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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: computer security

computer security stories: 41 news summaries

1 - 20 of 41 Stories | 1 2 3 Next >>

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(Newser) - The Internet has a big problem, argues one of the big names in online security—anonymity. With that weapon, cybercriminals will always have the advantage. And the best solution is to introduce "Internet passports," Russia's Eugene Kaspersky tells ZDNet in an interview. All countries would have to play... More »

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Russia • Internet • Interpol • computer security • cybercrime • computers • Eugene Kaspersky

Email Scam Reveals How Crummy Passwords Are

'123456' was most common single password of 10,000 revealed

Oct 7, 09 2:23 PM CDT
(Newser) - The hackers who stole the logins and passwords for thousands of email accounts in a phishing scam that came to light this week likely lured users with fake “security check” forms. But for many users, they wouldn’t have needed to expend that much energy: the most common single... More »

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hack • computer security • phishing • Windows Live • computer passwords • passwords • Hotmail

How to Avoid Becoming
a Phishing Victim

Simple precautions can keep info out of scammers' hands

Oct 7, 09 1:19 AM CDT
(Newser) - Phishing scams are becoming a lot more sophisticated. Unwary Internet users can easily end up with their bank account and credit card details in the hands of crooks. CNET lists the best ways to avoid becoming a victim:
  • Change passwords regularly. Experts recommend that passwords be changed every three
... More »

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email • hacker • Gmail • computer security • phishing • hacking • Hotmail

Tech Review

Microsoft's Free Antivirus Software Actually Works!

Program performs well in stress test

Oct 1, 09 1:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - Want a great, free antivirus program from a big software brand? OK, it’s from Microsoft, and … wait! Come back! Believe it or not, Microsoft’s new Security Essentials software is pretty darn good. AV-Test.org ran it through a bevy of tests and found the freebie performed admirably.... More »

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Microsoft • Windows • computer virus • spyware • computer security • malware • antivirus • Security Essentials

New Software Can Delete Emails Permanently

Software scatters encryption keys among temporary BitTorrent nodes

Aug 5, 09 6:24 PM CDT
(Newser) - Email is inherently insecure, because it has a long shelf-life—even deleted messages can be stored infinitely on the email service of the sender or recipient. Now a team of scientists is poised to unveil software later this month to make them disappear for keeps, reports the Economist. “Vanish”... More »

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email • BitTorrent • Internet security • computer security • P2P • mall security • encryption • message

'Every iPhone
in the World' at Risk Tomorrow

Text-messaging flaw could let hackers take over your mobile

Jul 29, 09 1:40 PM CDT
(Newser) - The iPhone’s text-messaging system has a dangerous flaw that hackers could exploit to take control of your phone, researchers say. They’ll reveal the trouble at a conference tomorrow, Forbes reports. So if you get a text with a “single square character,” turn off your phone right... More »

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iPhone • hacker • computer virus • bug • text message • computer security • Google Android • Windows Mobile • SMS

(Newser) - An April Fools information apocalypse did not occur, but the widespread Conficker virus that caused so much fear of is still out there, CNN reports. Experts are puzzled over the lack of an attack, but the sheer size of the Conficker infection—5 million computers—yields a clue. “The... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Internet • computer virus • hackers • computer security • botnet • Conficker • worm

ANALYSIS

 A 5-Minute Fix for 
 Your Insecure Passwords 

Twitter break-in shows how vulnerable weak passwords are, writes blogger for Slate

Jul 24, 09 6:33 PM CDT
(Newser) - The recent hacking debacle at Twitter proved how vulnerable the company was, writes Farhad Manjoo for Slate. All of its internal communication was held in email accounts protected only by insecure passwords. And chances are your password security is also terrible—a familiar word, like your favorite album, with a... More »

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hackers • computer security • hacking • passwords • Twitter

Hacker Sends Confidential Twitter Files to Blogs

Cyber-scoundrel also hacks Twitter CEO's Gmail, Paypal accounts

Jul 15, 09 5:53 PM CDT
(Newser) - A hacker who gained access to a Twitter administrative account two months ago has been sending confidential files to bloggers, InformationWeek reports. Most of the documents sent to blogs such as TechCrunch have been only mildly embarrassing internal correspondence, but some contain security passwords. The hacker, who goes by “... More »

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hacker • Gmail • computer security • cybercrime • passwords • Amazon • Twitter • Evan Williams

interview

Legendary Hacker: It Was
'a Huge Game'

