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At this year’s Apple Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple announced something called “iCloud Private Relay.” That’s basically its private version of onion routing, which is what Tor does.
Privacy Relay is built into both the forthcoming iOS and MacOS versions, but it will only work if you’re an iCloud Plus subscriber and you have it enabled from within your iCloud settings.
Once it’s enabled and you open Safari to browse, Private Relay splits up two pieces of information that — when delivered to websites together as normal — could quickly identify you. Those are your IP address (who and exactly where you are) and your DNS request (the address of the website you want, in numeric form).
Once the two pieces of information are split, Private Relay encrypts your DNS request and sends both the IP address and now-encrypted DNS request to an Apple proxy server. This is the first of two stops your traffic will make before you see a website. At this point, Apple has already handed over the encryption keys to the third party running the second of the two stops, so Apple can’t see what website you’re trying to access with your encrypted DNS request. All Apple can see is your IP address.
Although it has received both your IP address and encrypted DNS request, Apple’s server doesn’t send your original IP address to the second stop. Instead, it gives you an anonymous IP address that is approximately associated with your general region or city.
Not available in China, of course — and also Belarus, Colombia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkmenistan, Uganda, and the Philippines.
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What do Burger King and the popular “Doge” meme have in common? They both have cryptocurrencies named after their likeliness. WhopperCoin and Dogecoin are just two examples of the thousands of types of cryptocurrencies that have caught users’ attention over the past few years. Cryptocurrencies are digital tokens generated by a computer after solving complex mathematical functions. These functions are used to verify the authenticity of a ledger, or blockchain.
Bitcoin is the most popular cryptocurrency today, increasing its value by almost 300% in 2020. Today, almost 46 million Americans own at least one share of Bitcoin, illustrating how these cryptocurrencies are the future of tomorrow’s digital payment system — or are they? The same benefits that make them a popular choice with online users have also made them popular amongst online thieves, sparking a wave of ransomware attacks and other cyberattacks more recently. This begs the question: do the benefits of Bitcoin outweigh the risks?
Every rose has its thorn, and several Bitcoin benefits seem to be hitched to online security risks. Here are some cryptocurrency characteristics that may seem appealing to users, but also provide cybercriminals with an opportunity to exploit:
As previously mentioned, cryptocurrency exchanges take place on an online public ledger, or blockchain, to secure online transactions. This means that anybody can observe the exchange online. However, the parties making the transactions are anonymous, disguised with a random number. Bitcoin users can make purchases that are never associated with their identity, similar to a cash transaction.
While the purchase discretion provided by Bitcoin may be appealing to users who want to remain private, this characteristic could also aid cybercriminals in malicious activity. Due to the anonymity of Bitcoin transactions, there is no way for someone to associate a person with a certain cryptocurrency wallet. Furthermore, a user could have multiple wallets, allowing them to spread their currency from one address to another.
For a cybercriminal looking to target an individual with ransomware, the purchase discretion and anonymity of Bitcoin provide a favorable solution. In fact, Bitcoin accounts for approximately 98% of ransomware payments today. Say a hacker carries out a ransomware attack and demands that the user pay a large sum in Bitcoin. If the user completes the payment, the hacker can keep moving the currency from one anonymous account to another. That makes it very difficult — though not impossible — to trace if the individual decides to investigate the case and tries to get their money back.
Another characteristic that Bitcoin users find appealing is the autonomy offered by digital currencies. In theory, they allow users more autonomy over their own money than government-regulated currencies do. With Bitcoin, users can control how they spend their money without dealing with an intermediary authority like a bank or government.
This lack of intermediary authority also opens a door for hackers to exploit. Say a user decides that they want to manage their finances using Bitcoin to bypass banking fees and send money to friends and family in different parts of the world. As previously mentioned, a Bitcoin user is assigned an anonymous private key that acts as their security credential. This key is generated and maintained by the user instead of a third-party agency. But what happens if the key isn’t random enough? An attacker could steal the user’s private key, and they will not be able to recover it since the Bitcoin blockchain is not dependent on any centralized third-party institutions. Therefore, it will be very difficult to track the attacker’s behaviors and recover lost funds.
It is safe to say that Bitcoin has caused a lot of buzz. But do the benefits outweigh the risks? Due to the nature of Bitcoin and most other public blockchains, anyone in the world can perform transactions or cryptographic computations — including cybercriminals. That’s why it is crucial for current cryptocurrency users and those considering cryptocurrency investment to do their research and know what vulnerabilities lie within the world of Bitcoin.
Follow these tips to help protect yourself from common threats that leverage cryptocurrency:
With blockchain, cryptocurrency, and any new and emerging technology, make sure you always remain a bit skeptical. Do your homework before you embrace the technology — research your options and make note of any known security issues and what you can do to mitigate known risks.
If a hacker does target you with ransomware demanding Bitcoin payment, it’s best not to pay the ransom. Although you may feel in the moment that this is the only way to get your encrypted files back, there is no guarantee that the ransomware developers will send a decryption tool once they receive the payment. Paying the ransom also contributes to the development of more ransomware families, so it is best to hold off on making any payments. Furthermore, a recent study found that 80% of businesses that choose to pay a ransom experience a subsequent ransomware attack. While it may feel like your only option in the moment, paying a ransom could show attackers that you’re willing to make the payment, therefore positioning you as an ideal target for yet another attack.
