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Topic: Security

Windows Hello is the biometric security feature for laptop users that has let you sign in without using passwords. News 

Fingerprinting Your PC: Is Your Security at Risk?

Adarsh V.K

Microsoft released Windows Hello as a password-free option for Windows laptops. You can log in to your computer using a PIN code, face recognition or fingerprint sensor. The company has made big claims that its Hello security is reliable and not that easy to bypass. Well, a team of researchers has proven otherwise by cracking the fingerprint scanner on Dell, Lenovo, and Microsoft laptops. The most interesting part of these details is that Microsoft asked security researchers to test the security levels of fingerprint scanners on laptops today. The company…

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Biometric verification methods are highly effective against these kinds of fraud, with liveness checks utilised to prevent spoofing. News 

Report Predicts Global Digital ID Verification To Reach 70 Billion By 2024

Adriana Marais

The number of digital identity checks will surpass the 70 billion mark in 2024, up 16 percent from the previous year’s 61 billion, a new report showed Monday. According to a Juniper Research report, this growth is due to companies adopting stronger biometric authentication methods to combat account takeover and card-not-present fraud. Biometric authentication methods are very effective against such fraud, and liveness checks are used to prevent scams. The report predicts that the banking sector will have the largest number of checks at 37 billion in 2024, accounting for…

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The Lazarus hacking group's wallets contain about $42.5 million in BTC, $1.9 million in Ether (ETH), $1.1 million in Binance Coin (BNB), and an additional $640,000 in stablecoins, with Binance USD (BUSD) dominant, a new report has revealed. News 

North Korean Cybercriminals Possess $47 Million in Illegally Obtained Cryptocurrency

Febin Mathew,

North Korean Hackers – The Lazarus Group is said to be in possession of more than $47 million in cryptocurrencies, most of which is in Bitcoin (BTC), a new report shows. According to data collected by Dune Analytics, a subsidiary of 21.co, the infamous hacking group has about $42.5 million in BTC, $1.9 million in Ether (ETH), $1.1 million in Binance Coin (BNB), and an additional $640,000 in wallets stable coins. Binance USD (BUSD) dominant. The report traced 295 wallets identified by the US government as belonging to the Lazarus…

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"They're all bad." News 

25 Car Brands Fail Basic Data Privacy Tests, Tesla Ranked as ‘Creepiest’ by Mozilla

Adriana Marais

According to research published on Wednesday, the Mozilla Foundation, a non-profit organization, has declared cars as the “most problematic product category” in terms of data privacy. The foundation’s Privacy Not Included Research division evaluates various products, ranging from smart home devices to health and wellness apps. However, out of the 25 car brands examined by the research team, none of them managed to meet the required standards, with renowned brands such as Tesla, Nissan, and Hyundai ranking among the worst performers. Tesla was rated for unreliable use of AI, making…

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The basic plan now costs $80 a year in the US. News 

Google Increases Cost of Nest Aware Subscription by $20

Adriana Marais,

According to 9to5Google, Google Nest device users in the US will now have to pay a minimum of $20 extra to access advanced features and longer footage history for their security cameras and doorbells. The tech company has notified subscribers that the standard Nest Aware subscription has increased to $8 per month or $80 per year, compared to the previous rates of $6 per month or $60 per year when paid annually. The company started offering whole-home Nest Aware subscription packages that cover all of a user’s devices back in…

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The brand's new product category puts it in competition with Ring. News 

Philips Hue Introduces Home Security with New Secure Cameras

Adriana Marais,

Signify, the company that emerged from Philips and is famous for its Hue lighting products, has revealed a fresh line of security products that will directly rival Ring and Nest. These new offerings, set to hit the market in the coming months, encompass Philips Hue Secure cameras in both wired and wireless (battery-powered) options. These cameras boast a high-definition 1080p video stream with night vision capabilities. You can use the cameras to talk to a guest or driver outside your door, and you can program them to work with Hue…

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The MTA's OMNY website shows a seven-day ride history with only a credit card number. News 

