The Worst Hacks of 2017, from Equifax to Crash Override

From Equifax to Crash Override, it was a banner year for cybersecurity fails.

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https://www.wired.com/story/worst-hacks-2017

Trolls, Bots, and Fake News Made 2017 a Terrible Year for Internet Freedom

Trolls, bots, and fake news posed a serious threat to internet freedom this year—and there's no easy answer in sight.

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https://www.wired.com/story/internet-freedom-2017

The Most-read WIRED Security Stories of 2017

Numerous tales of hacking and breaches proves just how permeable the digital membrane can be.

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https://www.wired.com/story/most-read-wired-security-stories-2017

Cryptojacking Has Gotten Out of Control

The practice of using a website visitor's device to mine cryptocurrency has expanded—and evolved—at an alarming rate.

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https://www.wired.com/story/cryptojacking-has-gotten-out-of-control

The Most Dangerous People on the Internet in 2017: Donald Trump, Russian Hackers, and More

From Donald Trump to Russian hackers, these are the dangerous characters we’ve been watching online in 2017.

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https://www.wired.com/story/most-dangerous-people-internet-2017

Hackers Can Rickroll Thousands of Sonos and Bose Speakers Over the Internet

Researchers found that network configuration errors have left thousands of high-end speakers open to epic audio pranking.

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https://www.wired.com/story/hackers-can-rickroll-sonos-bose-speakers-over-internet

France Goes After WhatsApp For Sharing Data With Facebook, and More Security News This Week

A fake *Cuphead*, a WhatsApp privacy blow-up, and more of the week's top security news.

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https://www.wired.com/story/france-goes-after-whatsapp-for-sharing-data-with-facebook

The Section 702 Debate Has Taken Place in the Dark

As the debate over Section 702 continues, those deciding its fate don't know basic facts about how it works.

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https://www.wired.com/story/section-702-warrantless-surveillance-debate

Snowden-Backed App 'Haven' Turns Your Phone Into a Home Security System

The NSA leaker's latest project aims to secure your computer—and you—from not just digital but physical attacks.

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https://www.wired.com/story/snowden-haven-app-turns-phone-into-home-security-system

Tech Alone Can't Solve the Opioid Crisis

A Health and Human Services hackathon produced smart ideas for the fight against opioid addiction—but can only do so much in the face of a collapsing health care system.

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https://www.wired.com/story/opioid-crisis-hackathon-tech-health-care-funding

Don't Get Your Kid an Internet-Connected Toy

They can be hacked. They're a privacy nightmare. This year, it's not too late to keep the IoT toys away from the tree.

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https://www.wired.com/story/dont-gift-internet-connected-toys

Researchers Made Google's Image Recognition AI Mistake a Rifle For a Helicopter

To safeguard AI, we’re going to need to solve the problem of ‘adversarial examples.’

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https://www.wired.com/story/researcher-fooled-a-google-ai-into-thinking-a-rifle-was-a-helicopter

Hold North Korea Accountable for WannaCry—and the NSA, Too

As the US government points the finger at North Korea for the WannaCry ransomware epidemic, it also needs to acknowledge the role of its leaked hacking tools.

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https://www.wired.com/story/korea-accountable-wannacry-nsa-eternal-blue

Why the International Space Station Is the Single Best Thing Humanity Did

By the time the ISS makes its fiery return to Earth, it will have become a stepping stone to lunar colonies and the first human mission to Mars.

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https://www.wired.com/story/why-the-international-space-station-is-the-single-best-thing-we-did

In _Star Wars: The Last Jedi_, the Resistance Keeps Making the Same Tactical Mistake

The urge to fight one decisive battle has undone countless real-world rebellions—and those in the Star Wars universe as well.

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https://www.wired.com/story/star-wars-last-jedi-the-resistance-tactical-mistake

Facebook Squashes 19-Year-Old Bug, and More Security News This Week

A Facebook bug, the Kaspersky ban becomes law, and more of the week's top security news.

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https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-squashes-19-year-old-bug-security-news-this-week

MobileCoin: A New Cryptocurrency From Signal Creator Moxie Marlinspike

MobileCoin aims to make cryptocurrency transactions quick and easy for everyone, while still preserving privacy and decentralization.

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https://www.wired.com/story/mobilecoin-cryptocurrency

Triton Malware Targets Industrial Safety Systems In the Middle East

A rare and dangerous new form of malware targets the industrial safety control systems that protect human life.

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https://www.wired.com/story/triton-malware-targets-industrial-safety-systems-in-the-middle-east

The Mirai Botnet Was Part of a College Student Minecraft Scheme

The DDoS attack that crippled the internet last fall wasn't the work of a nation-state. It was three college kids working a *Minecraft* hustle.

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https://www.wired.com/story/mirai-botnet-minecraft-scam-brought-down-the-internet

Bots and Form Letters Make It Nearly Impossible to Find Real FCC Net Neutrality Comments

Over seven months, 39 Nicholas Thompsons submitted net neutrality comments to the FCC. We tried to track each of them down.

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https://www.wired.com/story/bots-form-letters-humans-fcc-net-neutrality-comments

Apple Security Flaws Give Some Researchers Concern About Deeper Issues

Apple's had a rough stretch for security. But is it just a rough patch, or something deeper?

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https://www.wired.com/story/apples-security-macos-high-sierra-ios-11

Exclusive: Tracing ISIS’ Weapons Supply Chain—Back to the US

The Islamic State is designing and mass-producing its own advanced munitions—with parts from all over the world.

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https://www.wired.com/story/terror-industrial-complex-isis-munitions-supply-chain

Security News This Week: Apple Patches a Very Bad iOS HomeKit Bug

Another Apple security goof, email hacks, and more of the week's top security news.

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https://www.wired.com/story/security-news-this-week-apple-patches-a-very-bad-ios-homekit-bug

Take These 7 Steps Now to Reach Password Perfection

Admit it: Your passwords aren't great. But if you fix them up, you'll have a solid first-line digital defense.

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https://www.wired.com/story/7-steps-to-password-perfection

Physical Measures to Amp Up Your Digital Security

Not every digital problem requires a software solution. For an added layer of safety, look to these real-world reinforcements.

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https://www.wired.com/story/physical-security-measures

The A-B-C’s of Keeping Your Kids Safe Online

You can't lock your offspring out of the internet forever. But you can prepare them to navigate it properly.

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https://www.wired.com/story/abcs-of-keeping-kids-safe-online

How to Encrypt All of the Things, From Chats to Calls and More

Want to keep outsiders from listening in on your chats, phone calls, and more? Encrypt them. All of them.

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https://www.wired.com/story/encrypt-all-of-the-things

Extreme Security Measures for the Extra Paranoid

Someone with serious tools is trying to pry open your digital secrets. Don't let them.

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https://www.wired.com/story/extreme-security-measures

How to Rip the Mics Out of Your MacBook and iPhone

One way to make sure no one's listening in on your private conversations? Drop the mics. Literally.

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https://www.wired.com/story/remove-the-mic-from-your-phone

Resist Phishing Attacks with Three Golden Rules

They're preying on your emotions. Don't get stuck on their digital hooks.

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https://www.wired.com/story/resist-phishing-attacks

The Wired Guide to Digital Security, From Passwords to Faraday Cages

In an age of nonstop breaches and hacks, here are ways to improve your online security based on your level of risk, from average user to NSA contractor.

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https://www.wired.com/2017/12/digital-security-guide

Google Advanced Protection: The Most Secure Account of All

Google Advanced Protection offers a level of security that's hard to match. Just expect some serious convenience trade-offs along the way.

