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Month: February 2017

ComputerWorldIndependent
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NASA scientist detained at U.S. border until handing over PIN to unlock his phone

Credit to Author: Darlene Storm| Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2017 06:17:00 -0800

Sidd Bikkannavar understands that his last name may sound foreign, but he is a natural-born U.S. citizen who has been working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab for 10 years. He was flagged by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for extra scrutiny when returning to the U.S. from Patagonia where his vacation consisted of racing solar-powered cars.

After his passport was scanned at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Bikkannavar was detained by CBP until he handed over the PIN to his government-issued phone.

At first, the border agent asked him questions that CBP already knew the answers to since Bikkannavar is enrolled in CPB’s Global Entry program which gives “pre-approved, low-risk travelers” expedited entry into the U.S.; before being approved for the program, CBP says “all applicants undergo a rigorous background check and in-person interview before enrollment.”

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ComputerWorldIndependent
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Experts worry that ransomware could hit critical infrastructure

Credit to Author: Michael Kan| Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2017 13:14:00 -0800

Expect ransomware to grow more aggressive in the coming years, including higher ransom payments and attempts to go beyond attacking data — by shutting down entire computer systems to utilities or factories.

“I see no reason for ransomware to stop,” said Neil Jenkins, an official with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “It’s shown to be effective.”

On Monday at the RSA cybersecurity conference, experts gave a grim outlook on the future of ransomware, which they fear will spread. Through the attacks, cybercriminals have already managed to rake in US$1 billion last year, according to one estimate.

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IndependentSecuriteam
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Know your community – El kentaro

Credit to Author: Maor Schwartz| Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2017 06:30:43 +0000

If you ever been in a security conference, there are always those people who seems to be connected with everyone. Today we have the opportunity to interview one of them! I’m proud to introduce El Kentaro! Kentaro is a permanent resident at CODE BLUE, AVTokyo and security community events in Japan. El is a skillful … Continue reading Know your community – El kentaro →

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ComputerWorldIndependent
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Recent malware attacks on Polish banks tied to wider hacking campaign

Credit to Author: Lucian Constantin| Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2017 09:43:00 -0800

Malware attacks that recently put the Polish banking sector on alert were part of a larger campaign that targeted financial organizations from more than 30 countries.

Researchers from Symantec and BAE Systems linked the malware used in the recently discovered Polish attack to similar attacks that have taken place since October in other countries. There are also similarities to tools previously used by a group of attackers known in the security industry as Lazarus.

The hackers compromised websites that were of interest to their ultimate targets, a technique known as watering-hole attacks. They then injected code into the websites that redirected visitors to a custom exploit kit.

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ComputerWorldIndependent
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IDG Contributor Network: The look of a Facebook imposter

Credit to Author: Sandra Henry-Stocker| Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2017 08:38:00 -0800

While I don’t usually write about hoaxes and scams, a little encounter that I had over the weekend with a con artist brought this issue into clear focus for me. So, I thought I would share some thoughts about what to watch out for when dealing with Facebook friends and how to respond if one of those “friends” turns out to be someone else entirely.

You’ve probably already heard about facebook imposters – individuals who pretend to be someone you know. After you accept them as a friend, they might ask for money, claiming to be stranded in some foreign country or complaining that their wallet was stolen while on vacation and now they need your help getting back home, or they might just try to learn more about you for some nefarious reason or another. In my case, my “friend” — after a quick “hello” — started telling me that I’d won some an award amounting $150,000 in cash and that it should be on its way to me. She suggested that I call a number that she provided to be sure that I was still on the list. She claimed that she had noticed my name on the list when she got hers. Why shouldn’t I believe that?

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FortinetSecurity
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Information Sharing in Cybersecurity Today Q&A with Derek Manky

Credit to Author: John Welton| Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2017 17:47:47 -0800

Information sharing continues to be a topic that remains timely and vital in global cybersecurity. As an industry, it is well understood that turning the tide on cybercrime requires actionable information sharing across networks, borders, and vendors. Fortinet’s Derek Manky offers some perspective ahead of RSA 2017 in San Francisco. Why is information sharing so important today? Sharing information proactively across all verticals and public or private organizations is essential moving forward. Organizations continue to struggle against…

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