Tracking NYC Subway Riders’ Journeys Made Possible by Security Flaw

Adarsh V.K,

New York City’s subway contactless payment system has a security vulnerability that exposes users’ credit card information. This flaw allows anyone with access to a person’s credit card number to track their recent subway entries within the past week. The issue stems from a “feature” on OMNY’s website, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s tap-to-pay system, which enables users to view their ride history solely by using their credit card details. Surprisingly, even subway entries made through Apple Pay, which provides a virtual number instead of the actual one, still manage to…

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The takedowns were part of "the most prolific covert influence operation" the company has ever seen. News 

Meta Removes Thousands of Accounts Connected to Chinese Propaganda Effort

Jim Hendler, ,

Meta has disclosed information regarding a vast network of counterfeit accounts that aimed to disseminate pro-China propaganda on its platform. The company revealed that these account takedowns were connected to individuals affiliated with Chinese law enforcement, who also managed comparable fraudulent accounts across numerous other platforms. While the company regularly shares updates on taking down fake accounts linked to widespread manipulation, Meta’s security researchers said the latest effort was particularly significant given the size and scope of the operation. In total, Meta shut down 7,704 Facebook accounts, 954 pages, 15…

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The unnamed hackers targeted spyware firm WebDetetive because "#fuckstalkerware." News 

75,000 Phones Freed from Stalking Spyware by Good Samaritan Hackers

Nitin Misra,

According to a report from TechCrunch, hackers who remain unidentified have allegedly breached the spyware company WebDetetive and erased device data in order to safeguard individuals from being monitored. As a result, users of this spyware will not receive any fresh information from their intended targets. The hackers expressed their motive in a note obtained by TechCrunch, stating, “Because #fuckstalkerware.” Spyware gives users unfettered access to a victim’s device, whether it’s a government using it to monitor citizens or an abuser using it to stalk a survivor. The spyware advertises…

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It's the Discord.io breach earlier this month that may have leaked your info. News 

180 Users Affected by Discord’s March Data Breach: Time for a Security Checkup

Nitin Misra,

Discord has recently begun informing users who were affected by a data breach in March, which was publicly disclosed in May. Out of the reported 150 million monthly users, only 180 individuals had their sensitive information compromised in this attack, as stated in a data breach notification submitted to the Office of the Maine Attorney General. Consequently, if you are a Discord user, it is more probable that you were impacted by the Discord.io breach, which affected 760,000 users and resulted in the closure of the website. Discord.io allows Discord…

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The leaks showed that the company received thousands of Autopilot complaints over the past years. News 

Tesla Reports Insider Wrongdoing Led to Data Breach Affecting 75,000 People

Adarsh V.K, ,

According to a notification on Maine’s Attorney General website, a Tesla data breach that occurred earlier this year and affected over 75,000 individuals was the result of “insider wrongdoing.” The majority of those impacted, approximately 75,735 people, were likely current or former Tesla employees. In a letter to employees, the company stated that although there is no evidence of the data being misused in a way that could harm them, they are still providing this notice to inform them about the incident and the precautions taken. The breach occurred on…

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Agencies reportedly have 30 days to remove the app from devices. News 

NYC Prohibits Government Employees from Using TikTok

Sanjay Patil, ,

According to The Verge, it has been reported that TikTok will be prohibited on government devices in New York City. City agencies have been given a 30-day deadline to uninstall the app, which is owned by ByteDance, from their devices. Effective immediately, employees are not permitted to download or utilize TikTok on their city-approved technology. This action follows a previous ban by New York state in 2020, as stated by Times-Union. The NYC Cyber Command, a subset of the Office of Technology and Innovation, spurred the decision after reporting to…

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Dennis Giese taught DEFCON attendees how to secure their robot vacuums. News 

How to Disconnect Your Robot Vacuum from the Cloud with Tech Knowledge

Febin Mathew

According to Dennis Giese, a PhD student at Northeastern University specializing in robot vacuum security, robot vacuums are no longer just simple cleaning machines. They have evolved into sophisticated Internet of Things devices, comparable to smartphones, with features such as internet connectivity, video recording, and voice control. However, the security measures for these advanced technologies have not kept pace with their development. “You have no idea what kind of data they’re storing, what kind of data is stored on the device, what kind of data is being sent to the…

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Common forensic tools are used against suspects to conduct digital searches. News 

