Security Tidbits

Nerds On Site
Article Written By Nerdsonsite

1995

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– Old school phone fraud meets modern cyber-crime. How can I steal from thee? Let me count the ways. If the scammers can’t trick you into installing fake antivirus software by flashing warnings on your screen, well, then they will call you on the phone instead. This is cold-calling at its worst – REALLY cold. (Spread the word.)

– Be careful where you get those plug-ins! Both Chrome and Firefox have lots of cool plug-ins to extend the functionality of their browsers, but beware. This hacker wrote one to steal passwords. At least he told us about it. One would hope that a plug-in this malicious would not last long, but it is an open community, and there have been some bad apples in the plug-in barrel from time to time – just none quite so pernicious as this one.

– Credit Card skimming – it’s not just for ATMs any more. This article brings an interesting problem to light – all those self-service credit card devices and who has access to them. 180 pay-at-the-pump gasoline (petrol for some of you) pumps were compromised by skimmers and bluetooth transmitters because access to these pumps is not securely managed. How would you spot one? You wouldn’t and you couldn’t, because the skimmers were inside. Your only defense is to watch those credit card statements (well, or use cash – of course, thieves can steal that as well).

 

Dennis

 

 

Dennis H in West Virginia, US
July 13, 2010

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