I
would be shocked if this hadn't happened regularly. Clearly, hackers
(including the Russians) have the tools and techniques needed and the
White House is quite high on the “bragging list.” Are they
jumping to the conclusion it was Russia?
Hackers
Breach White House Computer System
The
White House's unclassified computer network was recently breached
by intruders, a US official said Tuesday, with The Washington Post
newspaper reporting that the Russian government was thought to be
behind the act.
…
The
Washington Post quoted sources as saying hackers believed to be
working for the Russian government were believed to be responsible.
[So,
contractors? Bob]
(Related)
Another “of course they are” article. Apparently breaking into
unsecured civilian phones makes the North feel competent.
South
Korea Spy Agency Says North Hacking Smartphones
North
Korea attempted to hack tens of thousands of South Korean smartphones
this year, using malware disguised in mobile gaming apps, the South's
spy agency said in a report submitted to parliament this week.
The
National Intelligence Service said more than 20,000 smartphones may
have been infected by the apps that were posted on South Korean
websites between May and September
…
The
North is believed to run an elite
cyber war unit of at least 3,000 personnel, but it has denied any
involvement and accuses Seoul of fabricating the incidents to fan
cross-border tensions. [Their
standard reply Bob]
I'll
survey my Computer Security students tonight.
Kashmir
Hill writes:
The generally accepted trade-off on the Internet is that you give up
your privacy to get free stuff. It’s summed up by a frequently
repeated adage, “If you’re not paying for it, you’re the
product.” But sometimes you’re paying for it, and you’re still
the product. Verizon and AT&T customers are paying an (often
steep) monthly bill, but the payment doesn’t ensure privacy.
Researchers say the carriers
are inserting a unique code into customers’ browser requests to
help serve up personalized ads. The way they are doing it
makes you trackable by the sites you visit, third party ad networks,
or, of course, the NSA, even if you take measures to protect your
privacy, such as clearing your cookies.
Wired reports
that it was first discovered by digital rights group EFF. Kenn
White, a security consultant, created a
site where mobile users can find out whether their phone is
broadcasting the tracking code.
Read
more on Forbes.
[From
the article:
You
can check it out here;
the tracker is turned on for you if you see a bunch of letters and
numbers after “Broadcast UID.”
Perhaps
we'll see similar reports from all 50 states?
LOS
ANGELES – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today released the
second annual report detailing the 167 data breaches reported to the
Attorney General’s office in 2013 that impacted18.5
million Californians by putting their personal information
at risk. The report is accompanied by recommendations from the
Attorney General for consumers, businesses and lawmakers on how to
protect against data breaches and prevent them in the future.
…
In 2013, the number of reported data breaches increased by 28
percent, from 131 in 2012 to 167 in 201. The number of Californians’
whose records were affected increased by over 600 percent, from 2.5
million in 2012 to 18.5 million in 2013. This increase was largely
due to two massive retailer breaches at Target and LivingSocial, each
of which put the personal information of approximately 7.5 million
Californians at risk.
…
The full Data Breach 2013 report is available here:
https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/privacy/2014data_breach_rpt.pdf?
Sort
of a mini-background check? Would it creep you out to know they did
this to you?
–
Make a killer impression on whoever you’re meeting. Charlie combs
through 100’s of sources and automatically sends you a one-pager on
everyone you’re going to meet with, before you see them. Be the
one they remember by talking about things that truly matter to them.
You’ll know what makes them tick, what you have in common, and the
critical insights on their company that your competitors won’t.
Perspective.
Somewhat simplistic, but interesting.
When
It Goes Down, Facebook Loses $24,420 Per Minute
Cheaper
than drones and no piloting skills required. What does Ohio really
use them for?
The
Ohio State Dept. of Transportation has loaned the “eye in the sky”
to Pennsylvania, according to IBT
and CBS.
No
mention of what/how much the balloon records or for how long the data
are being retained for people who may be incidentally surveilled in
the process of searching for Eric Frein.
[From
the IBT article:
The
balloon had been scanning Ohio prisons for potential fugitives [Huh?
