National Cyber Security By Gregory Evans

Wednesday night, military officials divulged details of a virus that infected computers supporting drones that fly over battlefields.  Air Force officials said they wanted to give out more information so people wouldn’t be concerned that missions were ever in jeopardy. He’s accused of hacking celebrities and now Christopher Chaney is behind bars.  The Florida man allegedly hacked into a number of people’s emails including Scarlett Johansson, Christina Aguilera and Mila Kunis. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston, TX is taking a shot at crime prevention.  The office announced that it now has two initiatives to help residents keep an eye out on crime by looking out for Internet predators and tracking down criminals on the run. Also listen to hear the job of the day!

Did it happen again?  Was Sony the victim of another cyber attack?  The company said today that it found a large amount of unauthorized sign-in attempts on its PlayStation Network and other online entertainment services.  Because of that, it has temporarily suspended about 93,000 user accounts for those services. It has quickly spread overseas and BlackBerry is working hard to fix massive worldwide outages.  Sprint Nextel announced today that it is working with BlackBerry-builder Research in Motion to fix the problem that has now reached the United States.  It has already caused interruptions in Europe and Asia. It was a busy day today for Apple.  It released the latest versions of the software that powers its smartphones and iPad tablet computers.  The company also unveiled its much anticipated iCloud service. Also, listen to the job of the day!!

Was it or wasn’t it Anonymous that allegedly hacked into the New York Stock Exchange?  The answer: maybe and maybe not.  We do know that the NYSE’s site was in fact attacked twice on Monday.  Some believe that it was the result of computer attacks as part of the weeks long anti-Wall Street protest.  The state of Michigan is cracking down on cyber crime with a new cyber command center and cyber defense response teams.  It’s a part of their plan to heighten the state’s profile in the computer security industry. You may think your actions online are safe and private but a new study released today says otherwise.  They study results is renewing calls for “do not track” rules. Also listen to hear the job of the day!!

The U.S. government remains tight lipped about a computer virus that infected the cockpits of America’s Predator and Reaper drones.  They are saying that the virus has been logging pilots’ every keystroke while they flew remote missions over warzones including Afghanistan. It may be National Cyber Security Awareness month but that apparently is not stopping spammers.  Cyber experts warn computer users that there’s been an upsurge in spam and virus-loaded emails this month. A cyberbullying law is getting some traction in the NY Senate.  Sen. Jeff Kine now has support in proposing legislation to expand the crime of third- degree stalking to include cyberbullying.  The recent suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer reportedly helped to move things along.  Rodemeyer was a victim of bullying.

If nothing else, the WikiLeaks scandal may make you more secure online.  The White House plans to issue an executive order on Friday to replace a flawed patchwork of computer security safeguards exposed by the disclosure of hundreds of thousands of classified government documents to WikiLeaks last year. Facebook is facing some more legal problems.  This time it’s from a Kansas Facebook user.  42 year old John Graham filed a federal lawsuit against the social networking giant, claiming it violated wiretap laws with a tracking cookie that records web browsing history after logging off of Facebook. The death of Steve Jobs has touched people in many ways.  Unfortunately, it’s also moving scammers to try and cash in on the Apple co-founder’s death. Tune in to hear the job of the day as well.

A top American lawmaker may be right after all.  Just one day ago, China was accused of exercising “an intolerable level” of espionage right here in the county.  Today, Russia’s spy service announced they detained a Chinese national for allegedly attempting to steal secrets about a Russian missile system. Identity theft is a growing issue. However if you have questions, there's a website to help you.  The Consumer Federation of America opened a site called idtheftinfo.org. The site gives links to helpful, credible websites that offer information and advice about identity theft and privacy protection. The economy is hurting every industry and technology is no different. Jobs in technology fell 2 percent last year, outright more than 115,000 people out of work. That's the second consecutive year of falling employment in the industry. The good news is that the number of jobs lost was less than half of the more than 249,000 jobs lost the year before. Also, make sure you hear the job of the day!!

