National Cyber Security By Gregory Evans

Phishers, credit-card cloners and identity thieves will be busy today, searching for ways to take advantage of interest in the life and sudden death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il. Adobe has warned users of a critical vulnerability in its Flash Player that could potentially allow an attacker to take remote control of the compromised system. The biggest draw in television is entering the cyber world.  The Super Bowl will be streamed online and to phones for the first time, the NFL announced today. Also check out the job of the day!!

You’ve probably heard that saying before, what goes around comes around.  Well, it seems that’s exactly what’s happening to Attrition.org founder Brian Martin also known as Jericho.  For years now, Brian Martin has used his site to target cyber security experts he deemed unworthy to join the field.  He typically went after them claiming plagiarism, fake credentials, among other things. Cybercrime is a huge cost for the Indian population. The country loses billions of dollars to Internet fraud every year.  Even worse, very few victims come forward according to government officials. While you are doing your holiday budget, you might want to account for the cyber criminal waiting to take advantage of you.  Those crooks lurking online are expected to steal over $10 million this holiday season. Also check out the job of the day!

Cyber crooks will target small businesses, social media attacks will be more common, and mobile security threats will reach an all-time high in 2012. The Manhattan district attorney’s office plans on Friday to announce the indictment of 55 people who it said stole over $2 million as part of a cybercrime ring. Maria José Morgado, director of Portugal’s criminal investigation department, has this week called for greater political priority to be attributed to tackling cybercrime. Also check out the job of the day!

There’s been an email circling the Internet.  It’s about the creator of attrition.org, Brian Martin.  The email claims to expose him as a fraud, even though that’s what Martin claims to do of others in the cyber security industry. In 2011 Hi-Tech Crime Solutions gained over 100,000 new customers between it’s products such as SPOOFEM.COM, LocatePC and AmIHackerProof.com; its books like How To Become The Worlds No. 1 Hacker; and websites and services like NationalCyberSecurity.com, National Cyber Security Radio, Nerds N Style, Stolen Computer Alert and iSpy uSpy. It seems that Latin American gangs are turning to the web to continue their crime sprees.  That surge has analysts warning that organized crime in the region is developing an increasingly sophisticated understanding of information technology, and the ways to make money from it. Also check out the job of the day!

The number of Anonymous members could be shrinking.  Tuesday the FBI announced the arrest of a Connecticut man with ties to the Internet hacking group. California Attorney General Kamala Harris unveiled a new statewide cybercrime unit in Silicon Valley on Tuesday aimed at investigating and prosecuting such misdeeds as the ATM-skimming scheme that recently fleeced more than 500 Lucky supermarket customers.  On Tuesday, San Francisco prosecutors got a badly needed boost to their ability to investigate high-tech crimes.  The Board of Supervisors approved a $200,000 U.S. Department of Justice grant for the District Attorney’s Office to pay for a senior investigator, forensic equipment and training for the office’s high-tech crimes unit. Also check out the job of the day!

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found there are some serious problems for government agencies.  After an audit, the GAO discovered that there’s a problem in effectively developing or implementing a cyber security workforce planning strategy.  There have also been issues in filling cyber security positions, especially those requiring specialized skills. Sen. Edgardo Angara renewed his call for the establishment of a legal framework for investigating, apprehending, and prosecuting cybercriminals, as he defended on Tuesday the Cybercrime Prevention Act also known as Senate Bill 2976. California is cracking down on cyber security.  California Attorney General Kamala Harris is set to announce the creation of a new criminal unit to investigate and prosecute identity theft, cybercrimes and other criminal activity involving technology. Also check out the job of the day!!!

Scammers have a new target and they are hoping to cash in big if you fall for their trap.  They latest scam involves the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC). That organization is warning banks of another strand of phishing attacks claiming to come from the FDIC. Cyber Crime or E-crime is on the rise among middle-aged people, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Bulgarian authorities have a big arrest under their belts.  Law officers there arrested three men on charges of being part of an international cybercriminal gang that targeted U.S. bank customers. Also check out the job of the day!!