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https://www.wired.com/story/google-advanced-protection

What To Do If You've Been Doxed

If a troll is spilling your personal info across the internet, you have ways to fight back. Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the EFF, shares tips.

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https://www.wired.com/story/what-do-to-if-you-are-being-doxed

The Grand Tor: How to Go Anonymous Online

You may already be familiar with TorBrowser. But the anonymous internet has a lot more to offer.

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https://www.wired.com/story/the-grand-tor

How to Sweep For Bugs and Hidden Cameras

To keep them from listening in, take a very good look around you. And then bust out the tools.

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https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-sweep-for-bugs

Smartphone Security 101: Key Steps From PINs to Permissions

Keep your device safe from snoops with basic precautions like setting the right PIN and vetting your app permissions.

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https://www.wired.com/story/smartphone-security-101

Megabreaches Happen. Here's How to Protect Yourself When They Do

The next megabreach is coming. Here's how you can cope if and when your info gets swept up.

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https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-protect-yourself-after-the-next-big-corporate-hack

APT 34 Is an Iran-Linked Hacking Group That Probes Critical Infrastructure

A new Iran-linked hacking group called APT 34 has been spotted lurking in the networks of financial, energy, telecom, and chemical companies.

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https://www.wired.com/story/apt-34-iranian-hackers-critical-infrastructure-companies

Microsoft's Project Sopris Could Secure the Next Generation of IoT

With Project Sopris, Microsoft has a new hardware solution for the next wave of IoT security problems.

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https://www.wired.com/story/project-sopris-iot-security

Quantum Computing Is the Next Big Security Risk

Opinion: Rep. Will Hurd of Texas argues that quantum computers will rock current security protocols that protect government and financial systems.

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https://www.wired.com/story/quantum-computing-is-the-next-big-security-risk

Ethiopian Espionage Shows Commercial Spyware Is Out of Control

Opinion: A new report from Citizen Lab shows that governments are using commercial spyware to surveil dissidents and journalists.

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https://www.wired.com/story/evidence-that-ethiopia-is-spying-on-journalists-shows-commercial-spyware-is-out-of-control

Phishing Schemes Are Using HTTPS Encrypted Sites to Seem Legit

A green padlock might make it seem like a site is secure, but increasingly phishers are using it to lure victims into giving up sensitive info.

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https://www.wired.com/story/phishing-schemes-use-encrypted-sites-to-seem-legit

‘Mailsploit’ Lets Hackers Forge Perfect Email Spoofs

The attack uncovers bugs in how more than a dozen programs implement email's creaky protocol.

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https://www.wired.com/story/mailsploit-lets-hackers-forge-perfect-email-spoofs

Ghostery 8 Deploys Artificial Intelligence in the Fight Against Ad Trackers

With the release of Ghostery 8, the popular ad-blocker introduces artificial intelligence and Smart Mode, a whole new level of usability for beginners.

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https://www.wired.com/story/ghostery-deploys-ai-in-fight-against-ad-trackers

The Evolution of Data Leaks

Equifax aside, companies are doing better at securing their info. But the phishers keep coming.

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https://www.wired.com/story/evolution-of-data-leaks

A New Bill Wants Jail Time for Execs Who Hide Data Breaches

A bill to punish hack hiders, Apple bug fix bumbling, and more of the week's top security stories.

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https://www.wired.com/story/a-new-bill-wants-jail-time-for-execs-who-hide-data-breaches

Trump and the Risks of Digital Hate

Trump's retweets of a British anti-Muslim hate group sound alarms for those who study the propaganda behind some of history's greatest tragedies.

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https://www.wired.com/story/historians-see-terrifying-echoes-in-trumps-anti-muslim-tweets

Here's the NSA Agent Who Inexplicably Exposed Critical Secrets

The Justice Department has struck a plea deal with Nghia Hoang Pho, a programmer in the NSA's elite operations unit, for taking his highly classified work home with him.

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https://www.wired.com/story/nsa-agent-exposed-critical-secrets

Apple's MacOS High Sierra Bug Fix Reintroduces "Root" Problem For Some Users

The company's fix for an embarrassing security bug includes a big bug of its own.

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https://www.wired.com/story/macos-update-undoes-apple-root-bug-patch

North Korea's Latest Missile Test Was Even Scarier Than It Seemed

Further analysis of North Korea's latest ICBM launch shows that the country can likely land a nuclear weapon anywhere in the continental United States.

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https://www.wired.com/story/north-korea-missile-test-scarier-than-it-seemed

The Michael Flynn Indictment Is Robert Mueller's Most Significant Move yet

With the indictment of President Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn, special counsel Robert Mueller makes his most significant move yet.

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https://www.wired.com/story/michael-flynns-guilty-plea-shows-that-robert-mueller-is-closing-in

The US Should Modernize Election Systems to Prevent Hacking

Opinion: Two senators from opposing parties argue that voting machines should be considered critical infrastructure, and funded accordingly.

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https://www.wired.com/story/our-democracy-depends-on-secure-elections

Expensify’s Use of Amazon Mechanical Turk Reveals Privacy Risks Behind AI

As a recent flare-up around Expensify shows, behind every AI that analyzes your data, teams of human workers pick up the slack.

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https://www.wired.com/story/not-always-ai-that-sifts-through-sensitive-info-crowdsourced-labor

The FCC's Net Neutrality Comments Included Millions of Fake Emails and More

A new analysis of the FCC's net neutrality comment period shows millions of fake or duplicate email addresses and other alarming absurdities.

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https://www.wired.com/story/fcc-net-neutrality-comment-analysis-fake-emails

Supreme Court Must Understand That Cell Phones Aren’t Voluntary

Opinion: The US argues that police can access cell phone records freely because customers volunteer that data. But cell phones are no longer optional.

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https://www.wired.com/story/supreme-court-must-understand-cell-phones-arent-optional

North Korea’s Missile Test Puts the Entire US in Range

The bad news: Tuesday's missile test shows that North Korea's ICBM can likely hit the US. The slightly less bad news: It's still a long way off from actually doing so.

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https://www.wired.com/story/north-koreas-missile-test-puts-entire-us-in-range

Apple MacOS High Sierra Security Flaw Lets Anyone Get Root Access, No Password Required

A Turkish company found a glaring flaw in Apple's desktop operating system that gives anyone deep access, no password required.

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https://www.wired.com/story/macos-high-sierra-hack-root

How Bots Broke the FCC's Public Comment System During the Net Neutrality Debate

The FCC's net neutrality public comment period was overrun with bots, making it all but impossible for any one voice to be heard. That's not how this is supposed to work.

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https://www.wired.com/story/bots-broke-fcc-public-comment-system

_The Quantum Spy_ Author David Ignatius on the Future of High-Tech Espionage

In his latest novel, David Ignatius tackles the intersection of quantum computing and spying

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https://www.wired.com/story/david-ignatius-quantum-spy-high-tech-espionage

The Military Should Teach Artificial Intelligence to Watch Drone Footage

Opinion: The Pentagon collects so much surveillance footage that humans can’t watch all of it. It’s time to deploy AI.

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https://www.wired.com/story/the-military-should-teach-ai-to-watch-drone-footage

Android Location Snooping, Uber Hack Coverup, and More Security News This Week

Google acknowledged this week that Android devices communicate the nearest cell tower, even after you turn off location services and remove the SIM card.

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https://www.wired.com/story/android-tracks-location-even-when-you-ask-it-not-to

What Amazon Echo and Google Home Do With Your Voice Data—And How to Delete It

Like the idea of Amazon Echo and Google Home, but feel uneasy about all that recording? Here's what they listen to—and how to delete it.

