hackers

Fri
29
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

How to Fix: VPNFilter Router Malware (And Test if Vulnerable)

Infopackets Reader Gord F. writes: " Dear Dennis, I have heard from the media and some friends that I should reboot my router due to Russian malware that is infecting routers. I have done some research on the subject and the story made headlines ... back around May 29, 2018, followed by more updates to suggest that the VPNFilter Router Malware is much worse than originally thought. I have checked and mine does not seem to be on the list of affected routers. What should I do now? " My response: From what I understand, the VPNFilter Router Malware affects routers made by Cisco and Linksys, MikroTik ... (view more)

Wed
17
Jan
John Lister's picture

New Android Malware Most Powerful Yet

A newly discovered malware exploit offers hackers an incredible level of control and access. Fortunately the creators appear to be highly targeting their victims, though it's still a threat to ordinary users. Dubbed Skygofree, the malware affects ... users of the Android smartphone operating system. It is said to give the people behind the malware the ability to remotely carry out 48 different operations on an infected phone. These include targeted controls not previously seen, as well as more common malware exploitations. Some of the 'normal' options for the malware creators include the ability ... (view more)

Wed
20
Dec
John Lister's picture

'Password' Still a Common Password in 2017

A security company has released its list of the worst passwords of 2017. As always with this annual survey, it tells us more about culture than security practices. The list comes from SplashData, which compiles the rankings based on how many times ... particular passwords appears in leaked lists of user databases (mainly among English language users). The survey this year totaled more than five million passwords, though it's worth noting the company deliberately excluded leaks of passwords from adult sites. (Source: cnet.com ) The most common are hardly any surprise with "123456" beating out " ... (view more)

Fri
17
Nov
Dennis Faas's picture

How to Fix: WPA2 Vulnerability using DD-WRT Firmware

Infopackets Reader Paul E. writes: " Dear Dennis, I read with interest John Lister's article on the WPA2 exploit (KRACKs) , which explains how hackers can break into any WiFi network. I have 4 TPLink routers in my home that I use as 'hot spots' in ... various locations. As per your suggestion, I have visited TPLink's website for firmware updates for my routers, but there are none available. I am worried that someone is going to break into my network and steal my financial information. What can I do? " My response: I own a few TP Link routers as well and what I've done is flashed the routers using ... (view more)

Thu
12
Oct
John Lister's picture

T-Mobile Bug Revealed Email Address, Name, and More

T-Mobile has fixed a bug that let hackers get sensitive personal data just by using a phone number. In theory, it could have been possible to collect details on all the company's customers, though T-Mobile denies this. The problem was discovered by ... Karan Saini, a security researcher who discussed the problem with the Motherboard Vice website. The site then approached T-Mobile about the problem. It said "we were alerted to an issue that we investigated and fully resolved in less than 24 hours. There is no indication that it was shared more broadly." (Source: vice.com ) The bug had to do with T ... (view more)

Tue
19
Sep
John Lister's picture

CCleaner Compromised by Hackers - Update Immediately

Users of the popular CCleaner optimization software have been urged to immediately update the program. The software was recently compromised by hackers for almost a month, though it does not yet appear they did any damage. The warning to update is ... particularly important because CCleaner doesn't automatically update - though it does tell users when a new version is ready. The compromised versions were the 32-bit editions of CCleaner v5.33.6162 and CCleaner Cloud v1.07.3191 . User who currently have these versions should uninstall them immediately, then get the latest copy from the website of ... (view more)

Tue
05
Sep
John Lister's picture

Pacemakers 'Recalled' Amid Hacking Concerns

Around 465,000 pacemakers have been 'recalled' over hacking fears. However, the St Jude Medical brand devices will be patched with a software update rather than removed and replaced. The pacemakers are radio controlled to allow doctors to alter the ... specific rhythm they aim for when regulating a heart beat. This radio control means doctors can adjust to the patients changing needs without the need to remove the pacemaker for alterations. That's important as the surgery for such a removal is inherently risky. No Signs Of Hack Attacks While the precise details haven't been revealed for obvious ... (view more)

Wed
18
Jan
John Lister's picture

Squirrels Dubbed Major Security Threat

Squirrels pose more of a threat to infrastructure than cyber terrorists - or, at least that's what one researcher's project implies. Cris Thomas says he found nearly five million people have been affected by power cuts caused by animals since 2013. ... According to Thomas, that's vastly more damaging than deliberate human actions to disrupt power and communications networks. The surprising claim came at a security conference in Washington and attracted attention given many speeches at such events concentrate on the actions of human hackers, terrorists and state governments in ... (view more)

Tue
29
Nov
John Lister's picture

San Francisco Trains Hit By Hackers

Hackers had an unexpected deal for San Francisco passengers on Black Friday: free journeys thanks to a ransomware attack. Officials were forced to suspend charging on the Municipal Railway system after hackers took control of payment computers. ... While the problem has now been fixed, it's not known if officials paid up a reported $73,000 ransom to regain access. The hackers manipulated the computer systems so that screens did not allow customer interaction and instead displayed a message reading "You Hacked, ALL Data Encrypted. Contact For Key ( cryptom27@yandex.com )ID:681, Enter. ... (view more)

Thu
24
Nov
John Lister's picture

Report: Earphones Could Be Hijacked By Hackers

Security researchers say hackers could turn people's headphones into a microphone for surreptitious remote listening. However, the method has enough limitations that it shouldn't be a major concern for most users. The method, shown off by ... researchers at Ben Guiron University in Israel, takes advantage of a very simple element of engineering. That is that the process by which a microphone turns speech into an electronic signal is effectively the same as that by which earphones turn a speaker into sound, just with the process reversed. According to the researchers, that's a security ... (view more)

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