Robert Siciliano Security Analyst at Safr.me
As more online retailers introduce mobile ecommerce applications, criminal hackers are taking notice. Existing mobile operating systems are under attack and, like standard PC operating systems, they sometimes fail to provide the necessary security to support a payment application. Current research is primarily geared towards securing mobile paymen...
26 April 2011 /security /regulation
Recent reports of “The Oak Ridge National Laboratory, home to one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers, has been forced to shut down its email systems and all Internet access for employees since late last Friday, following a sophisticated cyberattack.” The sophisticated cyber attack was reported to be the lowly unsophisticated phishing ema...
24 April 2011 /security /regulation
If there were a criminal hall of fame with an award for the coolest criminal, it would have to go to the pickpocket. Pickpockets are sneaky creatures who manage to function exactly one degree below the radar. Pickpockets whisper through society, undetected and undeterred. They are subtle and brazen at the same time. They are like bed bugs, crawling...
22 April 2011 /security /regulation
Mobile banking, m-banking, or SMS banking refers to online banking that occurs via mobile phone or PDA rather than a PC. The earliest mobile banking services were offered over SMS, but with the introduction of smartphones and Apple iOS, mobile banking is being offered primarily through applications as opposed to text messages or a mobile browser. ...
In a previous post I discussed virtual currency, which is used to purchase virtual goods within a variety of online communities, including social networking websites, virtual worlds, and online gaming sites. These virtual dollars and virtual goods have real value. Virtual currency includes the points customers receive from retailers, merchants, a...
20 April 2011 /security /regulation
Mobile payments generally involve three participants: the mobile device, the merchant, and a financial service provider or trusted third party. That trusted third party, or TTP, is an established, reputable fiduciary entity accepted by all parties to an agreement, deal, or transaction. A TTP authenticates and authorizes users in order to secure a p...
There are a number of mobile operating systems, but five major players have floated to the top, dominating a major chunk of the market. It used to be that people chose their phone only by their carrier and what brands they offered. Today many choose their phone based on the manufacturer and its operating systems features. Symbian: 31% of all mobil...
19 April 2011 /security /regulation
This is just the greatest story about social media used for doing good EVER. A University of Georgia student was in bed when masked men invaded his home and tied up his 17-year-old sister and his grandmother. The student wakes up and probably heard yelling and realized what was happening; apparently he didn’t have his phone so he took his laptop a...
More consumers than ever before are buying smartphones. A smartphone is an Internet-enabled mobile phone with the ability to purchase and run applications. Smartphones are generally equipped with voice, data, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS functions. Operating systems include Google’s Android, Apple’s iOS and Windows’ Mobile 7. Most function on a 3G wi...
18 April 2011 /security /regulation
This week consumers are receiving messages from trusted companies such as 1-800-Flowers, Chase, Hilton HHonors and others, letting them know that their e-mail addresses have been exposed due to the recent Epsilon data breach. This provides a perfect opportunity for cybercriminals, who may try to take advantage of the breach to send out phishing e...
12 April 2011 /security /regulation
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