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https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-echo-and-google-home-voice-data-delete

Thanksgiving Day Parade Security Comes With 'Vapor Wake' Explosive-Sniffing Dogs

This year, a team of Labrador retrievers trained to sniff out body-worn explosives will help lock down NYC's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

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https://www.wired.com/story/vapor-wake-dogs-thanksgiving-day-parade

The US Global Engagement Center's Fight Against Russian Propaganda Has Barely Started

Former staffers of the State Department's Global Engagement Center, tasked with fighting propaganda, say that 'administrative incompetence' has hamstrung efforts.

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https://www.wired.com/story/the-state-departments-fumbled-fight-against-russian-propaganda

Uber Hid 57-Million User Data Breach For Over a Year

The ridesharing service's latest scandal combines routine security negligence with an "appalling" coverup.

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https://www.wired.com/story/uber-paid-off-hackers-to-hide-a-57-million-user-data-breach

Feds Indict Iranian for HBO Hack—But Extradition Isn't Likely

Months after tormenting HBO with the release of unaired episodes and *Game of Thrones* spoilers, the alleged hacker has been indicted.

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https://www.wired.com/story/feds-indict-iranian-for-hbo-hack-good-luck-arresting-him

Artificial Intelligence Can Hunt Down Missile Sites in China Hundreds of Times Faster Than Humans

Teaching deep learning algorithms to find surface-to-air missile sites and much more in satellite images.

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https://www.wired.com/story/ai-can-help-hunt-down-missile-sites-in-china

Intel Management Engine Flaws Leave Millions of PCs Exposed

Security experts have warned of Intel's Management Engine for years. A new set of confirmed vulnerabilities that impact PCs, servers, and IoT devices shows they may have been right.

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https://www.wired.com/story/intel-management-engine-vulnerabilities-pcs-servers-iot

Stopping Robocalls Will Soon Be Easier Than Ever

US consumers suffer 80 million robocalls a day. But a new crackdown—along with some clever apps—could help put a lid on your biggest mobile nuisance.

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https://www.wired.com/story/robocall-getting-worse-but-help-is-here

The Pentagon Left Data Exposed in the Cloud

Face ID, WikiLeaks, and more of this week's top security news.

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https://www.wired.com/story/security-news-this-week-the-pentagon-left-data-exposed-in-the-cloud

Everything Attorney General Jeff Sessions Has Forgotten Under Oath

Over the course of four recent congressional hearings, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has somehow forgotten dozens of people, places, and events. Here's all of them in one place.

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https://www.wired.com/story/everything-jeff-sessions-did-not-recall-under-oath

Amazon Key Flaw Could Let Rogue Deliverymen Disable Your Camera

After hackers exposed a way to freeze the delivery service's security cameras, Amazon will push out a fix later this week.

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https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-key-flaw-let-deliverymen-disable-your-camera

The Vulnerabilities Equities Process Still Has Issues Even After Added Transparency

A new charter for the Vulnerabilities Equities Process sheds some light, but doesn't fix the underlying problems.

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https://www.wired.com/story/vulnerability-equity-process-charter-transparency-concerns

OnePlus Phones Have an Unfortunate Backdoor Built In

Every OnePlus model except for the original shipped with "Engineer Mode," essentially a backdoor for anyone who get their hands on your device.

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https://www.wired.com/story/oneplus-phones-have-an-unfortunate-backdoor-built-in

The Evolution of Data Leaks

Equifax aside, companies are doing better at securing their info. But the phishers keep coming.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/evolution-of-data-leaks

How to Lock Down Your Facebook Privacy Settings

Friends, friends of friends, advertisers; keeping track of Facebook's privacy settings can get confusing. Here's how to get yours just right.

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https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-lock-down-facebook-privacy-settings

Inside the Decades-Long Fight for Better Emergency Alerts

After years of pushing for a more effective emergency alert system, the carriers have finally come around to making improvements.

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https://www.wired.com/story/better-emergency-alerts-fcc

Watch a 10-Year-Old Beat Apple's Face ID on His Mom's iPhone X

Yes, twins can unlock each other's iPhones. But kids accessing their parents' devices raises different concerns.

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https://www.wired.com/story/10-year-old-face-id-unlocks-mothers-iphone-x

How One Woman's Digital Life Was Weaponized Against Her

A rare court case exposes the all-too-common horror of online harassment that followed when one woman broke off a relationship.

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https://www.wired.com/story/how-one-womans-digital-life-was-weaponized-against-her

Donald Trump and WikiLeaks Talking Privately on Twitter Makes Perfect Sense

Especially if you question its commitment to radical transparency.

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https://www.wired.com/story/wikileaks-donald-trump-jr-twitter

Hackers Claim to Break Face ID a Week After iPhone X Release

"I would say if this is all confirmed, it does mean Face ID is less secure than Touch ID."

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https://www.wired.com/story/hackers-say-broke-face-id-security

Donald Trump’s Taxes Have Probably Already Been Hacked

Opinion: The IRS isn’t an impenetrable fortress. Someone has Trump's taxes; the question is, who?

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https://www.wired.com/story/trumps-taxes-have-probably-already-been-hacked

$280M Worth of Ethereum Is Trapped for a Pretty Dumb Reason

Ethereum, Wikileaks, a years-old hack of the Trump business empire, and more of the week's top security news.

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https://www.wired.com/story/280m-worth-of-ethereum-is-trapped-for-a-pretty-dumb-reason

Facebook Isn't Listening Through Your Phone's Microphone. It Doesn't Have To

The internet is awash in theories about Facebook using your smartphone's microphone to eavesdrop on your conversations. It's not. Here's why.

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https://www.wired.com/story/facebooks-listening-smartphone-microphone

Department of Defense's 'Hack the Pentagon' Bug Bounty Program Helps Fix Thousands of Bugs

The Department of Defense's bug bounty program was a smashing success. And other government agencies have taken notice.

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https://www.wired.com/story/hack-the-pentagon-bug-bounty-results

How Journalists Fought Back Against Crippling Email and Subscription Bombs

After ProPublica journalists wrote about hate groups, the trolls retaliated by signing them up for thousands of subscriptions. That was only the beginning.

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https://www.wired.com/story/how-journalists-fought-back-against-crippling-email-bombs

How the Mimikatz Hacker Tool Stole the World's Passwords

How a program called Mimikatz became one of the world's most widespread and powerful hacking tools.

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https://www.wired.com/story/how-mimikatz-became-go-to-hacker-tool

Google Chrome Will Stop Sketchy Redirects Soon

With its latest update, Chrome's going to quash the junky redirects that turn the web into a house or horror.

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https://www.wired.com/story/chrome-stop-sketchy-sites-from-redirects

Russia's 'Fancy Bear' Hackers Exploit a Microsoft Office Flaw—and NYC Terrorism Fears

Kremlin hackers are adapting their phishing tactics with both the latest software vulnerabilities and the latest news, new McAfee findings show.

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https://www.wired.com/story/russia-fancy-bear-hackers-microsoft-office-flaw-and-nyc-terrorism-fears

Why the Netflix Phishing Email Works So Well

That Netflix phishing scheme has been around for months—and it's clever enough to stick around.

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https://www.wired.com/story/netflix-phishing-scam

The Apple iOS 11 Privacy and Security Settings You Should Check

Heads up, iPhone owners. iOS 11 comes with a batch of security features that merit your attention.

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https://www.wired.com/story/ios-11-privacy-security-settings

How Level 3's Tiny Error Shut Off the Internet for Parts of the US

A simple misconfiguration spiraled into outages for internet service providers and large internet platforms around the US.

