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Computer users aren't the only ones who need to worry about their privacy and security. A new report from San Francisco-based Lookout Inc., a mobile phone security firm, reveals that smart phone applications may be closely monitoring users and ... relaying that information to others. (Source: yahoo.com ) Personal Data Secretly Transmitted to Third Parties Nearly 300,000 free applications for Apple's iPhone and phones built around Google's Android software were scanned by Lookout, Inc. Results of those scans found that many of those apps were secretly pulling sensitive data off user phones and ... (view more)

Hackers have now started using what is being referred to as "indestructible" cloud computing -based phishing attacks . In short, a phishing attack is a "criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire user names, passwords, and credit card ... details by masquerading as a trustworthy website." (Source: wikipedia.org ) For example, you may have received a dubious email asking you to "update" your banking information or to "change your online banking password." These are typical phishing scams whereby the information you input is stolen by fake ... (view more)

In computer terminology, a honeypot is a trap set to detect, deflect, or in some manner counteract attempts at unauthorized use of information systems. Generally it consists of a computer, data, or a network site that appears to be part of a ... network, but is actually isolated, (un)protected, and monitored, and which seems to contain information or a resource of value to attackers. Honeypot Function A honeypot is valuable as a surveillance and early-warning tool. While it is often a computer, a honeypot can take other forms, such as files or data records, or even unused IP address space. ... (view more)

Even as Facebook constantly adjusts its privacy settings to make critics happy, privacy groups remain convinced that the site can do much more to protect the personal information of its many, many members. In a series of recent interviews, Facebook ... critics have launched new but familiar tirades against the site. Criticism of Facebook has been mounting over the past year. Privacy groups have sent a reported three letters to federal regulators claiming the site's executives are guilty of illegal activity -- including exposing user information to third parties without consent -- and they promise ... (view more)

Research conducted by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) suggests that more than 8 in 10 of web browsers have unique signatures, creating identifiable "fingerprints" that can be used to track almost any user that browses the Internet. The ... results ( PDF ) were found after an experiment was conducted by the EFF with volunteers who visited panopticlick.eff.org. Each participant who visited that site had the configuration and version information of their operating systems, browser, and browser plug-ins anonymously logged. (Source: eff.org ) The information gathered by the website ... (view more)

Facebook users are generally trusting when it comes to their privacy, but some issues push them right over the edge. Take a recent glitch that allowed outsiders to view private user information, including friend names and the content of their chat ... conversations. The glitch emerged late last week, and has once again brought scrutiny and anger down upon the heads of Facebook brass. Users of the social networking site discovered that they were able to find out more about their friends than had been the case in the past, and some could even uncover chat conversations between other people. (Source ... (view more)

A major video games producer says it will begin phasing out printed manuals in a bid to cut down on waste. Ubisoft, makers of the acclaimed Assassin's Creed and Splinter Cell series, say the move will save both paper and the energy used in ... production. Beginning with the next Shaun White Skateboarding game sometime before the end of 2010, Ubisoft will include the manual, along with safety and legal information, within the game itself. The company says this will offer an easier and more intuitive way of accessing the information. (Source: gamespot.com ) That will certainly be easier to achieve ... (view more)

The names, addresses, and Social Security numbers of 3.3 million people were stolen in what is believed to be the largest-ever breach of personal information amongst university students. The issue could affect as many as 5% of all federal ... student-loan borrowers. According to Educational Credit Management Corp. (ECMC), a non-profit guarantor of federal student loans, during the weekend of March 20-21 the personal details of 3.3 millions borrowers were stolen from their St. Paul, Minn. headquarters. The theft did not involve hackers. ECMC spokesman Paul Kelash told the Wall Street Journal that ... (view more)

A U.S. District Court Judge for Washington's Western District has dismissed a claim against software giant Microsoft over the use of its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) program four years ago. One of many reasons that Windows Vista failed was ... because of widespread fear of something called WGA, or the Windows Genuine Advantage program. The drive behind WGA was simple: analyze a computer for pirated copy of Windows and report back to Microsoft headquarters. Unfortunately, the Windows Genuine Advantage stirred up plenty of fear and anger in the lead-up to Vista's launch. Plaintiffs Claim WGA is ... (view more)

According to reports, Google and the National Security Agency (NSA) are teaming up in the name of cyber security. Under the agreement, the NSA would help Google defend against attacks like the one that targeted the search company (along with Adobe ... and several other firms) from China several weeks ago . Google announced publicly that their systems had been hacked beginning in December . The Google intrusions targeted Google source code and extended to more than 30 other large tech, defense, energy, financial and media companies. Gmail accounts of human rights activists in Europe, China and the ... (view more)