Infosecurity News
SANS’ Eric Cole Gets Infosecurity Europe Hall of Fame Nod
Dr. Eric Cole, SANS Instructor and security consultant, will be this year’s lone inductee into the Infosecurity Europe Hall of Fame
Masergy Acquires Global DataGuard
Managed services provider Masergy has acquired advanced security services provider Global DataGuard in a move that significantly ramps up its security portfolio.
Investment Firm Snaps Up Encryption Specialist Cryptzone
Medina Capital, the equity investment firm focused on the IT infrastructure sector, is fleshing out its security portfolio with the purchase of Cryptzone. The publicly traded company offers encryption and identity and access management (IAM) solutions.
Windows XP Support is Over, but the Finance Industry Persists in Using It
Today marks the end of support for Windows XP by Microsoft, and the beginning of a bonanza for hackers who will be targeting the vulnerable machines. XP usage has dropped across the board as companies upgrade, but new analysis shows that here’s still plenty of work to be done.
Eight Indicted in Wide-ranging ID Theft Conspiracy
Eight defendants in Florida are facing a 22-count indictment charging them with participating in a conspiracy to steal personal identifying information, and using it to make unauthorized wire transfers from the victims' bank accounts. They are also charged with obtaining unauthorized credit and debit cards.
Microsoft to Start Blocking Adware
Pop-up ads that come as part of software packages are incredibly annoying, but they can also be dangerous and act as a top conduit for distributing malware. Microsoft is accordingly making some changes to the way it classifies adware, and will begin blocking it from user machines starting in July.
Exploit Kits and Redirection Anchor the Data Theft 'Kill Chain'
There is a growing global criminal-infrastructure-as-a-service economy being perpetrated through exploit kits and compromised website redirection chains – with billions of attacks adding to cybercriminals' sophistication and ability to evade detection. According to the latest Websense Security Labs 2014 Threat Report, the infrastructure of an attack campaign is now typically constantly developed, enhanced and reused throughout the entire threat lifecycle.
Botnets Take to Mobile Dating App Tinder to Flirt and Hurt
A series of bots have invaded the Android version of dating app Tinder, and are spreading dangerous downloads after luring users with tempting profiles and pictures stolen from an Arizona-based photography studio.
Microsoft and secunet Team Up on Secure Tablet
secunet and Microsoft Germany are showing how a reliable, highly secure and ultra-mobile solution can become reality through a combination of security technology made in Germany and a high-performance tablet.
Kaspersky Unveils Interactive Cyberthreat Map
The trend toward visualizing virtual threat data continues with an interactive cyberthreat map from Kaspersky Lab, which displays cybersecurity incidents occurring worldwide in real time.
Insider Leaks 1,000-page Dossier on BBC Confidential Sources
The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office has been asked to investigate alleged breaches of data protection laws after a former employee of Films on Record leaked a 1,000-page dossier of confidential information and source material from the BBC to the Mayor of Tower Hamlets.
'Online Learning' Scam Delivers Bogus Card Charges
A prolific international scheme designed to fleece unwary consumers with bogus sub-$15 charges is making the rounds, according to security researcher Brian Krebs. The common thread? The victims have all paid for online learning tools, but instead have been subjected to multiple junk charges from a company called “BLS Weblearn.”
Tesla Electric Vehicle Owners Should Beware the Phish
Connected cars are continuing to wheel their way into consumer lives, with some, like Elon Musk’s Tesla line of electric vehicles, serving as prototypes for the Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled future. Sleek, sustainable and connected, the Tesla Model S is a futuristic automobile, with a robust set of communications capabilities. But because it connects with car owners and the Tesla infrastructure using a variety of TCP/IP mechanisms, one researcher is highlighting potential security issues.
Sally Beauty Data Breach Larger than Originally Thought
The Sally Beauty data breach is likely larger than the 25,000 records the cosmetic supply company originally thought had been compromised. It has issued a statement noting that the unauthorized intrusion into its network it detected on March 5 may have affected a larger number of additional records containing payment card data.
Facebook Builds its Own Threat Information Framework
Keeping ahead of web-based threats requires a mechanism to continually search for new types of attacks while understanding existing ones. However, data fragmentation and threat complexity plagues efforts to keep track of all the data related to malware, phishing and other risks – differences in how threats are discussed, categorized or even named vary from platform to platform and vendor to vendor. Facebook is taking steps to solve the issue for itself with the release of ThreatData.
Tax Phishes Spawn on Both Sides of Atlantic
Tax season in both the US and the UK is upon us and it looks like cybercriminals are once more trolling for unwitting victims with thematic phishing emails aimed to those preparing to render unto Caesar.
(ISC)² Teams with University of Phoenix for Cybersecurity Scholarships
With an eye toward tackling the cybersecurity workforce skills shortage, the University of Phoenix and the (ISC)² Foundation are teaming up to offer nine full-tuition scholarships for individuals looking to devote themselves to information security.
Angry Birds Leaks a Host of Info to Marketers
Bad piggies may need to be toppled, but fans of the ubiquitous Angry Birds mobile app should be aware that the popular game collects and shares players’ personal information much more widely than most people realize.
Criminal Underground is a Sophisticated Metropolis, with Stores, Education, and Law & Order
“Shadowy hacker underworld.” “Dark Web.” “Underground cyber-forum.” These are the phrases that get bandied about referring to those dark corners of the internet where cybercriminals publish their malware, espionage campaigns are hatched and hacktivist manifestos are discussed. The verbiage is decidedly DIY. But new research suggests that these cyber black markets are hardly makeshift affairs: rather, they account for a mature and growing multi-billion-dollar economy with a robust infrastructure and social organization.
Analysis of 3 Billion Attacks Demonstrates Security Gap Between Attack and Defense
For the first time, NTT has pooled the resources of its group companies and produced a threat report based on an analysis of 3 billion attacks. What it found is that while attackers move faster than defenders, and there are still many basic processes and procedures that companies are failing to implement.
