Americans see criminal hacking as the top threat to their health, safety and prosperity
Hacking outranks other threats including climate change, nuclear power, hazardous waste, and government surveillance in Americans' perceptions according to a new survey.
The study by cyber security company ESET asked randomly selected adults to rate their risk perception of 15 different hazards. Six of the hazards were cyber-related while the rest were other forms of technology hazard.
Avast opens up about CCleaner hack and outlines how it will protect users
When news broke yesterday that CCleaner had been hacked and a dangerously modified version had been available to download for a number of weeks, there were understandable concerns from the program's large userbase. And the concern is well-placed -- some 2.27 million machines are thought to have installed the infected software.
Avast now has something of a PR nightmare on its hands as it tries to rebuild the trust of its users. To this end, company CEO Vince Steckler and CTO Ondřej Vlček have written an article clarifying what happened with CCleaner, and give some details about how they plan to protect their customers -- as well as "correct[ing] some misleading information that is currently circulating."
Security warning: Hackers compromised CCleaner and installed a backdoor
Users of cleanup, privacy and optimization tool CCleaner are being warned to update their software after it emerged the tool was compromised by hackers. Security researchers at Cisco Talos say that there are a "vast number of machines at risk."
CCleaner is produced by Piriform, now a subsidiary of security firm Avast, making the compromise not only serious, but also embarrassing. With 2 billion downloads -- a number that's rising at a rate of 5 million per week -- the software was targeted by hackers who added a backdoor that could be used to download malware, ransomware and keyloggers. The problem is being compared to the NotPetya ransomware threat.
OurMine leaks 3TB of Vevo data after hacking video streaming service
Infamous hacker group OurMine has struck video streaming service Vevo. The group breached Vevo late on Thursday, gaining access to, and leaking, more than 3 terabytes of internal videos and documents.
OurMine -- more recently involved in HBO hacks and Game of Thrones leaks -- managed to get hold of office documents, videos and promotional materials. While many of the files and documents are fairly innocuous, at least some of them would be considered "sensitive" in nature.
BlueBorne Bluetooth vulnerability 'exposes almost every connected device'
Armis Lab, the Internet of Things security firm, has revealed details of BlueBorne, a Bluetooth vulnerability that affects millions of iOS and Android smartphones, IoT devices, and Windows and Linux systems. In all, 5.3 billion devices are believed to be at risk.
The BlueBorne attack makes it possible for an attacker to spread malware or take control of nearby devices. What's particularly concerning is that for an attack to be successful, there is no need for device pairing, or even for a target device to be in discoverable mode. There's also no need for any sort of interaction by the victim -- everything can happen completely silently in the background.
Researcher finds 'serious' security flaws on HMRC's UK tax site
A security researcher discovered two serious flaws on the HMRC tax website which could have allowed attackers to view, or even edit, tax records. But the researcher, Zemnmez, was astonished not only by the flaws, but also at how hard it was to report them.
In a lengthy blog post entitled "how to hack the uk tax system, i guess," Zemnmez gives details of his findings. He also reveals that it took no fewer than 57 days to successfully report the issues so they could be looked into.
TheShadowBrokers group returns with NSA UNITEDRAKE hacking malware and promises more leaks
It feels as though it has been a while since we heard anything from the hacking group TheShadowBrokers. The group's latest data dump sees the release of the NSA's UNITEDRAKE exploit tool, and there's also a promise of two data dumps a month moving forward.
UNITEDRAKE is a remote access hacking tool that can be used to target Windows machines. Modular in nature, the malware can be expanded through the use of plugins to increase its capabilities so it can capture footage from webcams, tap into microphones, capture keystrokes, and more.
Equifax data breach could be worst ever -- find out here if you are affected by the hack
Data breaches are fairly common nowadays. This is unfortunate, as it exposes sensitive information to evil hackers and other nefarious criminals. Look, people are doing their best to make it through the day -- working long hours and struggling to make ends meet. Then, some computer nerd comes along and adds to life's difficulties by stealing identities. Sigh.
Today, another data breach comes to light, but this time it is particularly bad. In fact, it could quite possibly be the worst such hack in history. You see, credit agency Equifax -- a company you'd expect to be very secure -- had consumer information stolen. Now, it isn't just a handful of people that are affected. No, it is a staggering 143 million consumers in the USA! To make matters worse, it includes the holy grail of personally identifiable information -- social security numbers. Besides SSN, the hackers got birth dates and addresses too. For some of these unfortunate folks, even credit card numbers and driver's license numbers were pilfered.
Hackers can take control of Siri, Cortana and other digital assistants with ultrasonic commands
Security researchers have discovered that digital assistants, including Alexa, Siri and Cortana, are vulnerable to hacking via inaudible voice commands. Known as the DolphinAttack, the exploit involves the use of ultrasonic commands that cannot be heard by humans.
Researchers from China's Zhejiang University have detailed the attack technique in a paper, but there are so many limitations and caveats that the vulnerability is not something that most people need worry about.
Why your business is a target for hackers
Although cyber attacks regularly make the headlines, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that it can’t happen to your business. You might think that you’re well protected or that you’re too small to worry about.
A new infographic from communications and cloud company CBTS reveals why everyone is potentially at risk.
Symantec: hackers could target US and European power grids with Dragonfly 2.0 attacks
Researchers at Symantec have warned that a "sophisticated attack group" is targeting the energy sector in Europe and North America, and has been doing so for some time. A group known as Dragonfly has been detected carrying out attacks since 2011, and the campaign of attacks was recently stepped up a gear.
Dubbed the Dragonfly 2.0 campaign, the attacks included disruption to the Ukrainian power system in 2015 and 2016. After a quiet period, the group's activities have started up again, with targets hit in US, Turkey and Switzerland. On the hit list are energy facilities -- something that could have devastating consequences.
HBO hackers leak Game of Thrones Season 7 ending
Following the hack of HBO, there has been a string of Game of Thrones leaks -- everything from scripts to complete episodes. Now the Mr Smith group behind the hack has leaked the ending of season 7 of the show.
The leak is part of the "sixth wave" of data dumps and it reveals exactly how the show will end. With HBO seemingly unwilling to pay the ransom demanded by the hackers, the latest leak really comes as little surprise.
Hackers can steal smartphone data using a replacement screen
Having your smartphone's screen repaired could leave your device open to attackers, enabling them to steal your data and even compromise your device, experts have warned.
A new study from researchers at Israel's Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has revealed that a replacement screen could be easily altered by potential hackers to gain control of smartphones running Android or iOS.
Hackers can disable your car's safety systems
Hackers could disable a modern car's airbags and other safety systems, putting the driver and the passengers at grave risk, according to a new warning.
Researchers from security firm Trend Micro have revealed a flaw that could allow the controlling network of a connected car to be overloaded, allowing possible hackers to compromise key systems in the vehicle, including safety aspects.
Hackers share HBO social media passwords and threaten to leak Game of Thrones S07E07
A few days ago, HBO's latest humiliation was to have its social media accounts taken over by hackers, and the bad news just keeps on coming for the network. The "Mr Smith group" behind the huge data breach that has seen endless Game of Thrones leaks contacted Mashable with the login details for many HBO social media accounts.
On top of this, the group is also threatening to release Game of Thrones S07E07 -- but considering the number of episodes that have leaked from this season, this was to be expected.
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