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https://www.wired.com/story/how-a-tiny-error-shut-off-the-internet-for-parts-of-the-us

How to Keep Your Bitcoin Safe and Secure

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have exploded in value—making them an ever-more attractive target for scammers and hackers. Here's how to protect investment.

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https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-keep-bitcoin-safe-and-secure

Facebook and Google Are Actually 'Net States.' And They Rule the World

Opinion: They exist largely online, enjoy international devotees, and advance belief-driven agendas that they pursue, at times, above, the law.

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https://www.wired.com/story/net-states-rule-the-world-we-need-to-recognize-their-power

Security News This Week: Russia's Campaign Interference Cast a Wide Net

BadRabbit malware, Russian phishing, and more of the week's top security news.

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https://www.wired.com/story/russias-campaign-interference-cast-a-wide-net

Beating the iPhone X Face ID Is Hard. We Know, Because We Tried

Thousands of dollars. Hours of work. Five different masks. Apple's iPhone X Face ID has held up against all of it.

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https://www.wired.com/story/tried-to-beat-face-id-and-failed-so-far

CIA Reveals What's Inside Osama Bin Laden’s Files: GIFs, Memes, and Iran Ties

A newly released trove of 470,000 files seized from Osama bin Laden's compound include some internet classics—and links to Iran.

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https://www.wired.com/story/osama-bin-laden-cia-files-gifs-memes

North Korea's Plenty Scary Without an Overhyped EMP Threat

While an electromagnetic pulse attack could cause plenty of trouble, don't expect one to come from North Korea.

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https://www.wired.com/story/north-korea-emp-threat

China Tests the Limits of Its US Hacking Truce

As the Trump administration reups an anti-hacking agreement with China, security researchers say China is inching its toes up to that red line.

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https://www.wired.com/story/china-tests-limits-of-us-hacking-truce

What the George Papadopoulos Plea Says About Robert Mueller's Next Moves

With a plea agreement from Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, special counsel Robert Mueller showed that he knows how to keep a secret—and that this investigation is just getting started.

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https://www.wired.com/story/papadopoulos-plea-robert-mueller-next-moves

How to Interpret Robert Mueller’s New Charges in the Russia Investigation

What to expect from indictments in the special counsel's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election.

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https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-interpret-robert-muellers-new-charges

‘I Forgot My PIN’: An Epic Tale of Losing $30,000 in Bitcoin

Veteran tech journalist Mark Frauenfelder tries everything, including hypnosis, to recover a small fortune from a locked bitcoin device.

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https://www.wired.com/story/i-forgot-my-pin-an-epic-tale-of-losing-dollar30000-in-bitcoin

Equifax Was Warned of Vulnerability Months Before Breach, and More Security News This Week

Equifax was warned, a fun new WhatsApp feature, and more of the week's top security news.

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https://www.wired.com/story/equifax-warned-of-vulnerability-months-before-breach

How the Kodi Box Revolutionized Piracy

After torrenting's long fade,"fully loaded" Kodi boxes became the pirate's method of choice. Now, a legal crackdown looks to stop its rise.

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https://www.wired.com/story/kodi-box-piracy

A Bug in a Popular Maritime Platform Isn't Getting Fixed

The AmosConnect 8 web platform has vulnerabilities that could allow data to be exposed—underscoring deeper problems with maritime security.

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https://www.wired.com/story/bug-in-popular-maritime-platform-isnt-getting-fixed

Apple's Core ML Could Surface Your iOS Secrets

Apple's Core ML is a boon for developers, but security experts worry that it also could make it easier for bad actors to snoop on your private data.

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https://www.wired.com/story/core-ml-privacy-machine-learning-ios

The US Kaspersky Security Software Ban Needs to Be Backed Up With Evidence

If the US government is going to ban Kaspersky's software, it owes it to the rest of the world's security to say why.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/us-kaspersky-ban-evidence

BadRabbit Ransomware, Linked to NotPetya Outbreak, Sweeps Russia and Ukraine

"BadRabbit," linked to the authors of NotPetya, hits hundreds of victims, including subways, an airport, and media firms.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/badrabbit-ransomware-notpetya-russia-ukraine

Russian Spies Rush to Exploit the Latest Flash Zero Day and More Security News This Week

Another Flash zero-day, a Microsoft breach, and more of this week's top security news.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/russian-spies-rush-to-exploit-the-latest-flash-zero-day

The Reaper Botnet Could Be Worse Than the Internet-Shaking Mirai Ever Was

Building on the devastating Mirai botnet that took major sites offline a year ago, Reaper has some scary new tricks.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/reaper-iot-botnet-infected-million-networks

Equifax Deserves the Corporate Death Penalty

Opinion: States have the power to dissolve companies that are bad actors. They should take action with Equifax.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/equifax-deserves-the-corporate-death-penalty

Cryptojacking Lets Strangers Mine Cryptocurrency With Your Browser

The recent onset of "cryptojacking" has left victims befuddled, but reforms could make it a valuable tool.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/cryptojacking-cryptocurrency-mining-browser

It Takes Just $1000 to Track Someone's Location With Mobile Ads

University of Washington researchers have shown just how cheaply spies can exploit ad networks for fine-grained, individualized surveillance.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/track-location-with-mobile-ads-1000-dollars-study

Why the Krack Wi-Fi Mess Will Take Decades to Clean Up

The Krack Wi-Fi vulnerability exposes just how deeply broken IoT security really is—and just how limited the options are to repair it.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/krack-wi-fi-iot-security-broken

The Flawed System Behind the Krack Wi-Fi Meltdown

When software standards aren't open and available for researchers to vet, bad things happen. Just look at Krack.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/krack-wi-fi-meltdown-open-standards

Google's 'Advanced Protection' Locks Down Accounts Like Never Before

Google offers a powerful new security setting aimed its most (rightfully) paranoid users.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/google-advanced-protection-locks-down-accounts

KRACK Vulnerability Impacts Secure Wi-Fi Standard, Leaving Millions of Devices Exposed

A vulnerability called KRACK affects nearly every Wi-Fi device on the market.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/krack-wi-fi-wpa2-vulnerability

Trump Decertifying the Iran Deal Could Have Unseen Cyberattack Consequences

By decertifying the nuclear deal with Iran, President Trump could risk provoking hacks from a country that hasn't focused on US cyberattacks in years.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/trump-iran-decertify-cyberattacks

An Equifax Goof, an iOS Phish, and More Security News This Week

Another Equifax goof, an easy iOS phish, and more of the week's top security news.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/apple-id-password-phishing

How Power Grid Hacks Work, and When You Should Panic

After months of reports of energy grid breaches, time to distinguish the elite intrusions from just another spearphishing attack.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/hacking-a-power-grid-in-three-not-so-easy-steps

How To Fix the Broken Social Security Number Sytem

The Social Security number system is broken. And while fixing it will take a lot of work, there are ways to keep your identity more secure.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/social-security-number-replacement

Kaspersky's Alleged Russia Ties Highlight the Risks of Antivirus

Reports that Russia used Kaspersky antivirus to probe US targets highlight the inherent risks of software that millions rely on for protection.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/kaspersky-russia-antivirus

'Crypto Anchors' Might Stop the Next Equifax-Style Megabreach

There's no foolproof system to keep hackers out. Instead, this increasingly popular security design keeps them in.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/crypto-anchors-breach-security

The Race to Secure Voting Tech Gets an Urgent Jumpstart

The full report is out from this summer's Defcon voting machine hack. And while there's been some progress in securing America's elections, experts fear it's not coming fast enough.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/voting-village-hacking-report