Government’s Ability to Search Phones Through Legal Loophole

Nitin Misra,

Speakers from the Legal Aid Society revealed at DEF CON last Friday that, although the US upholds the belief in the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, law enforcement can easily justify searching digital devices based on a mere suspicion of wrongdoing. Existing technology enables this practice, and vague legislation allows it to occur. “Technically and legally, there hasn’t really been much to stop the government from getting the information they want if they want it,” Allison Young, digital forensics analyst at The Legal Aid Society told ReturnByte. It’s also…

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Cult of the Dead Cow officially launched Veilid at DEF CON this week. News 

America’s Pioneering Hacking Group Releases Free Tool to Enhance App Security

Adarsh V.K, ,

The hacking group Cult of the Dead Cow (cDc), famous for its activist activities, has developed an open source tool called Veilid. This tool, unveiled at DEF CON on Friday, provides developers with the ability to create secure applications. Veilid offers various features, including the option for users to decline data collection and online tracking. This aligns with the group’s objective of combating the commercialization of the internet. “We feel that at some point the Internet became less of a landscape for sharing information and ideas and more of a…

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Unlock doors, authenticate your identity or show off a cool party trick. News 

Chip Implants Allow You to Leave Your Keys Behind

Adarsh V.K

Software engineer Miana Windall, who has approximately 25 implants embedded in her skin, including magnets and RFID technology, shared her experience and fascination with these implants at the DEF CON security conference. Despite the potential discomfort it may cause to some, Windall assured that these implants are hardly noticeable. She also discussed how she programmed them for personal purposes, such as using them to gain access to her previous workplace. RFID technology enables scannable technology such as metro cards or tap-to-pay. The relatively simple technology was first patented in the…

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The winning systems will be able to analyze and correct vulnerable code in critical infrastructure. News 

White House Launches Initiative to Source Cybersecurity Solutions with Artificial Intelligence

Sanjay Patil, , ,

With alarming frequency, our local and state government systems fall victim to hacking and ransom attacks. During the Black Hat USA Conference in Las Vegas, the Biden Administration announced its strategy to enhance the protection of the country’s crucial digital infrastructure. They will initiate a DARPA-led challenge competition aimed at developing AI systems that can actively detect and resolve software vulnerabilities. In essence, a hackathon will be organized to tackle this issue. The “AI Cyber Challenge” (AIxCC) is a two-year development program open to competitors throughout the United States. It…

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Omnipresent ads promise security, hoping you’ll buy it. News 

Tech companies offer you the chance to buy back your privacy

Adriana Marais, ,

Security is a profitable industry, with companies constantly promoting their latest privacy and security offerings through various mediums such as billboards, internet ads, and commercials. For instance, Apple’s “Privacy. That’s iPhone” campaign, DuckDuckGo’s emphasis on privacy as a distinguishing feature, and targeted Google cybersecurity ads on social media are all examples of this trend. While this increased focus on privacy is beneficial for consumer awareness, it also introduces new terminology and complicates the process of making purchasing decisions. This resurgence of privacy-focused ads has a lot to do with the…

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Officials are investigating a ransomware attack from June affecting an unknown number of students. News 

Colorado Department of Education Reveals Data Breach Affecting Records from Last 16 Years

Nitin Misra,

The Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) has informed students about a possible data breach following a ransomware attack in June. The attack, carried out by unidentified individuals, allowed unauthorized access to CDHE systems. Although the investigation is ongoing, the department has revealed that the breach compromised personal information such as names and social security numbers. “A review of the affected records is underway, and once completed, CDHE will notify potentially affected individuals by mail or email to the extent we have contact information,” CDHE wrote in its release. However,…

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They've been offline for months due to security issues. Gaming 

Nintendo to Reactivate ‘Mario Kart 8’ and ‘Splatoon’ for Wii U on August 3rd

Febin Mathew, ,

After a lengthy wait, players can now enjoy online multiplayer for Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon on the Wii U. Nintendo has officially announced that both games will be accessible for multiplayer once again starting from August 3rd. The company has successfully resolved the security issue that led to the suspension of online services back in March. Nintendo still hasn’t explained the error in more detail. However, hobbyist and tinkerer OatmealDome claims that the last-gen console is vulnerable to an “ENLBufferPwn” attack, which allows intruders to take over the console…

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