Security News
Researcher: Many Stratfor passwords are weak
At Utah Valley University, 120 computers are now working to decode encrypted passwords revealed by the hack of Stratfor Global Intelligence, one of the most significant data breaches of last year.
Microsoft Ruins Perfect Record with Out-Of-Band Patch
It was so close. Microsoft made it 363 days in 2011 without releasing an update outside of the monthly Patch Tuesday cycle. It was also 48 hours away from finishing 2011 in double-digits for security bulletins. But, on December 29, Microsoft pushed out an out-of-band patch -- MS11-100.
Hacking group releases more Stratfor subscriber data
Hackers released another batch of data on Thursday pilfered from Stratfor Global Intelligence, a widely used research and analysis company whose website was attacked last weekend.
Anonymous Hacks SpecialForces.com, Posts Passwords and Credit Card Data
Members of the hacker collective Anonymous claim they have stolen about 14,000 user passwords and 8,000 credit card numbers from SpecialForces.com, a military and law enforcement equipment retailer. The data breach occurred several months ago, according to Anonymous, but the group only now decided to post the data online. The purloined password list had reportedly been posted online several weeks ago as well.
A glance back at 2011
2011 could be described as “The Year of …” many things. The tablet market heated up beyond the Apple iPad. 4G wireless took off with the emergence of big-time LTE networks. Governments and hackers screamed for attention by taking down networks, while IPv6 generated interest for giving the Internet a way to carry on.
2011 Was a 'Muddled' Year for Hacktivists
"Hacktivists" were in the spotlight more than ever this year, but internal squabbling muddled their messages.
Confidential Client List Safe from Anonymous, Says Hacker Target
The damage from a weekend data breach at a think tank on international security issues appears to have been inflated by the assault's perpetrators, the hacker collective known as Anonymous.
More SCADA security flaws surface
Numerous new authentication issues saddle Siemens' industrial control applications.
Windows 8 may prompt malware attacks on hardware, McAfee predicts
Security features in Windows 8 will discourage operating-system attacks and drive hackers to develop malware that compromises hardware directly, according to McAfee's security predictions for 2012.
Sophos Updates Mobile Device Management Platform
Latest version of Sophos Mobile Control includes reporting dashboard for compliance enforcement
Chinese hack on U.S. Chamber went undetected for 6 months
Chinese hackers lurked in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce network for six months without being detected, enjoying unrestricted access although it is unknown what information they exploited, according to a published report.
Security minefield: 'Bring your own device' will bedevil IT security in 2012
The rapid adoption of the newest mobile devices -- especially the Apple iPhone and iPad and the Google Android-based equivalents -- will be a huge disruptive force in enterprise security next year. Not only will there be pressure to decide how to protect and manage these devices, which are growing as malware targets, the complexity of this task is magnified many times over because companies are allowing employees to use their own personal smartphones and tablets for business purposes -- what's sometime called "bring your own device" (BYOD).
Altered Android application spreads a martyr's message
A popular Android application for Muslim users has been curiously hacked to commemorate the memory of a Tunisian produce vendor whose suicide kicked off anti-government protests in the country a year ago.
Nation's nuclear power watchdog comes up short on FISMA compliance
Majority of compliance gaps surround configuration and vulnerability management, an independent audit finds. But NRC has made important strides, too.
Antivirus software sales expected to show strong growth in 2012
The prevalence with which hackers are handing out headaches to IT security pros will have a big upside for vendors in the coming year, according to new figures from Canalys.