MakeUseOf: 5 Ways to Safely Test Your Antivirus Software. “If you’re concerned about how good about your antivirus software is, why wait until it’s too late? There are some safe ways you can test your antivirus to make sure it’s working properly.”
security
ABC News (Australia): Inside the police database that holds 40 million private records and any officer can access
ABC News (Australia): Inside the police database that holds 40 million private records and any officer can access. “An ABC investigation has exposed privacy breaches of the central police records database that holds files on millions of Australians. The Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS) database holds more than 40 million records that can be accessed by NSW’s 16,000 police officers.”
ZDNet: Ad agency leaks data on US military veterans’ combat injuries
ZDNet: Ad agency leaks data on US military veterans’ combat injuries. “A Florida-based ad agency has left a database open on the internet that leaked details about past advertising campaigns, including information regarding medical malpractice cases, and sensitive details about combat injuries sustained by US military veterans.”
BetaNews: Security flaw in Dell SupportAssist tool puts millions of Windows systems at risk
BetaNews: Security flaw in Dell SupportAssist tool puts millions of Windows systems at risk. “Dell has announced that both the Business and Home versions of its SupportAssist tool have a security vulnerability within the PC Doctor component that requires immediate patching. The discovery was made by SafeBreach, and there could be over 100 million systems that are affected.”
Phys .org: Florida city pays $600,000 ransom to save computer records
Phys .org: Florida city pays $600,000 ransom to save computer records. “A Florida city agreed to pay $600,000 in ransom to hackers who took over its computer system, the latest in thousands of attacks worldwide aimed at extorting money from governments and businesses.”
The Register: If Uncle Sam could quit using insecure .zip files to swap info across the ‘net, that would be great, says Silicon Ron Wyden
The Register: If Uncle Sam could quit using insecure .zip files to swap info across the ‘net, that would be great, says Silicon Ron Wyden. “Influential US Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) is not happy about Uncle Sam’s employees using insecure .zip files and other archive formats to electronically transfer information.”
Medium: Before You Use a Password Manager
Medium: Before You Use a Password Manager. “I cringe when I hear self-proclaimed experts implore everyone to “use a password manager for all your passwords” and ‘turn on two-factor authentication for every site that offers it.’ As most of us who perform user research in security quickly learn, advice that may protect one individual may harm another. Each person uses technology differently, has a unique set of skills, and faces different risks.”
