How To Steal A Car: Hack It! - 01/30/12 08:44 PM
No more jimmying doors with a Slim Jim, bricks through windows, extracting lock cylinders with a dent puller, or hot-wiring ignitions. Automobiles today are being built to include wireless capabilities that allow for remote unlock, remote start, and of course, there’s global positioning systems (GPS) and services like OnStar and ATX, which offer “telematics,” or information and communications technology. While these services appear relatively secure, researchers in controlled environments are searching for vulnerabilities.
OnStar offers “RemoteLink,” an application for the iPhone or Android, which allows Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick, or GMC owners to view real-time data including fuel range, gallons of gas … (0 comments)

Phishing Scammers Target Macs - 01/30/12 08:37 PM
On Christmas Day, 2011, Apple product users were targeted by a major phishing attack. The Mac Security Blog reported, “A vast phishing attack has broken out, beginning on or around Christmas day, with emails being sent with the subject ‘Apple update your Billing Information.’ These well-crafted emails could fool many new Apple users, especially those who may have found an iPhone, iPod or iMac under their Christmas tree, and set up accounts with the iTunes Store or the Mac App Store for the first time. The messages claim to come from appleidATidDOTappleDOTcom.”
As in most phishing emails, the template and body … (0 comments)

5 Digital New Year’s Resolutions For Parents - 01/30/12 07:56 PM
McAfee recently distributed a press release and the line that caught my eye was, “Now is the time for parents to model good behavior and etiquette.” it This wasn’t something you’d normally expect to see from a major security company, so intrigued, I read on.
Instruction in etiquette and good behavior is something we could all probably use a little more of. And when I read McAfee’s “5 New Year’s Resolutions,” I realized that even though I have young children, I ought to brush up on some digital etiquette myself. It’s not too late to do your resolutions or start news … (1 comments)

Beat the January Blues by Updating and Upgrading Your Digital Technology - 01/25/12 09:26 PM
A new year is always a welcome opportunity to start fresh, clean up, clean out, update, and upgrade. I’ve always believed that if you aren’t moving forward, you’re moving backward. Staying still in one spot really means that the people and the world around you are passing you by.
This philosophy also relates to the management of your digital life. Old technology isn’t necessarily outdated, but it may need updating, while obsolete technology certainly needs upgrading.
Old PCs: Thanks to “the cloud,” even an old Windows XP machine can have a new lease on life. Reinstalling the operating system and using … (1 comments)

Cross-Device Security Means “All Access” - 01/25/12 09:13 PM
You may have a laptop, desktop, netbook, notebook, Ultrabook, tablet, Mac, or mobile phone. You might be single, married, or have ten kids. Either way, you probably have at least one, if not six or more, devices requiring comprehensive security. My family of four has 12 devices, all of which I do my best to lock down like the digital equivalent of Fort Knox.
In order to manage multiple devices “cross-platform,” wherein one device may run Mac OS X while another runs Windows, while your phone is completely different, you need a security solution that is comprehensive, affordable, and straightforward.
PC … (1 comments)

FBI Needs Your Help to Take Down Cyber Fraud - 01/25/12 08:56 PM
Public–private partnership (PPP) describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies.
Here’s an example of “public-private partnerships”: Six Estonian nationals have been arrested and charged with running a sophisticated Internet fraud ring that infected millions of computers worldwide with a virus and enabled the thieves to manipulate the multi-billion-dollar Internet advertising industry. Users of infected machines were unaware that their computers had been compromised—or that the malicious software rendered their machines vulnerable to a host of other computer viruses.
Beginning in 2007, the cyber … (0 comments)

Which Will Make a Bigger Splash in 2012, Mobile Wallet or EMV? - 01/23/12 07:40 PM
During the latter half of the past decade, a heated battle has been fought around the world to determine which payment method will take center stage in the coming years. Many believe mobile payment will leapfrog what is known as EMV, which stands for Euro MC/Visa, or chip and PIN credit card technology, and that soon enough chip and PIN technology will go the way of the magnetic striped credit card.
Certainly, there are many major companies that have wagered heavily on the presumed success of their chosen technology, and these companies have a vested interest in the failure of their … (0 comments)

