Safety Security & Privacy

The US Secret Service is warning hotel operators to be on the lookout for malware that steals passwords and other sensitive data from guests using PCs in business centers, according to a published report. The non-public advisory was issued on last Thursday, KrebsOnSecurity reporter Brian Krebs reported Monday. Krebs said the notice warned that authorities Continue Reading →

Google announced on Tuesday that it is launching Project Zero, an internal team of security specialists tasked with finding vulnerabilities in third-party software — not to exploit them, but to alert the developers and avoid the next Heartbleed. The Heartbleed bug put the whole software industry on heightened alert, and Google, Facebook, Microsoft and many Continue Reading →

For almost two years, Ars has advised readers to use a software-based password manager to ease the password fatigue that comes from choosing and securing dozens of hard-to-guess passcodes that are unique to each site or service. A research paper scheduled to be presented at a security conference next month underscores the hidden dangers of Continue Reading →

Microsoft said it has freed at least 4.7 million infected personal computers from control of cyber crooks in its most successful digital crime-busting operation, which interrupted service at an Internet-services firm last week. The world’s largest software maker has also identified at least another 4.7 million infected machines, though many are likely still controlled by Continue Reading →

If you’re worried about Big Brother and computerized facial recognition, this summer has given you plenty of reason to be scared. Law enforcement has been toying with facial recognition for a while, but the FBI is getting set to deploy its own system, called Next Generation Identification (NGI for short), planned to be fully operational Continue Reading →

As the second half 2014 rolls in, Microsoft is stepping up its warnings for approaching support deadlines for some of its key products, including Windows 7. A few definitions worth knowing: Mainstream support is the typically five-year period when Microsoft provides free patches and fixes, including but not limited to security updates, for its products. Continue Reading →

A serious attack involving a widely used Web communication format is exposing millions of end users’ authentication credentials on sites including eBay, Tumblr, and Instagram, a well-respected security researcher said Tuesday. The exploit—which stems from the ease of embedding malicious commands into Adobe Flash files before they’re executed—has been largely mitigated by a Flash security Continue Reading →

Was that naked selfie you took really deleted before you sold your phone on eBay? A new study from security software vendor Avast calls into question the effectiveness of Android’s factory reset option, which many people have relied upon to delete personal data from their old smartphones before reselling or making a charitable donation with Continue Reading →

For a small study that tweaked the newsfeeds of less than 1 percent of the Facebook population, the so-called “emotional contagion” experiment has triggered a wave of attention — most of it negative — aimed at the giant social network and how it may or may not be affecting its users. But if nothing else, Continue Reading →

Just about every week, a popular website – or two – gets hacked and leaves you vulnerable. Making your social media accounts more secure is relatively quick and easy. Here’s what you should do. First, enable two-step verification on every site you can. Two-step verification, adds another layer of protection to your account by making Continue Reading →