IT Security
Security bloggers help keep you up to date on how to protect your network through news, updates, advice, and opinions on how you can stay ahead of hackers.
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Email encryption: Using PGP and S/MIME
For those worried about the security and privacy of email communications, encryption is one layer to add, but using encryption software isn't terribly user-friendly.
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Band of brothers: Vendor partnerships strengthen security for all
Security vendors who band together on solutions instead of persisting in adversarial relationships with one another should be the favored providers for IT departments.
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Why 'Nothing to Hide' misrepresents online privacy
A legal research professor explains to Michael P. Kassner why we should think long and hard before subscribing to the "Nothing to Hide" defense of surveillance and data-gathering.
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Cyberwarfare: Mounting a defense
Both private and public organizations are at risk for cyberwarfare attacks and must take responsibility for network defense. Tom Olzak outlines security best practices.
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Does using encryption make you a bigger target for the NSA?
Fact: The U. S. government is capturing data from its citizens. Fact: Encrypted data is of more interest to the U.S. government. Michael P. Kassner asks two experts, one legal, one cryptographic, what our options are.
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Everything you need to know about using TOR
TOR's anonymizing and encrypting features make it a very useful tool for privacy. Here's a quick look at the basics.
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[Infographic] Wiretapping: Privacy vs. security
This infographic traces the history of the privacy vs. security debate in the U.S. from the Bill of Rights to PRISM.
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Cyberwarfare: Characteristics and challenges
The specter of cyberwarfare isn't just a problem for governments -- many types of organizations could be in the line of fire. Knowing the types of attacks and their probability will help you prepare.
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Convenience or security: You can't have both when it comes to Wi-Fi
Open Wi-Fi networks can be a godsend when you need them. Michael P. Kassner interviews a network-security expert who explains why bad guys like them even more.
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Be wary of WordPress plugin vulnerabilities
WordPress plugins are highly vulnerable, according to a recent report.
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Ignoring security advice from the pros: The IT-user disconnect
IT pros and the general population of users have seemingly different agendas when it comes to security. Michael P. Kassner interviews a noted researcher about the psychology of these two groups.
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New Android malware should be wake-up call for security admins
Security firm Kaspersky reported on a new malware threat that it calls the most sophisticated it has seen in targeting Android phones.
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BGP and Internet security: Is it better to be lucky or good?
Does "it's not a problem until it actually happens" apply to Internet security? Michael P. Kassner interviews a networking expert who's wondering about the same thing.
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DARPA's Plan X and the future of the U.S. cyber defense infrastructure
Plan X sounds like a summer sci-fi movie, but it's actually one of DARPA's latest projects, aimed at improving the nation's defense of critical infrastructure targets.
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The anatomy of a phishing operation
There are far better things than being phished, like writing about how not to get phished. Michael P. Kassner reviews a research paper that provides amazing insight into a successful phishing operation.
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COBIT 5 for information security: The underlying principles
COBIT 5, a governance model for enterprise IT, introduces a framework that is better focused on information security.
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Email encryption: Using PGP and S/MIME
For those worried about the security and privacy of email communications, encryption is one layer to add, but using encryption software isn't terribly user-friendly.
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Rootkit coders beware: Malwarebytes is in hot pursuit
Anti-malware heavy-hitter Malwarebytes is now laser-focused on eliminating rootkits. Michael P. Kassner asks the creators of MBAM how they approach this particular threat.
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Does your flashlight app know where you are? Probing Android permissions
Android permissions are difficult to understand. Michael Kassner interviews a research team using the "wisdom of the crowd" to clarify what a permission actually does.
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The truth behind those Nigerian 419 scammers
Why would 419 scammers say they're Nigerian, even if they are as American as apple pie? Michael Kassner provides some insight as to why.
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Extra protection for Windows PCs with EMET
Alfonso Barreiro offers an overview of EMET -- Microsoft's free Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit -- that applies anti-exploit tech to vulnerable applications and processes.
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Freedom Hosting and 'torsploit': Troubles on the Onion router
The arrest of the Freedom Hosting CEO has set in motion a crisis for TOR and unleashed a java exploit designed to expose Freedom Hosting users.
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Researchers reverse-engineer the Dropbox client: What it means
There were doubts about being able to reverse engineer heavily-obfuscated applications written in Python. Two researchers have removed all doubt by reverse engineering the immensely popular Dropbox client.
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Understand the setuid and setgid permissions to improve security
Understanding how the setuid and setgid permissions work on a Unix-like system is important, in part to know why they are used sometimes, but more importantly, to avoid misusing them.
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Microsoft Windows activation work-around
Almost anything is hackable, given enough effort. Working around Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage is somewhat easier than you might expect, however.
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So you want to be a computer forensics expert
Deb Shinder outlines the skills, education, tools, and experience you will need to follow a career in computer forensics.
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Understanding risk, threat, and vulnerability
IT security, like any other technical field, has its own specialized language developed to make it easier for experts to discuss the subject. It pays to understand this jargon when researching security.
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The insecurity of private email services
The Indian government wants to ban the use of Gmail for official use, due in part to leaks about NSA snooping, but the general insecurity of private email services makes this a sound policy.
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Researchers create nearly undetectable hardware backdoor
University of Massachusetts researchers have found a way to make hardware backdoors virtually undetectable.
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How effective is antivirus software on smartphones?
Patrick Lambert looks at the limited usefulness of smartphone antivirus apps. Should you bother with it?