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Articles Posted by Joe Iarocci
Visa warns: Cybercrime attacks on the rise at North American gas stations
In its statement, Visa explained that cyberattacks on gas stations have been on the rise as business owners have been slow to upgrade their terminals to safer chip-reading technology, from magnetic stripe readers. The ability of hackers to access the merchant’s internal networks makes these attacks more sophisticated in nature, warns Visa, as compared to the more usual skimming scams in which card-skimming devices are More »
49% of workers, when forced to update their password, reuse the same one with just a minor change
We all should know by now that password reuse is a big problem. Many computer users make the mistake of trusting the same password to protect their different online accounts, not realising that if one site gets hacked that may provide the key for hackers to break in elsewhere. Malicious attackers use credential stuffing techniques to automatically throw databases of stolen usernames and passwords at More »
North announces Focals 2.0 smart glasses
North, the Waterloo-based consumer smart glasses company, announced today the second iteration of its stylish smart glasses: Focals 2.0. The Focals 2.0 now folds like regular glasses. The Focals smart glasses hosts a tiny projector inside the leg of the glasses. Its output is then reflected directly onto the user’s fovea via a special area on the lens; creating a clear image without needing the More »
WhatsApp ditches older Windows phones, iPhones and Androids
According to WhatsApp’s FAQ page, the platform will no longer support a range of older phones spanning most of the biggest operating systems and manufacturers. Starting February 1, 2020, iPhones with iOS 8 or older will no longer be supported, as well as any Android device running version 2.3.7 or older. All Windows phones will also lose support December 31, 2019, and the app “might not More »
Apple admits iPhone 11 Pro still collects location data even when told not to
Any owners of the iPhone 11 Pro will want to hear, and it is trending on Reddit. According to a story from 9 to 5 Mac, a security researched discovered that the device still collects location data, even if the settings should preclude it from doing so. The researcher, who goes by KrebsOnSecurity online, recorded the issue and reported it to Apple, who responded saying More »
SIN Scammer Gets $4,000
The CBC reports that a 23-year-old server, lost $4,000 to the “SIN scam,” a new version of the Canada Revenue Agency fraudulent act that’s been used for years to dupe people out of their money. It all started two weeks ago when the victim got a terrifying call from Service Canada telling her that her social insurance number had been compromised. The caller identified himself More »
Cyber Monday online shopping advice
Think carefully about shopping on a company-owned computer or smartphone. Your employer may not approve. Then be careful of where you shop online. Just because a seller is on Amazon or eBay doesn’t mean the products being sold are legitimate. Lots of people sell knockoffs, or take your money and never ship the goods. A key thing is to research prices of what you’re looking More »
Samsung Galaxy Fold Smartphone
On November 25th, Samsung launched its revised Samsung Galaxy Fold smartphone to the Canadian market, priming the Canadian market for the impending foldable war. The Galaxy Fold’s highlight is a massive single panel 7.3-inch Infinity Flex Display with a 2,152 x 1,536p resolution. When not in use, the phone folds in half to fit in deep pockets. In addition, it has a smaller, 4.6-inch display More »
Ransomware Attackers Leak Stolen Data
Ransomware attacks have taken an unwelcome turn: A Ransomware Group called The Maze gang (yes they now brand themselves) reportedly has begun leaking a victim’s files to create pressure to pay a ransom. Security experts say that leaking data as part of a ransomware shakedown isn’t a surprising turn of events. But it’s unclear whether this tactic will catch on, they say, because simpler ransomware More »
Waterloo Brewing has lost $2.1 million to phishing scheme
KITCHENER – CTV news is reporting that Waterloo Brewing has lost $2.1 million to phishing scheme. The incident happened earlier this month. The brewery then launched an investigation into their bank accounts and computers. Waterloo Brewing doesn’t believe any of its systems were breached and says the personal information of its customers was not compromised. Experts say schemes like these are hard to spot because More »