Archive for the 'Security' Category
Zoombak has announced the release of the first speed and directional tracking features for all Zoombak devices. Beginning today, all new and existing Zoombak customers can easily monitor the speed and driving direction of any vehicle. Speed tracking comes at no additional cost from Zoombak, which retails for $99.99 plus a small monthly service fee.
“Statistics around teen driving accidents are staggering, and studies have shown that teens’ driving habits improve when they are being monitored by a parent,” said Simon Buckingham, CEO of Zoombak. “Zoombak speed tracking is an easy-to-use and affordable solution for parents to monitor the location of their teen drivers and how fast they are driving. Our customer research has indicated that this added line of communication among families improves teens’ driving skills and give parents added peace of mind.”
“Since we launched Zoombak over a year ago, speed monitoring and alerting has been the most requested new feature from both parents and business users. We are therefore delighted to add this feature for all of our customers for no additional charge,” Buckingham added.
How Zoombak speed tracking works:
Following a quick over-the-air software update, Zoombak customers will be able to set up a speed threshold, (say 60 MPH) and receive alerts if that threshold is exceeded.
Setting up a speed alert for an account at Zoombak.com is simple and fast, and users can choose to receive alerts by SMS text to their mobile device, or by email. Users can set the speed alert to be always on, or set on/off schedules around certain times of day.
Zoombak determines the speed and direction (North, South, East, West) of the driver based on their location signal every 5 to 15 seconds.
When conducting Find-Now searches at Zoombak.com, in addition to the regular current location information, the email or text message will now also automatically display both the speed and the direction the driver was heading. So even if automatic alerts are not set up, parents can still see on-demand how fast and which direction their teen was driving. Direction is displayed as North, South, East or West.
The new “Speed” section of the Zoombak website provides Zoombak customers with more detailed instructions on setting up and getting the most out of the speed tracking feature.
Because speed and direction monitoring requires additional battery power, Zoombak recommends that consumers who use speed tracking hard wire the device to their vehicle with the Zoombak Car Installation Kit, or use the car charger that comes along with the Zoombak Universal A-GPS Locator.
For more information, visit www.zoombak.com/speed/.
Aleratec Inc., leading developer and manufacturer of “Prosumers’ Choice” solutions for the USB, Flash, HDD, Blu-ray, DVD CD Duplicating, and publishing markets, is now shipping the 2nd generation of its award winning compact Aleratec DVD/CD Shredder. The Aleratec DVD CD Shredder is the quick and easy way to prevent unauthorized use of secret, classified, business, and personal confidential information recorded on discarded discs. The unit has an attractive compact design to fit on any desktop, yet it is equipped with a powerful motor and enclosed steel cutters that safely cut DVDs and CDs into 4 strips, successfully rendering them useless. A demo of the DVD/CD Shredder can be seen at View Demo
“Sensitive data stored on CDs or DVDs can change frequently and disposing of old discs is a growing problem. With identity theft and corporate espionage increasing almost exponentially, just tossing them in the trash is more than dangerous,” states Perry Solomon, Aleratec President and CEO. “An Aleratec DVD/CD Shredder makes destroying unwanted discs very easy. This light weight desktop unit shreds DVDs and CDs in seconds. With its auto start/stop feature all a customer needs to do is insert a disc and the shredder does the rest.”
The great news is this innovative data security product has a low Estimated Retail Price of $44.99 making the Aleratec DVD/CD Shredder (Aleratec Part # 240143, Ingram Micro SKU U08101, Tech Data SKU 25377I), an easy addition to any Prosumer, Business, Government and Education office and due to its low price and small footprint it is ideal for small office/home office users.
The full line of Aleratec solutions, and accessories is featured at AAFES, Adorama, Amazon.com, B&H Photo Video, Best Buy, Buy.com, CDW, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Insight, J & R, Mac Connection, MacMall, Meijer, Micro Center, NewEgg, Office Depot, PC Connection, PC Mall, PC Nation, ProVantage, Quill, QVC.com, Ritz Camera, Staples, Tech Depot and Wal-Mart in addition to other leading U.S. retailers. Government and Education customers may purchase from Government and Education Specialists including AAFES, B&H Photo Video Gov, Best Buy Gov/Ed, CDW-G, CompuCom, EnPointe, GovConnection, GTSI, Insight Gov, PC Mall Gov, Pomeroy, Sayers, Shi.com, Softchoice, telcobuy, TIG, and Unisys. All products are available to resellers in the U.S. through D&H Distributing, Ingram Micro, and Tech Data; in Canada through D&H Canada and Ingram Micro Canada; in Latin America and the Caribbean through Tech Data Miami. Complete information available at www.aleratec.com.
