Cyber Security: Hackers work to turn holiday shopping boom into boon for data thieves

As Americans collapse onto their couches this week after a marathon day of shopping, they'll leave behind the telltale evidence of another Black Friday in the books: a nearly infinite number of credit machines on the verge of exhaustion from all the activity. While consumers will have spent their day gathering bargain deals and gifts for friends and families, the machines have been busy gathering data. Hackers will be busy, too, trying to get their hands on that data. Read the article here.

Cyber Security: One in six smartphone users victim of cyber attack

One in six smartphone users in the world have fallen prey to a cyber attack, reveals a new study, adding that 60 percent of smartphone users and almost half of tablet users are vulnerable to hacking as these devices have no protection against malicious software. According to the findings by global information services firm Experian, the cyber attacks range from phishing emails to session hijacking attacks where a user's web browsing is interrupted by a hacker, monitored or even hijacked. Read more here.

Cyber Security: Sony Paralyzed By Computer Hacker Attack With Ominous Message

Things have come to a standstill at Sony today, after the computers in New York and around the world were infiltrated by a hacker. As a precaution, computers in Los Angeles were shut down while the corporation deals with the breach. It has basically brought the whole global corporation to an electronic standstill. Click here to read the article.

Cyber Security: ICS-CERT Vulnerability Summary for Week of November 17

Click the link below to view the summary of cyber security vulnerabilities for the week of November 17 as collected and reported by ICS-CERT.

https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/bulletins/SB14-328

Cyber Security: Next year's DDOS attacks to come from Vietnam, India and Indonesia

Vietnam, India and Indonesia might not have the most advanced Internet infrastructure, but they do have a large number of insecure smartphones coming online, making them the big botnet sources for next year's distributed denial of service attacks, according to a report released by Black Lotus Communications, a DDOS mitigation vendor. "They have a lot of young people just getting their smartphones, specifically Android smartphones," said Frank Ip, the company's vice president of business development. These new users are more susceptible to phishing, and are less aware of how to secure their devices, he added. Read more here.

Cyber Security: Online shoppers should stay vigilant against privacy hackers

More of you are expected to shop online this holiday season and that means more vigilance is needed to protect your private information, a Wheaton expert said. A National Retail Federal survey said 56 percent of responding consumers plan to shop online this holiday season, compared to 51.5 percent last year, and the most in the survey's 13-year-history. Read the article here.

 

 

Cyber Security: 10 ways to protect your Devices and Data

Gee, it used to be just your desk computer that needed protection from cyber thugs. Now, your connected thermostat, egg tray monitor, teen’s smartphone, garage door opener, even baby monitor, are all game for cyber creeps. Click here to read about 10 ways to help protect your devices and data from hackers.