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Don’t Click!

January 14, 2015 — Leave a comment

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As simple as that. And yet, you just cannot believe how successful a phishing season can be on Facebook. We are helplessly reckless and surprisingly impulsive. We tend to follow calls for help or action with no serious consideration. As a result, our passwords are being offered on a hacker’s plate.

So, how does this malicious system work in the real life? First, you get a heartbreaking message that you have to follow a certain link so your friend can do this or that. You say to yourself, how hard can it be? No harm in that. So, you hit a button, and the next thing you know you are on a phishing website.

It looks like a Facebook official page, but you can rest assured it certainly is not. And, you disclose your password with a hacker behind this entire operation just like that. We do not have to say to you what is going to happen next with your Facebook account, do we? So, did you get the message?

Before you click, you should blink, at least twice. Otherwise, there is no security system in the world, which can save you from the phishing net. Right? Before you accept someone’s friendship request or follow this link request, you should really give it a serious thought. How hard could it really be?

What’s Up WhatsApp?

January 13, 2015 — Leave a comment

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If you see something like this on your smartphone’s screen in English, or some other more suitable language for the users in your own country, then you should think twice about your next most likely action. Why? For the time being, we have not heard a thing about the most recent WhatsApp update.

This is a simple and very costly Internet scam. Even if there is such a thing as the WhatsApp, its notification will certainly will not include these eye-catching and warning colors, including the payment option for it. Therefore, the best things online are still free. In most of the cases, more or less.

How come there quite a few WhatsApp users, who allow themselves a luxury to become victims of these humiliating Internet fraud schemes? Well, for hackers the business is as usual. Their most trusted ally and most profitable partner in crime is undoubtedly is our reckless and irrational behavior.

So, we sure hope that the next time when you ask your WhatsApp what is up, you will not get a notification such as this one. Can we blame the WhatsApp or your Internet provider for all the trouble? No, in this case, no. This is something you should ignore from the very first moment. WhatsApp something else.

Skype + Android + Bug = ?

January 12, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Do you know the solution to this question? A spy trouble. This is what you get as a result, when you combine these three elements. Why? Well, there is this annoying and potentially dangerous bug, which allows the unwanted guests to spy on your conversations and messages. Only on Android devices.

For the time being there is only one efficient solution available. You have to log out as soon as you are done with your Skupe communication. Unfortunately, this is not an extremely practical thing to do, is it? If Skype cannot be on all the time on your smartphone, then what is the use, in the first place?

For what is worth, Microsoft is fully aware of this problem. While we are writing this, its development teams are already on it, fixing it. The trouble with the curve in this story is actually a simple one. You cannot never be safe, enough. Which brings us to one of our most used sayings in the field of cyber security.

If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to worry about. Right? At least this is what the NSA has to say to you. Nothing more. Nothing less. However, this is a weak comfort for the millions of Skype users, who are sharing their most intimate thoughts through it. You have a Skype call? Are you going to answer it, or what?

Wear Gloves

January 11, 2015 — Leave a comment

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When? Why? Well, it turns out that the Apple Touch ID is not as safe as we thought it was. Why? Some busy little cyber bees managed to trick the system itself. How? For what is worth, you can use pictures of someone’s fingerprints to clone the actual fingerprint and use it for a safe passage through the Touch ID system.

It sounds simple, but it is actually a tough rocket science. You need the top quality of photos, including the right angles. At the end of the day, if someone allows him or herself a luxury to expose the fingerprints for hacker’s cloning, then does he or she have the right to complain, in the first place?

This is not supposed to be our contribution to the android paranoid behavioral patterns. However, you should be fully aware that these things are the bitter reality. Do you really need to wear the gloves, all the time? Yes and no. At least you should know that even the Touch ID cannot offer you the absolute protection.

Maybe, the moral of this story is that we should not mess with the eye scanners at the next level. There has to be a way to provide a proper protection for your smartphone with no SF scenarios and gadgets. You do not need to impress anyone. All you have to do is to be efficient. Right?

Rent Your Own Cyber Lizard

January 11, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Unbelievable. One more time we have realized that there is no such category called the dumb hacker. Why in the world, would you attack some of the most popular gaming networks during the Christmas week? It just does not make any sense. Unless. Unless, you are promoting yourself, for real.

Let us put it this way. If you are making weapons, what is the best possible way to promote your products? Oh dear, you either have to shoot someone or even worse to initiate a war. Forget about the ethics for a moment, and focus on the effectiveness itself, shall you? What is the result?

The Lizard Squad, which literally played with both the PSN and Xbox Live, was actually promoting its DDoS tools. Now, just like you are buying a legit software or a book online, you can acquire a DDoS package, which can guarantee you down time for a certain server for no less than 100 seconds.

In addition, for an affordable price of just six bucks you can do such a nasty thing. If you want to eliminate a website for the period of eight hours, then you will have to pay $130. How about that for a change? They are selling DDoS attacks per kilos. Unbelievable. What is next? Renting viruses or Trojans?

