Infosecurity News
Facebook photos exposed
A security lapse on Facebook has made large libraries of private photographs, including one of Paris Hilton, available for all users to access. Exploiting a recent upgrade to the networking site’s privacy settings, a Canadian hacker was able to view pictures that were intended as private.
Sun and NSA to beef up OpenSolaris security
The US National Security Agency (NSA) and Sun Microsystems have agreed to jointly work within the OpenSolaris community to develop new security mechanisms for the operating system.
Cyber security lacking at airports
Fourteen airports in the US, Canada and Asia, are using open or poorly secured wireless networks, according to a study by Gartner Mobile and wireless provider AirTight Networks.
Federal agencies need to bolster information security
Despite some progress, many US federal agencies continue to experience significant information security control deficiencies, according to a new report.
‘Highly confidential’ Home Office laptop sold on eBay
Police are investigating a possible Home Office security breach after the discovery of an encrypted laptop containing a scrambled disc with the words ‘Home Office, highly confidential’ written on it. The laptop was found in a computer shop near Bolton, after a customer had taken it in for repair. The laptop was said to have been brought on eBay.
Malware protection before infection
A US Department of Homeland Security-funded research program will help deliver Endeavor Security’s new method of targeting botnet and malware attacks before hosts are infected.
Fewer victims of identity fraud suffer greater losses
Identity theft and fraud in the US fell by 12% in 2007 as it fraudsters apparently relied on offline channels for their attacks.
Getting real over Real ID
With a key deadline rapidly approaching, will there be rapprochement between the Federal Government and a group of individual states over the implementation of the Real ID Act?
ChoicePoint settles class action suit for $10m
Data broker ChoicePoint has agreed to pay $10 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought against it over the three-year old data breach which exposed 163 000 personal information records.
PCI-DSS failure could hit brands, gaming firms told
The potential damage to a brand justifies the high cost of Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) security compliance work, a major payment card operator told a gambling conference.
CIA claims hackers attack global power grid
The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) says criminals hacked into the computer systems of utilities, cutting the power to several international cities.
Many Oracle enterprises ignore its patches, says study
Most database administrators do not apply the Critical Patch Updates (CPUs) that Oracle issues on a quarterly basis, a new study finds.
FAA Plays Down Boeing 787 Security Concerns
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) document warns that Boeing’s new 787 passenger jet flight control systems may result in security vulnerabilities as it connects the passenger network with the flight-safety, control and navigation network.
TV presenter “wrong” after bank account scam
The star of the popular BBC America show Top Gear has had his bank account hacked after publicly revealing his details in a newspaper article.
Better job prospects for infosecurity staff, says SANS
Infosecurity professionals will see improved job opportunities in 2008, according to the SANS Institute. The US-based organisation believes that as senior executives in government realise that their systems have already been compromised, and that they do not control those systems, they will react by creating new jobs.
Better job prospects for infosecurity staff, says SANS
Infosecurity professionals will see improved job opportunities in 2008, according to the SANS Institute. The US-based organisation believes that as senior executives in government realise that their systems have already been compromised, and that they do not control those systems, they will react by creating new jobs.
Norwich Union Life fined £1.26m
The UK’s Financial Services Authority has fined life assurance company Norwich Union Life £1.26 million ($2.54m, €1.77m) for “not having effective systems and controls in place to protect customers' confidential information and manage its financial crime risks” (statement).
SANS: crooks turn fire on users and custom software
Cyber criminals have shifted their aim from flaws in commonly-used software to problems with custom-built applications, and are also targeting easily-misled users, according to the SANS Institute’s revised top 20 internet security risks.
Banks voice approval of phone biometrics
Several banks are adopting voice biometric technology, while BT is preparing to offer an internal service commercially, according to exhibitors at the first European Voice Biometrics Conference, held in London on 28 and 29 November.
UK government loses data on 25m Britons
The UK government has lost personal data on every child in the country, as well as national insurance numbers and bank account details of parents and carers claiming child benefit, on two password-protected CDs sent through an internal mail service.
