Reported fraud in the UK during 2011 increased by 50% to stand at more than £2bn. Both the number and average value of reported cases also rose.
World entering ‘new and terribly dangerous era’, warns researcher
The world is entering a “new and terribly dangerous era” in which cyberwar and information proliferation are converging to threaten critical infrastructure and personal privacy, warns Roger Thompson, chief emerging threat researcher at ICSA Labs.
Symantec uncovers new Android malware to kick off the New Year
Security firm Symantec has uncovered two pieces of Android malware, one spoofing a handful of popular games and another exploiting users’ concerns about Carrier IQ software.
Internet pioneer supports campaign against PIPA and SOPA
Tim Berners-Lee, father of the worldwide web, has supported a group putting pressure on the US government over the proposed PIPA Act, which aims to impose restrictions and censorship on the internet.
US expels Venezuelan diplomat over cyber plot against nuclear plants
The US government has expelled Venezuelan diplomat Livia Acosta Noguera for allegedly assisting the Iranian government in a plot to launch cyber attacks against US nuclear power plants.
Spam site becomes one of the most popular locations on the web
Typosquatting has led to a spam site becoming one of the highest ranking sites on the internet, according to Alexa.
Security concerns are slowing but won’t stop the growth of instant messaging
“I would not be surprised to see the demise of email by the end of this decade.” This surprising but potentially realistic statement was made by Graeme Codrington, a futurist at the TomorrowToday consultancy.
Endpoint attacks cost firms close to half a million dollars annually
Attacks against endpoints are costing the average organization around $470,000 annually, according to a survey sponsored by Symantec.
Internet action against SOPA under discussion within Net Coalition
Opposition to SOPA and PIPA (the anti online piracy acts) continues to grow. Net Coalition reports on Al Gore’s reservations, while also threatening its own internet blackout.
Pastebin shut down twice in a week by DDoS attacks
Pastebin.com, a favorite venue for hacktivists, was shut down twice this week by distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.