Security

New Kardashian Websites Exposed Personal Data of Nearly a Million Users

Being famous for being famous isn’t easy. In tandem with the release of apps that let fans trade money for exclusive content, the Kardashian-Jenner sisters launched new websites this week. However, they left the personal data of some 891,340 users right out in the open. Oops. So it seems the Kardashians and the Jenners need…

New Russian ATM Malware Can Steal Your Banking Details

Security researchers have discovered a new piece of malware called Backdoor.ATM.Suceful that infects ATMs and can steal your baking details. Discovered by security firm FireEye Labs, the malware directly targets card-holders rather than duping banks. The virus can run on multiple types of ATM, including those made by Diebold and NRC, and is claimed to…

Report: Russian Government Has Been Running a 7-Year Malware Campaign

According to a new report by security researchers at F-Secure Labs, hacking groups funded by the Russian government have been a running a large-scale malware campaign that’s hit the likes of NATO and U.S. government institutions. The new report describes a hacking group called “the Dukes,” outlining how they used a series malware tools to…

Xerox’s Printable Memory Labels Can Store Data to Combat Counterfeits

Remember when we thought that hologram stickers were an effective way to stop the proliferation of counterfeit products? Xerox now believes it has a far superior solution with a new type of printable electronic label that has encrypted memory built right in. Using technologies licensed from a company called Thinfilm, the labels can contain as…

Department of Energy Hacked Over 150 Times in Four Years

The US Department of Energy, the agency that helps regulate our power grid, nuclear arsenal, and national labs, has been hacked 159 times between 2010 and 2014, according to a review of federal records obtained by USA Today. The records, which USA Today acquired through the Freedom of Information Act, paint a picture of an…

You Can Now 3D-Print Your Own TSA Master Keys

TSA-recognized locks provide little more than a false sense of security. That’s not news. It is news, however, that some hacker type has uploaded the CAD files of the agency’s master keys to Github, so that anybody can 3D-print them at home. Let the stealing begin! Just kidding, please don’t break into other people’s luggage.…

You Can’t Steal Data From a Chip That’s Self-Destructed

Losing a flash drive full of family photos is unfortunate; losing an encryption key that gives access to sensitive data could be a catastrophe. So researchers at Xerox’s PARC have developed chips that can self-destruct on command, making them completely unusable once they shatter. The key to making chips that can just shatter into a…

This Little Black Dog Isn’t Impressed By The Petzi Treat Cam

I vacationed in Europe last month. I don’t mean to rub it in—it just happened to be the perfect opportunity to test the Petzi Treat Cam. It’s a remote control treat dispenser with an internet connection and a camera, so you can play with your pet from anywhere in the world. And it works! But…

Turns Out Ashley Madison’s Uncrackable Passwords Are Actually Very Crackable

It was little solace to victims of the Ashley Madison hack that the company had kept their passwords extra secure. Some even said the hashing algorithm was bulletproof. But—oops!—it turns out Ashley Madison made a programming error. And now, hobbyists have already deciphered over 11 million passwords from the leaked accounts. A team calling themselves…

Watch This Guy Open a Hotel Room Safe With a Pocketknife and Paperclip

Did you pay extra for a deluxe hotel room that came with a safe? It doesn’t matter how complex you think you four-digit code is, it turns out the safe’s keypad can probably be over-ridden using a secret keyhole that’s surprisingly easy to hack. In this video Jim Stickley demonstrates that the fancy metal nameplate…

The Dark Web Just Got Safer 

The dark web isn’t the scary, pervert-riddled digital crime swamp that shows like CSI:Cyber portray it as. But until this week, dark web sites hidden with the .onion domain lacked some basic security features. Without recognition from internet regulators like ICANN, people running .onion sites had no easy way to get security certificates. It was…

What Happens If You Take Frozen Liquids Through Airport Security

Nobody enjoys going through airports. Despite the miracle of air travel for the masses and the systems for funnelling the right people into the right places being a magnificent example of engineering and system design, it is basically impossible to board a plane without being intensely frustrated. Modern security is just as torturous. Remove your…

It would probably be a good idea to go update your Windows computer: today’s Patch Tuesday, and this month’s round of updates nixes some critical security bugs, including inInternet Explorer(surprise!) and Office. [Krebs on Security]

A $60 Hack Can Fool the LIDAR Sensors Used on Most Self-Driving Cars

Many autonomous cars use LIDAR — a kind of laser-based radar — to sense the world around them. But now a researcher has developed a simple system that can fool the devices into seeing objects where really none exist. Spectrum reports that Jonathan Petit, from Security Innovation, has developed a system to send spurious signals…

An Android Porn App Takes Your Photo and Holds It to Ransom

Users of the “Adult Player” Android app are in for a shock: it’s emerged that the Android app has been secretly taking photos of users – and wants their cash in exchange for deletion. The Register reports that security firm Zscaler was first to spot the app, which presents itself as a normal video playing…

Hackers Stole the Biggest Number of Apple Accounts Ever with iOS Malware

Think twice before jailbreaking your iPhone. A recent rash of malware has helped hackers steal over 250,000 Apple accounts, the largest theft of its kind. The malware only affects jailbroken devices, but if you get pwned, hackers can not only peek your password but also make App Store purchases without your permission. The research team…

Ashley Madison’s Latest Statement: Trust Us, Women Use This

This morning, Ashley Madison’s parent company Avid Life Media released a statement indicating it plans to keep operating as if nothing is wrong, despite being embroiled in a giant scandal over losing loads of user data to hackers. “This past week alone, hundreds of thousands of new users signed up for the Ashley Madison platform…

Uber Just Hired the Car Hackers That Stopped Chrysler In Its Tracks

Uber has hired the hackers behind one of the most terriyfing hacks in recent memory. You’ll remember Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek as the security researchers who last month demonstrated their ability to stop Chrysler vehicles in their tracks remotely by hacking their internet connected powers. As we shared at the time, the hack affected…

4 Tips for a More Secure Lock Screen

The lock screen on your phone and tablet is all that stands in the way of an unwanted visitor and everything in your digital life, so best be sure there are as few chinks in the armor as possible. Here are the settings on the latest versions of Android and iOS to be aware of…

American Drones Are Killing ISIS Hackers Now

ISIS talks a big talk when it comes to hacking, and United States forces just showed they’re not going to put up with it. The Obama administration just announced that a drone strike has killed the organization’s top cyber-terrorist, Junaid Hussain. At least one American leader says the rest of the ISIS hackers should watch…