Privacy & Security

Iran Has Hacked US Energy Companies

According to the WSJ, Iran has hacked US oil, gas and power companies. The hackers were able to gain access to control-system software “that could allow them to manipulate oil or gas pipelines”. Basically, the hackers are far enough inside that people are starting to get worried. US officials say that these break ins from…

The New York Times has taken an interesting look at hacking culture in China—where it seems the practice is no longer an underground phenomenon, but a massive commercial enterprise.

Kim Dotcom Claims He Invented Two-Factor Authentication

Yesterday, Twitter finally got two-factor authentication—which was enough to prompt Kim Dotcom to claim that he invented the technique. https://gizmodo.com/twitter-finally-has-two-factor-authentication-509351107 Taking to Twitter, the man behind Mega pointed out a patent from 1997 which he claims is proof that two-step security is, in fact, his idea. He went further, accusing companies like Google, Facebook, and…

Twitter Finally Has Two-Factor Authentication: Here’s How to Get It

It’s about damn time. After an endless, occasionally entertaining—but mostly disconcerting—string of high-profile hacks, Twitter has finally introduced two-factor authentication to verify that yes, it is, in fact, you logging in. https://gizmodo.com/whoops-cbs-got-twitter-hacked-and-spat-out-virus-y-lin-5995150 Of course, you’ll have to opt in for the new, long overdue security measure to be put into place. And once you do,…

China Is Hacking the US Again

Just three months after hacks by China’s People’s Liberation Army came to an abrupt halt, the country is once again attacking US targets reports the New York Times. Hacks on organizations like the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times ceased three months back when it came to light that the perpetrators had stolen…

Did Mathematician Shinichi Mochizuki Invent Bitcoin?

It’s hard not to be curious about the true identity of Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, since he or she basically just stuck around on the internet long enough to introduce Bitcoin/get everyone all riled up and then disappeared. But Ted Nelson, the sociologist who invented the term “hypertext,” thinks he knows who Nakamoto really is,…

An Imprisoned Hacker Invented an ATM Attachment That Stops Skimmers

Valentin Boanta has a lot of free time on his hands—five years worth, to be exact. That’s because Boanta is currently serving a prison sentence for, according to Reuters, “supplying gadgets to an organized crime gang used to conceal ATM skimmers.” So with all that time to think about what he’s done, the apparently penitent…

How The Onion Was Hacked by the Syrian Electronic Army

It was tough to tell for sure if The Onion really had been hacked earlier this week or if it was all just a joke—but now it’s explained exactly how its Twitter account was compromised by the Syrian Electronic Army. https://gizmodo.com/well-it-looks-like-the-onions-twitter-feed-got-hacked-t-493158547 Turns out Onion employees were phished three ways. First, they started getting emails like…

FBI Documents Suggest That Feds Read Your Emails Without a Warrant

New documents from the FBI and U.S. Attorneys’ offices paint a troubling picture of the government’s email surveillance practices. Not only does the FBI claim it can read emails and other electronic communications without a warrant—even after a federal appeals court ruled that doing so violates the Fourth Amendment—but the documents strongly suggest that different…

How Automated License Plate Readers Threaten Our Privacy

Law enforcement agencies are increasingly using sophisticated cameras, called “automated license plate readers” or ALPR, to scan and record the license plates of millions of cars across the country. These cameras, mounted on top of patrol cars and on city streets, can scan up to 1,800 license plate per minute, day or night, allowing one…

Well it looks like The Onion’s Twitter feed got hacked today by the Syrian Electronic Army, although the only dead give-away when a satirical site like that gets hacked is that their fake news stop being funny. Sounds like it’s finally time for Twitter to start using that two-factor authentication system.

There’s Already a Google Glass App That Lets You Take Photos With a Wink

Last week we reported that the ability to control Google Glass with the wink of an eye was a very real possibility. Now, an enterprising chap by the name of Mike DiGiovanni has made that a reality. The developer has created an app called Winky, which lets you power up Glass from standby and take…

Which Tech Companies Protect Your Data From the Government?

The Electronic Frontier Foundation just released its annual “Who Has Your Back” report card, detailing the privacy policies of tech companies. Here’s the rundown of who fights for your privacy in the face of government requests for your data—and who doesn’t even bother. Executive Summary When you use the Internet, you entrust your conversations, thoughts,…

Should the Fifth Amendment Stop Child Porn Suspects From Decrypting Their Hard Drive?

Forcing defendants to decrypt hard disks against their will has long been a thorny issue that may—or may not—violate the Fifth Amendment. The latest case has seen a federal judge refuse to insist that a Wisconsin child porn suspect decrypt the contents of his hard drive—but what do you think? In a court filing, Judge…

Report: Twitter Will Release Its Two-Step Verification Soon

Wired is reporting that Twitter has a two-step verification system currently undergoing internal testing that Twitter hopes to roll out to its users “shortly”. A two-step verification system would help prevent Twitter hacks from happening, like what happened today with the @AP. https://gizmodo.com/why-that-ap-tweet-about-the-white-house-explosions-is-d-5995276 There aren’t any details on how the two-step verification system would work…

So It’s Come To This: Bulletproof School Uniforms

Tragedies like the events that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School have certainly given parents reasons to worry about their children’s safety. But is this really necessary? A Colombian company claims to have created a line of kid’s clothing and school uniforms made from the same fabrics and technology found in bulletproof vests. The…

Every Representative Who Voted for CISPA, and How to Contact Them

The United States legislative system won’t always give you what you want. A lot of times, it’ll give you the exact opposite. Like CISPA for instance. But the real beauty of it all is transparency; if you don’t feel adequately represented it’s a piece of cake to figure out exactly who to yell at. https://gizmodo.com/house-passes-cispa-by-huge-margin-5994987…

House Passes CISPA By Huge Margin

CISPA, or the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, or “the worst privacy disaster our country has ever faced” has just passed through the House of Representatives with an astounding majority of 288 to 127. https://gizmodo.com/what-is-cispa-5905360 The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act wormed its way into the public consiousness shorty after the Internet’s big…

Pentagon Defense Lawyers Banned From Using Computers Over Loss of Sensitive Data

Pretrial hearings for the Guantanamo war crimes tribunals have been brought to a halt because sensitive legal documents have gone missing from Pentagon computers, prompting an IT ban for the defense lawyers in question. Reuters reports that Pentagon defense lawyers found that confidential work documents began vanishing from servers in February. There has also been…

New Documents Suggest the IRS Reads Your Emails Without a Warrant

Everyone knows the IRS is our nation’s tax collector, but it is also a law enforcement organization tasked with investigating criminal violations of the tax laws. New documents released to the ACLU under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that the IRS Criminal Tax Division has long taken the position that the IRS can read…