Cyberwarfare

(Newser) - The number of homegrown Islamic militants in the US is expected to increase sharply over the next 5 years, according to a Homeland Security assessment obtained by AP.  A pool of "terrorist wannabes" will be recruited online and used to carry out attacks, including sophisticated cyberattacks for which al-Qaeda currently lacks the expertise, experts believe. More »

(Newser) - A security flaw in Internet Explorer has so alarmed web experts that they are advising people to switch browsers until the problem is fixed, reports the BBC. Microsoft is preparing an emergency software patch to fix the flaw, which has allowed hackers to seize control of individual computers and steal passwords. More »

(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 whack-a-mole. Cybercriminals are now as advanced as the top software companies—and faster and more adaptable, security experts say. More »

(Newser) - Defense Department computers have been hit by a computer virus from Russia, Los Angeles Times reports. Malware has infected large parts of the military system, including Central Command systems and computers used in Iraq and Afghanistan combat zones. The military scrambled to stop the infection and banned the use of flash drives. More »

(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 Post's blog—terminated service to the Web hosting firm known as McColo. More »

(Newser) - A computer virus has stolen log-in information for over 500,000 bank accounts and credit and debit cards. The Sinowal Trojan virus has infected computers around the world through “drive-by downloads” that install it without users' knowledge when they visit Web sites running the virus code. Individuals can best protect themselves by being cautious about what sites they visit, the BBC reports. More »

(Newser) - Campaigners seeking to keep gay marriage legal in California say a sophisticated cyberattack crashed their website, the Wall Street Journal reports. The group has complained to the FBI that the No to Proposition 8 website was brought down for several hours Wednesday night by a coordinated "denial of service" attack. Supporters of a ban on gay marriage say they had nothing to do with the crash. More »

(Newser) - The suicide of a popular actress is prompting South Korean officials to get tough with “cyber-terrorists,” the Los Angeles Times reports. Choi Jin-sil hanged herself this month after Internet rumors blamed her for the death of a fellow actor. “People who inflict cyber-terrorism must pay the appropriate price,” said one lawmaker, as colleagues press for stiffer punishments. More »

(Newser) - Microsoft has discovered a Windows security vulnerability dangerous enough that it's released an “out-of-cycle” security patch for the first time since April 2007, reports the Tech Herald . The weakness could allow a computer worm to spread malware around networks. More »

(Newser) - Thank the feds if you find fewer offers for Viagra in your inbox today. The FTC says it shut down one of the world's largest spam operations, which promoted the sale of prescription drugs and male enhancement pills by way of billions of illegal email messages, the Chicago Tribune reports. More »