A number of Dell customers claim to have been contacted by scammers who had access to specific customer information that should have only been available to Dell. The company claims it hasn't been hacked but won't offer an explanation for the seemingly stolen data.
Bill Snyder |
11 Jan |
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A popular toy manufacturer is the latest victim of a large-scale hack, and the breach opened the door for more damaging future attacks on the company's customers and their children.
Bill Snyder |
30 Nov |
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Cars with systems that connect to the Internet are potentially vulnerable to intrusions by hackers. Here are four steps to help protect your automobile without spending a dime.
Bill Snyder |
20 Nov |
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By now, you've probably been lectured about the importance of using strong passwords by your company's IT department, technology-savvy friends and any number of tech writers. You get it, so I won't repeat the lecture. However, the passwords you think are strong might not be.
Bill Snyder |
31 Mar |
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TRUSTe, a company that is supposed to help consumers determine if online sites are secure enough to make online purchases, can't always be trusted, according to the FTC.
Bill Snyder |
20 Nov |
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Verizon Wireless, the largest wireless carrier in the United States, has been quietly adding little bits of code, or "tokens," to data requests made via mobile devices on its network for at least two years. The tokens let advertisers build profiles of users' Web activities and deliver targeted ads. The ads, in turn, generate revenue that Verizon shares via partnerships.
Bill Snyder |
29 Oct |
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When it comes to wireless tracking and electronic spying, paranoia is often the right response. Not always, though. Case in point: The rather hysterical flap over beacons, which use Bluetooth technology to detect nearby mobile devices and deliver advertisements and other related content. You'd think the little devices were something out of a sci-fi movie, ready to track your every move and send the data to the Dark Powers that be.
Bill Snyder |
21 Oct |
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Privacy advocates and the FTC are putting pressure on a number of major tech companies, including Apple, Amazon and Yelp, for allowing children to register on their sites. What's the big deal? It's not about kiddie porn or fears that a child will hook up with a molester. It's something a lot less dramatic, but still very important.
Bill Snyder |
19 Sep |
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There's a new report out highlighting a huge spike in threats against Google's Android platform. It's something to be concerned about. But don't freak out or return your cool new Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Bill Snyder |
22 Sep |
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Take a deep breath. There's a new report out highlighting a <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/25/android-number-one-target-by-mobile-hackers-report-says/?nl=technology&emc=cta4">huge spike in threats against Google's Android platform</a>. Yes, it's something to be concerned about. But don't freak out or return your cool new Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Bill Snyder |
31 Aug |
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By the end of this year, the world's population is expected to hit 7 billion. That's a huge number, but it pales in comparison to the 60 billion to 100 billion photos Facebook has reportedly stored on its servers.
Bill Snyder |
21 Jun |
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Wave your smartphone; buy a latte. Sounds great, doesn't it? But before running off to participate in Silicon Valley's next new thing, you might want to think about a scary downside to mobile commerce: the vulnerability of smartphones to hackers.
Bill Snyder |
02 Jun |
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Locking down your home Wi-Fi network with a password is like making sure you eat your broccoli. It's probably good for you, but you probably think it's not much of a priority or a big deal. Well, it's time to make an attitude adjustment. It turns out that you can cause yourself a good deal of trouble by leaving that door to your system unlocked.
Bill Snyder |
03 May |
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Most of the time I only hear from my credit card companies when I owe them money or when they want to sell me a new service. That's changed; now I'm being bombarded with notes telling me that a company I never heard of has been successfully hacked and these still unknown bad guys now have my name and e-mail address -- and maybe more.
Bill Snyder |
12 Apr |
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I like to think that most of us who use computers are reasonably bright and responsible. So I get really irritated by the mindset of some technology vendors who insist that treating us like children is not only okay, but also the responsible thing for them to do.
Bill Snyder |
29 Mar |
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