The topic name format will likely change, but yeah. Computers are a common part of many people’s lives these days, yet there are many gaping issues that are finally coming to more minds as valid concerns. Especially the pocket computers, AKA Smartphones.
Spying is a concern for some folks, since it used to only be suspected criminals, now a days, it is quite literally entire populations, if not the entire world. On that note, why is the ex-NSA General Keith Alexander running a 1 million per month security firm?. Personally I get a very Haliburton / Blackwater / Academi vibe. Call me paranoid.
Also in the Gov’t sector, the US Marshals Service is auctioning ~29600 bitcoins. Roughly worth $17.5 million USD. Flashback being Silk Road was the online drug retailer taken down by law enforcement sometime in 2013. Also of note, is when the BCC for all buyers turned into a reply-all and that list was leaked. Oops.
Cryptome.org was temporarily taken offline for a ‘malware issue’ by their host provider. Cyptome has been disclosing leaked documents since June 1996.
In entertaining news, World Cup Wif-Fi password for the security center was disclosed in a press article. If you are taking photos in a security center, check those screens for info you would rather not publicize.
A 16 year old crafted a browser plugin that shows the financial contributions to politicians.
You know mobile phones have been backdoored to spy on people, right? Well some good people are reverse-engineering those spy tools to try and defeat the methods used, and to further disclose their operations.
Speaking of Spying, USA politics continues to be largely theatrical in restricting the bulk surveillance of persons around the world. Since the House of Representatives was called out for being really weak on their stance, they are apparently looking to cut NSA funding. If you are not concerned about spying yet, I really advise you to see what organizations are involved with NSA compliance. When software and hardware is deliberately weakened, these agencies are not the only ones with access.
Then get into the vast amount of spying 3rd parties do under contracts, with an addition of Stingray (cell phone interception spying by false cellular tower) surveillance by local police departments (Guardian write-up). Thanks for reading this current events in security post. 