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September 19, 2017 by Vertical Axion
The FDA recently issued a recall order on nearly half a million pacemakers that have serious security flaws. They could allow hackers to take control of them, run their batteries dry or even modify a patient’s heartbeat, putting their lives at risk. The recall order impacts six different types of pacemakers, manufactured by Abbott (formerly […]
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September 18, 2017 by Vertical Axion
If you haven’t heard of the “BlueBorne” attack vector yet, you probably will in the months ahead It’s perhaps one of the most invasive, pervasive attack vectors in the history of the internet, and that’s really saying something. A group of security researchers at Armis Labs discovered a total of eight zero-day vulnerabilities in Bluetooth […]
September 16, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Roger Severino is a man on a mission. If you’re not familiar with the name, and your company has to comply with HIPAA regulations, then you’ll probably be hearing a lot about (and from) him in the months and years ahead. Mr. Severino was recently appointed as the Director of the Department of Health and […]
September 14, 2017 by Vertical Axion
A group of hackers recently bragged about having obtained the personal details of some six million Instagram users, including a number of A-list celebrities that include the likes of Adele, David Beckham and Emma Watson. Worse, the hackers created a new website dubbed “Doxagram,” which they charge people ten dollars a search to look up […]
September 13, 2017 by Vertical Axion
There’s a new Android app to be aware of. This one allows anyone, even without any technical skills, to create ransomware, in a matter of minutes. It’s a menu-driven system that automates every aspect of the software’s creation. Toolkits like these are not unheard of. Seasoned hackers often refer to no- or low-talent hackers as […]
September 12, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Security researchers in Europe have discovered a pair of flaws that relate to modern web browsers’ extension system. Exploiting these flaws would allow a patient and determined hacker to determine with absolute accuracy of what extensions any given user is making use of. While not as critical of a flaw as some of the others […]
September 11, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Microsoft has been under fire for forcing its legion of Windows 10 users to automatically receive security updates for the OS. The level of outcry against it has been loud and constant, and finally, it looks like the company is listening to its customers. They promised that starting with the Windows 10 Creators Update, your […]
September 9, 2017 by Vertical Axion
You’re probably familiar with Equifax. As one of the three major US credit bureaus, the company exerts an outsized influence on millions of lives, because their record of your credit score plays a big role in determining if or whether you can get loans, and what your terms will be. Unfortunately, Equifax was hacked, and […]
September 8, 2017 by Vertical Axion
There’s a particularly nasty new malware campaign being orchestrated via Facebook, and all users are advised to steer clear of clicking on links in Facebook’s messenger service, even if you know the recipient. There are a few reasons this attack is worth paying special attention to: First, as yet, no one has been able to […]
September 6, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Point of Sale (POS) systems are notoriously easy to hack. Hardly a month goes by that we don’t hear of some vendor or another having had their POS system breached, exposing customer credit card and other personal data. It’s always the same story. X numbers of users are impacted, notified and told to watch their […]
September 5, 2017 by Vertical Axion
You may have heard the statistic from Google that less than 0.05 percent of Android devices downloaded malware in 2016. It’s a great statistic, and one that the company should be proud of. Here’s a statistic they’re not talking about nearly as much: this year, the number of successful ransomware attacks against Android devices has […]
September 4, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Google is struggling to keep malware out of the Play Store these days. Recently, literally thousands of malicious apps were discovered, and Google has been busy banning them. This represents a significant reversal of fortunes for the tech giant, which in recent years has been able to brag about its success, relative to other companies, […]
September 2, 2017 by Vertical Axion
It’s no secret that 2017 is on track to beat 2016 handily in terms of the total number of network breaches, and sadly, 2016 was itself a record-breaking year. What is less well known is the fact that most of the successful breaches are accomplished via exploits that have been identified for literally years. This […]
September 1, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Do you rely on the AccuWeather App to keep tabs on local weather conditions? If so, you’ll want to read this. According to an independent security researcher named Will Strafach, the AccuWeather app designed for iOS sends your location information to a firm called “Reveal Mobile,” which is a data monetization company. Based on Strafach’s […]
August 31, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Security researchers from firms around the web are warning of a new email exploit that hackers can use to modify the contents of an email, even after it has been sent and delivered. Originally discovered by Francisco Ribeiro of the firm Mimecast, Ropemaker stands for “Remotely Originated Post-delivery Email Manipulation Attacks Keeping Email Risky,” and […]
August 29, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Mac users have a new strain of malware to be concerned about. It is dubbed “Mughthesec,” which seems to be a new, improved, and more robust design, based on an older piece of malware known as the OperatorMac family. Among its improvements are the facts that it includes an anti-VM detection system that includes a […]
August 28, 2017 by Vertical Axion
For a time, Locky ransomware was the scourge of the internet and was considered by many security experts to be the most widely distributed form of malware on the internet. Things change, however, and the internet marches on. Hackers latch on to the latest and greatest variants, and after a brief surge to the top, […]
August 26, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Remember the global Wannacry ransomware attack? Remember the even more recent Petya attacks? You would think after either of these, IT professionals around the world would have stepped up and immediately implemented better, stronger and more robust security protocols, because as those attacks proved, if the hackers want to, they can bring not just individual […]
August 25, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Nationwide may be “on your side,” as their ads claim, but they’re not immune to data breaches, and in 2012, they suffered a serious one that impacted more than 1.2 million of their customers. A post mortem investigation into the breach concluded that it was made possible because the company failed to install a security […]
August 24, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Microsoft’s increased transparency in recent years is winning it high marks and added trust among the company’s massive user base, at least according to the recent report offered by Marisa Rogers. Rogers is the Privacy Officer for the company’s Windows and Devices group, who reports that fully 71 percent of users who have updated to […]
August 23, 2017 by Vertical Axion
This year is on track to win the dubious honor of seeing more hacking attacks than any year since statistics have been kept, and should handily beat out 2016’s total, which currently holds the record, according to a recently published report by NTT Security. According to the security giant’s data, their customers have suffered a […]
August 22, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Even cybersecurity companies struggle with data security. Case in point: FireEye, a well-known and well-respected player in the industry, has had this struggle. Recently, they fell victim to a successful hacking attack conducted by a group called “31337.” Of interest, the hackers didn’t breach the corporate network, but instead, hacked into a number of one […]
August 21, 2017 by Vertical Axion
Microsoft just released its August 2017 security patch, as is customary on Patch Tuesday, which, by itself, is not news. The importance of this particular security update, however, is extremely newsworthy, and if you’re not in the habit of installing security updates when they come out, you’ll want to grab this one. On its face, […]
August 19, 2017 by Vertical Axion
“Sometimes the wheel turns slowly, but it turns.” That quote, made famous by Lorne Michaels, certainly applies in the case of the government’s involvement in securing internet-connected devices. By now, almost everyone has at least one “smart” device in their home or driveway. Projections are that there will be more internet-connected devices than computers and […]
