SafetyIssues Personal and Public Safety News Articles: Cyber Crime No Easy Answers to Password Problems ================================================================================ Courtesy of TechnologyReview on 07/06/11 03:21:00 Even "strong" passwords have big weaknesses, so companies serious about security ought to rely on additional methods of authentication. When hackers breached the servers of Sony Pictures in June, they cast a harsh light on one of the Web's most bedeviling security problems: passwords. After finding that a million user passwords for three Sony sites were stored without encryption, the intruders posted them online for anyone to see. Safety tips for secure Tweeting ================================================================================ Courtesy of Globaltvbc on 01/10/11 06:50:00 The seemingly impenetrable walls of Fortress Twitter came crumbling down Monday following reports U.S. President Barack Obama had been assassinated. The outrageous and (thankfully) inaccurate Tweets were sent in the morning from Fox News’ Politics Twitter account, likely by a hacker confusing Independence Day with April Fools’ Day. A group calling itself The Script Kiddies claimed responsibility for the Tweets, which remained posted on the Fox News account for more than six hours. Cyber safety tips for parents ================================================================================ Courtesy of cyber-safey on 01/03/11 06:45:00 The first step in reducing risks online is talking. Talking to your children about what they should and should not do when they are online. Find out the activities they are currently doing online and talk about them. Children love to show off their talents, and when you are interested in what they are doing online, nine times out of ten they will be more than happy to show you what they know. Let them teach you some of the different chat programs they use, what sites they visit and music download software they use. WikiLeaks is under a cyber attack ================================================================================ Courtesy of Examiner on 11/28/10 12:47:00 Whistleblower WikiLeaks said today its Web site has been targeted by a massive computer attack, just hours before an expected release of classified U.S. documents. "We are currently under a mass distributed denial of service attack," WikiLeaks said on its Twitter feed. Efforts to reach the page as of this writing were unsuccessful. The site released 75,000 confidential files on the war in Afghanistan in July and defied a series of warnings from the Pentagon and other government officials by releasing nearly 400,000 secret files from the Iraq war last month. In a Twitter post last week, the whistleblower site announced it was preparing to release its largest cache of classified documents. Cyber Attacks Cripple Government Websites ================================================================================ Staff writer for SafetyIssues on 07/10/09 01:40:00 Since the Independence Day weekend last July 4, massive cyber attacks have hit about 39 target websites, including the White House, the Secret Service, Treasury Department, State Department, the Pentagon, Transportation Department; business websites such as the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq; and media websites such as the Washington Post. Twitter Hackers Twit Celebrity Accounts ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 01/06/09 05:33:00 More security problems have cropped up for Twitter, the micro-blogging service, as the Twitter accounts of 33 celebrities and organizations were hacked. These included the president-elect, Barack Obama, pop star Britney Spears, CNN anchor Rick Sanchez and Fox News. New Law Targets Rogue Online Pharmacies ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 10/07/08 09:41:00 The two chambers of the U.S. Congress have passed a bill designed to stop and/or regulate online rogue pharmacies that sell medicines and controlled substances without prescription. E-mail Hacking Shows Web Security Flaws ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/20/08 01:46:00 The recent hacking on the Republican vice presidential candidate has highlighted the weak security links in Web e-mail security. Are Docs Saying Too Much in Medical Blogs? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/12/08 02:03:00 Some medical professionals may be putting too much specific information on their blogs and posing a threat to patient privacy, according to a study conducted by a team from the University of Pennsylvania published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine website. Feds Charge Global ID Theft Ring ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/08/08 12:10:00 Federal authorities filed conspiracy, computer fraud, aggravated identity theft and other charges against 11 people on Tuesday, August 5, in connection with the theft and sale of credit and debit card numbers running to over 40 million records. Is Your Instant Messaging Secure? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 11/30/10 08:20:00 Not all of the instant messaging providers are ensuring complete encryption of the communication exchanges between their users, according to a recent survey conducted by CNET.com, a technology-oriented website. Protect Your College Notebook ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/01/07 03:05:00 It used to be that you carried one notebook to write down the pearls of wisdom your teachers imparted during class lectures. In another notebook, you recorded discussions in groups outside of class. In still another notebook, you recorded experiment results. How to Avoid Top Five Internet Frauds ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/01/05 04:20:00 It hides in Web sites. It lurks in your email. Fraud is rampant throughout the Internet but you do not have to be a victim. Information is power though. Here are the top 5 ways you can get burned on the Internet and how to avoid them. Workplace Cyber-Bully Attacks Increasing ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/28/07 12:45:00 You’re enjoying some quality time with your family on a Saturday afternoon when your company cell phone gives the tell-tale beep that you’ve got a text message. Safe Surfing ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 07/21/07 06:35:00 “Mom, I’m going to Julie’s house!” your 13-year-old daughter Amanda shouts as she runs out the front door. She and Julie had been close friends since preschool, so you give your customary reply, “Okay, be back by dinner!” and return to your duties. Internet Cheats Gamble on Big Business ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/03/07 12:30:00 “Cause that’s where the money is.” The now-infamous answer to the question purportedly posed to 1930s bank robber Willy Sutton is now the reason so many thieves and would-be thieves are beginning to turn to American business. Don’t be too quick to open that E-mail Attachment! ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 01/09/08 06:05:00 There is one thing we all need to be aware of in regard to computer safety: the most treacherous schemes are spread through e-mail message attachments. These programs include Viruses, Trojans and Worms. How are they spread this way? Cyperstalking: Cyberstalkers and your Children ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 11/29/07 04:00:00 They stalk your children in your home, they harass them, yet no amount of locks on the doors or alarm system zones will protect them from this; cyperstalking. Cyperstalking is a word that didn’t exist 10 years ago, it does today. Web Stalkers using Cookies that are no Treats! ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 12/12/07 11:35:00 As more and more people of the world are shopping and surfing online, the need to increase our awareness of the potential security threats involved in gaining access to our personal information is critical. Personal Data More At Risk Today ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/16/07 03:15:00 You must have heard about all the security measures that have been put up to safeguard electronic data. Contrary to what you may have expected, your personal data is less safe in 2007 than it was in 2005. Cyber Criminal Using File Sharing Programs Indicted ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/23/07 04:15:00 In the first case in the US that involved peer-to-peer file sharing programs, a Seattle resident was indicted by a federal grand jury for mail fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft and accessing a protected computer without authorization to perpetrate further fraud. Security Tips On P2P File Sharing ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 01/02/11 07:10:00 Although only one man has so far been indicted for identity theft and fraud using peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing networks, experts believe the use of P2P for these criminal purposes is an emerging class of crime that has potential for becoming more widespread. Facebook Safety Claims Investigated ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/27/07 04:05:00 Facebook, the second biggest online social networking site, is facing investigation by the New York state attorney general on allegations that it misleads users by promoting its website as a place where young people can network and stay safe from adult sexual predators. Power Plants Vulnerable to Cyber Attack ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/28/07 04:00:00 Experts in computers have long aired their concerns about the vulnerability of key infrastructure and utilities to cyber attacks. In dramatic fashion, researchers demonstrated just how accurate these warnings are. Spams Sent Via YouTube ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 10/06/07 09:00:00 A YouTube feature meant to help people share videos has become a tool for spammers to send their junk mail. The spam attack is based largely in the U.S., said security experts. Tips for Wi-Fi Safety ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 04/04/11 04:55:00 Wi-Fi hotspots can now be found all over, at cafes, convention centers, airports, hotels and other public places. This makes using your laptop very convenient, but it also exposes you to all kinds of risks. Diet Pills Bought on Web May Damage Heart ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/18/08 02:45:00 A new study has found that many weight-loss supplements offered for sale online actually contain ingredients that could be harmful to your heart, but the product labels do not warn buyers about them. Fraudsters Target Tax Rebate Checks ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/11/08 02:05:00 The FBI has issued a warning that scammers are out to intercept the economic stimulus checks from the IRS. According to the FBI, fake e-mails are being sent to individuals informing them that the quickest and easiest way they can get the refund is by direct deposit to their bank account. Spam Invades Cellphones ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/11/08 12:00:00 It is not only your computer that’s vulnerable to spam. You can expect to get hit through your cellular phone. And when spam invades your cellphone, it’s certainly going to annoy you and it’s likely going to cost you. Social Network Sites Swarming with Spammers ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/05/08 11:35:00 Social networking sites have drawn millions of teens and adults hoping to find real friends in a virtual world. In the process, they have also attracted spammers, hackers and other Internet villains who become bogus friends trying to make real trouble for legitimate users. And, experts warn users, this is only the start. Data Breaches Soared in 2007 ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 01/01/08 03:15:00 Breaches of databases, resulting in the loss or theft of personal information reached record heights in 2007. Worse, experts believe the trend is not going to reverse anytime soon. CIA Reveals Hacker Attacks on Utilities ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 01/20/08 07:50:00 The CIA’s top cybersecurity analyst made a rare public disclosure at a trade conference Wednesday, saying cyber attackers have breached the computer systems of foreign utility companies. The information was disclosed to participants at the Process Control Security Summit in New Orleans. Is It Possible to Steal Encrypted Data? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 02/09/11 09:15:00 Most people use disk encryption tools to prevent someone who may have physical possession of their computer from gaining access to their data without their personal password or key. These tools are supposed to be very effective, and people commonly assume that with the tools, their data are protected even when their computers are lost or stolen. Do Some Websites Abet Suicide? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 04/11/08 12:15:00 The Internet has played an increasingly influential role in modern living. This significant influence may extend to suicide attempts — both in the outcome and in influencing people to make the attempt. This startling conclusion comes from a research team whose findings were recently published in the British Medical Journal. 2007 Internet Crimes Cost Nearly $240M ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 04/07/08 06:20:00 The number Internet crimes in 2007 fell by a hairline 0.3 percent compared to 2006, but the financial losses amounted to $239.09 million for the year, which represented a 21 percent increase in value from the 2006 figure, according to an FBI report released Thursday.