Slow iPhone? Don't Blame Apple. Blame Your Apps

Every year around this time, the same rumors pop up about slow iPhones and planned obsolescence. Don't fall for it this time.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/dont-blame-apple-for-your-slow-iphone

Hacking North Korea Won't Stop Its Nuclear Program

Security researchers say penetrating North Korea's hacking operations and even its domestic intranet is possible. But not enough to stop its nuclear threat.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/cyberattack-north-korea-nukes

Donald Trump's Nuclear Rhetoric Echoes Richard Nixon's 'Madman' Theory, But Won't End Well

The ongoing war of words between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un echoes Richard Nixon's Vietnam rhetoric. It won't play out any better today than it did then.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/donald-trump-madman-strategy-north-korea-nuclear-weapons

Go Update Your Mac ASAP To Fix Some Serious Vulnerabilities

Las Vegas, another NSA contractor slip-up, and more of the week's top security news.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/update-macos-high-sierra-security-patch

John Kelly's Hacked Phone Could Be a Major National Security Issue

When the former head of the Department of Homeland Security and current White House Chief of Staff's personal smartphone gets hacked, nothing good can happen.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/john-kelly-hackced-phone

How To Tell When Someone Else Tweets From @realDonaldTrump

Donald Trump doesn't write all of the tweets that come out of his account. Fortunately, there are plenty of tells for when it's someone else.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/tell-when-someone-else-tweets-from-realdonaldtrump

Another NSA Contractor Was Caught Taking Hacking Secrets Home

After the revelation of the third contractor leak in as many years, the agency has a clear operational security problem.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/nsa-contractors-hacking-tools

TaoTronics Bluetooth earphones is light as a feather

When it comes to Bluetooth earphones, there are simply so many different brands and makes out there, it can be rather challenging and difficult to choose if you are on a limited budget. Hence, singling out the model that provides the best bang for your hard earned buck is always a challenge, but perhaps with the introduction of the TaoTronics Bluetooth earphones, this decision is easier to make.

Touted to be the lightweight partner for music lovers as well as the physically active, the TaoTronics Bluetooth earphones ensures that the wireless revolution is moving in the right direction. The high quality sound and stable connectivity provided by 3.5mm wired earphones is something that the Bluetooth earphone market needs to meet and exceed, and this is exactly what the TaoTronics Bluetooth earphones is all about. After all, nobody likes to run a marathon with the wires to a pair of earphones making a tangled mess out of things.

Being a budget-friendly option without compromising on quality, the TaoTronics Bluetooth earphones will target sports and fitness enthusiasts. Featuring a lightweight build, fast pairing, stable Bluetooth connectivity, and a long battery life, these are the right kind of qualities rolled into a single device. Even better yet is the fact that they offer a secure fit in order to remain in place, regardless of how vigorous that exercise is at the moment. An integrated CVC 6.0 noise cancelling microphone is also part of the setup that allows you to entertain phone calls without any kind of outside distraction. Hence, even if your surroundings are noisier than usual, the microphone will work its wonders to ensure that only the crisp, clear sound of your voice gets through to the other end. The asking price of $25.99 makes the TaoTronics Bluetooth earphones an attractive proposition for everyone.

Press Release
[ TaoTronics Bluetooth earphones is light as a feather copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

from
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20171004/taotronics-bluetooth-earphones-light-feather/

The Disturbing Rise of Cyberattacks Against Abortion Clinics

Abortion providers have long faced harassment, both online and and in person. But a recent wave of cyberattacks have caused havoc lately—and proved difficult to stop.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/cyberattacks-against-abortion-clinics

Here’s the Leaked Anti-Leak Training Email That Just Went Out to the Department of Energy

Employees at the Department of Energy are the latest to undergo government-wide training sessions on "the importance of protecting classified and controlled unclassified information."

from
https://www.wired.com/story/leaked-anti-leak-training-email-department-of-energy

The Yahoo Breach Was Actually Three Billion Accounts

Ten months ago, Yahoo disclosed the biggest breach in history. As it turns out, the company severely underestimated the impact. Think a billion users is bad? Try three billion.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/yahoo-breach-three-billion-accounts

6 Fresh Horrors From Equifax CEO Richard Smith's Congressional Hearing

With each new revelation about the devastating Equifax breach, the company's defenses and response appear increasingly inadequate.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/equifax-ceo-congress-testimony

AirCheck G2 gets a v2

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the Netscout AirCheck G2 and have been since before it’s release. I’m happy to see that today they announced the version 2 of the firmware for the AirCheck G2 which brings some pretty neat features to the product. The official page goes into greater detail on the updates, but the two I’m most impressed with are the new interferers page and the integration of iPerf testing for the unit.

The interference detection is a nice to have feature for those field teams that need an initial look at the non-Wi-Fi devices in the air around them. It’s leveraging the integrated WLAN radio for spectrum analysis so it’s not perfect, but it readily enough identified several of the more common interference devices around me (bluetooth and microwave ovens). In addition to identifying the interference, the ‘locate’ functionality that you’ve come to expect with the AirCheck also works with the source of interference. In my testing, I was able to demonstrate that moving away from an active microwave oven did indeed show a corresponding drop in detected signal strength. Let’s be fair, it’s not a fully blown FFT based Spectrum Analyzer, but in a pinch, and for common items, it’s far more insight than we’ve ever had in a a handheld tester.

  

The iPerf server is another interesting new feature – not only for the AirCheck side of the equation, but for the far side tester as well. The newly announced Test Accessory from Netscout is reminiscent of the LinkSprinter products – handheld, portable, battery or PoE powered, and cloud enabled tester.

The Test Accessory

This integrates quite nicely with the v2 firmware with the new iPerf test option once you connect to your SSID. The nice bit is that this removes most all of the headache of doing iPerf testing – configuring the server and figuring out what it’s IP address is. You can plug the Test Accessory into your network anywhere and it will phone home to the Link-Live service. The AirCheck will query the service and automatically populate the testers IP address for your test. This makes a very simple to use throughput tester that’s easy to carry and accessible to everyone. If you don’t have a Test Accessory or if you’re comfortable with iPerf testing, you can also just use the AirCheck as a standard iPerf endpoint, so you’re covered either way you want to go here – with a stock, static internal iPerf tester or with a field accessible, cloud enabled tester that goes anywhere.

 

These features take an already dead-useful testing tool and expand it’s role for the Wireless LAN deployer to go beyond just ‘is it up’ testing. With the ability to now detect a number of interferers and do actual throughput testing of a Wi-Fi network, the field implications are that your existing installation teams (or other G2 users) can more deeply validate the functionality of a network – and when things go wrong, have another level of insight that they previously did not have. I’m quite happy that Netscout is clearly investing in, not only the G2, but additional products that augment and expand it’s functionality. The G2 is an overbuilt hardware platform and it’s refreshing to see that Netscout is taking advantage of that extra horsepower. If you’re an AirCheck G2 user, you really need to go get the firmware update now. If you’re not an AirCheck G2 user, what are you waiting for?

from
https://sc-wifi.com/2017/10/03/aircheck-g2-gets-a-v2/

Gun Tech Couldn't Have Stopped the Las Vegas Shooter

In the wake of the Las Vegas mass shooting, a look at the tech that does—and doesn't—exist to make guns more secure.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/smart-guns-mass-shootings

How the Las Vegas Shooter Could Have Gotten an Automatic Rifle

The killer shot his hundreds of victims with inhuman speed. That's likely because giving a semiautomatic weapon essentially automatic abilities is easier than you'd think.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/las-vegas-shooting-automatic-rifle

After the Las Vegas Mass Shooting, Watch Out For Hoaxes and Bad Info

In the wake of the Las Vegas mass shooting, misinformation and hoaxes flooded the internet. Be careful not to fall for it—or spread it yourself.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/las-vegas-shooting-misinformation-hoaxes-conspiracies

Casio announces men’s G-Shock G-Steel line of connected watches

The humble watch used to be a tool to tell the time, but over the years, it has ended up as a fashion statement, one that could even cost more than an entire house if it is studded with jewels and other kinds of precious gems. Well, the watch was said to die a slow death with the introduction of smartwatches, but such a prediction has proven to be otherwise. The luxury line of watches continue to sell well regardless of the economic climate among the well-heeled and famous, while the regular watch maintains its market share as smartwatches struggle to break into the mainstream consciousness and being a “must have” item on everyone’s wrists. Casio forges on with its very first connected watches for men, the G-Shock G-Steel line.

