Square turns stolen credit card numbers into cash
At the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas this week, computer security experts Adam Laurie and Zac Franken demonstrated how to convert stolen credit card numbers into cash using popular Square personal credit card readers.
AntiSec hacks law enforcement websites
Hacker collective AntiSec, whose name reflects its opposition to computer security measures, recently announced it infiltrated more than 70 U.S. law enforcement agency websites, and the group has begun to disseminate confidential information collected in the attacks.
Infrastructure vulnerable to hackers, expert warns
Computer security expert Jonathan Pollet warned the crowd at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas that power stations, electricity grids and other major utilities are vulnerable to hackers who could manipulate control mechanisms through the internet, CNET reports.
Indian government suffers wave of computer attacks
Between January and June 2011, hackers defaced or otherwise compromised 117 Indian government websites, a government official has announced.
WordPress users cautioned about security flaw
TimThumb, a utility used to resize images on the blog hosting website WordPress, contains a vulnerability hackers could exploit to compromise users' computers.
South Korean gang hired North Korean hackers to attack gamers
South Korean law enforcement officers recently arrested members of a criminal organization who recruited North Korean hackers to attack a popular online gaming network.
Medical devices vulnerable to hacks
Jay Radcliffe, a 33-year-old Meridian, Idaho, man, recently announced it is possible for hackers to control insulin pumps and blood sugar monitors used by diabetics like himself, The Associated Press reports.
Microsoft offers big award for innovative computer security
Microsoft will award $200,000 to the computer security innovator who designs the best new technology to mitigate memory safety vulnerabilities, the technology company recently announced.
FireWire can steal Mac passwords
Apple computers in sleep mode are vulnerable to hacks, password recovery company Passware Inc. recently announced.
Uncle Sam wants you, hackers
U.S. government head-hunters will scout the 10,000-plus attendants of this year's Defcon hacker convention in Las Vegas to recruit for organizations like the National Security Agency, Reuters reports.
China suspected in massive hacking campaign
Since 2006, persistent malware attacks have affected six dozen organizations, including government agencies, military contractors, major news outlets, international sports organizations and technology firms, according to prominent computer security researcher Dmitri Alperovitch's recent report.
Hackers could free prisoners
John Strauchs, a computer security expert who has worked on the installation of electronic prison security systems, says hackers could exploit vulnerabilities in programmable logic controllers, or PLCs, to open cells.
Many potential security issues with HTML5, European agency finds
The European Network and Information Security Agency recently identified 50 computer security vulnerabilities in proposed new HTML standards and issued a report on the threats to the World Wide Web Consortium, the group implementing the new standards.
Facial-recognition software could compromise privacy
A researcher at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh has found improved facial-recognition software could pose a significant internet security risk.