identity theft | Breaking Cybersecurity News | The Hacker News

While some payment card companies like Mastercard have switched to selfies as an alternative to passwords when verifying IDs for online payments, hackers have already started taking advantage of this new security verification methods. Researchers have discovered a new Android banking Trojan that masquerades primarily as a video plugin, like Adobe Flash Player, pornographic app, or video codec, and asks victims to send a selfie holding their ID card, according to a blog post published by McAfee. The Trojan is the most recent version of Acecard that has been labeled as one of the most dangerous Android banking Trojans known today, according to Kaspersky Lab Anti-malware Research Team. Once successfully installed, the trojan asks users for a number of device's permissions to execute the malicious code and then waits for victims to open apps, specifically those where it would make sense to request payment card information. Acecard Steals your Payment Card and Real ID det

October 1, 2015, was the end of the deadline for U.S. citizens to switch to Chip-enabled Credit Cards for making the transactions through swipe cards safer. Now, a group of French forensics researchers have inspected a real-world case in which criminals played smart in such a way that they did a seamless chip-switching trick with a slip of plastic that it was identical to a normal credit card. The researchers from the École Normale Supérieure University and the Science and Technology Institute CEA did a combined study of the subject, publishing a research paper [ PDF ] that gives details of a unique credit card fraud analyzed by them. What's the Case? Back in 2011 and 2012, police arrested five French citizens for stealing about 600,000 Euros (~ $680,000) as a result of the card fraud scheme, in spite of the Chip-and-PIN cards protections. How did the Chip-and-Pin Card Fraud Scheme Work? On investigating the case, the researchers discovered that the n

As a vCISO, you are responsible for your client's cybersecurity strategy and risk governance. This incorporates multiple disciplines, from research to execution to reporting. Recently, we published a comprehensive playbook for vCISOs, "Your First 100 Days as a vCISO – 5 Steps to Success" , which covers all the phases entailed in launching a successful vCISO engagement, along with recommended actions to take, and step-by-step examples.  Following the success of the playbook and the requests that have come in from the MSP/MSSP community, we decided to drill down into specific parts of vCISO reporting and provide more color and examples. In this article, we focus on how to create compelling narratives within a report, which has a significant impact on the overall MSP/MSSP value proposition.  This article brings the highlights of a recent guided workshop we held, covering what makes a successful report and how it can be used to enhance engagement with your cyber security clients.

This week, three high-profile data breaches took place, compromising personal and sensitive details of millions of people. Telecommunication giant T-Mobile Crowdfunding website Patreon US brokerage firm Scottrade In T-Mobile's case, its credit application processor Experian was hacked , potentially exposing highly sensitive details of 15 Million people who applied for its service in the past two years. The stolen data includes home addresses, birth dates, driver's license number, passport number, military I.D. numbers and – most unfortunately – the Social Security numbers, among other information. Patreon Hack Hits 2.3 Million Users In Patreon's case, hackers managed to steal almost 15 gigabytes' worth of data including names, shipping addresses and email addresses of 2.3 Million users . In a post published late Wednesday, Patreon CEO Jack Conte confirmed that the crowdfunding firm had been hacked and that the personal data of its users h

If your Social Security number gets hacked in any data breaches, including recently hacked T-Mobile , then there's a way to prevent hackers from misusing your identity (i.e. identity theft ). The solution here is that you can institute a security freeze at each of the three credit bureaus, Equifax , Experian , or TransUnion . Once frozen, nobody will be allowed to access your credit report, which will prevent any identity thieves from opening new accounts in your name. Because most creditors required to see your credit report before approving a new account. But, if they are restricted to see your file, they may not extend the credit or open a new account in your name. However, there are some disadvantages of doing so. 1.   Cost The cost of a security freeze differs by state (check yours here ). However, it is often free for already affected people, but the issue is – if you want to let anyone check your credit, you will need to pay a fee every time to