In the new G-Shock G-Steel range for men, these new models will boast of Bluetooth connectivity alongside the ability to charge itself up via solar power, now how about that for bringing a 21st century update to the old school idea of a watch? Specially designed to boast of a new layer guard case structure that is not only slimmer than previous generation G-Steel timepieces, the new connected watches will represent the cream of the G-Steel crop. All of the new models will arrive in silver stainless steel (GSTB100D-1A), black resin with a silver stainless steel bezel (GSTSB100-1A), and a special edition black resin with a black, carbon fiber bezel (GSTB100X-1A).

Regardless of which model you decide on, all of these new timepieces will make use of Bluetooth low energy technology in order to pair with smartphones using the G-Shock connected app. This would enable the user to utilize the Phone Finder feature, change time zones, check the battery level, and set a timer or alarm from the app itself. Solar-powered charging capabilities, a new functional face design with a “turbine inspired” level indicator disc and a super LED light rounds off the list of impressive features.

The GSTB100-1A and GSTB100D-1A will respectively come with a $320 and $400 price tag, while the special edition GSTB100X-1A is going to be a tad more expensive at $700 a pop.

Press Release
[ Casio announces men’s G-Shock G-Steel line of connected watches copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

from
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20170930/casio-announces-mens-gshock-gsteel-line-connected-watches/

This "Ghost Gun" Machine Now Makes Untraceable Metal Handguns

Second amendment provocateur Cody Wilson is upgrading his gun-making machine to make concealable Colt 45s and Glocks.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/ghost-gun-machine-makes-untraceable-handguns

Inmates Need Social Media. Take It From a Former Prisoner

Opinion: Banning prisoners from Facebook and Twitter just puts them at a disadvantage when they're released.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/inmates-need-social-media-take-it-from-a-former-prisoner

Security News This Week: The Deloitte Breach Was Worse Than We Thought

Big breaches of Deloitte, Sonic, and Whole Foods dominated this week's security news.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/security-news-of-the-week-deloitte-sonic-whole-foods-breach

How Good Are Equifax's Identity Protection Offerings?

After its massive data breach and bungled initial response, Equifax is offering a free set of tools to protect your identity, but they have limits.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/equifax-identity-protection-offerings

Critical EFI Code in Millions of Macs Isn't Getting Apple's Updates

Researchers dug into the deep-seated, arcane code in Apple machines known as EFI, and found it's often dangerously neglected.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/critical-efi-code-in-millions-of-macs-is-not-getting-apple-updates

Feds Monitoring Social Media Does More Harm Than Good

As the Department of Homeland Security takes a closer look at social media accounts, experts caution that it likely won't even accomplish much.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/dhs-social-media-immigrants-green-card

Jared Kushner Registered To Vote As a Woman

In the latest of several paperwork mishaps, the President's senior advisor and son-in-law registered to vote in New York with the wrong gender.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/jared-kushner-voter-registration-woman

How One Syrian Fought to the Death for a Free Internet

Basel Khartabil hoped the internet would lead to a flowering of freedom and openness in Syria. Then he was arrested and imprisoned by the Assad regime.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/how-one-syrian-fought-to-the-death-for-a-free-internet

Signal Has a Fix for Apps' Contact-Leaking Problem

The private messenger is testing an Intel-chip feature that could let apps check your phone's contact list—and then provably forget it.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/signal-contact-lists-private-secure-enclave

BlueParrott convertible C400-XT Bluetooth headset

There was once a time when Bluetooth headsets were all the rage — and that was close to two decades ago. Phones were just that, phones, and there was no such thing as a modern day smartphone with a full touchscreen display, although it well on its way to the existing smartphone design with the advent of the Palm treo and its ilk. Nokia ruled the roost back then, and a hands-free headset was something that was fast catching on, with more and more people being able to afford mobile phones. A Bluetooth headset was considered to be something of a luxury, a fashion statement even. Fast forward to today, and Bluetooth headsets have not deviated from its function, and rarely from its form. Enter BlueParrott’s C400-XT Bluetooth headset.

The C400-XT convertible intends to turn heads in the same way that a true convertible on the road does. This is a premium quality Bluetooth headset, where it boasts of a flexible choice when it comes to wearing styles, is IP rated water resistant and also works great even when the mercury drops to levels that require more than just a single layer of summer clothing. Specially designed to meet the needs of professionals on-the-go, it also features noise cancellation technology, enabling users to take calls while they are on-the-move without missing a beat.

The C400-XT has also been engineered to best fit the mobile worker’s hectic lifestyle, thanks to the availability of customizable wearing options. In other words, you can opt to wear the headset on either ear, around a hat, or choose from one of the two behind-the-neck options. The headset itself is able to stand up to the rigors of real-world use, and also sports VoiceControl — giving it the ability to receive calls or ignore them in a totally hands-free manner. Available from early this October onwards, the BlueParrott convertible C400-XT Bluetooth headset will retail for $139.99.

Press Release

[ BlueParrott convertible C400-XT Bluetooth headset copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

from
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20170924/blueparrott-convertible-c400xt-bluetooth-headset/

Trump DOJ Nominee Jon Adler Pushed Scientology-Based Detox Program

Sitting on the Heroes Health Fund advisory board, Jon Adler helped promote Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's controversial "detoxification" program.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/doj-nominee-jon-adler-heroes-health-fund

Cloudflare's Unlimited DDoS Protection Won't Kill Off Botnets For Good

Cloudflare's unlimited DDoS protection should help the internet, but its broader ambitions of killing off DDoS for good remain out of reach.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/cloudflare-unmetered-mitigation-ddos-attacks

All the Ways Equifax Epically Bungled Its Breach Response

The Equifax breach that potentially exposed the personal information of 143 million people was bad. The company's response has almost been worse, if that's even possible.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/equifax-breach-response

Hackers Break Into the SEC, DHS Tells 21 States Russian Hackers Targeted Them, and More Security News This Week

An SEC hack, a Russian dark web takedown, and more security news this week.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/security-news-this-week-hackers-broke-into-the-sec-a-year-ago

I Helped Create Facebook's Ad Machine. Here's How I'd Fix It

Facebook finally laid out some changes to its ad platform. But a former employee who built it shares his own ideas on how to fix the Russia problem.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/i-helped-create-facebooks-ad-machine-heres-how-id-fix-it

Don't Rely On an Unlock Pattern To Secure Your Android Phone

A new study found test subjects could mostly spot the patterns from five or six feet away on the first try.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/android-unlock-pattern-or-pin

Why Google Play Store Malware Is So Hard To Stop

A rash of malware hit the Google Play store this summer. And while Google has taken big steps to improve Android security, there's no clear end in sight.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/google-play-store-malware

Twitter Will Meet With Senate Intelligence Committee on Russia

For the first time, a social media company will provide answers in a public hearing about Russian efforts to swing the 2016 presidential election.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/twitter-senate-committee-russia-bots