Bob]
Depressing.
Terrific
analysis and commentary by Daniel Solove, on LinkedIn.
The
joy of BYOD. So, my little Computer Security minions, how do you
control this?
Heck,
that’s not a dirty little secret. It’s widely known as a
problem, but I guess VentureBeat editors were looking to sex up the
headline.
Mark
Sullivan reports:
Hospital caregivers typically bring their own mobile devices to work
and use them to share clinical and care coordination information
other members of their multidisciplinary care team. It’s a
practice that screams “HIPAA violation.”
Much of this information is transmitted via text messages or
multimedia SMS. This can even include images.
Read
more on VentureBeat.
Similar
to setting up a phoney Facebook page for a 'sting?'
June
Williams reports:
The FBI used a fake Seattle Times article and Internet link to infect
a high school bomb-threat suspect’s computer with spyware, an ACLU
technologist said Monday.
Documents obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation show the FBI
made up a news story about the threats, used an AP byline and emailed
a link “in the style of the Seattle Times” to the suspect’s
MySpace account. When he
clicked on the link, agents were able to track his IP address.
[Couldn't they
have subpoenaed the IP address from MySpace? Bob]
The Seattle Times appeared unaware of the ruse, and editor Kathy Best
said she was “outraged.”
Read
more on Courthouse
News.
Interesting.
Is this for parents to monitor their children or for anyone to
monitor anyone? If you have the app and fail to take action, is
there liability? Why doesn't the app call (or text) 911? Will this
become mandatory? This one is only Twitter, but expect Facebook and
Google Mail and everyone else to jump on similar Apps.
Twitter
wants to tell you if your friends are suicidal
Samaritans
Radar is a new Twitter app designed to warn users whether their
connections online are at risk of suicide.
Predominantly
aimed at those aged 15 to 35, the free app works by using a specially
designed algorithm to monitor the tweets of those in people's
network. If it finds specific keywords or phrases that throw up red
flags that a person may be struggling to cope...
…
The app will then send an email alert to a Twitter connection, which
will include a link to the tweet that raised the alarm. That
person will then be offered guidance on the best way of
providing support to the tweeter.
(Related)
Google search inside your body!
Google
scientists to find 'hidden' cancer via nanoparticles
In a
pioneering research, a Google life sciences team - which has two
senior Indian-origin researchers - is set to find signs of deadly
diseases like cancer
by sending 'nanoparticles' in the bloodstream of a person and
then get the results
via a wearable device.
…
"Every test you ever go to the doctor for will be done through
this system," Andrew Conrad, head of the Life Sciences team at
the Google X research lab, was quoted as saying at a WSJ conference.
The
tiny "nanoparticles" will be delivered via a pill.
…
According to Conrad, the firm will not collect or store medical data
itself but will license the technology to others. [So
they will publish the API to help me hack in Bob]
“It's
a no brainer! They fly, so we'll regulate them like aircraft (except
for blimps). No need to ask anyone if they see things differently.”
Did the DHS pressure the FAA? OMG!
FAA
Criminalizes Use Of Drones Near Stadiums, Violators Could Face Up To
A Year In Jail
Flying
drones or model planes near or over sports stadiums and auto race
tracks could land operators in jail, the Federal Aviation
Administration, or FAA, warned in a notice, The Associated Press, or
AP, reported Tuesday. This is reportedly the
first time that the use of drones has been criminalized in
the United States.
…
The notice is "another attempt by the FAA to impose legal
restriction on drones or model aircraft that never existed before,”
Brendan Schulman, a New York-based attorney, who represents several
drone operators said, according to AP.
…
The FAA reportedly stated that the restriction was being imposed for
security reasons.
However,
Schulman reportedly said that he did not believe that such
restrictions would in any way help prevent terrorist attacks. The
prohibition reportedly applies to nearly 150 stadiums in the U.S.
Sports
teams too have expressed concerns over the new
restrictions as drones are used for photographing and recording
games, Kenneth Quinn, a former FAA general counsel who also has
voiced concerns over the drone restrictions, said, according to AP.