If you applied for financing from T-Mobile anytime between 1 September 2013 and 16 September 2015, you have been HACKED! – even if you never had T-Mobile service. T-Mobile's credit application processor Experian was hacked, potentially exposing the highly personal information of more than 15 million people in the United States. The stolen information includes names, addresses, phone numbers and – most unfortunately – Social Security numbers . The massive data breach was first discovered in mid-September and has now been confirmed by T-Mobile CEO John Legere . According to Legere, Hackers successfully obtained Millions of people's private information through Experian, one of the world's largest credit check companies that process T-Mobile's credit applications. Both customers and people who submitted to a T-Mobile credit check ( but either canceled or never activated their T-Mobile service ) between September 1, 2013, and September 16, 2015, are most at ris

A 31-year-old South Korean has been recently accused by the police for the allegation of infiltrating and hacking the accounts of 25 million users of   Naver , one of the popular search portal in South Korea. On Wednesday, the Asian National Police Agency revealed that the suspect purchased the private information of 25 million users, including names, residential numbers, Internet IDs and passwords from a Korean-Chinese, back in August last year, Korea Herald reported. The suspect surnamed  ' Seo ', supposedly used the purchased information to hack into the accounts of Naver users and sent out spam messages and other ' illicit emails ' to the account holders. He had made an illegal profit of some 160 million won ( $148,000 ) using this, according to the report. Also a hacker surnamed  ' Hong ', has been arrested by the police who was suspected to develop the hacking program that automatically enter users' IDs and passwords, which was apparently used by

A New day begins with a Cup of Coffee and with new massive Data Breach News. This time in Germany, the Digital identities of about 16 million online users had been stolen, and posing a risk to their accounts linked to social media and other services. Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) discovered a security breach after running an analysis of the botnet network of computers infected with malware . The compromised accounts have email addresses as their username and also the passwords were stolen, that could also be sold to spammers and people looking to " phish " account holders. Until now it hasn't been known that how and when the analysis was carried out and who exactly were involved behind this massive data breach, as the BSI refused to give details on the source of the information. Authorities have set up a German-language website which allows users to enter their email address and check whether their email accounts are compromised or not.

The Publicized Hacks, Cyber attacks and Data breaches continue to increase, and the majority of attacks are from outsiders. Recently, Some unknown Russian hackers have reportedly stolen Personal details of nearly 54 million Turkish citizens, about 70% of the whole Turkish population. According to a report published by ' Hurriyet News ', Researchers from  KONDA  Security firm revealed that the hackers have stolen data from a political party's  vulnerable  system that include Name, ID numbers and address of 54 million voters across the Nation. Researchers claimed that the hacked system (being used for Database and website Management) did not have any antivirus product installed and voter information was also uploaded online on a vulnerable website. This was really a bad idea, and they mentioned that " in two hours hackers downloaded all the information. " In another statement, they mentioned that some government institutions share citizen's personal data online with o

An illegal service that sells personal data of US citizens online, which can then be used for identity theft hacked into the networks of three major data brokers and Hacker stole their databases. Cyber attack has given them access to Social Security Numbers , dates of birth, and other personal details that could put all our finances at risk. Krebs's blog revealed that the service, known as SSNDOB ( ssndob.ms)  (Social Security Number Date of Birth) used malware to obtain secret access to the databases of LexisNexis, Dun & Bradstreet and Kroll Background America. Hackers are charging from 50 cents to $2.50 per record and from $5 to $15 for credit and background checks. It was discovered in March that another website, exposed.su was using data collected by SSNDOB to sell to its customers.  Through the use of a botnet Malware, ID thieves the ID thieves gained access to the networks of LexisNexis, that it provides coverage of more than 500 million unique consumer identities.

