Consumer behaviors and cyber risks of holiday shopping in 2020
While consumers are aware of increased risks and scams via the internet, they still plan to do more shopping online – and earlier – this holiday season, McAfee reveals. Thirty-six percent of Americans note they are hitting the digital links to give gifts and cheer this year, despite 60% feeling that cyber scams become more…
Holiday gifts getting smarter, but creepier when it comes to privacy and security
A Hamilton Beach Smart Coffee Maker that could eavesdrop, an Amazon Halo fitness tracker that measures the tone of your voice, and a robot-building kit that puts your kid’s privacy at risk are among the 37 creepiest holiday gifts of 2020 according to Mozilla. Researchers reviewed 136 popular connected gifts available for purchase in the…
Global adoption of data and privacy programs still maturing
The importance of privacy and data protection is a critical issue for organizations as it transcends beyond legal departments to the forefront of an organization’s strategic priorities. A FairWarning research, based on survey results from more than 550 global privacy and data protection, IT, and compliance professionals outlines the characteristics and behaviors of advanced privacy…
85% of COVID-19 tracking apps leak data
71% of healthcare and medical apps have at least one serious vulnerability that could lead to a breach of medical data, according to Intertrust. The report investigated 100 publicly available global mobile healthcare apps across a range of categories—including telehealth, medical device, health commerce, and COVID-tracking—to uncover the most critical mHealth app threats. Cryptographic issues…
Improving privacy of a global genomic data sharing network
A Case Western Reserve University computer and data sciences researcher is working to shore up privacy protections for people whose genomic information is stored in a vast global collection of vital, personal data. Erman Ayday pursued novel methods for identifying and analyzing privacy vulnerabilities in the genomic data sharing network known commonly as “the Beacons.”…
Recommendations to enhance subscriber privacy in 5G
There are clear benefits of 5G SIM capabilities to protect the most prominent personal data involved in mobile communications, according to the Trusted Connectivity Alliance. Addressing privacy risks The IMSI, known as a Subscription Permanent Identifier (SUPI) in 5G, is the unique identifier allocated to an individual SIM by an MNO. Despite representing highly personal…
Chrome 86 to Alert Users of Insecure Forms
Set to be introduced in Chrome 86, the feature targets the so-called mixed forms (they are found on HTTPS pages that submit over HTTP), which are considered a risk to users’ security and privacy. Because the data transmission is not performed over a secure connection, the information introduced by the user in those forms is…
Most consumers believe government regulation should help address privacy risks
As consumers’ concerns about their digital privacy continue to grow and who is responsible for guarding it remains unclear, new research conducted by Ponemon Institute reveals a lack of empowerment consumers feel when it comes to their data privacy. Address privacy risks The research points to a privacy gap between the consumer data protection individuals…
Cybersecurity concerns front and center as online voting expected to shape future elections
Online voting is likely to shape future election cycles, according to a study from OneLogin. 59% of respondents expect online voting will become a reality within five years. Online voting demographics Though various demographics differ in their opinions about online voting, respondents shared concerns about the possibility of fraud and compromised data security. 49% of…
Zoom Got Big Fast. Then Videobombers Made It Rework Security
Back in March as the coronavirus pandemic gathered steam in the U.S., a largely unheralded video-conferencing service suddenly found itself in the spotlight. And just as quickly as Zoom became a household name for connecting work colleagues, church and school groups, friends, family, book clubs and others during stay-at-home lockdowns, it also gained a reputation…