Infosecurity News
UK government puts brakes on web snooping plans
In an apparent about-turn over government plans to allow security and police services to spy on e-mails, phone calls and internet browsing habits, deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said the legislation will be published only as a draft.
Show me the money: infosec staffing budget to rise 14% next year
Information security staffing budgets are expected to increase 14% over the next year, fueled by regulatory compliance requirements and market demand, according to a survey by Information Shield.
Blackhole-laden spam targets airline passengers
Cybercriminals have launched a Blackhole-laden spam campaign against US Airways passengers, trying to convince them to click on a link to "view" their reservation, according to Kaspersky Lab.
Apple releases Java update with 12 security fixes
Apple has shipped a Java update for Mac operating systems with 12 security fixes, including one that plugs a hole exploited by a recent variant of the Flashback malware.
IRS security dissing party continues
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) just can’t catch a break when it comes to its information security posture; the US Treasury’s auditors are joining the criticisms begun by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) about infosec shortcomings at the US tax collector.
UK hacker G-Zero jailed for using Zeus and SpyEye
Edward Pearson, aka G-Zero, has been jailed for 26 months at Southwark Crown Court for “making an article for use in fraud and two counts of possession of an article for use in fraud.”
Mac users: “If you have no real need for Java, remove it”
Discussing the latest drive-by threat to Mac users that exploits an unpatched Java vulnerability known as CVE-2012-0507, Graham Cluley of Sophos blogs, “My advice is that if you have no real need for Java, remove it.”
Cloudmark takes issue with Ofcom
Last month, the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, Ofcom, published its ‘Adults media use and attitudes report’, noting that in some areas ‘levels of concern’ are decreasing.
EFF teams with Megaupload user to preserve file-sharing site content
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is teaming with one of Megaupload’s users to convince a court to protect data from the file-sharing site seized by US federal law enforcement.
Sophos snaps up mobile device management specialist
Data security company Sophos has acquired Germany-based DIALOGS, a privately held firm that specializes in mobile device management (MDM) solutions for a variety of platforms.
Adobe offers malware classification tool for 'quick malware triage'
Adobe has released a free tool that helps IT administrators classify suspicious files as malicious or benign using machine-learning algorithms.
ACLU finds widespread warrantless cell phone tracking by local police
A report issued this week by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) claims that local law enforcement is engaged in pervasive warrantless tracking of cell phones.
ManTech buys HBGary, a security firm well known for its Anonymous run-in
US defense firm ManTech has acquired technology security firm HBGary, which was at the center of a controversy last year when it claimed to have infiltrated Anonymous and was then attacked by the hacktivist group.
UK business fears impact of new EU data protection framework
An average of 59% of senior UK IT managers in large enterprises believe the proposed new EU data protection framework will cost their business more money, a survey has revealed.
1.5 million infected with drive-by malware in February
A detailed statistical analysis from Barracuda Labs shows the extent of and danger from drive-by downloading on the internet: more than 10 million users were exposed to drive-by exploits in February 2012 alone.
'Procure Secure': a new guide for monitoring cloud computing contracts
A 2011 ENISA survey demonstrated that many cloud customers do not regularly monitor their information security and concluded that customers only “find out about failing security measures when it is already too late.” This new report, 'Procure Secure', provides the necessary parameters for customers’ continuous security monitoring in the cloud.
For online piracy, 'three strikes' works, says HADOPI
HADOPI says ‘three strikes’ laws work; but they don’t increase entertainment industry profits points out TorrentFreak. Can piracy actually increase legal sales?
Global Payments cops to 1.5 million total on credit card breach
Global Payments, a third-party payment card processor, has admitted that around 1.5 million credit card numbers may have been stolen in a massive data breach last month, up significantly from the original report of 50,000.
NAC market expected to surge over the next few years, predicts Frost and Sullivan
The market for network access control (NAC) products is expected to grow at a 13.8% compound annual growth rate, reaching $312 million by 2016, predicts Frost and Sullivan.
California child services loses storage devices with info on 800,000 people
Computer storage devices containing personal information on 800,000 California residents were lost following a disaster recovery exercise held by IBM and Iron Mountain on behalf of the California Department of Child Support Services (DCSS).