SplashData, Inc. today announced a major update to the version of its SplashID secure information manager for iPhone and iPod(r) touch. The new SplashID version 4.5 offers significantly faster loading times, improved search and look-up functions, and a simpler, more elegant user interface.
After the initial launch of the iPhone version of SplashID this past July, the company began receiving a tremendous amount of feedback from a new legion of SplashID users - plus previous customers who have moved on to the iPhone and were thrilled to be able to once again use SplashID for securely storing passwords, user names, account numbers, and airline frequent flyer information. The new version 4.5 of SplashID is a response to requests from these customers and takes the application to a new level.
Enhancements to the new version of SplashID include:
* Up to 2x faster loading times for power users with many records
* Enhanced user interface with simplified navigation
* Improved search and look-up functions
* Landscape view
* Number pad login
* New browser window to make log-in to websites on the iPhone easier
* Updated Mac and PC desktop software
Over the past seven years, SplashID has grown to be the best selling password manager for mobile phones and PDA’s with hundreds of thousands of users worldwide. Its popularity continues to climb as the number of user names, passwords, and account numbers most people have to remember is rapidly multiplying. At the same time, the risk of this kind of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands has never been greater. SplashID helps solve this dilemma by creating an encrypted digital safe for sensitive data, offering the peace of mind of being able to access their critical information whenever needed while keeping it secure.
SplashID for the iPhone can sync with a user’s PC or Mac wirelessly using optional SplashID desktop companion software available from SplashData. The desktop version offers even more powerful features, easier data entry, and the ability to import existing SplashID records from other devices.
SplashID is available for $9.99 from Apple’s App Store on devices running OS 2.0 or higher or at www.apple.com. Windows and Mac OS desktop companion software for each application is available for $19.95 directly from SplashData at www.splashdata.com/iphone.
SvenOnTech has confirmed with co-developer, David Teare, of Agile Web Solutions that 1Password for the iPhone has already been updated to handle stability issues in the current 1.0 version.
Teare told SvenOnTech that fixes are not the only thing in version 1.2 that will make users happy. New in 1.2 will the inclusion of search, originally found in the bookmarklet version of 1Password used prior to the App Store release. Another lost feature, auto-form filling within Safari, may also make a return in a future version invoking the native 1Password application to fill the form within Safari. An exciting feature that may come as soon as 1.3 could be auto-sync. Any time a change is made on the desktop application, it would immediately send it to the iPhone keeping 1Password users up to date.
1Password for the iPhone is currently free, however, this may not be the case for ever according to Teare. So, download your copy now from the App Store in iTunes or from your iPhone and have access to all of your important data securely today!
Michael Fiola, pictured with his wife, Robin (Photo by Matthew Healey), was just another state employee with a laptop doing his job. One day he was called in and questioned about the content his employer had found on his hard drive after investigating why his Verizon wireless broadband data use was four times that of the average worker. What the Department of Industrial Accidents found was a slew of child pornography and it wasn’t listening to anything Fiola had to say. Immediately terminated on March 14th, 2007, the Department of Industrial Accidents then informed the state police of the evidence which then involved the Boston Municipal Court. The court issued a criminal complaint against Fiola in August of 2007.
Nationally recognized computer forensic analyst Tami Loehrs told the Herald Michael Fiola’s ordeal was “one of the most horrific cases I’ve seen.”
“As soon as you mention child pornography, everybody’s senses go out the window,” she said.
Loehrs found the laptop to be running a corrupted anti-virus program which allowed for a flood of spammers and crackers to hijack the laptop. Loehrs’ investigation for the defense was thorough which lasted a full month. Filled with images of incest and pre-teen porn not visible to the naked eye stored in a temporary “cache” folder, evidence showed that Fiola never downloaded the offending images.
DIA spokeswoman Linnea Walsh confirmed Fiola “was terminated,” but would not recognize the fact that Fiola was completely innocent. “We stand by our decision,” she told the Herald.
Fiola’s attorney Timothy Bradl can’t understand this response.
“Imagine this scenario: Your employer gives you a ticking time bomb full of child porn, and then you get fired, and then you get prosecuted as some kind of freak,” he railed.
