Infected Apps and Hyperloops
You know how, when you go to download something, and you get a warning that you might be downloading malicious software? Maybe it makes you think twice about going through with the process (and if it doesn’t, uhhh). Turns out, however, such a warning was not enough for some mobile app developers in China. Opting,… Read More
Millions More Medical Records Stolen
This has not been a good year so far for blue crosses and blue shields. Honestly, all these healthcare data breaches make for a double-edged sword, when it comes to writing about them. Sure, each one is its own story, and gives me new material; but at the same time, that story is just the… Read More
Healthcare Breaches and EMR Adoption
With a certain Ms. Madison recently dominating headlines (even earning shout outs on hit TV series), it might be easy to forget that other hacks—less scandalous but just as symptomatic—continue apace. Healthcare, in particular, remains an attractive industry for cyber criminals to target. People’s medical information can net thieves a much better payday, after all,… Read More
Data Security Encirclement and Encryption
Some movement on the enforcement front of encryption, as the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has confirmed the Federal Trade Commission’s authority to enforce data security standards. After a case involving three separate data breaches at Wyndham hotels, which were facilitated by Wyndham allegedly misrepresenting the security measures it had in place, the court… Read More
Carphones, Ashley Madison and the New Cyber Reality
Not that anyone expected otherwise, but this whole Year of the Data Breach business is turning out to be a global phenomenon, to now turn to the hack of British mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse. Personally, I don’t like the distraction of prolonged conversation while driving, free hands or not; but in its mission to… Read More
What would you do if your personal information was breached?
What protections do people deserve from data breaches? And how much should those actually affected by a breach receive? These are topics that are currently being debated in the legislature, in light of the two OPM hacks that compromised the security clearance records of over 20 million federal employees. Free credit monitoring is often a… Read More
UCLA and Ashley Madison: This Year of the Data Breach
And people thought we were witnessing a deluge of superhero movies. Even next year, when there will be no fewer than six mask-and-cape epics, from three different studios, won’t be any comparison to the torrent of data breaches that already makes last year’s label as “Year of the Data Breach” seem like a joke. Health… Read More
Backdoors and Other Infrastructure Failures
Gawker says it’s time to panic. And really, if you look at all the bizarre happenings last week, you might think they were the harbingers of some sort of digital end times, as foretold by the Books of Cameron and Wachowksi. Computer screw ups at the NYSE, United Airlines, the Wall Street Journal’s site, stranded… Read More
Security Failure and the OPM Breach
China is currently in the news again, and not just as it relates to Donald Trump’s apartment sale figures. The massive hack of the Office of Personnel Management, which exposed files containing sensitive information on millions of federal employees, veterans, retirees, etc., has obviously been highly publicized by this point. From the standard stuff like… Read More
Easier Crime For Hackers
How many movies and TV shows have there been about bank robberies and other such heists? Probably hundreds, I would guess, over the decades. Plenty even within the last few years. It’s well-trodden narrative ground. In light of recent trends and new paradigms, however, any future screen bank robber is going to look pretty silly… Read More