The CCleaner Malware Fiasco Targeted at Least 20 Specific Tech Firms

The backdooring of security software CCleaner now appears to have been more of a targeted spying operation than a mere cybercrime scheme.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/ccleaner-malware-targeted-tech-firms

A WikiLeaks Russia Dump Reveals Just Enough—But Not Too Much

This week, WikiLeaks turned its sites on Russia—and while it didn't reveal much, something beats nothing at all.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/wikileaks-spy-files-russia

New Group of Iranian Hackers Linked to Destructive Malware

A suspected Iranian government hacking team known as APT33 may be planting computer-killing code in networks around the world.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/iran-hackers-apt33

Donald Trump’s United Nations Speech Stokes North Korea Tensions

At the United Nations Tuesday, Donald Trump's incendiary North Korea remarks pushed the word even further from a peaceful outcome.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/donald-trump-united-nations-north-korea

Why Many Deaf Prisoners Can’t Phone Home

States rely on faulty, outdated technology, and resist efforts to use videophones.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/why-many-deaf-prisoners-cant-phone-home

CCleaner Malware Shows Software's Serious Supply-Chain Security Problem

Hackers have targeted software's supply chain in three high profile attacks discovered over the summer.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/ccleaner-malware-supply-chain-software-security

Feds Give Kaspersky Security Products the Boot, and Other Security News This Week

Kaspersky, Apple, and more of the week's top security news.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/kaspersky-security-news

Apple's Differential Privacy Protections Fall Short, Study Says

Apple has boasted of its use of a cutting-edge data science known as "differential privacy." Researchers say they're doing it wrong.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/apple-differential-privacy-shortcomings

The Equifax Breach Was Entirely Preventable

A patch that would have prevented the devastating Equifax breach had been available for months. There's no excuse for that.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/equifax-breach-no-excuse

Apple’s FaceID Could Be a Powerful Tool for Mass Spying

Opinion: The new facial recognition technology could be the next frontier for surveillance.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/apples-faceid-could-be-a-powerful-tool-for-mass-spying

Turn Bluetooth Off When You're Not Using It

In light of the latest Bluetooth-related security meltdown, a friendly PSA.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/turn-off-bluetooth-security

Twitter Didn't Suspend Hope Hicks

Conservatives are in arms over Twitter's suspension of Hope Hicks' Twitter. There's only one problem.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/hope-hicks-twitter-suspended

How the US Can Counter Threats from DIY Weapons and Automation

Opinion: The government must address security threats from DIY weapons and autonomous vehicles.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/how-the-us-can-counter-threats-from-diy-weapons-and-automation

How Secure Is the iPhone X's FaceID? Here's What We Know

The iPhone X replaces TouchID with FaceID. Here's what kind of security trade-off you can expect.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/iphone-x-faceid-security

How to Stop the Next Equifax-Style Megabreach—Or At Least Slow It Down

The Equifax breach wasn't the first mega-breach. But there are some steps that could help make it the last.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-stop-breaches-equifax

Apple’s iOS 11 Will Make It Even Harder for Cops to Extract Your Data

Apple has added two features that could make the lives of law enforcement investigators significantly more difficult.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/apples-ios-11-will-make-it-even-harder-for-cops-to-extract-your-data

Security News This Week: Germany's Election Software Is Dangerously Hackable

Plus researchers revealed a technique called "DolphinAttack" that could allow hackers to silently "speak" to nearby voice assistants.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/security-roundup-germany-election-software-is-hackable

The Equifax Breach Exposes America's Identity Crisis

It's time to rethink the Social Security number's ubiquity.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/the-equifax-breach-exposes-americas-identity-crisis

Facebook May Have More Russian Troll Farms to Worry About

The Internet Research Agency, which appears to have purchased thousands of bogus political ads on Facebook, may be defunct, but its work may not be done.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-may-have-more-russian-troll-farms-to-worry-about

Hack Brief: Patch Your Android Phone To Block An Evil ‘Toast’ Attack

Google has released a fix against a devious new form of "overlay" attack against Android phones.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/hack-brief-patch-your-android-phone-to-block-an-evil-toast-attack

The Equifax Breach: Here’s How to Protect Yourself

Don't panic, but start watching your credit report and financial accounts *very* closely.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-protect-yourself-from-that-massive-equifax-breach

Why It’s So Easy to Hack Cryptocurrency Startup Fundraisers

Hackers, scammers, and the security threats surrounding Initial Coin Offerings

from
https://www.wired.com/story/why-its-so-easy-to-hack-cryptocurrency-startup-fundraisers

The DNC’s Technology Chief is Phishing His Staff. Good.

Uber's former head of self-driving cars is now driving the DNC's tech team, hoping to help the shattered organization recover from one of the worst tech fails in history.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/the-dncs-technology-chief-is-phishing-his-staff-good

Hackers Gain ‘Switch-Flipping’ Access to US Power Systems

Hackers who hit American utilities this summer had the power to cause blackouts, Symantec says. And yes, most signs point to Russia.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/hackers-gain-switch-flipping-access-to-us-power-systems

One State's Bail Reform Exposes the Promise and Pitfalls of Tech-Driven Justice

In its quest to eliminate bail, New Jersey has turned to tech tools that speed up the process of deciding who does and doesn't await trial behind bars.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/bail-reform-tech-justice

Hands on the Cisco 3504 WLC

Not only are WLCs not dead, they’re not even on life support. Continued investment into the WLC platform is a clear indicator that there are still several use cases for centralized data, control, and management plane functions. Cisco has a long heritage of building awesome Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) and the 3504 is the next in a long line of purpose built WLCs. If you’re familiar with the Cisco WLC portfolio, the 5520 and 8540 WLCs are basically UCS based appliances with hardware offloading cards added in. The 3504 returns to the heritage of a ‘from the ground up’ design of a purpose built desktop WLC solution and it’s aimed pretty squarely at the aging 2504 and 5508 platforms. As many people are moving forward with 802.11ac deployments, a look at your infrastructure controller may be warranted.

Without going into the details that are readily available on the data-sheet, I’ll instead focus on one or two key items of the platform that I find the most compelling.

1) Feature parity. This WLC marks the first time the entry level boxes have feature parity with the larger WLCs. If you peruse any of the release notes, you’ll see a list of exceptions for various platforms especially on the low end. The 3504 was launched out of the gate expecting to support all of the features of the 5520 & 8540 making the differences between the three platforms strictly speeds, feeds, and capacity. This should be a comfort to those that regularly struggle with the feature gap in the Cisco WLC portfolio.

2) Quiet operation. Let’s be honest, there are more than a few deployments where the equipment is sitting table top or on a cabinet out in the open somewhere. The 3504 supports ‘fan off’ operation at temperatures up to 86 F (30 C). For the overwhelming majority of situations, it’s difficult to get up to 86 degrees and maintain it with any level of comfort. This basically means that for most deployments, you’ll never hear a sound coming out of the WLC – even if it’s in your home lab.

3) mGig support. Multigigabit (or NBASE-T) is becoming more and more prevalent on switching infrastructure and this marks the first time we can break the 1G link speed on the infrastructure side without having to deploy a full on 10G infrastructure. Those of you that read my posts regularly may recall that I’m a fan of being able to deploy solutions that break the 1G barrier on my existing copper runs. This was commonly APs but if you’ve been investing in the latest and greatest and ignoring the FUD about not needing mGig, this is another opportunity to leverage that investment.

