At this point, the resetting of a mobile phone to a from-the-factory state is something we have all done, perhaps simply to get a fresh start with a device that has become sluggish and over-burdened with years of downloaded flotsam. But more likely, we do it for the purpose of selling the phone or passing it along to...
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Another day, another story about a poor SSL implementation. According to analytics service SourceDNA, a staggering 1,500 iOS apps are bugged with a gaping HTTPS hole, allowing attackers to intercept traffic that should otherwise be secure.
The bug exists in a popular networking library called AFNetworking. If an...
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What value would you put on your personal information, such as your social security number? To me, that kind of information is invaluable, because in the wrong hands, your life can be made a living hell. But according to FCC, that information is worth about $90, based on the fact that it's just fined AT&T $25 million...
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Whenever a software flaw is discovered and is then patched, it's not often that we'll ever hear about it again (the exceptions are those that do big damage). It's even more rare when we end up hearing about a "medium" bug again four years later. Such is the case of a vulnerability affecting Adobe Flash (don't act...
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An old software flaw is giving Apple and Google new headaches. Browsers on some Android and iOS devices are susceptible to the “Factoring attack on RSA-EXPORT Keys” exploit known as FREAK. Both companies have developed fixes for the problem, but those fixes haven’t reached users yet.
The issue stems from an old...
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Apple has yet to reveal pricing information for the high-end versions of its Apple Watch products (only the entry-level Sport edition has been priced; it will set you back $349), though like most of the company's products, we'd be surprised if these wrist wearables didn't carry premium price tags. That will...
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At this point, I think it's safe to call the security level of Adobe's Flash player "asinine". Sometimes, it feels like full-blown OSes, such as Windows, have far fewer bugs. When is the last time you remember having to update your OS with an emergency patch? Now how about Adobe Flash? Exactly.
Well, since Adobe...
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Say what you will about the inconvenience of security checks, but this year alone the TSA found thousands of loaded guns, a hand grenade, and an enchilada with an 8-inch knife inside the carry-on baggage of forgetful travelers. Many of the people who lost knives to these checks simply forget them, or didn’t consider...
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Hackers have posted a list containing 1,800 usernames, passwords, and email addresses belonging to Minecraft players. While that represents a small fraction of the overall number of Minecraft players, those who appear on the list are at risk of having their accounts broke into by anyone who views the list, which has...
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When a computer vulnerability is revealed by both the Department of Homeland Security and Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute, I'd say there's a pretty good chance that it shouldn't be ignored. Apparently, Apple agrees. Today, the Cupertino firm released its first-ever forced update, taking...
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If you have Flash Player installed, and chances are pretty overwhelming that you do, you'll want to make sure that you're equipped with the latest and greatest version. Last month, Adobe issued a Flash update that blocked certain exploit kits from being able to take advantage of a user's PC, but as it turns out, that...
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A recently discovered vulnerability in iOS set off panic alarms due to the nasty nature of it. Security researchers warned that malicious apps installed using enterprise/ad-hoc provisioning would be able to replace legitimate apps on a user's iOS device. Dubbed "Masque Attack," it prompted a warning from the U.S...
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Are you sure that app on your iPhone is legitimate? If you've been careful not to fall for phishing scams, then chances are you're right. However, there's a new malware targeting iOS that's capable of spoofing and even overwriting legitimate apps you've downloaded from Apple's App Store, such as Gmail, for example...
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Apple recently posted a security bulletin alerting iCloud users to the presence of "intermittent organized network attacks using insecure certificates to obtain user information," and though the company didn't publicly point a finger at China, several reports suggested that's where they're coming from. In response to...
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Kmart is the latest major retailer to fall prey to a hacker attack resulting in the theft of customer data. The company's IT department discovered a data breach in Kmart's payment data systems and immediately launched a full-scale investigation. Based on initial findings, it's believed that the breach began in early...
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A couple of weeks ago, reports hit the Web claiming that Chinese phone maker Xiaomi was sending user info back to home base. At the time, the company's head of global expansion, ex-Googler Hugo Barra, claimed that no such thing was going on. But late last week, Finnish security firm F-Secure posted proof to the Web...
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China made headlines the world over yesterday when its state media declared that Apple's beloved iPhone poses a threat to national security. With such a grand accusation, we knew that it wouldn't take long for Apple to speak up, and despite it being the weekend, the company issued a statement today. The Cupertino...
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Security breaches that expose sensitive customer data are becoming uncomfortably common these days. The newest firm to fess up to falling prey to a hacker attack is AT&T, which has begun sending letters out to customers letting them know about a breach that occurred between April 9 and April 21 of this year...
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Australian authorities are advising Apple device owners who have iCloud accounts to change their passwords due to a recent hacking/hijacking outbreak, and now it appears to be spreading to the U.S. as well. The attacks involve a hacker logging into an iCloud account and using the lost device feature to lock users out...
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AOL has experienced a nasty security breach that exposed a great deal of user information, and the company says that it was the work of criminal hackers, as opposed to some kind of glitch or oversight. “AOL is investigating a security incident that involved unauthorized access to AOL's network and systems. AOL...
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If you own an iOS device, there's a security update you should be aware of. As Apple explains it, without the patch "an attacker with a privileged network position may capture or modify data in sessions protected by SSL/TLS." This means if you're connected to an unsecured network, an attacker can peek at the data...
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Much has been made of the NSA’s domestic spying program and how the agency has culled data from major Internet companies, and rightly so, but Apple CEO Tim Cook says that his company is having none of it. In an interview with ABC News, Cook was emphatic. “Much of what has been said isn’t true,”...
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