Safe Banking On Your Mobile Device - 01/23/12 07:32 PM
Mobile banking has experienced rapid growth over the last three years, in the U.S., more than doubling from 5% of online adults in 2007 to 12% by June 2010. Furthermore, Forrester predicts that one in five–or 50 million–U.S. adults will be using mobile banking by 2015.
However, identity theft is a major concern and studies show that many Americans are still uncomfortable with mobile banking, citing security as a top concern. In fact, 35% of US online adults said that they do not use their device to do banking for this reason.
Responding to these concerns, banks have been working to … (0 comments)

Necessary Security Updates for 2012 - 01/23/12 07:20 PM
There are changes coming in the world of security technology. Never before have so many criminals been so organized across borders as they are today. The Internet has spawned international crime syndicates of the best of the best criminal minds, who seek to take from you, your government, and all the merchants we rely on to provide products and services.
Security companies have been preparing for this eventuality, and many are rolling out new and improved versions of their technologies to fight the good fight.
Antivirus: Today’s antivirus protection is not the same as yesterday’s. Over the years, antivirus companies have … (2 comments)

Resolve to Be Digitally Secure This New Year - 01/17/12 11:22 PM
Let’s get one thing straight: it’s no longer possible to deny that your personal life in the physical world and your digital life are one and the same. Meaning, while you are present here on the ground, you continue existing online, whether you know it or like it or not.
Coming to terms with this reality will help you make better decisions in many aspects of your life.
1. Get device savvy: Whether you’re using a laptop, desktop, Mac, tablet, mobile, wired Internet, wireless, or software, learn it. No excuses. No more, “My kids know more than I do,” or, “All … (1 comments)

Data Theft Doesn’t Always Mean Being Hacked - 01/17/12 11:13 PM
Recently UCLA announced 16,000 patients were potential victims of identity theft because a doctor’s home office was broken into and burglarized. This is an unfortunate example of an employee taking home a laptop or storage device from the office resulting in a serious data breach. The thief may have no idea what he has in his hands, but the damage is done, the data is breached.
UCLA had to send letters to all 16,000 plus affected warning that there is a possibility their identities could be stolen. On top of that they had to hire an identity theft protection firm to … (1 comments)

Security Beyond the Desktop - 01/17/12 11:05 PM
A defensive posture no longer suffices for the protection of the devices and data that have become ubiquitous in today’s digital world. Rather than simply rushing to install defenses on computers, in networks, and in the cloud, we urgently need to step back and take a broader view of the security landscape, in order to take more calculated preemptive measures.
McAfee Security Journal is a publication intended to keep security executives and technical personnel informed about various cutting edge topics in order to help them make better-informed security decisions. Regular, everyday computer users can increase their security intelligence by having a … (0 comments)

Securing Your Small Business Like A Bank - 01/08/12 08:31 AM
Banks know security. They have to, because as Willie Sutton once said “that’s where the money is”.
A bank, for example, has multiple layers of security. First, consider the perimeter of the building, which is often designed to include large windows, so that passerby or law enforcement can easily see any problems occurring inside. The bank’s doors have locks. Of course, there is an alarm system, which includes panic buttons, glassbreak detectors, and motion sensors. These are all layers, as are security cameras, bulletproof glass, and armed guards. Ideally, tellers and management should have robbery response training. Many banks use dye … (0 comments)

Holiday Phishers Use Social Media - 01/08/12 08:15 AM
Every social media website in existence depends on advertising for its survival, to some extent. Criminals exploit this by mimicking these familiar platforms when sending millions of phishing emails designed to entice users into clicking malicious links or visiting spoofed websites that resemble legitimate social media. They also create pages within popular social media that are infected with malware, or malicious links designed to infect the PCs of anyone who clicks.
McAfee has exposed numerous Christmas-related scams. To avoid being snared in a holiday phisher’s net, beware of:
Promotional scams and contests: Scammers know that contests and free offers make attractive … (1 comments)

