Cybersecurity & Espionage Articles
Original Post at KOB4
An 8-character password with two numerals would only take a computer two hours to guess. A 10-character password with symbols would take a computer 6years to guess it, but a 14-character password with symbols would take a computer 204 million years to get it right.
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Original Post at IntelNews.org (Part 1)
Original Post at IntelNews.org (Part 2) Since 2008, when we launched intelNews, it has been our end-of-the-year tradition to take a look back and highlight what we think were the most important intelligence-related stories of the past 12 months. In anticipation of what 2017 may bring in this highly volatile field, we present you with our selection of the top spy stories of 2016. They are listed below in reverse order of significance. Original Post at CSO.com
“In short, bad guys realize ransomware makes money, and you can expect them to double down in 2017,” he says. Original Post at Fox News Tech
Excerpts of internal documents that the company allegedly hands out to both its own staff and third-party content moderators were provided to a German newspaper by unidentified sources. Although the company's guidelines are touched upon on its website, the information it provides to its workers offers much more detail...Facebook does not permit "verbal attacks" on a "protected category," according to the documents. Original Post at Softpedia.com
It’s the holiday season and scammers are trying to benefit from our growing shopping appetite with new campaigns launched on social media. One of the latest such attempts involves Uggs, as scammers are trying to trick people into opening malicious store links with unrealistically low prices for these popular boots. The scam ads are typically posted on Facebook, although scammers can use other spreading channels as well, and advertise prices that are too good to be true, calling for users to click the links and access online stores. Original Post at The Washington Free Beacon
A U.S. defense contractor was threatened with bankruptcy by Chinese hackers seeking jet fighter logistics secrets, according to the Pentagon's Joint Staff. A report earlier this month by the Joint Staff's J-2 intelligence directorate revealed that the American contractor, a company involved in classified defense work, was threatened by Chinese hackers, according to Pentagon officials familiar with the report. The Chinese demanded access to the company's intellectual property, and said unless the company secrets were provided, China would steal the data, reverse engineer it, and then sell it internationally in a bid to force the company into bankruptcy. The unidentified company is involved in supplying logistics support for U.S. fighter aircraft, such as parts and maintenance for fighters. Original Post at BGR.com
A few days ago, a film student who had his iPhone stolen at some point decided to get revenge. He staged a second theft, but the new device was an Android-powered handset preloaded with spyware that could collect everything the thief would do. Original Post at Cheat Sheet
It should go without saying that you should ensure that your network is appropriately secured, but if your network is already encrypted and someone is still connecting, then the least you should do is change your password immediately. Original Post at Defense One
This weekend, Michael Morell, the former acting director of the CIA, was asked about the intelligence community’s findings that Russia interfered in the presidential election. His answer was unequivocal: The country isn’t grasping the magnitude of the story, he told The Cipher Brief. “To me, and this is to me not an overstatement, this is the political equivalent of 9/11.” Original Post at Softpedia.com
Judge Anthony Black found a precedent, pointing to a Supreme Court case in 1988, Doe versus the United States, when the defendant was asked to provide the key to a strongbox that included incriminating documents. Original Post at CIO.com
When Intel and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) surveyed 775 IT decision makers, 82 percent expressed a concern for the cybersecurity skills shortage. It's reached a point where the government has created the National Initiative for Cybersecurity and Studies (NICS) to help address the growing need for cybersecurity professionals, starting by getting kids introduced to cybersecurity as early as middle school. Original Post at NetworksAsia.net
Intel Security has released its McAfee Labs 2017 Threats Predictions Report, which identifies 14 threat trends to watch in 2017, the most critical developments to watch for in cloud security and the Internet of Things (IoT) security, and the six most difficult-to-solve challenges facing the cybersecurity industry. Original Post at Reuters.com
ThyssenKrupp, one of the world's largest steel makers, said it had been targeted by attackers located in southeast Asia engaged in what it said were "organized, highly professional hacker activities". Original Post at The Daily Caller
Hackers reportedly launched cyberattacks against some of the country's most prestigious law firms last summer. Targeted firms include: Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP, Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, Cleary Gottlieb, Mayer Brown, Latham & Watkins, Covington & Burling, and Davis Polk & Wardell. Cravath said that the incident involved a "limited breach" of the firm's systems and that it was "not aware that any of the information that may have been accessed has been used improperly," the Wall Street Journal reported in late March, when news of the breaches first broke. Not all of the attacks were successful, but the hackers were still able to steal internal data. Original Post at HelpNetSecurity
A computer support technician formerly employed at Expedia offices in San Francisco pleaded guilty to securities fraud. Jonathan Ly, 28, admitted he used his position in tech support at Expedia to access emails of Expedia executives so that he could trade in Expedia stock and illegally profit from non-public information. Original Post at Fox News
If you hear this in the drive-thru - "You know I'm actually on the toilet right now and I'm just going to serve you your food. I'm not even going to wash my hands. I'm trying to get some special sauce out right now." - I'm thinking Arby's. |
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November 2022
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