A Little Sunshine – Page 45 – Computer Security Articles

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2018 19:43:29 +0000

KrebsOnSecurity has long warned readers to plant your own flag at the my Social Security online portal of the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) — even if you are not yet drawing benefits from the agency — because identity thieves have been registering accounts in peoples’ names and siphoning retirement and/or disability funds. This is the story of a Midwest couple that took all the right precautions and still got hit by ID thieves who impersonated them to the SSA directly over the phone. In mid-December 2017 this author heard from Ed Eckenstein, a longtime reader in Oklahoma whose wife Ruth had just received a snail mail letter from the SSA about successfully applying to withdraw benefits. The letter confirmed she’d requested a one-time transfer of more than $11,000 from her SSA account. The couple said they were perplexed because both previously had taken my advice and registered accounts with MySocialSecurity, even though Ruth had not yet chosen to start receiving SSA benefits.

Independent Krebs

January 24, 2018 admin

Chronicle: A Meteor Aimed At Planet Threat Intel?

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2018 22:56:52 +0000

Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, said today it is in the process of rolling out a new service designed to help companies more quickly make sense of and act on the mountains of threat data produced each day by cybersecurity tools. Countless organizations rely on a hodgepodge of security software, hardware and services to find and detect cybersecurity intrusions before an incursion by malicious software or hackers has the chance to metastasize into a full-blown data breach.

Independent Krebs

January 24, 2018 admin

Expert: IoT Botnets the Work of a ‘Vast Minority’

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2018 15:38:52 +0000

In December 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice announced indictments and guilty pleas by three men in the United States responsible for creating and using Mirai, a malware strain that enslaves poorly-secured “Internet of Things” or IoT devices like security cameras and digital video recorders for use in large-scale cyberattacks. The FBI and the DOJ had help in their investigation from many security experts, but this post focuses on one expert whose research into the Dark Web and its various malefactors was especially useful in that case. Allison Nixon is director of security research at Flashpoint, a cyber intelligence firm based in New York City. Nixon spoke with KrebsOnSecurity at length about her perspectives on IoT security and the vital role of law enforcement in this fight.

Independent Krebs

January 2, 2018 admin

Serial Swatter “SWAuTistic” Bragged He Hit 100 Schools, 10 Homes

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2018 17:15:10 +0000

The individual who allegedly made a fake emergency call to Kansas police last week that summoned them to shoot and kill an unarmed local man has claimed credit for raising dozens of these dangerous false alarms — calling in bogus hostage situations and bomb threats at roughly 100 schools and at least 10 residences.

Independent Krebs

December 28, 2017 admin

4 Years After Target, the Little Guy is the Target

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2017 15:36:55 +0000

Dec. 18 marked the fourth anniversary of this site breaking the news about a breach at Target involving some 40 million customer credit and debit cards. It has been fascinating in the years since that epic intrusion to see how organized cyber thieves have shifted from targeting big box retailers to hacking a broad swath of small to mid-sized merchants that accept credit cards.

Independent Krebs

December 26, 2017 admin

Skyrocketing Bitcoin Fees Hit Carders in Wallet

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2017 14:55:14 +0000

Critics of unregulated virtual currencies like Bitcoin have long argued that the core utility of these payment systems lies in facilitating illicit commerce, such as buying drugs or stolen credit cards and identities. But recent spikes in the price of Bitcoin — and the fees associated with moving funds into and out of it — have conspired to make Bitcoin a less useful and desirable payment method for many crooks engaged in these activities.

Independent Krebs

December 19, 2017 admin

Buyers Beware of Tampered Gift Cards

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2017 16:28:57 +0000

Prepaid gift cards make popular presents and no-brainer stocking stuffers, but before you purchase one be on the lookout for signs that someone may have tampered with it. A perennial scam that picks up around the holidays involves thieves who pull back and then replace the decals that obscure the card’s redemption code, allowing them to redeem or transfer the card’s balance online after the card is purchased by an unwitting customer.

Independent Krebs

December 18, 2017 admin

The Market for Stolen Account Credentials

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2017 19:13:53 +0000

Past stories here have explored the myriad criminal uses of a hacked computer, the various ways that your inbox can be spliced and diced to help cybercrooks ply their trade, and the value of a hacked company. Today’s post looks at the price of stolen credentials for just about any e-commerce, bank site or popular online service, and provides a glimpse into the fortunes that an enterprising credential thief can earn selling these accounts on consignment.