It’s Happening Faster Than Even I Thought

"Since I manage an internet privacy company, people expect me to be pessimistic on the development of the surveillance state. But even I didn't expect the surveillance state to form this quickly. 2012 has been a banner year for amoral marketers and soul-dead overseers, and the situation is probably much worse than you realize. A very deep surveillance state is being completed now. It's your choice whether or not you'll escape it." Continue reading

Continue ReadingIt’s Happening Faster Than Even I Thought

Better deterrents put Somali pirates’ business under strain

"Soaring insurance premiums and the threat to crews have forced shipowners to change their ways. Ships have been made harder to attack by a range of measures known as BMP, or best management practice. They cruise faster and practise evasive manoeuvres. More than a quarter of vessels now carry armed security guards. The shipping industry used to oppose this, fearing that armed guards would escalate violence. But not a single vessel with guards has been boarded. Usually a warning shot is enough to deter the pirates. Lieut-Commander Sherrif says: 'The pirates go to sea to make money, not die in a firefight.'" Continue reading

Continue ReadingBetter deterrents put Somali pirates’ business under strain

Stuxnet goes out of control: Chevron infected by anti-Iranian virus, others could be next

"America’s cyberwar is already seeing collateral damage, and it’s hitting the country’s own billion-dollar companies. Oil giants Chevron say the Stuxnet computer virus made by the US to target Iran infected their systems as well. California-based Chevron, a Fortune 500 company that’s among the biggest corporations in the world, admits this week that they discovered the Stuxnet worm on their systems back in 2010. Up until now, Chevron managed to make their finding a well-kept secret, and their disclosure marks the first time a US company has come clean about being infected by the virus intended for Iran’s nuclear enrichment program." Continue reading

Continue ReadingStuxnet goes out of control: Chevron infected by anti-Iranian virus, others could be next

New Jersey’s decision to allow post-Sandy email voting prompts firestorm of protest

"Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno said the move was designed 'to help alleviate pressure on polling places.' But some experts say email voting, which is being allowed by some states for military and overseas voters, has not been tested on a large scale and opens up a host of technical and legal obstacles. Email ballots could be vulnerable to hacking or computer viruses, and could put the election at risk, says Matt Blaze, a University of Pennsylvania computer scientist specializing in security." Continue reading

Continue ReadingNew Jersey’s decision to allow post-Sandy email voting prompts firestorm of protest

Credit Card Data Breach at Barnes & Noble Stores

"Hackers have stolen credit card information for customers who shopped as recently as last month at 63 Barnes & Noble stores across the country, including stores in New York City, San Diego, Miami and Chicago, according to people briefed on the investigation. The company discovered around Sept. 14 that the information had been stolen but kept the matter quiet at the Justice Department’s request so the F.B.I. could determine who was behind the attacks, according to these people. The information was stolen by hackers who broke into the keypads in front of registers where customers swipe their credit cards and enter their PINs." Continue reading

Continue ReadingCredit Card Data Breach at Barnes & Noble Stores

TSA Agent Slips Through Body Scanner With A Gun

Um, yeah: An undercover TSA agent was able to get through security at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport with a handgun during testing of the enhanced-imaging body scanners, according to a high-ranking, inside source at the Transportation Security...

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