Spam calls soar, with an estimated 25 million Americans scammed
If you feel that you've been beset by more spam calls than usual this year, you're not alone. Spam and scam calls rose in most parts of the world in 2018, according to Truecaller's annual report. An estimated 25 million Americans also lost money to scams in the last 12 months.
Here’s how the Google Play Store detects fake ratings and reviews
Reviews and ratings are critical when figuring out if an app is worth your time or money. That's why Google spares no expense when cracking down on fake reviews and ratings on the Google Play Store. 2018 saw Google launch a new model for detecting them, and has let us know how it did.
These are the worst passwords of 2018. Is yours on this list?
Many internet users continue to use easy to crack passwords, like "12345678," despite repeated warnings from security experts. SplashData has compiled a list of the top 100 worst passwords for 2018 and some familiar entries are on the list. We also offer a few steps you can take to add more security to your account.
An A.I. cracks the internet’s squiggly letter bot test in 0.5 seconds
How do you prove you’re a human on the internet? The answer used to be by solving a CAPTCHA puzzle. But maybe not for too much longer. That's because researchers from China and the U.K. have developed a deep learning A.I. that's capable of cracking CAPTCHAs in 0.5 seconds.
5 ways Norton products can help protect against cybercrime this holiday season
Norton Internet Security offers a slew of solutions for your mobile devices or PC that help keep you safe as you prepare to shop this holiday season. And here's a guide to five solutions that will do just that.
A study says that smart speakers aren’t offering privacy, and it’s our fault
A team of researchers decided to test consumers' acceptance of convenience over privacy during smart speaker use, comparing their behaviors and attitudes to counterparts who refuse to embrace smart speaker technology. The results from talking to smart speaker users and non-users are pretty revealing.
Data stolen from HealthCare.gov includes partial SSNs and immigration status
Details of the user data stolen from government site healthcare.gov back in October have been revealed. Around 75,000 users had their data accessed by hackers, including information on their immigration status, whether they were pregnant, and partial social security numbers.
What is Android fragmentation, and can Google ever fix it?
The thorny problem of Android fragmentation has been haunting Google for years now, but attempts to combat it have only met with mixed success. Why don't manufacturers update their devices more quickly, what has Google done to tackle the issue, and what else can it do? We take a look at the options here.
The GrayKey password cracker can no longer break into iOS 12 iPhones
The GrayKey password cracker used by global law enforcement agencies to break open the iPhones of suspected criminals may no longer work as intended. Apple's most recent iOS 12 seems to have left the device completely unable to brute-force open iPhones as it was previously able to do.
Everything you need to set up your Ring home security system
One of our favorite home security systems comes from Ring, a global home security company owned by Amazon and compatible with Alexa. We’ve rounded up everything you could possibly need from Ring (plus a few extras) so that you can simply and completely secure your home.
Apple CEO demands Bloomberg retract its Chinese surveillance story
Following Bloomberg's report that Apple may have purchased compromised servers from Super Micro that were manufactured in China with embedded surveillance chips, Tim Cook is now calling for the publication to retract its story. Cook said that an internal investigation revealed no truth to the report.
You’re so vein: Palm-based biometric system could help confirm your identity
Move over, Face ID! The next biometric security systems could rely on analyzing the specific vein patterns in your palm print. As it turns out, these vascular maps are just as unique as the other biometric markers that drive technologies like fingerprint or retina scanners.
Tumblr promises it fixed a bug that left user data exposed
Tumblr said on Wednesday that it acted quickly to fix a bug on its blogging site that left user data exposed. The New York-based company added that it couldn't be sure which users were affected by the bug, but said there's no evidence that any data was stolen by hackers.
Personal info of 30,000-plus Pentagon employees compromised in contractor breach
More than 30,000 Pentagon employees may have had their personal information, including credit card details, revealed during a recent hack. A government contractor was said to be responsible for the breach and the Department of Defense is continuing an investigation into how and when it occurred.
Was your Facebook account hacked in the latest breach? Here’s how to find out
Although Facebook initially estimated that up to 50 million users may have been compromised in a data breach last month, the social network says that 30 million accounts were affected after an initial investigation. Facebook also set up a Help Center for users to find out if their account were impacted.
A.I. security camera can identify guns with 99 percent accuracy
The U.S. company Athena Security has developed a smart camera system which is reportedly 99 percent accurate when it comes to spotting guns in video footage. It can then be used to alert law enforcement automatically, potentially saving lives in the process. Here's how it's being used.
‘LoJax’ rootkit malware can infect UEFI, a core computer interface
Security researchers at ESET have discovered a rootkit, known as Lojax, that can infect the UEFI of machines, surviving operating system reinstalls and complete internal drive replacements. Thought to be the work of Russian Intelligence group Fancy Bear, it stands as the first UEFI rootkit in the wild.