“Anybody who has a work laptop, this could happen to,” he said. “Mike Fiola is a hunt-and-peck kind of computer guy. He can barely get on the Internet.”
Fiola, a self-described computer illiterate is taking the DIA to court for “destroying our lives.”
“Our lives have been hell,” said Fiola. “I hope to recover my reputation, but our friends all ran.”
The court officially dropped Fiola’s case Tuesday.
Apple Nailed with Nasty Trojan That Takes Over Macs Emailing, Passwords, and Even Takes Your Picture
Mac fanboys love to point out the fact that Windows users must waste immense systems resources to protect themselves from the millions of viruses, trojans, and spyware that live on the Internet. Even Apple makes light of this Windows malware problem in its commercial entitled Viruses in which Mac says to PC, “I run Mac OS 10 so I don’t have to worry about your spyware and viruses”. Sadly, however, Macs are no more protected from such attacks as is the Windows operating system. With holes and security vulnerabilities found in OS X and its default applications, such as Safari’s Zero-day exploit, Apple needs to start taking some defensive moves as it increases sales of its shinny machines to unsuspecting “switchers”.
Point in case, today SecureMac is reporting that the AppleScript.THT Trojan Horse runs hidden on a Mac and , “Allows a malicious user complete remote access to the system, can transmit system and user passwords, and can avoid detection by opening ports in the firewall and turning off system logging. Additionally, the AppleScript.THT Trojan horse can log keystrokes, take pictures with the built-in Apple iSight camera, take screenshots, and turn on file sharing. The Trojan horse exploits a recently discovered vulnerability with the Apple Remote Desktop Agent, which allows it to run as root.” Ouch! The trojan is distributed through web sites, iChat, and Limewire. This trojan only effects OS X 10.4 and 10.5.
There are a few ways to protect yourself from this trojan. One, do not download an AppleScript named ASthtv05 (60 KB in size), use sharing services such Limewire, or use a virus scanner such as SecureMac’s MacScan. SvenOnTech does not endorse this product; however, it would recommend it over Norton or McAfee as we have tested those on the Mac and they are horrible.
President of SecureMac, Nicholas Raba, cautions OS X users by telling SvenOnTech, “The increased number of threats, security advisories, and security updates is an indication that Mac users must pay attention to computer security issues. As Apple’s market share continues to grow, so will security research and hack attempts against OS X.”
Recommended reading: MacForensicsLab Malware document.
I can still remember my first piece of spam. It was way back in 1996 and I just sat at my computer staring at the screen for the longest time trying to comprehend how this “person” got a hold of my sacred email address and why they were trying to sell me something I had no interest in. About four years later, I had to retire that email address because the spam became unbearable (over 500 pieces of spam a day.) But with each new address I created, spam eventually found me.
Through the years of my spam fighting career, I’ve used many different weapons in this ongoing warf. Software on my computer, server based fighters, and challenge response schemes. Really, nothing worked until I discovered the beta of SafetyBar about five or six years ago. Using software that installed in Outlook as a plug-in, it would take the community of SafetyBar users response of what was and what wasn’t spam and then “rate” those votes. The higher the rating of validity, the more likely that spam would never be in your Inbox but rather be moved to your Spam folder. My Inbox was over 90% clean of spam an achievement never yet accomplished to that point in time. It was great! I used it all these years until I came to the Mac. SafetyBar, now Cloudmark Desktop, was only for Windows and only for Outlook and Outlook Express (when I left it behind a couple of years ago.) But rejoice Mac fans, now it is here for you as well!
Today Cloudmark has announced the public beta of Cloudmark Desktop for Thunderbird on the Mac! If you’re a user of Mozilla’s freeware mail client that looks and feels much like Outlook Express, then you’ll be a happy camper to know that you can now protect yourself with one of the best spam fighting vehicles out there! You can download Cloudmark Desktop for Thunderbird (OS X) and use it free for 90 days after which you can sign up for the monthly subscription. Knowing how good Cloudmark is, I highly doubt you will even notice that this a beta while using it. I strongly encourage anyone looking for spam control to download this now and use it today!
Now my only gripe is where is the Mail.app and Entourage versions?
Russound, the #1 brand in multiroom audio, and HAI (Home Automation, Inc.), leading manufacturer of integrated automation and security products, have signed an agreement that will allow the two companies to collaborate in a new program that will bring an enhanced level of features, usability, and value to their installers and end-users.
Christened “EnCompass,” the program will ultimately provide a new, comprehensive selection of integration solutions for custom installers who demand “Best of Breed” performance from all aspects of their systems.
