security

The TSA has announced new domestic safety screening rules that will make air travel a bit more frustrating for many travelers. Following the international in-flight laptop ban that had affected some countries -- a rule reportedly based on tips from intelligence agencies that large electronics may be modified as bombs -- the TSA has announced that all gadgets bigger than a cell phone will need to be screened separately from carry-on luggage.

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It’s 2017 and we are still under constant threat from viruses, even biological ones. In fact, malware has taken on an even darker tone, including strains that have no purpose but to destroy your files, whether you pay a handsome ransom or not. And yet the anti-virus industry isn’t on the rise despite the rise in threats. Sensing a disturbance in the force, Kaspersky, one of the more popular names in the AV market, has finally released a free version of its eponymous software. While free is good, it’s timing is also too good to be true.

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A smart home isn't really very smart if it can't protect itself or its masters. There have been a variety of smart locks in the market already, some simple and other quite sophisticated. Xchime is a new contender that has no qualms about adding yet another choice in the market. It is confident that it has something to offer that has never been offered before. That is, a video doorbell whose usefulness isn't at the mercy of Internet lag.

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A piece of mobile ransomware that mimics the methods of WannaCry malware has leaked online. The source code for the malicious software has been spilled to the web, allowing this "SLocker" to be downloaded and spread ad infinitum. The source code might also give security experts an easy way to ramp up protection against the malicious code - but the potential costs far outweigh the potential benefits.

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Internet-connected gadgets can be great, but they're not without their risks. We've seen warnings over poor IoT security from watchdogs and the government alike, and we've seen multiple instances where poor security has resulted in various data breaches. The latest example of this risk comes from a North American casino which was left exposed to hackers due to a smart fish tank. This fish tank, which was connected to the casino's network, served as an access point for hackers who then used it to find other network vulnerabilities.

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Two huge Dark Web marketplaces, peddling illegal drugs, fake documents, firearms, and more, have been shut down in a clandestine sting. US and European investigators collaborated for months on the takedown, which saw AlphaBay and Hansa - together responsible for more than 350,000 "illicit commodities" - first infiltrated and then taken offline. Indeed, police in the Netherlands were able to secretly take control of Hansa and then track what its users were doing.

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Hoverboard fires weren't enough to deter some users from rolling these two-wheeled vehicles. Now we've got hackers taking to the streets, too. What one security company found in a popular Segway-brand Hoverboard will be enough to turn your stomach - or at least scrape up your knees as your Hoverboard is remotely commanded to stop, quite abruptly.

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Apple has released a new version of iOS 10 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, including a number of security patches affecting Safari, Messages, and more. The update, iOS 10.3.3, weighs in at 138.5 MB, and is as always a free download. Apple's advice is that iPhone and iPad users should install it as soon as possible.

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Apple is working on turning its biometric sensor into a secret panic button, with Touch ID potentially being used to send out a cry for help if you're getting mugged. Detailed in a freshly published patent, granted to Apple earlier this week, the so-called "Biometric Initiated Communication" method relies on the ability of the fingerprint sensor to differentiate not only between different fingertips but how they make contact. It could potentially mean the iPhone 8 is able to use Touch ID as another input option.

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With security breaches seemingly popping up in the news every other week, by now most of us should (hopefully) know the basics of keeping our data safe online. Today, however, the FBI is trying to draw attention to a potential security risk that is often overlooked: internet connected toys. To hear the FBI lay out its case, it sounds like the organization has a lot of concerns about the data these internet connected toys can collect.

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MySpace accounts can be hijacked with only three pieces of easy-to-attain information. Once the attacker has the URL for the account they want to break into, they need only head to the Account Recovery page. While this would normally be a place where some sort of human user would verify information - or at least an email would be necessary - this situation requires nothing of the sort. It's incredibly easy to break into any MySpace account right this minute.

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The US government's laptop ban for travelers on Middle Eastern airlines has been lifted, with the rules squashed for the last airline to be impacted. The Department of Homeland Security had begun the restrictions back in March, with nine predominantly Middle Eastern airlines impacted. Passengers were unable to bring large electronic items, including laptops, into the cabin as hand luggage. Instead, they needed to be stowed in checked luggage in the hold.

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