security

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a new bill, known as the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance Act, to force law enforcement to obtain a warrant to track suspects with GPS devices.

The bill, which was introduced to Congress yesterday, is sponsored by Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), as well as Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and House judiciary committee ranking member Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.). If passed, it would provide a "legal framework" that provides clear guidelines on when and how GPS devices can be accessed and used.

"New technologies are making it increasingly … Read more

You've got the quality locks, you've seen the how-to-lock videos, and you're very careful about where to leave your bicycle. But is that enough?

Not according to the backers of BikeSpike, a GPS tracking device being promoted on Kickstarter.

If a thief makes off with your ride, the BikeSpike will show its map location on your mobile device or home computer. Police can be given access to the data to help recovery. … Read more

Apple took a big step in helping Apple ID users in securing their accounts this week with offering two-step verification.

Two-step verification (or authentication as it's commonly referred to) adds an additional barrier of security between would-be hackers and your account. The extra barrier comes in the form of a four-digit code, which will be sent to a device of your choosing via the Find My iPhone app or SMS, after you've entered your password.

Step one: To add the extra layer of security to your account you'll need to visit the Apple ID settings page on … Read more

Apple today added an extra layer of security to its Apple ID system that can harden the password people use to log in to various Apple services.

Users with an Apple ID can now sign up for two-step verification of their password, a system that sends a four-digit passcode by text message to a user's phone, and must be used on top of a regular password. In practice, this could keep an account from being compromised by an attacker, unless that person had access to the mobile device too.

The move comes a little less than a year after … Read more

At first glance, it is not immediately apparent what Secure Temple does. The app is created without interface in mind. It lacks clear directions, has multiple unmarked menus, and doesn't even describe what the function of the app is supposed to be (unless you read the description in the App Store). That alone is enough to frustrate and chase away most users. However, behind the obtuse design and stark menus there is a tool that can be extremely useful for anyone that creates and stores large volumes of passwords, secret keys and other number strings on their iPhone or … Read more

The same hacker who found a passcode workaround after Apple's iOS update last month has found another way to access the photos and contacts of a password-protected iPhone.

YouTube user "VideosdeBarraquito" uploaded a video today showing how to access the files using the voice command feature on the phone. He gives a voices command to dial a number and while the number is dialing, he uses a paperclip to eject the phone's SIM card. After the card ejects, the phone ends the call and he is able to go into the locked phone's address book … Read more

A newly discovered botnet has found a way to siphon cash from advertisers.

Spider.io, a security researcher, yesterday announced that it has discovered a new botnet, called Chameleon, that's targeting "at least" 202 Web sites. The botnet is made up of over 120,000 host machines running Windows, according to Spider.io. Those machines are connecting to the Web with a Flash-friendly Trident-based browser that executes JavaScript. The vast majority of the machines -- 95 percent -- have come from U.S.-based IP addresses.

The botnets have targeted at least 202 Web sites, hitting them … Read more

A security researcher has revealed a method for accessing applications running on a locked Samsung handset.

The flaw is somewhat similar to one that was revealed by another researcher earlier this year on iPhones. On a Samsung handset, users can, from the lock screen, pretend to dial an emergency services number, quickly dismiss it, and with some sleight of hand, quickly gain access to any app or widget, or the settings menu in the device. The dialer can also be launched, allowing the "hacker" to place a call.

According to Terence Eden, who discovered the flaw and posted … Read more

South Korea's police are currently investigating a "massive" hack attack on Internet service provider LG Uplus, which led to server outages at three domestic broadcasters and two major banks.

As a result, the army raised its alert status amid concerns the attacks were initiated by its neighbors in North Korea.

Reuters reported Wednesday that authorities were looking into the attack on LG Uplus, which was suspected to be conducted by a group calling itself the "Whois Team".

The investigations were triggered by disrupted servers at television networks YTN, MBC and KBS. Customers at Shinhan Bank … Read more