http://www.pogowasright.org/article.php?story=20081011172042886
Fraud Ring Funnels Data From Cards to Pakistan
Saturday, October 11 2008 @ 05:20 PM EDT Contributed by: PrivacyNews
European law-enforcement officials uncovered a highly sophisticated credit-card fraud ring that funnels account data to Pakistan from hundreds of grocery-store card machines across Europe, according to U.S. intelligence officials and other people familiar with the case.
Specialists say the theft technology is the most advanced they have seen, and a person close to British law enforcement said it has affected big retailers including a British unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Tesco Ltd.
Source - Wall Street Journal hat-tip, Slashdot
[From the article:
Early estimates of the losses range of $50 million to $100 million, but the figure could grow, said the person close to British law enforcement.
The scheme uses untraceable devices inserted into credit-card readers that were made in China. [Untracable, but with a 'Made in China' sticker... Bob]
... Meanwhile, a security guard at a U.K. grocery store noticed suspicious [!!! Reporters... Bob] static on his cellphone and alerted authorities. Scotland Yard learned of the report and eventually connected it with the warning from MasterCard, according to the person close to British law enforcement.
Examining the store's credit-card readers, investigators discovered a high-tech bug tucked behind the motherboard. It was small card containing wireless communication technology.
The bug would read an individual's card number and the corresponding personal identification number, then package and store the data. The device would once a day call a number in Lahore to upload the data to servers there and obtain instructions on what to steal next.
... There is no obvious visual indication that a machine has been altered, but those with the bugs weigh about four ounces more. For the past several months, teams of investigators have been weighing thousands of machines across Europe with a precision scale. [Scales of justice? Bob]
So far, investigators have found hundreds of machines in at least five countries: Britain, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. They have turned up at European grocery chains including Asda, which is owned by Wal-Mart; Tesco; and J Sainsbury PLC, according to the person close to British law enforcement.
Fool me once, shame on you! Fool me twice, shame on you! ... Fool me 99 times, shame on you! Do you see a pattern here?
http://www.pogowasright.org/article.php?story=20081011123208101
De: New Privacy Scandal Comes Calling at Telekom
Saturday, October 11 2008 @ 12:32 PM EDT Contributed by: PrivacyNews
From the ohmigod-what-next dept.:
One day after assuring customers it was implementing new privacy protection measures, Deutsche Telekom was struck by another security lapse. The company said it patched the holes allowing outside access to customer data.
The German telecommunications giant admitted on Saturday, Oct. 11, that it was aware of holes in its security system that provided access to bank account numbers and other personal information of some 30 million Telekom mobile phone users.
The company had no indication of a possible theft of the information.
Source - DW-World.de
[From the article:
Telekom's customer data systems were freely accessible and open to manipulation after entering a simple username and password, weekly German newsmagazine Der Spiegel reported in its edition to be released on Monday.
... Der Spiegel reported that Telekom had not patched the new security holes it found until reporters confronted the company for comment.
Boy do I miss the Daily IntelSums... What did we trade? Does Kim Jong Il's stroke play in this? (Stop the nukes and we'll give you Tylonol?)
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/10/11/us.north.korea/index.html
U.S. takes North Korea off terror list
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States on Saturday removed North Korea from its list of states that sponsor terrorism, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
"Based upon the cooperation agreement North Korea has recently provided ... the secretary of state this morning rescinded the designation of the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] as a state sponsor of terrorism, and that was effective as of her signature," McCormack said.
... "Every element of verification that we sought is included in this package," McCormack said at a news conference.
... Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Florida, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a strongly critical statement after Saturday's announcement.
... "Given the regime's decision to restart its plutonium reactor at Yongbyon and actions barring access to the site by inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, it is clear that North Korea has no intention of meeting its commitment to end its nuclear program."
If he had pointed out how “not-for-profit piracy” by individuals increases sales & profits, he would have won more converts. In support of my argument, read the intro to the free library at Baen Publishing. http://www.baen.com/library/ (Or maybe it only applies to SciFi readers...)
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/11/163234&from=rss
Lessig's "In Defense of Piracy"
Posted by Soulskill on Saturday October 11, @01:03PM from the landlubbers-just-don't-understand dept. Censorship Communications The Internet
chromakey writes
"The Wall Street Journal is running an essay from Lawrence Lessig about the fair use of copyrighted material on the Internet. He makes the case that companies who go to extreme lengths to squash minor videos, such as Universal, are stifling creativity in the modern era. Lessig makes specific reference to a YouTube video that was hit by a DMCA takedown notice, in which a 13-month-old child is dancing to a nearly inaudible soundtrack of Prince's 'Let's Go Crazy.' Lawrence Lessig is a board member for the Electronic Frontier Foundation."
Here's a question: Will defense lawyers ask for copies of all wiki articles (and all revisions) related to their clients? Almost certain to be changes/reversals/speculation in these articles. Might be an article here: (Elmer Fudd voice) Why Wikis are Weely Weely Wong!
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/019535.html
October 11, 2008
News report: FBI creates knowledge wiki
Federal Computer Week: "The FBI is testing a new collaborative internal Web site, or wiki, called Bureaupedia that officials say will enable users to create an encyclopedia of lessons learned, best practices and subject-matter expertise. Officials see Bureaupedia as a knowledge management tool that will let agents and analysts share their experiences to ensure that their accumulated insight remains after they retire. The project is a collaborative effort between FBI’s chief knowledge officer and chief technology officer."
Business model? Usually the Porn industry is 'first to adopt' new technologies (doesn't that put strange images in your head...)
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/12/0710253&from=rss
3D Printing On Demand
Posted by timothy on Sunday October 12, @05:00AM from the safer-than-a-cnc-machine dept. Printers Technology
Iddo Genuth writes
"The Netherlands based company Shapeways is beta testing a new service allowing people to print three-dimensional models. Customers can upload designs or use a creation tool hosted at the Shapeways website, then order a printed model of their designs for less than $3 per square centimeter. The printed items are shipped to the customer in ten days or less, bringing 3D printing to consumers and not just companies large enough to afford their own printers."
How could I let this pass...
http://digg.com/health/Psychologist_Says_Intelligent_Men_Have_the_Best_Sperm
Psychologist Says Intelligent Men Have the Best Sperm
medindia.com — University of New Mexico evolutionary psychologist Geoffrey Miller has said that the quality of sperm is indicative of the brain power in men.
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