Infosecurity News
Buffer overflow vulnerability identified in Sielco Sistemi SCADA system
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is warning about a buffer overflow vulnerability in the Sielco Sistemi Winlog application used to control industrial systems.
Malware blocking – not sandboxing – key to browser security, says Imperva
The browser’s ability to block socially engineered malware, not sandboxing technology, is the most important criteria to judge browser security, argues Rob Rachwald, director of security strategy at data security firm Imperva.
On the second day of Christmas, Mozilla gave two Firefox version 9s
On Tuesday, Mozilla released version 9 of its Firefox browser with fixes for a number of memory safety bugs in the browser engine; then, 24 hours later, it released 9.0.1 to fix a bug that caused Mac, Linux, and Windows users’ browsers to crash.
Anonymous claims responsibility for takedown of Egyptian government sites
The hacktivist group Anonymous claimed this week that it took down a dozen Egyptian government websites using distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks in retaliation for the government’s treatment of protestors.
$16 million class-action lawsuit filed over UCLA Health System data breach
A $16 million class-action lawsuit has been filed against the UCLA Health System for a data breach that compromised personal information of more than 16,000 patients.
Multi-factor biometrics to change the security landscape, IBM predicts
Multi-factor biometric authentication is one of the five innovations that are likely to change the tech landscape within five years, according to IBM’s 5 in 5 annual list of innovations.
Twitter says Whisper Systems' encryption software will no longer be a secret
Microblogging service Twitter has decided to open source some of Whisper Systems' software, including the TextSecure text-messaging encryption for Android devices, on Github.
Chinese group hacks into US Chamber of Commerce networks
A Chinese group allegedly hacked into the US Chamber of Commerce networks last year and gained access to information on its three million members.
Hackerazzi use Lady Gaga’s Twitter account to scam her ‘little monsters’
Hackers broke into pop star Lady Gaga’s Twitter account and broadcasted a link to a scam offer for free iPad 2s to her 17 million fans, whom she calls “little monsters.”
Feds indict 55 people in New York cybercrime ring
The Manhattan District Attorney has indicted 55 individuals for operating a $2 million organized cybercrime ring that relied on corrupt employees at companies and institutions to steal personal information of victims.
APTs expected to grow in volume and sophistication, warns Fidelis chief
Nation-state-sponsored advanced persistent threats (APTs) are only going to increase in volume and sophistication over the next few years, and the US needs to take the offense in countering these threats, argues Peter George, president and chief executive officer of network security firm Fidelis.
Wisegate launches micro-community for privacy and compliance professionals
Wisegate, a newly formed social networking site for information security professionals, has added a privacy and compliance micro-community for senior-level privacy and compliance professionals.
CA/Browser Forum issues best practices for SSL/TLS certificates
The CA/Browser Forum, a consortium of certificate authorities (CAs), has released the first international baseline requirements for the operation of CAs issuing SSL/TLS certificates.
Mounties uncover link between data breach and violent crimes in British Columbia
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is investigating a link between a data breach at the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) and drive-by shootings and arson in the Canadian province.
Not a KISS fan? FBI arrests hacker for DDoS attack on Gene Simmons’ website
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested a hacker associated with Anonymous for a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack against the website of Gene Simmons, front man for the band KISS and reality TV celebrity.
Ancestry.com pulls Social Security numbers from website
Ancestry.com, the online commercial genealogy service, has decided to remove from its website Social Security numbers (SSNs) of individuals deceased in the last 10 years out of security concerns.
FCC asked to investigate Verizon Wireless over Google Wallet flap
Nonprofit advocacy group Free Press is asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate Verizon Wireless for blocking the Google Wallet application on the Android-powered Galaxy Nexus smartphone allegedly over security concerns.
NIST issues revised Electronic Authentication Guideline
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued a revised version of its Electronic Authentication Guideline (now NIST SP 800-63-1), originally published in 2006 as NIST SP 800-63.
Popularity breeds malware for Android
The recent explosion in Android malware is due to the popularity of the mobile operating system and the shift in malware distribution methods from worms to applications, according to a recent white paper by security firm McAfee.
Symantec discovers another 11 malicious Android apps
Malware in Android apps is a growing concern among security researchers. Now Symantec has discovered 11 more malicious apps. We ask what Google should be doing.
