Category: Commentaries and Analyses

Cybercriminals are continuing to exploit human nature as they rely on familiar attack patterns such as phishing, and increase their reliance on ransomware, where data is encrypted and a ransom is demanded, finds the Verizon 2016 Data Breach Investigations Report. This year’s report highlights repeating themes from prior year’s findings and storylines that continue to…

From a newly released GAO report: Modern vehicles contain multiple interfaces—connections between the vehicle and external networks—that leave vehicle systems, including safety-critical systems, such as braking and steering, vulnerable to cyberattacks. Researchers have shown that these interfaces—if not properly secured—can be exploited through direct, physical access to a vehicle, as well as remotely through short-range…

First it was their web sites failing to protect privacy, and now it’s their apps. Cory Bennett reports: Over half of presidential campaign-related smartphone apps on Android devices are exposing users’ sensitive data, according to new research. Presidential campaigns — and the groups that support them — are increasingly using smartphone apps to try to…