Microsoft is making some long overdue and welcome changes to Outlook to include the Windows and the Web-based version. People who use either one will now see a "Coming Soon" option that allows users to toggle between the version they've got now, and the new and improved version with the changes. As to those changes, they fall broadly into three groups: Better Organization - The improved Outlook offers intelligent technology, specialized icons, visual changes and a "highlights" feature … Read more
Another Chrome Extension Is Stealing Passwords
Do you use the Chrome browser extension for the MEGA file storage service? If you do, please read this article carefully. The official extension for that service has been compromised. It has been replaced with a malware version that has the capability to steal user login data for a number of popular websites, including Github, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and more. The extension was compromised on September 4th, when an unknown attacker breached MEGA's Chrome Web Store account and uploaded the … Read more
Name Of Utility Company That Leaked Information Just Released
In 2016, an unnamed US energy company left some 30,000 records (containing information about its security assets) exposed for more than two months (a total of 70 days), in violation of energy sector cyber security regulations. When the incident was initially reported, the name of the company was withheld. That company has now agreed to a $2.7 million-dollar settlement, and its name has now been made public, along with some additional details about the incident. Initially, the company … Read more
Some Apple iPhone 8’s May Have A Manufacturer Defect
Do you own an iPhone 8? If so, you may have problems. Apple has recently reported that a small percentage of iPhone 8s "contain logic boards with a manufacturing defect. Affected devices may experience unexpected restarts, a frozen screen, or won't turn on." The company has isolated the defect to phones manufactured between September 2017 to March 2018, in Hong Kong, India, Japan, China, New Zealand, Macau, and the United States. To find out if you've got one of the impacted iPhone 8s, … Read more
Security Issues Abound – Texas Voter Registration Records Leaked
The great state of Texas has 15.2 million registered voters. Unfortunately, personal details belonging to nearly all of them (14.8 million) have been compromised, but don't blame the state's election officials. This staggering breach was caused by the carelessness of a conservative-focused data firm, ironically named "The Data Trust." They left their research file completely exposed and unprotected on a server that anyone could access with no password required. It's hard to see how the … Read more
Hackers Now Targeting Point Of Sale Systems
There's a new threat to point of sale (POS) systems coming out of Russia, according to security researchers from Booz Allen Hamilton. The malware, which they're calling "RtPOS" isn't bleeding edge technology, and does not approach the level of sophistication of other recently discovered strains, but that doesn't mean it should be taken lightly. These strains include RawPOS, MajikPOS, UDPOS, and Treasure hunter. In its current incarnation, it has a limited feature set and is basically a RAM … Read more
Millions Of T-Mobile Customers Data May Have Been Leaked
Telecommunications giant T-Mobile is the latest victim of a large-scale data breach, with personal data belonging to more than two million of its customers having been leaked. The exposed information included customer name, phone number, email address, billing zip code, account number and whether the account was pre-paid or post-paid. As bad as that is, it could have been far worse. Fortunately, no financial information, passwords, or social security numbers were compromised. According to … Read more
Android Malware Could Access Your Pictures And Calls
Android users have a new threat to contend with, according to a sixteen-page whitepaper outlining a new malware strain. The paper was published by a group of security researchers working for Bitdefender. They identified a robust new strain of malware called "Triout." According to the report, although they just discovered the malware a month ago, there are indications that it has been in use since at least mid-May of this year. Among other things, it can: Steal call log … Read more
Survey Shows Teens Are Concerned About Their Screen Time
According to a recent survey conducted by Pew Research Center, 54 percent of teens say that they spend too much time on their cellphones. Acknowledging you have a problem is the first, necessary step toward correcting it, and the survey reports that significant percentages of teens are taking steps to do just that. The Survey Specifically States: 52 percent of teens report that they are actively trying to cut back on their mobile phone use 57 percent report that they're taking steps … Read more
Gmail Releases New Confidential Mode
Google has introduced a new Gmail feature called "Confidential Mode," which seeks to make sending and receiving important or sensitive emails more secure. Unfortunately, it may have inadvertently created as many problems as it solves. Here's how the new feature works, and why you may be leery of using it: To send a confidential email, compose your message as normal, and then, click the "lock" icon located at the bottom of the email screen. When this button is pressed, you'll be presented … Read more
