Chrome Now Shows Sites Without SSL as Not Secure 

August 1st, 2018

There is a small but significant change from Google, with the release of Chrome 68.  The updated browser will now prominently notify browsers when they surf their way to non-HTTPS websites, displaying them as "Not Secure."

This is Google's latest step in a long campaign to try and make the web a safer and more secure place for internet users around the world.

Bluetooth Vulnerability Allows Hackers To Access Devices 

July 31st, 2018

There's a new Bluetooth security vulnerability to be aware of, tracked as CVE-2018-5383, and it's a nasty one.

It's a cryptographic vulnerability that affects firmware or operating system software drivers from a number of major vendors, including Qualcomm, Broadcom, Intel and Apple.

Girl Scouts Can Now Earn New Badges For High Technical Skills

July 30th, 2018

The girl scouts have officially moved into the 21st century.

The Girl Scouts of America recently announced the creation of a whole raft of new badges that address (in the organization's words) "some of society's most pressing needs."

 

A total of 30 new badges will be available exclusively for girls between the ages of five to eighteen for efforts and advocacy in the following areas:

Computer Science
Cybersecurity
Environment
Robotics
Space Exploration

Badges are awarded on the basis of completing specific tasks.

Hackers May Set Their Sights On Your GPS Next

July 28th, 2018

If you're like most people, you probably rely heavily on the GPS function of your phone.  Type in an address and your phone helpfully guides you, turn by turn, to your destination.  It's one of the most often utilized features of a smartphone, and of course, the hackers are very interested in interfering with it.

New Report Shows 32 Percent Increase In Cyber Attacks

July 27th, 2018

Positive Technologies has just released a new report that paints a grim picture for IT professionals.  If your sense is that the number of cyberattacks are increasing, you're not wrong. In fact, it's probably worse than you realize.

So far this year, we've seen a staggering 32 percent increase in the total number of cyberattacks in the first quarter of 2018, compared to the same period last year.

Survey Shows Businesses Feel Prepared For A Data Breach

July 26th, 2018

A majority of business owners from around the world (68 percent) feel that they're better prepared to ward off a cyberattack and prevent a data breach than their competitors. This is a figure which is up 8 percent over last year's statistic for the same question.

World Cup Avoided Nearly 25 Million Cyber Attacks This Year

July 25th, 2018

According to the Kremlin, Russia prevented almost twenty five million cyber-attacks during the World Cup this year.

 

President Vladimir Putin praised the nation's digital security forces by saying the following:

 

"I expect that your close and constructive interaction will continue and will contribute to ensuring the security of our states and our citizens in the future.

Clinic Employee Learns That Traveling Increases Data Theft Risk

July 24th, 2018

On May 14th, the Billings Clinic in Montana issued a breach notification statement, which explained that they detected unusual activity within one of its employee's email accounts.

The employee in question was traveling overseas on a medical mission when the email account was compromised.

Thermal Imaging Could Help Thieves Steal Your Passwords

July 23rd, 2018

As if there weren't enough ways for hackers to steal your passwords, now, there's thermal imaging.  If that sounds like something straight out of a science fiction movie, think again.

Researchers from the University of California at Irvine recently discovered and demonstrated a technique that involves the use of a thermal imaging camera to capture heat traces left by human fingertips as they type passwords into a keyboard.

Massive Breach Affects 21 Million Users Of Timehop App

July 21st, 2018

Do you use Timehop?  If you're not sure what that is, it's a popular, clever little app that reminds social media users about posts they've made in the past. It can be quite handy, especially if you're active on numerous social media accounts.

Unfortunately, the bloom is off the rose for Timehop.