The Coming Storm – Page 22 – WindowsTechs.com

Registered at SSA.GOV? Good for You, But Keep Your Guard Up

Posted on January 26, 2018 by BrianKrebs

KrebsOnSecurity has long warned readers to plant your own flag at the my Social Security online portal of the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) — even if you are not yet drawing benefits from the agency — because identity thieves have been registering accounts in peoples’ names and siphoning retirement and/or disability funds. This is the story of a Midwest couple that took all the right precautions and still got hit by ID thieves who impersonated them to the SSA directly over the phone.
In mid-December 2017 this author heard from Ed Eckenstein, a longtime reader in Oklahoma whose wife Ruth had just received a snail mail letter from the SSA about successfully applying to withdraw benefits. The letter confirmed she’d requested a one-time transfer of more than $11,000 from her SSA account. The couple said they were perplexed because both previously had taken my advice and registered accounts with MySocialSecurity, even though Ruth had not yet chosen to start receiving SSA benefits. Continue reading Registered at SSA.GOV? Good for You, But Keep Your Guard Up→

Some Basic Rules for Securing Your IoT Stuff

Posted on January 17, 2018 by BrianKrebs

Most readers here have likely heard or read various prognostications about the impending doom from the proliferation of poorly-secured “Internet of Things” or IoT devices. Loosely defined as any gadget or gizmo that connects to the Internet but which m… Continue reading Some Basic Rules for Securing Your IoT Stuff→

Some Basic Rules for Securing Your IoT Stuff

Posted on January 17, 2018 by BrianKrebs

Most readers here have likely heard or read various prognostications about the impending doom from the proliferation of poorly-secured “Internet of Things” or IoT devices. Loosely defined as any gadget or gizmo that connects to the Internet but which most consumers probably wouldn’t begin to know how to secure, IoT encompasses everything from security cameras, routers and digital video recorders to printers, wearable devices and “smart” lightbulbs.

Throughout 2016 and 2017, attacks from massive botnets made up entirely of hacked IoT devices had many experts warning of a dire outlook for Internet security. But the future of IoT doesn’t have to be so bleak. Here’s a primer on minimizing the chances that your IoT things become a security liability for you or for the Internet at large. Continue reading Some Basic Rules for Securing Your IoT Stuff→

Bitcoin Blackmail by Snail Mail Preys on Those with Guilty Conscience

Posted on January 11, 2018 by BrianKrebs

KrebsOnSecurity heard from a reader whose friend recently received a remarkably customized extortion letter via snail mail that threatened to tell the recipient’s wife about his supposed extramarital affairs unless he paid $3,600 in bitcoin. The friend said he had nothing to hide and suspects this is part of a random but well-crafted campaign to prey on men who may have a guilty conscience. Continue reading Bitcoin Blackmail by Snail Mail Preys on Those with Guilty Conscience→

Scary Chip Flaws Raise Spectre of Meltdown

Posted on January 5, 2018 by BrianKrebs

Apple, Google, Microsoft and other tech giants have released updates for a pair of serious security flaws present in most modern computers, smartphones, tablets and mobile devices. Here’s a brief rundown on the threat and what you can do to protect you… Continue reading Scary Chip Flaws Raise Spectre of Meltdown→

Kansas Man Killed In ‘SWATting’ Attack

Posted on December 29, 2017 by BrianKrebs

A 28-year-old Kansas man was shot and killed by police officers on the evening of Dec. 28 after someone fraudulently reported a hostage situation ongoing at his home. The false report was the latest in a dangerous hoax known as “swatting,” wherein the perpetrator falsely reports a dangerous situation at an address with the goal of prompting authorities to respond to that address with deadly force. This particular swatting reportedly originated over a $1.50 wagered match in the online game Call of Duty. Compounding the tragedy is that the man killed was an innocent party who had no part in the dispute.

The following is an analysis of what is known so far about the incident, as well as a brief interview with the alleged and self-professed perpetrator of this crime. Continue reading Kansas Man Killed In ‘SWATting’ Attack→

Kansas Man Killed In ‘SWATting’ Attack

Posted on December 29, 2017 by BrianKrebs

Visa Alert and Update on the Oracle Breach

Posted on August 13, 2016 by BrianKrebs

Credit card industry giant Visa on Friday issued a security alert warning companies using point-of-sale devices made by Oracle’s MICROS retail unit to double-check the machines for malicious software or unusual network activity, and to change passwords on the devices. Visa also published a list of Internet addresses that may have been involved in the Oracle breach and are thought to be closely tied to an Eastern European organized cybercrime gang. Continue reading Visa Alert and Update on the Oracle Breach→

Road Warriors: Beware of ‘Video Jacking’

Posted on August 11, 2016 by BrianKrebs

A little-known feature of many modern smartphones is their ability to duplicate video on the device’s screen so that it also shows up on a much larger display — like a TV. However, new research shows that this feature may quietly expose users to a simple and cheap new form of digital eavesdropping.
Dubbed “video jacking” by its masterminds, the attack uses custom electronics hidden inside what appears to be a USB charging station. As soon as you connect a vulnerable phone to the appropriate USB charging cord, the spy machine hijacks the phone’s video display and records a video of everything you tap, type or view on it as long as it’s plugged in — including PINs, passwords, account numbers, emails, texts, pictures and videos. Continue reading Road Warriors: Beware of ‘Video Jacking’→