Forshaw’s Patch

January 8, 2015 — Leave a comment

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There is a busy little cyber bee, who works in Google. One day, we are not quite sure if he was curious or bored, this bee has discovered a serious security flaw in Windows 8.1. This guy works and publish under a nickname Forshaw. So, are you eager to know what went wrong with Windows 8.1?

Apparently, there is a way for you to gain administrator’s privileges, and all of that completely undetected. What can you do with them? Well, it comes without saying that in this case sky is the limit. Literally. Forshaw has done both necessary things in this unfortunate and embarrassing situation.

On the side, he has informed Microsoft directly about his findings. On the other side, he has published his conclusions supported with the proper evidence. So far, Microsoft has been silent on this one. Nevertheless, it is only a matter of time before the new patch hits our cyber shores with a solution.

For what is worth, Microsoft itself has some other troubles on its mind. What is going to happen with the new Windows 10 and how successful it is going to be? This is undoubtedly the mother of all questions for Microsoft at this moment. We sure hope that this bug will not wish to move to the new OS version.

You Can Or Cannot Touch This?

January 7, 2015 — Leave a comment

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The season of bad news for iPhone 6 is far from over. The new trouble has a name, and it is called the fingerprint scan flaw. Although, it has not been fully confirmed, there is a high probability that someone can hack your iPhone by using the fingerprint feature. How? Well, you can make a fake fingerprint.

Again, how? To tell the truth, it is not the rocket science, but it is also not so simple. You need to make high quality pictures of your fingerprint from the different angles. The next thing you know your Touch ID has been hacked, and the silent uninvited guest is passing through your cyber door with no warning at all.

On the other side, you do not have to worry that much. In order for this hacking thing to be fully functional, you have to make those top quality pictures the way you want them. If a proud owner of his or her fingertips allows for this to happen, then we do not have any rights to complain. Right?

Can we really do something about it, when it comes to proper prevention? We cannot use the gloves all day long, can we? Or maybe, Apple should do something about it, in order to improve the Touch ID security features. Either way, we need to change so we can play safe, as it is supposed to be. Right?

Hacker’s Xmas

January 6, 2015 — Leave a comment

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This is definitely not a Christmas story you want to hear at this time of the year. Yet, we have no other choice than to bring this one up. There was an unfortunate and unwanted Christmas break for the gamers on both Sony PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. Microsoft and Sony have already apologized.

On the other hand, the Lizard Squad let us know that they are responsible for these attacks. There is no way, who has volunteered to save the day for gamers. The notorious Kim Dotcom has reached one of the most unusual deals in the entire cyber history. The Xbox and the PSN are safe and sound thanks to him.

So, what happened? Well, for what is worth, Kim has promised a free service of his brand new Mega server thing to the Lizard guys. In return, this group will forget about the Microsoft and Sony PlayStation gaming servers for a while or for good. That is not quite sure. The problem is solved. For now.

In the meantime, Sony has offered to give additional five days to the existing accounts to ease the pain. Who knows, maybe this is the fresh start of Kim Dotcom as the most unusual consultant in the matters of the cyber security. What can we say? Nothing but the very best for him and troubled Sony.

Sony Is Going To Make It Up For You

January 5, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Great news, cyber boys and girls. Sony is going to make it up to you for the Christmas trouble. You will get extra five days on your account. We have already written about it. The hacker’s group called the Lizard Squad was responsible for the attacks on both PSN ans Xbox One network. No network. No game.

Do you have any idea, who has saved the day? One of the least likely guys you could have possibly expected. No more and no less, than Kim Dotcom himself had to intervene here. He has reached some kind of a deal with the Lizard Squad members. They will spare the PSN and Xbox One from future attacks.

Is this a complete surprise or what? What happened to a rule that a friend of my enemy is supposed to be my enemy by default? Kim Dotcom is a hero of this story. Maybe, this is the way how Sony should solve its problems with the Interview movie and the North Korean bad boy Kim Jong Un.

One more accidental hero for Sony can be the extremely controversial and influential Dennis Rodman. Perhaps he can change the color of his hair and the mind of his friend Kim Jong Un. Right now, Sony needs all the help it can get right now. No matter how the helping hand is covered in tattoos.

The Internet 2015

January 2, 2015 — Leave a comment

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What is going to happen to the Internet in 2015? What should happen, in the first place? The father of the World Wide Web has spoken one more time. Sir Tim Berners – Lee has some word of advice. The only trouble is that we have to find some careful listeners and quick doers to follow his footsteps.

Let us narrow our ambition to two things only, shall we? The first one is to do something about the 60% of people on our planet, who still live in the Internet darkness. How to ensure them access to the Net? Google will send drones and Facebook balloons. Would that be enough? Let us wait and see.

The second thing is associated directly with our heavily compromised and jeopardized online privacy. Mr. Berners – Lee believes that we desperately need some kind of a Privacy Constitution, which will guarantee the rights, as well as online obligations of all participants in the cyber universe, for real.

Let us forget about our shiny little gadgets and fascinating Internet speed we like to brag around, shall we? Without these two requirements, our good old Internet will remain to be nothing more than a convenient toy in an enlightening package. We hope that Tim will live long enough to see it all happen.