Tag: Mobile Threats

Financial Malware, not Ransomware, drives most Cyber Crime

In-brief: data from the firm Symantec shows that financial malware targeting banks – not ransomware- is the most important and oft-used tool in the cyber criminal’s toolbox. 

connected vehicles

Podcast – Smart Vehicle Security: A Report from the Lab

In-brief: In this Security Ledger podcast, Paul speaks with Sameer Dixit of Spirent Security Labs, a leading tester of connected (“smart”) vehicles. Truly secure, connected vehicles may be years away, he says. In the meantime, security flaws and poorly implemented features are a major issue, Dixit says, with many car companies still preferring bolt on security fixes over secure design. 

Depiction of Federal Signal Siren

Podcast: Hack, or Phreak – What Really Happened in Dallas?

In-brief: The April 7th hijacking of more than 100 civil defense sirens in Dallas was dismissed as an “old school” hack that relied copycat radio tones to set off a cacophony that lasted for nearly two hours. But was it? Security researcher Mark Loveless (aka “Simple Nomad”) has his doubts about the official explanation. In this latest Security Ledger podcast, he talks to Editor in Chief Paul Roberts about what might have really gone down in Dallas. 

As Trump and Xi Meet, Reports of China-Sponsored Hacks Flare | Digital Guardian

In-brief: On the eve of a high-profile meeting between China’s President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump, new reports underscore the continued scourge of Chinese spying on- and theft from the U.S. and its allies. (Editor’s note: this post is excerpted from one that appeared on Digital Guardian’s blog.)

Researcher Says 9 in 10 Smart TVs Vulnerable to Broadcast-based Attacks

In-brief: a security researcher demonstrated a broadcast-based attacks on smart televisions, almost three years after a similar demonstration by researchers at Columbia. More than 90 percent of smart TVs may be vulnerable – but carrying out an attack may be challenging.