Security news

Internet

Researchers develop innovative approaches to tackle false information on multiple fronts

As internet usage becomes an integral part of our daily lives, many people rely on various online sources for information. While the internet offers greater convenience and a wider range of news sources, the spread of false ...

Security

Police arrest Australian 'distributor' of Ghost crime app

An Australian man has been charged with distributing the encrypted messaging app known as "Ghost", allegedly used by criminals across the globe to arrange drug deals and violence, police said Wednesday.

Security

AI is fueling a deepfake porn crisis in South Korea. What's behind it—and how can it be fixed?

It's difficult to talk about artificial intelligence without talking about deepfake porn—a harmful AI byproduct that has been used to target everyone from Taylor Swift to Australian school girls.

Consumer & Gadgets

Exploding pagers and walkie-talkies are a reminder of how easily devices can be hacked

The recent attacks on walkie-talkies and pagers in Lebanon have highlighted the hidden vulnerabilities in everyday technology. These incidents underscore the need for individuals to understand the potential risks associated ...

Security

AI model beats CAPTCHA every time

A trio of AI researchers at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, has modified an AI-based, picture-processing model to solve Google's reCAPTCHAv2 human-testing system.

Security

Encrypted 'Ghost' app: What we know

Police revealed Tuesday they had infiltrated and taken down an encrypted chat app called Ghost used by criminals across the world.

Security

'Good complexity' can make hospital networks more cybersecure

In May, a major cyberattack disabled clinical operations for nearly a month at Ascension, a health care provider that includes 140 hospitals across the U.S. Investigators tracked the problem to malicious ransomware that had ...

Security

New tools use AI 'fingerprints' to detect altered photos, videos

As artificial intelligence networks become more skilled and easier to access, digitally manipulated "deepfake" photos and videos are increasingly difficult to detect. New research led by Binghamton University, State University ...

Software

Usable data hacked from air-gapped computer

A team of software and information systems engineers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, in Israel, has demonstrated an ability to extract useful data from an air-gapped computer. The group has posted a paper to the arXiv ...

Software

Amnesty sounds alarm over Gulf, Norway virus apps

Amnesty International warned Tuesday that contact-tracing technology developed to contain the novel coronavirus threatens users' privacy, highlighting Bahraini, Kuwaiti and Norwegian apps as "among the most dangerous".

Computer Sciences

Light bulb vibrations yield eavesdropping data

In an era of digital eavesdropping where hackers employ a variety of means to take over built-in video cameras, peruse personal digital data and snoop on cellular conversations, researchers have finally seen the light.

Software

Norway suspends virus-tracing app after privacy concerns

Norway's health authorities said on Monday they had suspended an app designed to help trace the spread of the new coronavirus after the national data protection agency said it was too invasive of privacy.

Hardware

Plug-and-play bug exposes millions of network devices

A bug in a protocol used by virtually all Internet of Things devices exposes millions of users to potential attack, a researcher reported Monday. The fault centers on the Universal Plug and Play protocol, a 12-year-old implementation ...

Computer Sciences

Platform developed to help users control their personal data

The trove of digital data we generate in our daily lives can potentially make us more efficient, increase sustainability and improve our health, among other benefits, but it also poses threats to privacy.

Hardware

Reports: Intel chips have new security flaws

A pair of new security threats to Intel-based computer systems have been revealed. The beleaguered semiconductor chip manufacturer has faced a seemingly endless series of vulnerabilities over the past two years.

Security

Amazon bans police use of its face recognition for a year

Amazon banned police use of its face-recognition technology for a year, making it the latest tech giant to step back from law-enforcement use of systems that have faced criticism for incorrectly identifying people with darker ...

Security

CyberGraph: mapping cyber threats to prevent the next attack

Although nearly every aspect of our lives relies on technology, our current cybersecurity infrastructure is not prepared to effectively defend our social, economic and political organizations from advancing cyberattacks, ...

Security

US investigating hacker ring paid to target corporate critics

U.S. authorities are investigating a vast hacking-for-hire operation that involves attempts to pilfer confidential communications from investigative journalists, short sellers and advocacy groups fighting climate change, ...

Business

Nintendo says 300,000 accounts breached after hack

Japanese gaming giant Nintendo has admitted that hackers have breached 300,000 accounts since early April, gaining access to personal information such as birthdays and email addresses but not credit-card details.

Software

Homeland Security warns of Windows worm

The Homeland Security's cybersecurity advisory division is cautioning Windows 10 users of the possibility of a wave of cyberattacks due to the recent publication of an exploit code.

Security

Do COVID-19 apps protect your privacy?

Mobile apps are helping track the spread of COVID-19 to contain the outbreak, but the apps also raise concerns about personal privacy.

Security

Japanese carmaker Honda hit by cyberattack

Japanese carmaker Honda said Tuesday that it has been hit by a cyberattack that disrupted its business in several countries, though it expects the overall impact to be contained.