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Security

  • WannaCry ransomware infects a quarter million computers in 150 countries

    By on 15 May, 2017

    WannaCry wins 2017's prize for most ominously named ransomware, and it has seemingly lived up to its name. A worldwide attack involving the ransomware swept through personal computers, companies and government institutions beginning on Friday 12 May. By Sunday, over 230 000 computers in more than 150 countries, including South Africa, were infected. Straight out of an episode of Mr. Robot, WannaCry (Wcry, WannaCrypt, WanaCrypt0r 2.0, or Wanna Decryptor) is a malicious software package that infects computers running Microsoft Windows. It's spread using an exploit developed by the NSA called EternalBlue which was leaked by a hacker collective in April. While Microsoft...

  • 3 hilarious (but scary) printer security stories from the internet [Native]

    By on 5 May, 2017

    Printers might seem like innocuous little office gadgets that do one job and one job alone, but they've become more vulnerable thanks to the internet. While human beings' reliance on the web expands, so does the ability for baddies to crack their security protocols. With that in mind, here are three previous moments in history that printers were the victims of rather comical, if not potentially catastrophic, security stories. -> YOUR PRINTER HAS BEEN PWNED <- In February 2017, a hacker using the alias Stackoverflowin took control of over 150 000 printers across the globe to probe a point. And to distribute memes. Although...

  • Google Docs’ latest phishing scam was bad news for journalists

    By on 4 May, 2017

    A Google Docs phishing attack, that paraded as a genuine link to a shared document, caused widespread panic on the internet Wednesday. On the same day that Facebook's WhatsApp was down for the count, some Google users (Fortune's Jeff John Roberts suggests that the scam was targeted at journalists) received an email with a seemingly normal Google Docs link. Closer inspection revealed a few oddities. The sender of the mail is the rather hilarious "hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh@mailinator.com" but the consequences of clicking the mail aren't. Taking unsuspecting users to a faux OAUTH authentication page, suggesting that Google Docs requires authorisation to open the document. The...

  • Ask these questions when buying a secure printer [Native]

    By on 24 April, 2017

    Believe it or not, but security is an important factor to consider when buying a new printer for the office these days. But what exactly does that entail then? Well, we've got a few security-minded questions you should keep in mind before splashing out on a printer. Can you set up access IDs? We've touched on this before, but access IDs are a great way to keep track of who's printing what. Whether you're worried about hacks or abuse, it's worth having anyway. Most printers these days do support access IDs and similar authentication systems, so you're virtually guaranteed to have it on...

  • 5 neat tips to secure your printer [Native]

    By on 18 April, 2017

    There have been numerous stories surrounding the dodgy nature of today's connected printers. In fact, one security expert claimed that the printer was the "worst device" on the internet. That doesn't mean that your connected printer is a lost hope though, as there are several ways to shore up your printer's defenses... Set a secure WiFi and router password It might seem like a no-brainer, but you'll want to make sure that your WiFi connection is secure. After all, it's one of your first lines of defense. If people can access your WiFi connection, then there's a chance that they'll be able...

  • Are printers now ‘worst’ for enterprise security? [Native]

    By on 29 March, 2017

    This is a native advertising article. To find out more, read our guide to native advertising versus sponsored content. Printers might not be the flashiest gadgets in the office, but recent research reveals that they're still being ignored when it comes to security. Many printers today feature internet connectivity, allowing users to wirelessly print documents and more. Of course, any time a gadget has an internet connection, chances are high that it'll be targeted by someone… In fact, a BitDefender researcher told The Register that printers are now the dodgiest connected devices around. "The router is no longer the worst device on the internet. It's...

  • Verified Twitter accounts post swastikas in Turkish hack

    By on 15 March, 2017

    Last week, the Netherlands barred two Turkish ministers from speaking to expatriates ahead of a national memorandum. On 16 April, Turkey will be voting whether or not to allow Turkish President Erdogan to stay in power until 2029. And the president did not take the slight well: according to Fortune.com, Turkey warned that it would retaliate in the "harshest ways." Apparently these ways include Twitter hacks. Last night, Turkish hackers targeted verified accounts to spew Erdogan propaganda across the platform. Rough translation: “#NaziGermany👌#NaziNetherlands, a little👋#OTTOMAN SLAP for you, see you on #April16th. Can’t read it🇹🇷LEARN Turkish #RT” — Alex Hern (@alexhern) March 15, 2017 Hundreds of accounts were...

  • Ster-Kinekor website leaked millions of users’ private data

    By on 14 March, 2017

    Ster-Kinekor's old website allowed anyone with know-how to retrieve the profile details of every user on the site. This information included phone numbers, addresses and plaintext passwords. Software developer Matt Cavanagh revealed the bug in a blog post on Thursday, after disclosing it to Ster Kinekor last year. "They took the high-road of admitting they were at fault, and didn't try pass the blame off. I appreciate that," Cavanagh told Memeburn of their response to his report. According to the developer, the bug in the backend API was found via the website's Flash bits. He admits he didn't have substantial knowledge of Flash, but...

