Microsoft launches Defending Democracy Program to protect against hacking and misinformation
Concern about Russian interference in both the US presidential election and the UK Brexit referendum highlighted the importance the internet now plays in political campaigns. But as well as being a powerful tool, it's also something that is open to abuse and manipulation.
This is something Microsoft recognizes, and the company is launching a new Defending Democracy Program with the express aim of safeguarding the electoral processes.
YouTube hackers take down and deface videos from the likes of Taylor Swift and Drake
YouTube was today hit by hackers, with the attackers managing to deface or delist a number of big name videos. Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankeee -- the most popular video of all time -- was among those that were temporarily inaccessible.
While little is known for certain about the source of the attack, it seems that Vevo was possibly the intended target as the videos that were attacked were in Vevo accounts. The ease with which the attack appears to have been carried out -- and the number of high-profile videos affected -- will be of major concern to YouTube and its users.
Hacker exploits Verge bug to generate cryptocurrency coins worth $780,000 in 3 hours
Verge may not be the biggest cryptocurrency out there, but it does have quite a following and has generated enough interest to attract hackers. The cryptocurrency came under attack for three hours yesterday, enabling a hacker to net 15.6 million Verge coins worth around $780,000.
There was initially speculation that Verge had fallen victim to a ">51% attack" -- in which an attacker is able to forge transactions by taking control of more than half of the network -- but this has been denied by developers. A hard fork is being prepared to patch the bug that allowed the attack to take place.
Under Armour MyFitnessPal suffers data breach, becomes MyFitnessFoe
Geting in shape can be very hard. Not only do you need the means to get fit -- education on what to eat, for instance -- but you also need time. Sadly, so many people put in long hours at work -- sometimes toiling away at two or more jobs -- that finding time (and energy) to exercise can be a near-impossibility. Luckily, technology can help with these deficiencies, as software can educate, while hardware -- such as wearables -- can (potentially) motivate and track progress.
While technology can be good, it can also be vulnerable, leading to stolen user data. Under Armour's 'MyFitnessPal' is the latest platform to experience a security breach. If you aren't familiar with it, Under Armour calls it a "Free calorie counter, diet, and exercise journal." Unfortunately, hackers have made off with the data of 150 million users. I guess you could say MyFitnessPal has become MyFitnessFoe!
Have I Been Pwned teams up with 1Password to improve post-security breach advice
Data breach checking website Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) -- used by governments and individuals around the world -- has announced a new partnership with 1Password.
The arrangement is a first for Troy Hunt's site, but it comes just over a month after 1Password started using a password-checker he developed. Hunt says that he has turned down numerous offers to sponsor Have I Been Pwned, but feels that teaming up with 1Password makes sense.
Hacker Guccifer 2.0 seems to accidentally confirm links to Russia
A slip-up by notorious hacker Guccifer 2.0 -- famous for attacking the DNC servers -- appears to have confirmed what has been believed for some time: that the hacker is based in Russia.
It was long-believed that Guccifer had links to Russia, but use of VPNs and other techniques made it difficult to confirm this. Now a single incident when the "lone wolf" apparently forgot to use a VPN shows the hacker using an IP address based in Moscow and linked to Russian intelligence agency -- the GRU.
The nine biggest threats organizations face in the next two years
The foundations of the digital world are set to be shaken in the next two years according to the findings of a new report from the Information Security Forum (ISF).
The Threat Horizon 2020 report highlights nine major threats, broken down into three themes, that organizations can expect to face by 2020 as a result of developments in technology.
Firefox's 'master password' system can be easily bypassed using brute force
If you're a Firefox user, it's highly possible that you use the browser to store your login usernames and passwords for the sake of ease. Supposing you're a little security conscious, you may well have enabled the 'master password' function to prevent unauthorized access to your password database.
Well, there's a little bad news. It's nowhere near as secure as you may have thought. Wladimir Palant -- the guy behind the AdBlock Plus extension -- found that the system, which is used by both Firefox and Thunderbird, can be very easily brute-forced, leaving passwords vulnerable to malware and hackers.
US says Russia launched a cyberattack on its energy grid
The US has introduced new sanctions against Russia after accusing the country not only of interfering in the 2016 election, but also launching a cyberattack on its energy grid.
Officials say that malware traced back to Moscow had been found to have infected operating systems on computers belonging to companies in the energy sector. The Department of Homeland Security is in no doubt that the Russian government is responsible.
Many smart devices can be hacked in 30 minutes
Off-the-shelf smart devices that include baby monitors, home security cameras, doorbells, and thermostats can be easily hacked according researchers at Israel's Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU).
As part of their ongoing research into detecting vulnerabilities in devices and networks expanding in the smart home and Internet of Things (IoT), the BGU researchers disassembled and reverse engineered many common devices and quickly uncovered serious security issues.
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance offers $250,000 bounty for hacker information
A week ago, cryptocurrency exchange Binance was the victim of a hacking attempt. While the attempt on March 7 is described as "not successful," Binance is still eager to track down the perpetrators.
So keen is the exchange, in fact, that it is offering up a $250,000 bounty to "the first person to supply substantial information and evidence that leads to the legal arrest of the hackers."
Warning: Hackers can use Cortana to access a locked Windows 10 PC
Locking your PC is fundamental to preventing others from accessing it when you leave it unattended. But now security researchers have shown that it is possible to use none other than Windows 10's Cortana to bypass a password-protected lock screen.
A pair of Israeli researchers found that it is possible to use voice commands to access a locked computer and install malware.
Have I Been Pwned is now used by governments to check for data breaches
Over the last few years, the website Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) has given people the chance to check whether their personal data was compromised in any data breaches. Now the site reveals that the UK and Australian governments are using its services to monitor official domains.
That governments should check the site's database for the presence of their own email addresses is perhaps not surprising -- it's used by just about every type of body imaginable. But now the mechanics have been opened up for these two governments.
Hackers hide malware with code signing and SSL certificates
2017 saw a sudden increase in code signing certificates being used as a layered obfuscation technique to deliver malicious payloads.
Recorded Future's Insikt Group has been investigating the criminal underground and has identified a number of vendors currently offering both code signing certificates and domain name registration with accompanying SSL certificates.
Cyber security in (big) numbers
We hear a lot about cyber attacks and the latest threats, but it can sometimes be hard to comprehend the scale of the problem.
Network security company Bricata has produced an infographic that sets out some of the statistics to put things into context.
Recent Headlines
Most Commented Stories
BetaNews, your source for breaking tech news, reviews, and in-depth reporting since 1998.
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.