Security threats
EU's Cybersecurity Strategy gets harsh criticism from data protection advocate
A top EU data privacy advocate has criticised the European Union's plans to combat cybercrime, saying they don't provide enough protection for personal data. He's also suggested that too little attention has been paid to existing regulations and agencies.
Kentucky man charged with using scans of checks to double-dip funds
The crime was allegedly carried out with the help of mobile remote deposit capture, which entails sending a scan or photo of your check to your bank, leaving the original paper copy to, evidently, burn a hole in your pocket, given that there's currently no real-time duplicate detection databases in place.
Yahoo's going to boot us off our deadbeat accounts, but who is going to grab them?
Get thee to your unused Yahoo account before July 15 if you don't relish the thought of somebody taking control of your handle and doing heaven knows what with whatever email gets sent to it.
US law enforcers want to see a kill switch on our mobile phones
They are demanding a switch on our smartphones that would theoretically brick them after they're stolen. But would it be effective?
FDA tells medical device makers and hospitals to strengthen security
The FDA hasn't seen patient deaths or injuries, but it has seen malware clogging up hospital equipment, passwords passed around like candy, and disregard for updating/patching old equipment.
Monday review - the hot 16 stories of the week
Get yourself up to date with everything we've written in the last seven days - it's weekly roundup time.
Australia's National Consumer Fraud Week starts today - the motto is, "Outsmart the scammers!"
Do you know someone who's been scammed online?
Chances are that you do - or you may have been scammed yourself.
The National Consumer Fraud Week aims to spread the word about how to avoid becoming a victim online.
Get ready! Oracle to fix 40 holes in Java on Tuesday, 18 June 2013
There's a Java update coming next Tuesday, 18 June 2013, and you might as well get ready for it now if you haven't already.
Oracle has fixed 40 holes, all but three of them remotely exploitable.
PRISM, UK Surveillance, Sweden vs. Google, Blackberry Z10 - 60 Sec Security [VIDEO]
Do you really need to worry about things like privacy and security?
Here's the latest in our 60 Second Security video series, bringing you fast, incisive and entertaining evidence that says, "Yes, you do!"
UK political bigwigs demand return of snoopers' charter. Seriously? Today?
In a stirring display of bad timing, a cluster of top UK political figures has issued a public letter insisting on the revival of the so-called "snoopers' charter" - legislation to give British police and intelligence services more access to personal data.
Blackberry releases first security fixes for new Z10 smartphone
Blackberry released the first two security advisories for its new Z10 smartphone yesterday. One of the patches was for Adobe Flash vulnerabilities from January. Flash? On a smartphone? In 2013?
Was Microsoft's takedown of Citadel effective?
Last week, Microsoft took aim at more than 1,400 Citadel botnets by sinkholing their command and control infrastructure.
What was the actual effect of this takedown? SophosLabs takes a look...
Guntior bootkit up to new tricks
A technical analysis of the Guntior bootkit and its DLL load order abuse of the Windows Help Center.
Patch Tuesday June 2013 - Office, Windows and Flash
Right on time, Microsoft and Adobe released fixes today for Windows, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office 2003 and 2011 and Adobe Flash Player. Time to dance that familiar dance and get those updates installed.
EU to vote on harsher penalties for hackers
Illegal hackers will face at least two years in prison, botnet creators and herders are looking at three years, and those who go after critical infrastructure will be jailed for at least five - and the proposed directive takes pains to protect pen testers and whistleblowers.
Monday review - the hot 18 stories of the week
Missed any stories in the past seven days?
Here's our weekly roundup, just in case...
Microsoft announces five Bulletins for Patch Tuesday, including Office for Mac
Patch Tuesday is coming on 11 June 2013.
Paul Ducklin gives you a quick preview of what we know so far, and who'll be affected by the updates...
(Mac users, that might include you.)
Botnet smackdown, Oracle on Java, Passwords you can eat - 60 Sec Security [VIDEO]
Here's our latest 60 Second Security video.
From botnet takedowns to authentication tokens you swallow...here's the latest security news in a easily digestible format!
FBI and Microsoft in massive takedown of "Citadel" crimeware
Microsoft just announced the successful disruption of 1462 "Citadel" botnets.
You read that correctly!
Not a botnet of 1462 computers, but 1462 separate botnets...
Biostamps - freedom from password tyranny, or Hollywood science?
Last week Motorola execs showed off experimental biostamps - digital "tattoos" capable of authenticating you to your phone. Could this be the ultimate solution to the problem of authentication and passwords, or is it just a sci-fi pipe dream?
