Privacy focused Blackphone app store in development
Blackphone - the Android smartphone that pushes privacy and security above all else - is to open an app store set to rival the Google Play marketplace.
Privacy
US announces new cybersecurity unit with a focus on prevention
The Department of Justice has announced that it is creating a dedicated cybersecurity unit, with an eye on prevention rather, reports Gizmodo.
Sony Pictures hacking exposed Hollywood stars’ personal data
The fallout from Sony Pictures' hacking continued today, with the Wall Street Journal reporting that 47,000 sets of personal details have been posted online.
Phone biometric security need to be controlled, says ex‑GCHQ chief
The former head of the UK's government's communications agency GCHQ has issued warnings over the privacy of the biometric security increasingly favored in top-end mobile phones and other devices, Computing reports.
Facebook to strengthen its privacy policy
Facebook has announced a set of new privacy focused terms of service, which aims to let users of the social network ‘control their information’, according to The Independent. The changes, which will be live as of 1 January 2015, introduce ‘Privacy Basics’, a tool that shows users who can see any information they share on
Cyber Monday – 12 tips to help you shop safely online
Technology might evolve, but cyber gangs rely on tried-and-tested tactics. With a bit of care and attention, it’s easy to sort the genuine bargains from the too-good-to-be-true fakes.
Bitcoin hack can reveal IP addresses of anonymous transactions
The infamous anonymity of Bitcoin as a currency has a weakness built into it, according to a paper published by the University of Luxembourg.
Smart home security – how not to be dumb with your devices
It's easy to imagine that ALL connected devices - from fridges to CCTV cameras - are a security nightmare, but there are simple, sensible steps you can take to lock these risks down.
Footage from thousands of home webcams found streaming on Russian site
A Russian website is showing off hundreds of feeds of live webcam footage from inside homes and businesses, which have been accessed by hacking into people’s webcams, CCTV systems and monitors.
WhatsApp gets tough on security
But only on Android for now. The popular messaging service has announced a default encryption protocol that surely makes WhatsApp THE most secure consumer messaging system in the world right now.
Privacy and security post‑Snowden: Pew Research parallels ESET findings
Privacy and security online are hot button topics in America today, as a new survey by the Pew Research Center confirms, mirroring similar results from two different privacy and security surveys conducted by ESET.
IT Pros also guilty of risqué selfies on mobiles
ESET study reveals many IT professionals are guilty of storing indecent material on their mobile phones, which would leave them embarrassed if lost.
Website reveals 73,000 unprotected security cameras with default passwords
As we've reported before, users and businesses leaving their router username and passwords as the manufacturer's default are potentially leaving themselves open to an easy hack, but a new website has sprung up illustrating the point in alarming detail.
Google security – how to lock down your Google account
If you use Gmail as your ‘main’ email account - or rely on Google services such as Drive for work - it’s well worth revisiting Google’s Settings menus to give your Google security a boost.
Government requests for private Facebook data up 24%
Government requests for private Facebook data have increased by nearly 25% since the second half of 2013, the social networking giant has reported.
British intelligence service echoes FBI’s call for mobile backdoors
Echoing sentiments from across the Atlantic earlier in the year, the head of British spy agency GCHQ as made calls for crypto backdoors into phones to tackle crime, stating, "privacy has never been an absolute right."
Facebook welcomes private browsers with dedicated Tor link
Facebook has opened its doors to privacy concerned users, but opening up a dedicated Tor link, guaranteeing that people who visit the social networking site through anonymous browsers aren't mistaken for botnets, Gizmodo reports.
Police can make you unlock your phone with a fingerprint – judge
A judge in Virginia has ruled that the police can require you to unlock your smartphone with a fingerprint, but not with a passcode, Mashable reports.
Wearable tech and security – can watches help?
So far, wearable tech has been of interest mainly to fitness fiends - but a new generation of hi-tech wearables comes armed with built-in scanners, biometrics and even 'three-factor security'. Can a watch really keep secrets?
British job centers to introduce biometric recognition
Job centers across the United Kingdom are due to get a technological makeover, courtesy of biometric and signature recognition pads, reports IT Pro Portal.