: ten states neglected to vet America’s Joblink Alliance, the contractor behind the Joblink nationwide data base for job seekers. So by cracking into Joblink, an attacker gained access to Social Security Numbers and birth dates for citizens in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Oklahoma, and […]
Pet ownership has definite upsides. You get companionship and exercise and the satisfaction of doing a good deed. Plus, people who own pets live longer. Unfortunately, pet ownership can also make you a target for phishers, scammers and identity thieves. The Vector du Jour With 65% of U.S. households including pets (and an estimated $60 billion in spending on them), pet owners represent persons of interest for scammers. The focus here is on a nearly […]
You can’t change your physical traits very easily, so if a hacker steals your biometric data–look out. Scanning a fingerprint or even an eyeball to authenticate your identity is no longer the stuff of science fiction. Biometric identification has been in practical use for a while now, and the technology gets more sophisticated every day. It should come as no surprise that security and privacy concerns have arisen along the way. And now the legal ramifications are rapidly getting more complicated. […]
The top site for classified ads in the U.K. conducted a study recently that should send a wave or two to this side of the Atlantic. When it comes to scams, it’s all about the bait. Gumtree found that even with the forethought that a listing was a scam, more than a third of their users would still go ahead with a transaction. As my mother would say … Actually, she’d probably just shake her […]