Crime may not pay for cyber criminals in England.  The Metropolitan Police claim to have saved millions of dollars in the last six month of fighting cybercrime.  The numbers are based on theoretical earnings the crooks could have made if police didn’t stop them. The United States has a cyber campaign and now so does Canada.  Monday the Canadian government launched a website and ad campaign focused on getting Canadians to help fight cybercrime. The clock is ticking for those of you who want to get your hands on the new iPhone 4S.  Today, Apple gave the public a glimpse of the faster version of its best-selling smartphone.  It even includes a virtual personal assistant you can talk to. Also check out the job of the day!

Hackers have a very strong message. It’s that no one is safe from them, not even Prime Ministers. Officials say in an effort to embarrass the government, hackers targeted the personal Twitter account of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. A homeless man is facing some pretty serious charges for allegedly hacking into Santa Cruz County computers last December.  He is out of custody but federal charges await him for now. If you have a smartphone, like most people do, you might want to pay attention to this story.  Researchers believe they’ve found a flaw in several smartphone models produced by HTC.  It gives any application that has Internet access the keys to a plethora of information on the phone, including e-mail addresses, GPS locations, phone numbers, and text message data. Also, check out the job of the day!

You, the voter may not have as much of a say when it comes to who will be our next president.  The 2012 Presidential may have hackers lurking to change the results. Betfair customers lost big but not because of what happened on the track but because they didn’t bet on cyber criminals cashing in.  Criminals reportedly stole payment card details of nearly 2.3 million Betfair customers. October is National Cyber Security Awareness month and it is the perfect time to discuss cyber security with the young and the not so young. Surfing the web can be like surfing in shark- infested waters according to some experts. Social media makes anyone an easy target. Also make sure you listen to hear the job of the day.

The world of cyber crime is constantly changing according to a new report from IBM.  The company released results of the X-Force 2011 Mid-Year Trend and Risk Report.  It says that whaling is becoming more popular for hackers. They didn’t hack into computers but law officers say they did use the Internet to steal cash from an Indian woman.  Police arrested four Nigerians after they allegedly lured the Indian teacher into a fake ICC World Cup lottery scheme. West Virginia State Police hope to crack down on cyber criminals and they are teaming up to do it.  The police will work with West Virginia University and the National White Collar Crime Center to form the West Virginia Cyber Crime Cooperative. Also make sure you listen to hear the job of the day.

A major international arrest came today.  Indonesia’s National Police arrested 35 Chinese and Taiwanese nationals at the request from Interpol.  They were all allegedly involved in cybercrime. The best way to fight cybercrime is to constantly monitor your network.  That’s the latest from a senior official for Arcsight, a subsidiary of Hewlett Packard. Microsoft took down what’s being described as a small but dangerous botnet.  On Monday, a Virginia federal judge ordered VeriSign to shut down almost two dozen domains linked to servers that controlled the Kelihos botnet at the request of Microsoft. Also tune in for the job of the day.

Some of the world’s top leaders have gathered together this week.  While they will discuss several issues at the United Nations' Internet Governance Forum, cyber security will be one of the big items on the list.  There will be workshops on protecting youth against the exploitation and exposure to adult content.  Cyber security is traveling overseas.  Ghana has established the first ever computer forensics firm with a new e-crime laboratory.  It will assist the country in fighting cyber crime. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo hopes a new act he signed will provide a way for teens to preserve their records and reputations.  It’s called the Cyber-Crime Youth Rescue Act and it could help teens for whom a quick “sext” message could lead to a criminal conviction. Also listen in for the job of the day.

She’s topped the charts and now she’s trying a new gig, fighting cybercrime.  Pop superstar, Lady Gaga wants to stop bullies and she used her recent concert to do that.  The suicide last week of bullied teen Jamey Rodemeyer prompted Lady Gaga to get involved. The Pentagon is stepping up to the plate to stop cybercrime with a pilot program to help protect its prime suppliers.  If it works, the program could serve as a model for other government agencies. If you’ve been on pins and needles waiting for the next iPhone, you won’t have to wait much longer.  According to reports, Apple announced you’ll get to see the next-generation iPhone at an event on Tuesday, October 4th. Also, listen in for the job of the day.

