Last year, security firms identified Stuxnet, a disabling virus that appeared aimed at Iran’s nuclear facilities but then spread around the world. Stuxnet pointed up a well-known vulnerability in industrial control systems, which often have little or no security. READ MORE
A security hole affecting some of HTC’s most popular Android phones, including the Thunderbolt and EVO 4G, could give apps with Internet permissions access to key user data such as email address, location and even text messages. READ MORE
Most computer users believe that setting their browsers to not accept cookies will prevent websites from downloading these bits of tracking code to their hard drives. But that isn’t necessarily true. Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported on a new breed of cookies, called “supercookies” that are downloaded to a different portion of users’ hard drives than traditional cookies are. Browser “no-cookie” settings won’t prevent them from being stored there, and removing them is a cumbersome and repetitive process. READ MORE
You might’ve heard about the phone hacking scandal that’s enveloped Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. But have you thought about the business potential in that? Well, we mean the potential for designing, marketing, and selling mobile-security solutions. READ MORE
The press and public reaction to many high profile hacks–think Sony, or the Pentagon–is that the breaches are embarrassments at best or setbacks at worst. But hacks can have grievous real-world consequences for companies, as Dutch certificate authority DigiNotar proved this week when it filed for bankruptcy after finding itself unable to recover from the consequences of a massive hack it suffered this summer. READ MORE
The money involved in cyber crime last year, about $388 billion, comes out equivalent to the illegal drug trade, a cyber crime report commissioned and released by Symantec, an anti-virus software company. READ MORE
To help anyone dealing with leaked online information, the Consumer Federation of America has launched a new website and bills it as all-in-one location for information on virtual crime. READ MORE
A Connecticut senator introduced a bill Thursday designed to protect personal information from online data mishaps. And Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, proposes to punish careless companies. “While looking at past data breaches, I’ve been struck with how many are preventable,” he said. READ MORE
Earlier this year, when Sony took its Playstation Network offline after several crippling cyber attacks, it was a clear signal that tech companies needed to make security a priority. The company is hoping that a new hire will help do that. READ MORE
Yet another tech company is in hot water over its use of geo-location. This time, it’s Microsoft. Seattle-based law firm filed suit against the company alleging that the Camera application on the Windows Phone 7 sends out user information—even when the person has not given the app permission to do so. READ MORE