Quinn added that the teams wanted permission from the FAA to allow
the use of drones by them to record practice sessions for future
training.
(Related)
Of course, this is not a drone.
A
flying camera ... on a leash
As
clear as mud. Does this look like a strategy or political tactics?
Streaming
TV companies might soon play by cable’s rules — and that’s a
good thing
As
Americans begin watching more of their TV online, federal regulators
want to even the playing field to make new Internet startups — such
as the recently announced CBS
streaming app or Aereo — more competitive next to their bigger
rivals in the cable and satellite business.
A
new proposal being circulated around the Federal Communications
Commission would do just that. In a blog
post Tuesday, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler acknowledged that
consumers are being forced to "buy channels they never watch."
…
When the FCC gets around to voting on the proposal, the result could
mean being able to mix and match video sources more easily.
…
But the FCC proposal leaves out several of the most well-known video
streamers -- Netflix and Amazon Instant Video. This may be a
confusing distinction – after all, what's really the difference
between CBS's streaming app and Hulu? The agency has said it
distinguishes apps like CBS All Access because it provides
programming on a schedule, while the Netflixes of the world offer
shows on demand. But analysts
have said what's really going on here is that the agency does not
want to pull Web-based services such as Hulu into its orbit because
of the political minefield surrounding the regulation of Web
companies.
But
there's another big benefit to the FCC proposal. Wheeler argued that
the move would also help companies trying to break into the broadband
market. These firms, such as Google Fiber, could focus on just
building super high-speed connections without having to worry about
being treated like a cable company. Currently they are being forced
to pay a fee for video programming that travels over their pipes.
According to Google, those costs are the
single biggest thing holding Google Fiber back.
So
it looks like the customers (and the researchers) were right, despite
all the denials.
AT&T
Accused of Deceiving Smartphone Customers With Unlimited Data Plans
Three years ago, AT&T
warned smartphone customers with “unlimited” data plans that
their connections might be slowed if they used a lot of data. On
Tuesday, the Federal Trade Commission said AT&T’s
disclosure was deceptive because it was not specific enough.
The
commission filed a federal lawsuit against AT&T on Tuesday,
saying the company had misled customers by slowing the connections of
people with unlimited plans after they used more than two gigabytes
of data in a month.
For
some of the people who hit that threshold, the F.T.C. said, downloads
were slowed by as much as 95 percent, essentially making their
smartphones unable to gain access to the Internet or use certain
apps.
“AT&T promised its customers unlimited data, and in many
instances it has failed to deliver on that promise,” said Edith
Ramirez, chairwoman of the agency. “The issue here is simple:
‘Unlimited’ means
unlimited.” [What
a concept! Bob] The commission, which does not have the
power to impose fines, said it would seek “millions of dollars”
in restitution for consumers.
It's
not renting, it's borrowing. Funny she has never heard of this
before.
Rent
eBooks & Audiobooks for FREE
I
spend way too much money on books! This year, I made a concerted
effort to get more books from the library to help my budget. On my
first visit to a local library, [That
explains why she didn't know about borrowing Bob] I
learned that they used Overdrive
to rent eBooks and audiobooks! So now, I can check out eBooks and
audiobooks from home and read them on my iPad! Overdrive
allows you to rent eBooks, Audiobooks, and even video straight from
your local library! There are no fees associated with this service.
All you need is a library card!
To
see if you library partners with Overdrive, simply make a quick
search on their site. You can then create an Overdrive account
using your library card. Download
the App onto your Computer, iOS, or Android device and you’re
ready to start checking out material! The nice thing about an
Overdrive account is that you can sync your content across devices!
Never lose your spot on your eBook or Audiobook! When your rental
expires, it automatically goes back to the library, so no late fees!
I
have a couple students writing books. Perhaps they could use this?
–
is a reader-powered publishing for new, never-before-published books.
It’s a place where readers help decide if a book gets published.
Selected books will be published by Kindle Press and receive 5-year
renewable terms, a $1,500 advance, 50% eBook royalty rate, easy
rights reversions and featured Amazon marketing.
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