Target announces scale of credit‑card leak was even bigger: 70 million victims or more
Retailer Target has announced that the breach affecting the company was even bigger than thought - and 70 million credit card details may have leaked.
Cybercrime
Pat Garratt: PC gamers will always be easy prey for cyber gangs – but it’s not ALL our fault, says industry veteran
Patrick Garratt is a 15-year veteran of the gaming industry, having been behind the launches of major news sites such as Eurogamer and VG247 - but in the DIY, anything-goes world of PC gaming, even he still falls for a scam or two. Is it REALLY his fault, though?
Gamers warned after hi‑tech malware leapfrogs World of Warcraft’s security with fake website
Players of the hit game have been targeted with a Trojan disguised as a semi-official add-on client for the game, made by Curse - but it is fake, laced with a Trojan which steals passwords, account emails and authenticator information at once, Blizzard said.
Wi‑Fi woes: Linksys and Netgear router models at risk from backdoor that offers access to ‘controls’
Many popular models of wireless router from brands such as Linksys and Netgear are vulnerable to a ‘backdoor’, which could allow attackers access to the router’s admin controls, according to a report by Ars Technica.
Discreet messaging site Snapchat leaks 4.6 million phone numbers, names – after ‘ignoring warnings’
Hackers have published what they claim is a database of 4.6 million Snapchat users, with phone numbers matched to usernames, which is searchable online now. The hack could be a huge blow to the 'discreet' photo-message service.
Could new malware steal data from INSIDE your SD card? Researchers claim even solid‑state PC drives could be at risk
Two researchers have demonstrated an attack that could alter and steal data direct from MicroSD cards, using tiny microcontrollers on the cards themselves. The attack could be used to copy or steal data - and even modify sensitive data such as encryption keys.
Internet rallies round dog‑themed cryptocurrency after holiday heists hit two Dogecoin sites
Dog-themed cryptocurrency Dogecoin fell victim to two robberies over the holiday season, as hackers hit two sites which traded in the cult currency - but the goodwill of the internet could see the Shiba-themed virtual coins bouncing back.
The ‘Digital Guardian’: IBM’s security expert explains why ‘Steve’ might watch your eating habits to keep you secure
Here, J.R. Rao, IBM Director for Security Research, explains why the idea of a digital guardian who watches for unusual behavior is not science fiction - but very close to reality.
Clubbed to death? Bitcoin‑only poker site Seals With Clubs leaks 42,000 passwords in attack
An online poker site which did all its cash-ins and cash-outs in Bitcoin has admitted to a data breach in which 42,000 user passwords were stolen - and is instituting emergency measures to prevent the attackers gaining access to the cryptocurrency.
Target down? “Biggest data breach ever” leaks 40 million credit and debit cards from retailer at height of shopping season
Details of 40 million customer debit and credit cards may have leaked in a data breach at American retailer Target - which began on November 27 and ended on December 15, affecting stores at the height of shopping season.
Holiday shoppers turning to mobile to bag bargains – but ignoring security risk, survey finds
This holiday season, shoppers are turning to mobile as a new way to hunt bargains, with purchases via mobile platforms nearly doubling year-on-year - but nearly one third of shoppers polled admitted to serious security errors, such as storing card details in smartphones.
ESET’s Threat Trends Predictions 2014: The next battle for internet privacy, a new assault on Androids, and a new wave of hi‑tech malware
The 2014 threat trends report from ESET's global network of cybersecurity experts centers on three key trends, the first and foremost being digital privacy, the others being threats to mobile devices, and new, hi-tech malware targeting PCs and other devices in the home.
Malicious Firefox add‑on turns thousands of PCs into botnet which “hunts” weak websites
A Firefox add-on has turned 12,500 users of the browser into a botnet which scours every page visited by infected users for vulnerabilities. The ‘Advanced Power’ add-on ensnared 12,500 PCs - and found 1,800 vulnerable websites for its unknown creators.
Small businesses are new target for criminals as attacks double, report warns
The assault by cybercriminals against big businesses continued this year -78% were attacked by outsiders, according to a report by Price Waterhouse Cooper. But small businesses - those with less than 50 employees - are rapidly becoming a target.
NSA saves world from plot to “remotely destroy” PCs, claims NSA director
An international plot which would have turned huge numbers of PCs into “bricks” by using deeply buried malware was foiled by the NSA, according to an interview given to CBS by NSA director Keith Alexander. The attack could have "taken down the U.S. economy", an NSA official claimed.
11 things you can do to protect against ransomware, including Cryptolocker
11 things you can be doing to better protect your computers and data from ransomware such as Cryptolocker that is currently targeting businesses big and small.
All of Android’s top 100 apps have been hacked – and banking apps are now a prime target, report finds
All of the top 100 apps on Google's Play store have been hacked, and hackers now specifically target financial apps, such as those used by banks - with 53% of Android banking apps having been cracked, according to a report by Arxan.
Reverse charges: How one man turned the tables on PC phone scammers
This week, UK IT worker and social engineering blogger Dale Pearson was targeted - with eight phone calls from a company claiming there was a fault on his PC - but Pearson had both the time and the equipment to fight back.
FBI hacker teams have watched through PC webcams “for years”, court hears
The FBI custom-designs malware to snare suspects, a court has heard, and has been able “for years” to watch suspects through PC webcams, a court has heard. The teams operate "like normal hackers" - and rely on phishing and other criminal techniques.
Phantom menace? A guide to APTs – and why most of us have little to fear from these ‘cyberweapons’
APTs - or Advanced Persistent Threats - are the most menacing cyber attack there is, some say. Built to be stealthy, they penetrate networks, steal secrets - and vanish. 'Catching' one was a little like finding Bigfoot - but the much-hyped threat wasn't quite so scary up close...