With nearly every aspect of our lives linked through networks and data, cyber-security risks are growing—and so are the business and investment opportunities. Over the past few decades, the Internet has grown from a communication tool to something so ubiquitous that it touches nearly every aspect of our lives. Consider the growth of smartphones and the Internet of Things, which includes everything from home appliances and medical devices, to the cars we drive. Even when we're “unplugged," data related to our finances, careers, health and personal lives are pervasive—and vulnerable.

Microsoft CEO Nadella talks of company's role in an ‘ecosystem,’ saying partnerships and top-to-bottom protection and detection critical to battle emerging security threats. "We want to interoperate with all of the tools, we want to take advantage of what each of these partners bring so we can collectively secure our environment,"

In a difficult environment for revenue growth, banks looking to control costs are by and large leaving technology budgets alone. Instead, driven by the need to secure computer systems, develop analytic capabilities and enhance customer-facing platforms, most banks are planning substantial increases in spending across a wide spectrum of technology in 2016, according to chief information officers.

Los reguladores federales deben reforzar las habilidades virtuales de algunos examinadores, en particular aquellos encargados de revisar los protocolos de seguridad cibernética de las pequeñas y medianas instituciones, que, en algunos casos, tienen de “ninguna a muy poca formación en TI”,  de acuerdo con un grupo de vigilancia del gobierno. TI significa tecnología de la información o lo que en inglés se conoce como “information technology”.

Despite living in the Information Age, where almost every business is online, many companies still regard cybersecurity as an afterthought. If not an afterthought, something that is low priority. Or something that only needs to be “good enough.” This is especially true with small-to-medium sized businesses (if you’re in a small firm, i.e., your clients). Trying to keep a business running is hard enough, let alone worrying about being singled out by hackers.

abovethelaw.com

Si ha sido infiel a su marido o a su mujer a través de la web Ashley Madison, tiene un problema. Un grupo de piratas informáticos ha hecho públicos los nombres de sus casi 39 millones de usuarios registrados en todo el mundo. Se trata de una de las páginas más importantes en la búsqueda de pareja a personas casadas que quieren tener una relación extramatrimonial. Los datos robados están ya disponibles para descargarse en Internet y los han publicado varios portales informáticos, informa Efe.

The hack attack on the Ashley Madison site has prompted spammers to capitalise on interest in data stolen from the infidelity site.

On 20 July, hackers claimed to have stolen information about the 37 million accounts registered on the service.

A BBC investigation has found that many of these spam links involve fake data, scam pages and malware.

A few files are seeded with images and videos of people who commit adultery "burning in hell".

Fox News has learned that the number of victims of a pair of massive cyberattacks on U.S. government personnel files has soared to at least 18 million -- but the head of the hacked Office of Personnel Management refuses to blame anyone in her agency. 

"I don't believe anyone is personally responsible," OPM Director Katherine Archuleta said Tuesday. 

The statement came during tense Capitol Hill testimony on a breach that seems to be growing wider by the day. Archuleta, who faced tough questioning at a House hearing last week, likewise faced angry senators on Tuesday before a Senate appropriations subcommittee. 

“We believe the customer should be in control of their own information. You might like these so-called free services, but we don’t think they’re worth having your email, your search history and now even your family photos data mined and sold off for god knows what advertising purpose. And we think some day, customers will see this for what it is.”...

Ever wonder how cyberattacks and malware are created, and how they get into your system to steal your data? See the life of a cyberthreat first hand, from the moment of its inception within the Dark Web of hackers, to when it is sent around the world to infect as many systems as possible. With collaboration across the networks of “good guys,” we can help stop these exploits from being shared and spread. Similar to how vaccinations and health warnings can help to stop a disease pandemic, having the right protocols in place can help send malware back to the Dark Web for good.

Cybercrime itself has become sophisticated and organized, with cybercriminals turning profits of almost $450 billion annually, much of it from the comfort of their desks. This paradigm shift requires us to change the way we think about and fight cybercrime. Perimeter protection is simply not enough. Today’s threats demand technology steeped in intelligence, leadership and policy.

Last week, I had the opportunity to talk to almost 200 C-level executives at our first IBM Security Summit in New York City, focused on these three areas. I was joined by IBM’s CEO Ginni Rometty and several panelists to lay out a new way to tackle this enormous problem. The bad guys have become better and better at cybercrime for three main reasons: they collaborate, sharing technology and practices...

Thieves are stealing money from people's credit cards, bank and PayPal accounts -- by first tapping into their Starbucks mobile app.

Starbucks (SBUX) on Wednesday acknowledged that criminals have been breaking into individual customer rewards accounts.

The Starbucks app lets you pay at checkout with your phone. It can also reload Starbucks gift cards by automatically drawing funds from your bank account, credit card or PayPal.

That's how criminals are siphoning money away from victims. They break into a victim's Starbucks account online, add a new gift card, transfer funds over -- and repeat the process every time the original card reloads...

Source: www.cnn.com

Unclassified emails to and from President Barack Obama were read last year by Russian hackers, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

The White House confirmed the breach earlier this month, saying it took place last year and that it did not affect classified information.

The newspaper, however, said the hack “was far more intrusive and worrisome than has been publicly acknowledged”.

Source: The Guardian

Sony Pictures' Amy Pascal has stepped down as co-chair of Sony's movie studio following a debilitating cyber attack that revealed her private emails.

Ms Pascal will start a production company that will launch in May 2015.

She has already apologised for certain revelations that came as a result of the leaked emails.

Last month, Sony condemned the "vicious" attack, which led it to suspend the release of the film 'The Interview'.

Source: www.bbc.com

The Sony Pictures hack has exposed the inner workings of one of Hollywood's biggest studios.

Sony Pictures has had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad few weeks since November 24. That's when hackers broke in to its computer networks and leaked thousands of financial documents and emails revealing the film studio's inner secrets.

Some of the revelations have been merely interesting, a few have been shocking invasions of privacy, while others could damage individual reputations. All of the revelations have beenreported previously in a variety of publications.

Source: www.cnet.com

El supuesto intento de robo de información del servicio en la nube de Apple, iCloud, por parte de piratas informáticos chinos, llevó al presidente ejecutivo de la tecnológica, Tim Cook, a una reunirse con el gobierno de este país.

Un grupo de hackers supuestamente intentó robar credenciales de los usuarios del servicio iCloud a través de un ataque de intermediario el pasado lunes. Con esto, buscaban interceptar la información entre los usuarios y Apple, y así obtener contraseñas, mensajes, imágenes y contactos, reportó un grupo de supervisión chino en el blog Greatfire.org

Source: www.mexico.cnn.com

Dos ingenieros informáticos españoles han conseguido saltarse el código de seguridad de WhatsApp y enviar un mensaje a través del sistema de mensajería instantánea falseando el remitente.

Los dos hackers han conseguido enviar un mensaje intencionado, simulando que fue otra persona quien lo hizo, a un teléfono móvil.

¿Cómo lo han hecho?...

Source: noticias.univision.com