Category Archives: Security News
San Francisco’s Muni transit system ransomware
The ransomware attacker is said to be demanding $73,000.
Credit: Michael Kan
San Francisco’s Muni transit system was reportedly hit by ransomware since Friday, leading to the message “You Hacked, ALL Data Encrypted” being displayed on the computer screens at stations, according to newspaper reports.
The message asked that cryptom27 at yandex.com should be contacted for the key to unlock the data.
12 tips for safer Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping
Hackers will be in full force this holiday shopping season, so defense is vital.
Credit: Thinkstock
During Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2016, consumers should watch out for scams that come through spam, insecure public networks and apps that might seem legitimate but could be taking over your phones and computers, experts say.
Here are a dozen steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim.
A USB dongle can hijack all your Web accounts and router in 30 seconds, even if your computer is locked
A security researcher finds a gaping hole in automatic network connections made by plugging in a dongle.
PoisonTap is built for the $5 Raspberry Pi Zero.
A proof of concept from security researcher and software developer Samy Kamkar shows that macOS, Windows, and Linux computers can have any previously active Web logins hijacked merely by plugging in a tiny Unix device via USB or Thunderbolt, even if the computer is locked and password protected, and possibly even when it seems to be asleep. It can also hijack many router brands on the same network.
Symantec will acquire identity protection firm LifeLock in $2.3B deal
Symantec aims to create the “world’s largest consumer security business” with the acquisition.
Symantec headquarters in Mountain View, CA. Credit: Symantec
Aiming to boost its consumer security business, Symantec is acquiring LifeLock, a vendor of identity protection services, for US$2.3 billion in enterprise value.
The deal will create what the two companies described as the world’s largest consumer security business with over $2.3 billion in annual revenue based on last fiscal year revenue for both companies.
This malware attack starts with a fake customer-service call
The hackers call hotels, then send email attachments that look like customer information.
Attackers infect point-of-sale terminals with malware
Hotel and restaurant chains, beware. A notorious cybercriminal gang is tricking businesses into installing malware by calling their customer services representatives and convincing them to open malicious email attachments.
The culprits in these hacks, which are designed to steal customers’ credit card numbers, appear to be the Carbanak gang, a group that was blamed last year for stealing as much as $1 billion from various banks.