All of these coupled together mean that you can get a quite elegant solution for most any environment now that we’re able to breath some life into the low end of the Cisco WLC portfolio. The 3504 is a notable improvement on the hardware and scale of the 2504 but don’t let it’s ‘desktop friendliness’ fool you – if you’re a 5508 customer today, there are going to be tons of places where ‘stepping down’ into a 3504 makes really great sense. With the rack mount kit available for it, you could easily put two 3504s in HA/SSO mode in 1RU and have all of the same features as the 5508 with a bit less capacity. Regardless of your current deployment, you really should make sure you take a peek at the 3504 as you’re considering lifecycle management of your gear.

Disclaimer: I was provided a 3504 from Cisco as part of an early field trial and formed my opinions on my own. This post is my original work and I composed it without an expectation from Cisco.

from
https://sc-wifi.com/2017/09/04/hands-on-the-cisco-3504-wlc/

Why the US Government Shouldn't Ban Kaspersky Security Software

Opinion: The US government's decision to remove a promising security technology from its arsenal could impair free trade.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/why-the-us-government-shouldnt-ban-kaspersky-security-software

What Is DNS Hijacking?

A recent attack on WikiLeaks illustrates a vulnerability deep in the routing system of the internet itself.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/what-is-dns-hijacking

North Korea's Nuke Test Reveals Terrifying Capabilities

The Hermit Kingdom conducted its most powerful underground test yet, stoking tensions in an already very strained situation.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/north-koreas-nuke-test-reveals-terrifying-capabilities

Trump's Cybersecurity Executive Order Gets Off To a Slow Start

After several missed deadlines, Trump's cybersecurity executive order has gotten off to a slow start.

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The Secret History of FEMA

As the federal disaster agency dives into hurricane Harvey cleanup, its weird Cold War legacy remains hidden—and relevant.

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https://www.wired.com/story/the-secret-history-of-fema

Android Oreo's Security Improvements Will Have a Lasting Impact

The security improvements in Android Oreo will have impacts beyond this one release.

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https://www.wired.com/story/android-oreo-security-improvements

Here Are a Bunch of Trump Inner Circle Amazon Wish Lists

From Cesar Millan to a tactical flashlight, here's what tops Team Trump's Amazon Wish Lists.

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North Korea's Japan Missile Flyover Calls Donald Trump's Bluff

Donald Trump's scorched-earth rhetoric pushes North Korea closer to the brink—and, maybe, the US closer to the negotiating table.

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https://www.wired.com/story/north-korea-japan-missile-trump

Inside an Epic Hotel Room Hacking Spree

A vulnerability in hotel keycard locks was a security disaster—and a huge opportunity for one burglar.

from
https://www.wired.com/2017/08/the-hotel-hacker

Violent Alt-Right Chats Could Be Key to Charlottesville Lawsuits

Leaked documents describe weapons and cite potential "gunfight."

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https://www.wired.com/story/leaked-alt-right-chat-logs-are-key-to-charlottesville-lawsuits

Facebook Creepiness, AccuWeather Tracking, and More Security News This Week

Facebook's weird friend suggestions, AccuWeather's location snooping, and more of the week's top security news.

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https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-accuweather-opm-security-news

Even Artificial Neural Networks Can Have Exploitable 'Backdoors'

Malicious machine learning can hide nasty surprises.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/machine-learning-backdoors

Microsoft PowerShell Is a Hot Hacker Target, But Its Defenses Are Improving

The often-attacked framework finally learns to play defense.

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https://www.wired.com/story/microsoft-powershell-security

All the Ways US Government Cybersecurity Falls Flat

A new study shows not only that federal cybersecurity is as dismal that you thought, but why.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/us-government-cybersecurity

Stormfront Nazis Think the Alt-Right Is Full of Idiots

White supremacist message board users has taken issue with the alt-right, in an echo of past divisions.

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https://www.wired.com/story/stormfront-alt-right

Watch Hackers Hijack Three Robots for Spying and Sabotage

An early taste of the hacked robot uprising.

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https://www.wired.com/story/watch-robot-hacks-spy-sabotage

Your Handy Guide to the Many Tech Anxieties of Our Time

Will you Slack the wrong gossip to the wrong person? Probably, but who cares. Will Skynet become self-aware and kill us all? Nah. At least, not yet.

from
https://www.wired.com/2017/08/anxiety-matrix

The Confessions: What If All Your Secrets Became Public? A Story by Joshua Cohen

from
https://www.wired.com/2017/08/the-confessions

Enigma ICO Heist Robs Nearly $500,000 in Ethereum From Investors

Crypto's fine and good, but make sure you're looking after the basics.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/enigma-ico-ethereum-heist

Sorry, Banning ‘Killer Robots’ Just Isn’t Practical

Elon Musk and others seek restrictions on use of autonomous weapons

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https://www.wired.com/story/sorry-banning-killer-robots-just-isnt-practical

Trump Administration Elevates US Cyber Command

By elevating Cyber Command, the Trump administration signals just how important cyber warfare has become.

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https://www.wired.com/story/cyber-command-elevated

Charlottesville, HBO Hacks, and More Security News This Week

Charlottesville, HBO hacks, and more of the week's top security news.

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https://www.wired.com/story/apple-touch-id-turn-off

Breaking Down the HBO Hacks: From Game of Thrones To a Twitter Takeover

Four separate security incidents, including _Game of Thrones_ leaks, have turned HBO's August into a case study of hack attacks.

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https://www.wired.com/story/hbo-hacks-game-of-thrones

Cloudflare Pulls Support For The Daily Stormer, a White Supremacist Site

Cloudflare pulls the plug on a white supremacist site, after years of declaring neutrality.

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https://www.wired.com/story/cloudflare-daily-stormer

A Deep Flaw in Your Car Lets Hackers Shut Down Safety Features

A new wrinkle in auto-hacking research points to a fundamental vulnerability in the CAN protocol cars' innards use to communicate.

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https://www.wired.com/story/car-hack-shut-down-safety-features

Verizon Takes Fourth Amendment Stand in Carpenter V. United States

By fighting against the collection of warrantless location information, Verizon bucks a trend of telecom cooperation with the feds.

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https://www.wired.com/story/verizon-privacy-location-data-fourth-amendment

Donald Trump's Charlottesville Press Conference Has Roots in Fox News and Twitter

Nothing Donald Trump said Tuesday about Charlottesville hadn't already been said on conservative media, or by the Twitter figures he follows.

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https://www.wired.com/story/donald-trump-charlottesville-press-conference-white-supremacy

Tech Companies Have the Tools to Confront White Supremacy

After Charlottesville, companies like Facebook, Twitter, and the rest of Silicon [Valley](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/08/14/godaddy-bans-neo-nazi-site-daily-stormer-for-disparaging-woman-killed-at-charlottesville-rally/?utm_term=.5071829edb00) should take a firmer stand against white supremacy on their platforms.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/charlottesville-social-media-hate-speech-online

Free Stingray-Detector Apps Could Be Outsmarted

Researchers tested their own stingray against five free Android apps. It beat them all.

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https://www.wired.com/story/stingray-detector-apps

The Alt-Right Can't Disown Charlottesville

For years, inflammatory rhetoric consumed backwater internet message boards. They can’t take it back now.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/alt-right-charlottesville-reddit-4chan

A Guide to Russia’s High Tech Tool Box for Subverting US Democracy

Russia's government draws on a century of espionage tradecraft to influence and undermine Western society. Now it’s updated for the digital age.

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https://www.wired.com/story/a-guide-to-russias-high-tech-tool-box-for-subverting-us-democracy

The Guy Who Made Up All Those Password Rules Is Sorry

North Korea tensions, password regrets, Shadow Brokers, and more of the week's top security news.

from
https://www.wired.com/story/password-rules-north-korea