  • The world’s most-wanted cyber criminal is Gru from Despicable Me

    By on 13 March, 2017

    Mr Bogachev, tear down that firewall! The New York Times reported Sunday that the world's most wanted cyber criminal -- worth a US$3-million bounty -- not only has ties to Russian spies, but also bears a stark resemblance to Despicable Me supervillian Gru. Well, they may not have reported that exactly but it's hard not to make the correlation. Evgeniy M. Bogachev, like Gru, is a bald white man who in all likelihood has a Russian accent. The FBI has offered a $3 million bounty for Evgeniy M. Bogachev's capture, the most ever for a cybercriminal https://t.co/xuWvrtVNFf pic.twitter.com/XDgyo0oNrr — The New York Times (@nytimes) March 13, 2017 According to...

  • Kaspersky launches perfume to, uh, combat cyber attacks

    By on 13 March, 2017

    We're just as confused as you are. Kaspersky Labs -- best known to the average human as the virus protection you have to pay for -- has launched a perfume line to raise awareness for cyber security. The scent has been dubbed Threat de Toilette and somehow has nothing to do with eating too much Indian food. Can you smell fear? We’re talking #cybersecurity at our perfume launch event today at @BobBobRicard#ThreatdeToilettepic.twitter.com/hHuUkNdAOF — KasperskyUK (@kasperskyuk) March 9, 2017 "Fear awakens our senses," Kaspersky Lab's principal security researcher tells The Inquirer. "The men and women who wear Threat de Toilette understand today's online threats...

  • Cloudflare bug leaks personal information to search engines

    By on 24 February, 2017

    US Internet giant Cloudflare revealed yesterday that a bug in its coding had put many users' sensitive information at risk. Google Zero engineer Travis Ormandy was the first to notice the mishap, and immediately tweeted a request to talk with someone from Cloudflare's security department. Could someone from cloudflare security urgently contact me. — Tavis Ormandy (@taviso) February 18, 2017 Ormandy had noticed that corrupted web pages were being returned from HTTP requests run through Cloudflare. When alerted, the company immediately noticed the problem was being caused by three minor features and shut them down before going about fixing the issue. At its peak, data...

  • Is TrackOFF the internet security service you’ve been sorely missing?

    By on 1 February, 2017

    With so much talk about hacking, identity theft and online fraud floating around in 2017, we'll totally understand if you never want to switch on a computer ever again. Luckily, there are ways to make your online journey a little safer. Browser add-ons, anti-virus programs and common sense are just some of the ways you can filter out -- and avoid -- the gunk from online pages you visit everyday. But some companies believe this isn't quite enough. That's where TrackOFF comes into play. The Baltimore-based security company claims to build the "best in class tools to secure users' identities and personal...

  • CNN’s Facebook accounts briefly breached by OurMine

    By on 30 January, 2017

    CNN's Facebook accounts were briefly compromised this weekend by hacking collective OurMine, Mashable reports. The group, now infamous for gaining access to accounts to peacock their security products, hit CNN's primary, International and Politics pages early morning in South Africa. This isn't the first time OurMine has been in the news in the past six months While the group didn't post anything incriminating or vile, it did flood the pages with its posters, and its usual message: "Hey, it's OurMine we are just testing your security, please contact us for more information." It seems that the group's chief motive was publicity. looks like @CNN...

  • Mozilla Firefox 51 now alerts users of dodgy HTTP logins

    By on 27 January, 2017

    Mozilla Firefox has been steadily losing ground to the likes of Google's Chrome n recent years, but the browser's creator is slowly starting to address the slide by focusing on security. Firefox 51.0 will now alert users who navigate to login pages that are not HTTPS enabled. The browser will display a larger, more noticeable "Connection is Not Secure" warning in the address bar and subsequent context bubble, alerting users of simple, non-encrypted HTTP connections. Any websites utilising passwords such as email services, or during your online banking will now indicate the security of the site in the URL bar. HTTP can...

  • Your Android Pattern Lock isn’t secure at all, research suggests

    By on 25 January, 2017

    Modern Android devices give users a number of authentication methods. From fingerprints to PIN codes, there are a slew of options to unlock your dear device. But some people still rely on the ancient Pattern Lock. Researchers from Britain's universities of Bath and Lancaster, and China's Northwest University, suggest that sliding your thumb seemingly uniquely across nine equidistant dots on a screen isn't as secure as you may have thought. The researchers noted that by using a recorded "video and computer vision algorithm software" -- effectively recording the motion of the hand over the screen -- the Pattern Lock can be...