As if there weren't enough ways for hackers to steal your passwords, now, there's thermal imaging. If that sounds like something straight out of a science fiction movie, think again. Researchers from the University of California at Irvine recently discovered and demonstrated a technique that involves the use of a thermal imaging camera to capture heat traces left by human fingertips as they type passwords into a keyboard. In fact, their technique is effective for up to thirty seconds after … Read more
Massive Breach Affects 21 Million Users Of Timehop App
Do you use Timehop? If you're not sure what that is, it's a popular, clever little app that reminds social media users about posts they've made in the past. It can be quite handy, especially if you're active on numerous social media accounts. Unfortunately, the bloom is off the rose for Timehop. Recently, the company announced that it had suffered a breach on the Fourth of July, which gave the hackers virtually unfettered access to the company's cloud servers for more than two hours. … Read more
Malware Created Using Stolen Legitimate Security Certificate From D-Link
Researchers from the digital security firm ESET have recently spotted a new malware campaign with a nasty twist. It was created using a legitimate security certificate stolen from D-Link. The malware appears to be the work of an Advanced Persistent Threat group known as BlackTech, which primarily targets high profile users and firms in Asia, with a particular emphasis on Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. BlackTech is responsible for two different malware families, PLEAD and the DRIGO … Read more
iOS Adds New Restricted Mode In Latest Update
Apple recently released an updated version of iOS, 11.4.1. They did so quietly, and without much fanfare, but the update includes one very powerful and exciting security update that's deserving of special attention. Specifically, the new version of iOS introduces what the company is calling "Restricted Mode." It was created to protect iPhones against USB devices used by law enforcement to crack your password and get around the encryption used to keep your data secure. The new feature … Read more
Adobe Releases Massive Update To Patch Its Products
There's a lot to like about the contents of Adobe's most recent "Patch Tuesday" update. It's well worth downloading and installing, even if you normally take a pass on all but the most critical updates. Included in this release are security patches for 112 vulnerabilities across four different products, including: Flash Player Acrobat and Reader Experience Manager Adobe Connect We've provided more details below: Updates For Flash Player The security update includes … Read more
Open Database Exposes Info Of 340 Million People
Internet security researcher Vinny Trola recently made a huge and disturbing discovery. A marketing firm called Exactis had left a massive database unsecured, allowing anyone who stumbled across it to access it. As a marketing firm, Exactis collects simply mind-boggling amounts of data on consumers all over the globe. The database in question was a staggering two terabytes in size, and contained more than 150 data fields. Social security numbers were not included in the exposed data. A … Read more
Apps In Gmail Have Full Access To Read Your Emails
File this one away under "watch your permissions." It's recently come to light that an unknown number of third party apps have access to read emails sitting in your Gmail account. While the practice is not new, things like this are coming under increased scrutiny in the wake of Facebook's Cambridge Analytica incident. Here are the important details to bear in mind: Apps that can read your email DO require explicit user permissions. You have to agree to allow these apps access to your … Read more
Bug In Facebook May Have Unblocked People You Blocked
Facebook recently announced a site bug that impacted the privacy settings of more than 800,000 of its users. If you're one of the unfortunate souls who has been affected, then people you had formerly blocked may have become unblocked, and can now see your posts. For many people, that's not a huge deal. In some cases, say for example, if you blocked your ex-girlfriend, boyfriend, or wife and were impacted, they may be able to see things you don't want them to. Facebook's official statement … Read more
Microsoft Edge Mobile Browser Blocks Android And iOS Ads
As most people know, Microsoft Edge was the company's "reboot." After trying for years to patch and update their beleaguered Internet Explorer, Microsoft ultimately decided to scrap it and start fresh. Since Edge's launch, it has struggled to gain traction with users. Recently, Microsoft has upped the ante, at least where Edge for iOS and Android devices are concerned. A recent update sees the browser outfitted with a built-in ad blocker. Prior to the update, if you wanted an ad blocking … Read more
Mobile Users Gain Privacy Protection In Supreme Court Ruling
There's some good news from a recent Supreme Court ruling where privacy is concerned, but take it with a grain of salt. In a recent 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that law enforcement agencies must obtain a warrant before they can get access to data collected and stored on mobile devices. Of special significance, the court rejected the "third party rule," which dates back to the 1970's and asserts that any data collected by third-parties is automatically devoid of Constitutional … Read more