Wi-Fi vulnerability could allow attackers to steal your data on unencrypted sites
A 20-year-old security flaw in the design of the Wi-Fi standard and how computers communicate using the transmission control protocol could allow hackers to perform a web cache poisoning attack to steal your data and login information. This attack technique won't work with encrypted sites that use HTTPS and HSTS.
Newegg was cracked, customer data has leaked, and security is clearly scrambled
Online electronics retailer Newegg has found itself at the heart of an online security breach as the company's payment system was recently breached, giving hackers of the notorious group Magecart potential access to confidential customer data, including credit card information.
Windows improves handwriting-recognition skills at the peril of users’ security
Windows handwriting recognition gradually improves the system's ability to figure out what your squiggly cursive really says, but it may also be a security concern. A forensics researcher has found that one file stores almost all the text on your system to help improve the handwriting service.
Crazy vending machine swaps computer art for your permanent selfie
Coder artist Matthias Dörfelt has created a camera-equipped vending machine called Face Trade, which promises to swap unique prints of computer-generated faces for the rights to upload your selfie onto the main Ethereum blockchain. Here's what it says about privacy in 2018.
California passes bill that regulates security for Internet of Things devices
California recently became the first state in the country to pass a bill that regulates Internet of Things security. The bill requires manufacturers to include "reasonable security" measures on devices produced in the US. This bill is the first of its type on both a state or federal level.
ProtonVPN and NordVPN patched up vulnerabilities before they became known
Don't fret -- your VPN is safer than recent news may suggest. Hot off of the back of an announcement of flaws and bugs in both NordVPN and ProtonVPN which could leave users vulnerable, the two companies have responded to make it clear that the exploits were discovered and patched out several weeks ago.
Google’s Titan Key ensures your phone and apps are virtually unhackable
Google believes passwords aren't enough to protect users from phishing schemes. The tech giant wants to encourage its users to adopt two-step authentication to secure their accounts. To make two-step authentication safe and easy Google released Titan Key, its first FIDO supported hardware security key.
Hack affects 2 million T-Mobile customers, unclear if passwords included
T-Mobile has announced that around 2 million of its customers may have had personal details stolen in an attack on its servers. While financial details were not compromised, other personal details may have been. T-Mobile is contacting anyone affected by the hack by text message.
7 amazing anti-drone technologies designed to swat UAVs out of the sky
Whether it's delivering contraband to folks in prison, disrupting airports or taking pictures where they're not welcome, drones can be a major pain in the butt. Fortunately for those who think that way there's a growing number of smart anti-drone technologies. Here are 7 of the best.
Regular Wi-Fi can accurately detect bombs, chemicals, and weapons in bags
X-ray machines, surveillance cameras, and bag searches have all become commonplace when it comes to security in public venues. But researchers from three U.S. universities may have found a different way to detect suspicious items: regular Wi-Fi. Here's how their smart security system works.
Los Angeles subway to become first in the U.S. to use body scanners
Los Angeles is set to become the first U.S. city to use body scanners on its subway. The machines are portable and quick to set up, and can check around 2,000 people an hour without causing lines or delays for passengers. The new security measure will be put in place later this year, according to the city's MTA.
Facebook’s security chief has quit — now who’s watching the watchmen?
Facebook's chief security officer, Alex Stamos, has announced that he's leaving the company in mid-August to move on to a new full-time teaching position. Crucially, Facebook has said he will not be replaced, raising questions about its approach to digital security on the social network in the future.
Some Samsung phones aren’t alerting users of app background processes
Worried that Facebook is spying on you? Some Samsung phones aren't correctly showing some apps on the App Permission Monitor, so users won't be alerted if an app tries to access certain permissions. Thankfully, due to the way Android works, it may not be as big an issue as it seems.
Netgear router bug let hackers steal classified documents on drones, tanks
Documents from the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army were stolen by a hacker who used a simple exploit on a Netgear router after finding that its admin password had not been changed from the default. Those documents were then offered up for sale on the dark web alongside aerial drone footage and training manuals.
Apple USB Restricted mode can be bypassed with a simple $39 accessory
USB Restricted mode, one of iOS 11.4.1's most anticipated features, has apparently already been beaten - to a degree. The mode seeks to stop third parties from being able to extract data from a seized iPhone by locking down the Lightning port - but a $39 accessory can effectively halt Apple's security.
Some Android apps could be secretly recording your phone’s screen
Worries that phones have been listening to our private conversations or watching us have been around for years, but now a study has revealed that some apps may be secretly recording parts of our phone screens and sending the data to analytics companies. Is this a real security concern?
After 14 years, a new generation of Wi-Fi security is coming. Here’s what to know
WPA3 is a new security standard for Wi-Fi hardware that will charge manufactuters with meeting stricter guidelines to be certified to support it. It will bring about greater security and privacy for users in the home and when utilizing 'open' public Wi-Fi networks, as well as better password protections for everyone.