Mitnick reflects on the road from 'computer terrorist' to consultant

Jun 22, 09 12:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - Tagged a “computer terrorist,” Kevin Mitnick served jail time after eluding the FBI for 3 years; today, he’s a security consultant. The best-known hacker ever tells CNET his infiltration of firms like Motorola and Sun “was like a huge game”: “thrilling, adventurous,” and “... More »

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FBI • law enforcement • hacker • Sun Microsystems • Motorola • computer security • cybercrime • interview • Kevin Mitnick

(Newser) - Major defense contractors are already staffed with "hacker soldiers" who can help them earn billions of dollars in Washington's new cyberwar, the New York Times reports. Cranking rock tunes and piling up pop cans, engineers hack away at companies like Raytheon, working for the Pentagon or protecting internal documents.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Raytheon • cyberwarfare • US military • recruitment • computer security • Obama administration • defense contractors • President Obama

(AP) - The US has for too long failed to protect the security of its computer networks, President Obama said today, announcing he will name a new cyber czar to take on the job. This is a "transformational moment" for the country, Obama said, with computer networks probed and attacked millions... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • cyberwarfare • cyberattack • computer security • Obama administration • President Obama • cyber czar

(Newser) - To combat the rising threat of attack on the nation’s computer networks, the US government is turning to the dark side for help, the AP reports. A call has gone out for so-called “ethical hackers” who “think like the bad guy” to work with Homeland Security to... More »

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power grid • hacker • Department of Homeland Security • hackers • computer security • computer network • computer • Obama administration

Worm Set to Unleash Massive April Fool's Prank

Malware experts race against time to limit the program's damage

Mar 24, 09 2:53 PM CDT
(Newser) - Malware experts are racing to find the authors of the Conficker C worm and limit the damage it seems poised to do beginning April Fool’s Day, CNN reports. Conficker C, the bug’s third iteration since late 2008, has infected between 5 and 10 million computers but so far... More »

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Microsoft • software • computer virus • computer security • malware • botnet • botnets • Conficker

 69 Nuke Lab Computers Missing

Los Alamos probing thefts; Blackberry lost in 'sensitive foreign country'

Feb 12, 09 3:44 AM CST
(Newser) - The nuclear weapons lab at Los Alamos is trying to find 69 missing computers, including three stolen from a scientist's home and a Blackberry lost in "a sensitive foreign country" in the last two months, reports AP. No classified information was on the computers but they contained names and... More »

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nuclear weapons • classified information • computer security • computer • Los Alamos

(Newser) - The devious worm that has infected up to 9 million personal computers worldwide may be just the first stage of a malicious attack, the New York Times reports. The so-called Conficker or Downadup virus, which exploits a Microsoft Windows vulnerability, pulls infected computers into systems called botnets that can be... More »

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Microsoft • computer virus • PCs • computer security • malware • portable media players • botnets

 Computer Experts: 
 The Bad Guys Are Winning 

Security researchers outflanked by well-funded cybercriminals

Dec 6, 08 11:57 AM CST
(Newser) - There's a war on for your computer and the bad guys are winning, the New York Times reports. Malware that stealthily hijacks a computer to send more malware is spreading like wildfire, and efforts to battle the constantly evolving threat often amount to little more than a game of online... More »

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Internet • hacker • computer security • cybercrime • malware • botnet

The Next Big Viral Thing on Facebook: a Virus

"Koobface" spreads disguised as a friend's message

Dec 5, 08 9:52 AM CST
(Newser) - Once an unfriendly place for spammers and malware, Facebook today is dealing with a virus circulating among its 120 million users, the LA Times reports. “Koobface” comes disguised as a message from a friend with a subject like “You look so amazing funny on our new video,”... More »

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social networking • Facebook • computer virus • virus protection • computer security • antivirus

 Spammers Bounce Back
 After Host Shutdown 

Zombie spam-sending computers reactivated from foreign ISPs

Nov 27, 08 8:57 AM CST
(Newser) - Spammers are surging back onto the Internet again, 2 weeks after being dealt a body blow by a server shutdown, CNET News reports. Spam volumes dived 80% after the California-based McColo hosting firm was pulled offline. They remained flat until a few days ago but have now risen to around... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Internet • spam • ISP • computer security • malware • botnet

(Newser) - Notice less spam in your mailbox today? If so, it's because Internet service providers yanked a California outfit offline that had been responsible for sending about 75% of the world's electronic junk mail, reports the Security Fix blog in the Washington Post. The providers—acting on information provided by the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Internet • spam • computer security

1 - 20 of 41 Stories | 1 2 3 Next >>


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