Data Security

Researchers Find Square Can Be Used for Fraud

2011_Black_Hat_square_credit_card_hack_610x407

Chances are you’ve heard all about Square, a small dongle that plugs into the earphone jack of iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches, and Android devices, turning them into a wireless credit-card swipe machine. It’s a great idea, it turns out, but not an overly secure one. READ MORE »

U.K. Drops Plans for Website Blocking

Digital_Britain_Sml

The government of the U.K. wants to turn the nation into a technology and innovation hub, Prime Minister David Cameron announced last November. And to get there, the country took a long look at its intellectual property laws, and decided to make some changes. READ MORE »

That’ll Show ‘Em! South Korea Fines Apple About $3,000 for Location Tracking

iPhone

The Korea Communications Commission has determined that Apple violated South Korea’s information laws when its iPhones collected location data about their users without first obtaining permission from the Commission. So the regulator levied a fine of 3 million won, or $2,829. It has also instructed Apple to change its location tracking practices. READ MORE »

Android Users Twice as Likely to Encounter Malware Compared to Six Months Ago

LookoutMalwareRise_270x156

If you’ve got an Android device you are 2.5 times more likely to encounter malware on it today compared to six months ago, while mobile users have a 30 percent chance of clicking on a malicious link, writes Elinor Mills for CNET, referring to a report released this week from mobile security firm Lookout at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas. READ MORE »

Don’t Trust the Cloud? iTwin Can Help

itwin

You’re traveling out of state when a client calls with an emergency task. Unfortunately, the files you need are saved on your desktop computer back at the office. Sure, if you use a cloud storage service such as Dropbox or Box.net, you’ll be able to access those files remotely and help your client. But some people don’t trust the cloud with their valuable business information. For them, iTwin might be a good alternative. READ MORE »

House Panel Approves Snooping Bill

house.judiciary

While Congress and the White House are engaged in a very public battle about the debt ceiling, a House panel has quietly approved a bill that would give the government greater access to your online activities. In a 19-10 vote, a House committee approved a bill requiring Internet service providers to keep logs of their customers’ use for one year, should law enforcement require the data. READ MORE »

Google Acquires Facial Recognition Company

3D portrait of a digital lady

Back in the 1980s, comedian Billy Crystal, in a Fernando Lamas impression, crooned, “Just looking into your eyes, darling, I can tell you have the legs of a dancer.” That was then. Now, what information will your social connections be able to glean from a picture of your face? Google might have some ideas. READ MORE »

Reddit Co-Founder Indicted for…Downloading Academic Articles?

252893001_360ba7d571

Aaron Swartz first came to prominence for inventing part of the RSS code, and later for co-founding Reddit  before selling it to Conde Nast. He’s also an Internet activist, so committed to the idea of open access that he’s been downloading millions of academic articles from the nonprofit academic service JSTOR, at one point crashing its servers. The plan was to put them online for free and make a larger point about free access to data. READ MORE »

VideoLAN Outs Companies Bundling Spyware With Open-Source Software

vlc-win32

Ludovic Fauvet  is mad as hell—and he’s not taking it anymore. The VideoLAN developer is calling out companies that bundle adware and spyware with the open-source VLC media player, says ZDNet’s Ryan Naraine. These companies, Fauvet says, have been distributing tools that “trick” consumers into downloading malware. Fauvet has outed 25 companies that he says bundle “crapware” with the VLC media player. READ MORE »

Anonymous Threatens Google+ and Is Raided by FBI

Image courtesy of CNET

On Monday, CIO.com reported that the notorious hacker group Anonymous which has been behind many high-profile attacks, including one that paralyzed tourism and info sites about Orlando, was now setting its sites on Google+. Its user group had been booted from the new social network, and in retaliation, the hackers’ news site Your Anon News reported that it knew of an “operation” targeting G+. READ MORE »