Though Russound and HAI products have always integrated easily and efficiently, EnCompass will at first support their integration with an extensive education and training program. The first EnCompass webinar will be Wednesday, March 26 at 2:00 pm CDT.
Subsequent plans include the creation of turnkey Automation/Entertainment packages that raise the bar on performance, reliability and ease-of-installation. The first “Kick-Off” package will include a Russound CAM6.6T Controller with six UNO-S2 Keypads, a system remote, six IR emitters, a punchdown tool, wall plates and rack ears. Also included are an HAI Lumina Pro 44A00-2 with an Ethernet port, controller in enclosure with lock and keys, LCD keypad, UPBT Powerline Interface Module and cable, phase coupler, serial cable, transformer and battery, manuals, and accessories, an OmniTouch 5.7 Touchscreen, two HLC Plug-in Lamp Modules, a serial cable, Lumina PC Access, and Snap-Link.
“In just a few short years, we’ve seen the custom installation industry move closer to truly integrating our products and technologies into whole-house networks,” said Charlie Porritt, Russound’s Vice President of Sales. “In order for this to become a reality, we know that it is essential to work with the leader in home control products. With our two companies working in tandem, Russound and HAI are poised to make seamless integration of entertainment and environmental controls a reality.”
“This is truly a best of breed solutions program that will provide outstanding products in a simplified integrated package,” explains HAI President Jay McLellan, “The objective of the program is to streamline the installation process for the custom installer and to enhance the overall experience of the end-user.”
The first manifestation of the of the EnCompass program is expected to be announced at the Electronic House Expo (EHX) Spring 2008, 13 - 15 in Orlando, FL.
Burgled Britons have spent a staggering £27 billion pounds in the last five years in an attempt to regain peace of mind following a break-in. That’s just one of the findings of a recent ICM nationwide survey, commissioned by Intamac Systems, which examined the measures taken and costs incurred by UK householders to feel safe in their homes in the aftermath of a break-in.
While many speak of the emotional burden caused by a burglary, few realise the financial implications, as victims take the steps they think necessary to feel safe in their homes again - something not covered by home insurance policies.
For a large proportion of people surveyed, it was too late - nothing could make them feel safe in their home again. The thought of criminals being in their home was too much to bear, and so almost one third of those surveyed packed up their possessions and moved home.
Peace of mind was not something that those questioned felt was being offered by the surrounding community. In a sad indictment of neighbourhood support across the UK, 22% added a burglar alarm following a break-in, yet over 60% believed that their neighbours or passers-by would not respond should their alarm go off. Only 11% were ‘very confident’ that someone would.
For others, fortifying their home after the event was paramount, with 46% adding extra locks, 42% adding outdoor security lights and 37% changing the locks on the doors to their home. Over 10% of those questions decided to put extra ‘bite’ into securing their home and hoped that buying a dog would deter would-be thieves. In addition, one in ten decided to shut out the outside world by erecting a high fence around their property. Read the rest of this entry »
So you’ve got a Mac or a Windows box with disk encryption and you’re feeling pretty good about your data’s safety. Bitlocker on Vista and File Vault (developed for the Depart of Defense even) on OS X put you at ease with its promises of using some super hard encryption scheme to defeat. The only way anyone’s getting in is via a key. Guess what? Hackers now can get that key.
A video on YouTube demonstrates just how easy it is to retrieve the very key that unlocks your hard drive. From start to finish, the video shows the retrieval of a laptop, the sniffing of a key, and then the opening of all the “protected” files. Just like that.
Now granted, the hacker will need physical contact with your computer in order to grab your key; however, this isn’t that reassuring if you think about it. In recent months, there has been a slew of reports of lost laptops from not just business professionals, but from government agencies such as the FBI, CIA, and of those in Congress. These laptops are in danger of losing very important and highly classified data. If enemies of the state are able to obtain such a nugget, it’s no telling what could result from the breach.
Again, the video does demonstrate a small window of opportunity in data retrevial; however, in our busy lives, it is easy to lose track of our laptops for a few minutes. That’s just enough time for someone to simply walk by and grab it without you even knowing.
The easiest and best way to protect yourself is to insure your laptop is OFF and not in standby when in public. Make sure it has been off for at least 30 minutes prior to placing yourself in a vulnerable situation. These two measures alone will greatly reduce the chance of the key residing in your memory and thus keep your data safe.