22 million Yahoo! Japan's user IDs may have been stolen during an unauthorised attempt to access the administrative system of its Japan portal. " We don't know if the file of 22 million user IDs was leaked or not, but we can't deny the possibility given the volume of traffic between our server and external terminals ", Yahoo said. The information did not include passwords and the kind of data necessary to verify a user's identity or reset passwords, it said, adding that the company had updated its security measures to prevent a repeat of the incident. In 2011, Sony said information such as usernames, passwords and birth dates of more than 100 million people may have been compromised after hackers struck the PlayStation Network and Sony Online Entertainment services. Japan acknowledges that its preventative measures against cyberattacks remain underdeveloped, with the national police agency having announced this month it would launch a team to analyze and combat cyberatt

The Philippine Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended implementation of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act for 120 days, while it decides whether certain provisions violate civil liberties. The law, signed last month, aims to combat Internet crimes such as hacking, identity theft, spamming, cybersex and online child pornography. Human Rights Watch, a human rights monitoring group, hailed reports of the TRO, and called on the tribunal to strike down what it called a "seriously flawed law." Many Facebook and Twitter users, and the portals of several media organisations in the Philippines, have replaced their profile pictures with black screens to protest against the law. Hackers also defaced several government websites in protest. Journalists and citizen groups are protesting because the law also doubles the normal penalty for libel committed online and blocks access to websites deemed to violate the law. They fear such provisions will be used by politicians

Animosity between neighbors has landed a Minnesota man in serious legal trouble. Vincent Ardolf of Blaine, Minn., is facing decades in prison after pleading guilty to hacking his neighbor's WiFi, distributing child pornography, and threatening the Vice President of the United States. Ardolf halted his trial on December 17 by admitting to these crimes. He confessed to two counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of possession of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, unauthorized access to a protected computer, and making threats against Vice President Joe Biden. Authorities revealed that in February 2009, Ardolf hacked into his neighbor's WiFi and created multiple Yahoo email accounts under his neighbor's name. On May 6, 2009, he used one of these accounts to send an email to Biden's office. The email read: "This is a terrorist threat! Take this seriously. I hate the way you people are spending money you don't have... I'm assigning myself to be judge

CitySights NY, a company that organizes New York City tours on double-decker buses, has experienced a significant data breach. The personal information of 110,000 customers, including names, addresses, email addresses, credit card numbers, expiration dates, and Card Verification Value (CVV2) codes, was stolen. The breach likely occurred on September 26, when attackers used an SQL injection to upload a malicious script to the web server. The intrusion was discovered on October 25 by a web programmer who found the unauthorized script. According to a breach notification letter sent to and published by New Hampshire's attorney general, Twin America, CitySights NY's parent company, confirmed the compromise. In response to the breach, Twin America has taken several steps to enhance data security, including: Changing all administrative-level passwords to more complex ones. Restricting access to the administration panel and server to a few pre-approved IP addresses. Patching scri

Checking the mail in December is typically a pleasant experience, filled with holiday cards and packages. Then comes January. Besides the Christmas bills, mailboxes begin to overflow with W-2s, 1099s, statements from financial institutions, and IRS forms. It's no wonder John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education for Smartcredit.com, calls January the most dangerous month for mail. "January is a high-value month for thieves," he said. It's particularly easy for thieves to dip into someone's mailbox, take the envelopes, and gain all the information needed to steal someone else's identity. How to best protect mail, short of meeting the mail carrier at the mailbox each day, is a significant challenge. You shouldn't stop your mail because many items are time-sensitive. Creating an alternative delivery destination, like a P.O. box, could cause more trouble than it's worth, said Ulzheimer. The first step is to know what tax-related statements you should be receiving. For mos

Nearly 100 law enforcement officers recently witnessed how easily an identity thief can steal electronic information. During a UNLV conference, a cybercrime expert used a $30 device to intercept data from their smartphones. Welcome to the dark side of the 21st century. As technology advances, so do the methods of thieves. They now target computers, phones, ATMs, credit card machines, and any device holding personal information. Identity theft is a severe crime. Criminals can quickly wreak havoc by draining bank accounts, taking out loans, and racking up credit card debts. A victim's credit score can be ruined in no time. As reported by Steve Kanigher in the Las Vegas Sun, Nevada has been a hotspot for identity theft. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Nevada ranked fifth in the nation for identity theft last year. This is an improvement from 2005 when it was second. Metro Police reported 2,063 cases from January to November 13 this year, down from 2,440 during the same