The Christmas spirit hasn’t slowed down hackers at all.  In fact, it may be fueling the fire and motivating them to steal more. Software developers will be vital in ensuring enterprise security in 2012. Enterprise IT departments are no longer the only folks on the hook for locking down corporate networks according to Richard Clarke. It’s the end of the year and that always means there will be plenty of best of 2011 lists.  One list includes they best hacking incidents of this year.  Here are the top two so far. Also listen to hear the job of the day!!

Attorneys from around Washington are meeting in Seattle this week for updates on the hottest legal topics heading into the New Year. Some stem from the sweeping changes to the Washington workers compensation system that go into effect Jan. 1.   The Romanian secret service (SRI) and the FBI on Wednesday pledged to step up joint efforts to fight terrorism and cybercrime, during a visit by FBI director Robert Mueller to Bucharest. Data managers will be aware of the rise in cyber crime in recent years and the increasing sophistication of attacks, but there are steps businesses can take limit the risk. Also listen to hear the job of the day!!  

Teamwork with the FBI and the Bulgarian police helped to round up an international cyber crime gang.  The gang has allegedly been draining money through illegal transactions. As the threat of cybercrime continues to grow, governments and private companies are now exploring ways to tackle the problem together.   This story is pretty good news, depending on where you live.  The United States businesses take the threat posed to data management by cyber crime a lot more seriously by than by those in the UK. Also listen to hear the job of the day!!    

The effects of cyber security could trickle down into your home.  That’s the latest threat from cyber criminals the United States is working to ward off.  A report released this week from Massachusetts Institute of Technology says the country must have standards to fight against cyber attacks on power lines that run right into homes and businesses. A new web video comes as evidence the hacker group Anonymous is getting involved in the 2012 election. Draft legislation that proposes the establishment of a so-called National Information Sharing Organization will be the subject of a hearing held today by the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies. Also listen to hear the job of the day.

Cyber security is has long been an issue for those in technology.  Now, as it gains in popularity among criminals, it is also gaining as an economic problem.  A survey recently released by PricewaterhouseCoopers showed that cybercrime is the fourth most prevalent economic crime globally.  Some experts even predict that it will shoot up to second on that list in about two years. Take cybercrime more seriously.  That’s what’s governments around the world are being urged to take the threat of cybercrime more seriously as a new initiative is set to bring help to countries looking to keep online scammers at bay. The New Year will bring new opportunities for most consumers and businesses. Unfortunately, those new opportunities are often accompanied by new threats posed by cybercriminals bent on exploiting cybersecurity in new ways. Also check out the job of the day.

Hackers coulb be hitting you where it hurts, your smartphone or you tablet. Cyber criminals are stepping up in their ways to get your online information and you may be surprised to hear what they are doing now.  Britain's electronic listening agency, GCHQ, is trying to reach individuals with "a keen interest in code breaking and ethical hacking" for new career opportunities. Also check out the job of the day!

Congress may not be able to agree on much theses days but they do realize something needs to be done to better protect the country from a cyber attack.  Because of that very real threat, Congress is headed in the right direction to passing a cyber security bill. A new cyber crime campaign is drawing national attention. The FBI warns of a scheme where crooks launch crippling cyber attacks against banks while simultaneously harvesting your bank-account credentials and making it impossible for you to get your money back once the fraud is complete. Your cellphone could have spyware on it and you don’t even know it.  According to Android developer Trevor Eckhart, over 100 million smartphones track their owners’ every move as a result of preinstalled software from most major carriers. Also check out the job of the day!!!

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigations helped to make a huge arrest, putting behind bars four Manila people accused of hacking numerous trunk lines of multiple U.S. telecommunication companies.  One well-known target was AT&T. The cloud is the next big thing in computer technology and apparently hackers know that.  In order to fight cybercrime in the cloud, Trend Micro, a computer security company, is looking to link up with the International Cybersecurity Protection Alliance to establish the "Global Cyber Nation" in Washington, D.C. Cyber crime is on the rise and some experts say it’s your fault.  Researchers have applied criminological concepts and research methods in the study of cyber-crime, leading to recommendations for IT managers to use in the prevention of cyber-attacks on their networks. Also, check out the job of the day!!!