2012 Threats: Are You Ready? - 01/08/12 07:49 AM
History is said to be a good indicator of what might come in the future. If you follow trends in how things are done and what tends to gain momentum then you can get a pretty good idea of what’s ahead.
McAfee Labs™ is made up of security professionals who spend all their waking hours observing and combating threats to our digital identifies. If anyone is in a position to give us a window into the future on information technology threats, it’s these guys and gals. Here’s what they are predicting we should watch out for in 2012:
- Attacks on … (3 comments)

Seasonal Security: A Poem - 01/06/12 05:16 AM
It’s that time of year, for holiday cheer,
to give of ourselves and ring in the New Year.
But while you celebrate, please keep in mind,
criminals and hackers are not far behind.
 
Mobile malware is here; it’s increased since last year.
Be sure to install mobile malware protection,
so that you don’t receive an unwelcome infection.
 
QR codes are barcodes consumers can scan.
With their smartphones in hand,
a digital bar can locate a great deal, near or far.
But not so fast: these codes can be tricky.
Bad guys can use them to slip your cell a … (2 comments)

5 FFIEC Compliance Tips For Banks - 01/06/12 05:11 AM
Experian’s Chris Ryan addressed five major questions about compliance with the FFIEC’s recent guidance on banking authentication. What follows are his responses, summarized:
What does “layered security” actually mean? “‘Layered security’ refers to the arrangement of fraud tools in a sequential fashion. A layered approach starts with the most simple, benign and unobtrusive methods of authentication and progresses toward more stringent controls as the activity unfolds and the risk increases.”
What does “multi-factor” authentication actually mean? “A simple example of multi-factor authentication is the use of a debit card at an ATM machine. The plastic debit card is an item that … (0 comments)

Home Invasion Was “The Ultimate House of Horrors” - 01/06/12 04:58 AM
In a 2007 home invasion Steven Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky, the 2 men found guilty of a home invasion in Connecticut, brutally attacked and killed a mother and her daughters. The father was left for dead in the basement. Their crime began when they saw the mother (who was eventually murdered) in a parking lot and followed her home.
The home was invaded at 3am. The father was immediately beaten and tied up in the basement. He was held captive for a time but he escaped alive. The kids were tied to their beds and the mother was forced to go … (0 comments)

5 Quick Tips on How to Prevent the Next Data Breach - 01/04/12 05:11 AM
You may be aware of the uber techie bad boy hackers of Anonymous/Lulz/Anti-sec/Wikileaks/ScriptKiddies and the organized web mobs of the world. Did you know they have wreaked havoc to the degree that almost a billion records have been compromised? A recent study “gathered 3,765 publicly disclosed data breach incidents occurring in 33 countries during 2005-2010. The incidents included over 806.2 million known records being disclosed– averaging more than 388,000 records per day/15,000 records per hour every single day for the past six years.”
#1 Not all data is hacked. Exercise basic to advanced premise/physical security such as access control, security cameras … (0 comments)

Banking Security Guidelines Go Into Effect in January 2012 - 01/04/12 05:00 AM
As banking applications evolve, common attacks on banks are becoming correspondingly more sophisticated. Small businesses, municipalities, and moneyed individuals are often targeted for obvious reasons: they have hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not a few million, in the bank, but their security is often no more effective than that of an average American household.
The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s (FFIEC) updated security guidelines go into effect in less than a month. It is imperative that financial institutions recognize that the security precautions currently in place are ineffective in the face of new, more sophisticated attacks. Criminals have gotten around … (0 comments)

Supermarket Skimming Scam Highlights Retailer Risk - 01/04/12 04:52 AM
A California supermarket chain recently sent letters informing customers that a security breach had been discovered at 20 of their stores. The breach notification letter released by Lucky Supermarkets reads, in part:
“Dear Lucky Customer:
In the course of regular store maintenance, we discovered our credit/debit card readers at the self-check lanes ONLY in 20 stores (listed below) had been tampered with. Steps were taken immediately to remove the tampered card readers in the affected stores, as well as enhance security to every credit/debit card reader in all 234 stores in our company. We are not aware nor have we been … (0 comments)

 

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