Americans are nearly as likely to be victimized by Internet-based crime as by other forms of nonviolent theft. This perception emerges from a recent survey on crimes committed against individuals and their families. According to a Gallup Poll released Monday, 11% of American adults reported that they or a household member were victims of a computer or Internet crime on their home computers in the past year. This marks an increase from the previous seven years, where the percentage ranged between 6% and 8%. Gallup notes: "At 11 percent, computer/Internet-based crime is edging closer in reported frequency to the most common traditional forms of crime involving nonviolent theft of personal property and vandalism. Further, the increase is an exception in the overall crime picture, in that Americans' victimization reports have been fairly steady over the past several years. Not only has the overall percentage of Americans experiencing any type of crime been fairly flat, but Ameri

Thousands of Social Security numbers have been stolen from the computers of a New York state agency. The Social Security Administration in New York City reports that a subcontractor, who was working for the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance on computer infrastructure upgrades, illegally downloaded approximately 15,000 Social Security numbers. These numbers were taken from computers belonging to private contractors working for the agency, which is responsible for deciding Social Security disability claims. The commissioner of Social Security, Michael Astrue, confirmed that the accused worker has been arrested and is now in the custody of the New York State Police. According to Astrue, the unauthorized download of information occurred in a limited number of cases. However, investigations are ongoing, and the full extent of the damage is still unknown. Individuals whose information was compromised will be notified. They will also be offered free credit monitoring and a special

When Ben Franklin famously wrote, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," he wasn't thinking about cybercrime. Yet, in today's world of phishing, shoulder-surfing, and spyware, his advice is more relevant than ever. Unfortunately, some people will take advantage of any opportunity to rip you off. Just as you take precautions when handling cash, you should be vigilant when using credit or debit cards, whether in person or online. Tips for Protecting Your Account Information and Avoiding Payment Card Scams Prevent Online Intrusions Use updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Only download information from trusted sites, and don't click on pop-up windows or suspicious links in emails. These can be tricks to install spyware, which can record your keystrokes to steal account or other confidential information. Use Secure Websites When purchasing items online, look for safety symbols like the padlock icon in the browser's status bar, an "s" after "http" in the U

Globalization benefits consumers and businesses but also provides opportunities for organized crime. Many internet criminals join or form organized crime groups, motivated by economic, cultural, or technical reasons. Globally, individuals and mafia groups engage in illegal online activities, often aiming to become wealthy. Australia ranks among the top 10 countries targeted by cybercrime. Recently, Australian credit card holders' personal information was compromised and published on a website originating from Vietnam. Although this might seem like an isolated incident, such occurrences are part of a broader organized cybercrime effort. Cybercriminals sell thousands of pieces of stolen, misappropriated, and sometimes fake credit card information daily. Three primary packages are available: CC Dump: Information from the credit card's magnetic strip. A simple dump costs around US$0.10 (AU$0.09) when bought in large quantities. CC Full Info: Contains all details about a b

Computer security firms and military personnel have issued warnings about certain Facebook features that could compromise both personal and national security. On Thursday, Sophos, a computer security developer, warned that Facebook's new online messaging service could increase users' vulnerability to identity theft. John Leyden of The Register reported that the service, which combines site updates, instant messaging chat, and SMS messages in one place, is an attractive target for cybercriminals. According to Leyden, spammers can easily target accounts, or they can be compromised to create Web 2.0 botnets. "Users need to realize that these new features increase the attack surface on the Facebook platform, making personal accounts more attractive to cybercriminals," said Graham Cluley, Sophos' senior technology consultant, to AFP. "Facebook accounts will now be linked with more people in users' social circles, creating new opportunities for identity fraud