online

Fans of Apple's Safari web browser will soon be able to mask their online activity from online marketers via a handy new Do Not Track feature. The tool will be available with the release of Lion, an upcoming version of the Mac OS X operating system ... (OS), currently only available to developers. The public will get their hands on Lion (and thus Do Not Track) this summer. We're learning of the browser feature through online discussions of Lion on Twitter and various online forums. Microsoft, Mozilla Beat Apple to Punch Apple is by no means the first company to bring a Do Not Track feature to its ... (view more)

A computer programmer will spend two years behind bars after bringing down several high-profile websites. But unlike most modern hackers, Bruce Raisley was motivated by embarrassment rather than greed. Raisley had formerly worked for an online ... vigilante group known as Perverted Justice, which has members pose as youngsters online in order to catch and expose adults seeking an illicit meeting. The group works with television show To Catch A Predator. Eventually, Raisley quit the group following an argument with its founder, Xavier Von Erck, who then carried out a quite spectacular and ironic ... (view more)

The popularity of online poker sites has skyrocketed in recent years. But for some the experience may be tarnished upon hearing that a number of these sites are using "Poker Bots" -- automated software programs designed to play poker games by ... stacking the deck and lining the pockets of those that control them. Internet gambling is illegal in the United States, but online casinos operate offshore and continue to attract a number of new users on a daily basis. Likewise, Poker bots are not new to most gaming circles. The programs continue to be openly sold online the black market for hundreds of ... (view more)

The last day to file your taxes in the U.S. is not until April 18, but hackers and online scumbags have long been preparing for the date. A number of new scams have since surfaced online, promising tax credits and other incentives for charitable ... donations. Online Tax Filing Up 6 Percent Since 2010 Almost 19 million people have already filed their taxes at home this year, which is up 6 per cent compared to 2010. For many, this will be their first time tackling the ominous task via the Internet and without the assistance of an accountant. Hackers realize that this is the time when taxpayers ... (view more)

Two men accused of scamming PC users into buying bogus security software have agreed to pay the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) an estimated $8.2 million. The money will go towards refunding the victims. Fake security software and similar scams of ... this nature are known as " scareware " -- software which is purposely designed to scare users into making a purchase. The scareware duo were made up of a father and son team. Maurice and Marc D'Souza are reported to have been involved in a massive scam that involved selling more than 1 million copies of fake security software to Windows ... (view more)

An international report says that the term "cyber war" overstates the genuine security risks that national governments face in the online age. It goes on to note that officials need to plan for accidental incidents as well as attacks. The report, ... from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, says that comparing online attacks to an armed military conflict exaggerates the potential effects. It also argues that a financial crisis or a health pandemic would also be much more serious than cyber attacks. The key finding of the report is that most forms of attack against ... (view more)

For years, hackers have turned the Internet into a never-ending game of " malware roulette," with virtually any web site running the risk of being compromised. In an effort to make the online community a safer place for everyone, Google has ... integrated a new self-identification feature into its search engine to inform users when a website poses a threat. Compromised Websites Weeded Out from Google Search Google created the feature with the average Internet user in mind. If the search engine detects that a website has been altered by a third party, it will display the following message: " ... (view more)

For 'Millenials,' (individuals between the ages of 18 and 33), going online is as natural as brushing one's teeth or turning on the television. But a recent study finds that members of much older generational groups are rapidly catching up with ... their younger counterparts in terms of how much time they spend online. According to findings from the Pew Research Center, Millenials are still by far the most likely generational group to use the Internet via laptops, desktops, smartphones, or tablet computers. They are also mostly likely to connect to social networking sites like Facebook and ... (view more)

PC security and fraud analysts are today warning users of the alarming online spread of fake defragmentation tools for Microsoft's Windows operating system (OS). These fraudulent programs, referred to as scareware, are sold to consumers to "fix ... their PC," based on an illegitimate warning message, but perform no necessary function. Bogus Defrag Tools Flood Online Market GFI-Sunbelt Security recently posted a warning online their blog, stating that many bogus defrag tools have made their way online in recent weeks. The company recommends users steer clear of several deceptive products ... (view more)

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday officially behind us, Christmas is fast approaching. As such, online scamsters are working overtime to swindle as many victims as possible in response to the increased online traffic that comes with the bustling ... holiday season. Responding to the issue is the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), Better Business Bureau (BBB), and security software companies McAfee and F-Secure, which have all offered their take on the five most pertinent scams that online shoppers will face this year. Scam #1: The Free iPad It seems as if iPad-related scams began popping up ... (view more)