Law officers made a major arrest in the Sony Picutre hacking case.  A federal grand jury indicted 23- year old Cody Kretsinger for his alleged roll in hacking the major corporation earlier this year.  Kretsinger is a suspected member of the hacking group LulzSec and he was arrested in Arizona on Thursday.  Security firms warn you better be careful the next time you use your computer.  They say there’s a new Trojan horse masquerading as a PDF document to Mac users. It’s been a political fight that might seem to be over.  California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill today over whether Internet retailers should collect sales tax. Also, tune in for the job of the day.

There are multiple vulnerabilities on Adobe Flash Player and Adobe is working to fix the problem.  Exploitation of these vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, obtain sensitive information, cause a denial-of-service condition, or perform a cross-site scripting attack. Facebook has 750 million users worldwide.  Twitter users now send one billion tweets a week and LinkedIn operates the world’s largest professional network on the Internet with more than 120 million members.  If you think social media is going away, think again.   Cyber experts say that makes the jobs of cybercriminals way too easy. Identity theft is a growing problem in Massachusetts.  The Attorney General’s office has been busy with more than 1100 notices of data breaches in less than two years. Also, listen in for the job of the day!

The latest cyber attack may have taken place across the ocean, but U.S. officials are taking notice.  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was hit and the attack involved at least eight different types of malware. Cyber criminals are very busy overseas.  According to officials, Malaysia sees incidents of online threats at least twice an hour.  So far, more than 10 thousand cases have been reported this year alone. One technology company is turning what some see as a disadvantage into a major reason to hire people with disabilities.  Aspiritech, is a nonprofit organization in Illinois.  It plans to hire adults with autism as software testers.

A New Zealand teen is behind bars, charged with threatening the government on YouTube.  The threats were reportedly made in a video on YouTube.  It included claims that explosives had been hidden in New Zealand government buildings. Law officers say a poker site took a gamble and lost when it tried to steal hundreds of millions of dollars.  Tuesday, federal prosecutors said the operators of the online site Full Tilt Poker ran a Ponzi scheme through the site.  The operators allegedly took more than $440 million in gambler winnings to give to board members and owners. A well known presidential advisor offers his take on the nation’s cyber defense.  Richard Clarke says the country lags in the capabilities of those attacking us online.  He believes the country is leaving critical infrastructure and data vulnerable to more sophisticated attacks.

Hackers don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.  This time they reportedly managed to target U.S. intelligence officials, including some from the Obama Administration.  The names and addresses of hundreds of those officials were posted on an anti-secrecy website after computer hackers allegedly took them from the internal membership list of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance. They may be hackers but they are saying no to cybercrime.  Gong Wei and Wan Tow released a convention calling for the rejection of cybercrime.  They are asking their associates and peers to support it. A UK tabloid will have to shell out some big bucks for its alleged role in phone hacking.  News International, which is the UK division of News Corp, will reportedly pay $4.7 million to the family of Milly Dowler.  She is the 13- year old murder victim allegedly involved in the News of the World phone hacking scandal.

Is Yahoo up for sale?  Maybe or maybe not.  The founder of the company Jerry Yang says the company is not up for sale but says the company is exploring strategic options. Groups like LulzSec and Anonymous have apparently taught those in the technology world a very valuable lesson: you need to protect your data. In an effort to better preparefor cyber attacks, teachers, students and cyber experts gathered at the 2nd Annual New York Institute of Technology Cyber Security Conference Thursday. As the school year started so did something else: New Jersey’s landmark legislation.  The Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, went into effect last week as students across the state began the 2011/2012 school year.

They are thousands of miles away but they are wreaking havoc on computer users around the world.  Cyber experts say an international cybercrime gang is currently on the loose, orchestrating attacks on major U.S. corporations and government organizations to the tune of $3.2 million in the first six months of the year, or $17,000 a day. Do you have a bit of a temper?  If you do, you may be more likely to be a target of cybercrime.  That’s the latest from a new report from Norton. As the list of cyber attacks gets longer and longer, experts say those attacks won’t stop anytime soon.  However, there is hope.  They believe the publicity of hacking will only make people more aware and better prepared to fight cybercrime.