If you are targeted with ransomware, it’s crucial that you always have backup copies of your files, preferably in the cloud and on an external hard drive. This way, if you do get a ransomware infection, you can wipe your computer or device and reinstall your files from the backup. Backups protect your data, and you won’t be tempted to reward the hackers by paying a ransom. Backups won’t prevent ransomware, but they can mitigate the risks.
Large organizations often fall prey to ransomware attacks, so take necessary precautions if a company you’ve interacted with becomes compromised from a data leak or a ransomware attack. Immediately change your passwords for all your accounts, ensuring they are strong and unique. You can also employ a password manager to keep track of your credentials and generate secure login keys.
Add an extra layer of security with a solution such as McAfee® Total Protection, which includes Ransom Guard, to help protect your devices from these cyberthreats and ensure your digital wellness online.
The emergence of Bitcoin has indeed facilitated a wave of cybercrime that was previously difficult to perceive. In this new age of digital payments, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies, make sure that you do your research and stay vigilant when it comes to protecting your online safety. Remember: Bitcoin worth will continue to fluctuate, but your personal security will always remain invaluable.
To stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, subscribe to our newsletter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.
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There’s little rest for your hard-working smartphone. If you’re like many professionals today, you use it for work, play, and a mix of personal business in between. Now, what if something went wrong with that phone, like loss or theft? Worse yet, what if your smartphone got hacked? Let’s try and keep that from happening to you.
Globally, plenty of people pull double duty with their smartphones. In Spain, one survey found that 55% of people use the same phone for a mix of personal and and work activity. The same survey showed that up to half of people interviewed in Japan, Australia, and the U.S. do so as well, while nations like the UK and Germany trailed at 31% and 23% respectively.
Whether these figures trend on the low or high end, the security implications remain constant. A smartphone loaded with business and personal data makes for a desirable target. Hackers target smartphones because they’re often unprotected, which gives hackers an easy “in” to your personal information and to any corporate networks you may use. It’s like two hacks with one stone.
Put simply, as a working professional with a smartphone, you’re a high-value target.
As both a parent and a professional, I put together a few things you can do to protect your smartphone from hacks so that you can keep your personal and work life safe:
First up, the basics. Locking your phone with facial ID, a fingerprint, pattern or a pin is your most basic form of protection, particularly in the event of loss or theft. (Your options will vary depending on the device, operating system, and manufacturer.) Take it a step further for even more protection. Secure the accounts on your phone with strong passwords and use two-factor authentication on the apps that offer it, which doubles your line of defense.
Or, put another way, don’t hop onto public Wi-Fi networks without protection. A VPN masks your connection from hackers allowing you to connect privately when you are on unsecure public networks at airports, cafes, hotels, and the like. With a VPN connection, you’ll know that your sensitive data, documents, and activities you do are protected from snooping, which is definitely a great feeling given the amount of personal and professional business we manage with our smartphones.
Both Google Play and Apple’s App Store have measures in place to help prevent potentially dangerous apps from making it into their stores. Malicious apps are often found outside of the app stores, which can run in the background and compromise your personal data like passwords, credit card numbers, and more—practically everything that you keep on your phone. Further, when you are in the app stores, look closely at the descriptions and reviews for apps before you download them. Malicious apps and counterfeits can still find their way into stores, and here are a few ways you can keep those bad apps from getting onto your phone.
Backing up your phone is always a good idea for two reasons:
Both iPhones and Android phones have straightforward ways of backing up your phone regularly.
Worst case scenario—your phone is gone. Really gone. Either it’s hopelessly lost or got stolen. What now? Lock it remotely or even wipe its data entirely. While that last bit about wiping the phone seems like a drastic move, if you maintain regular backups as mentioned above, your data is secure in the cloud—ready for you to restore. In all, this means that hackers won’t be able to access you, or your company’s, sensitive information—which can keep you out of trouble and your professional business safe. Apple provides iOS users with a step-by-step guide for remotely wiping devices, and Google offers up a guide for Android users as well.
We all download apps, use them once, and then forget they are on our phone. Take a few moments to swipe through your screen and see which ones you’re truly done with and delete them along with their data. Some apps have an account associated with them that may store data off your phone as well. Take the extra step and delete those accounts so any off-phone data is deleted.
The reason for this is that every extra app is another app that needs updating or that may have a security issue associated with it. In a time of data breaches and vulnerabilities, deleting old apps is a smart move. As for the ones you keep, update them regularly and turn on auto-updates if that’s an option. Updates not only introduce new features to apps, but they also often address security issues too.
With so much of your life on your phone, getting security software installed on it can protect you and the things you keep on your phone. Whether you’re an Android owner or iOS owner, mobile security software can keep your data, your shopping, and payments secure.
To stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, subscribe to our newsletter, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on .
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Police in California are sharing information on their usage of Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology in a unique stab at transparency.
The Piedmont Police Department (PPD) in Alameda County is the first to launch a public ALPR Transparency Portal that reveals information on their technology policies, practices, and usage to the public.
Via the Portal, the department can communicate directly with the communities it serves. Citizens can use the system to access stats on the PPD’s ALPR usage, data retention, and access policies.
The data is supplied through anonymized audit logs, with the aim of allowing for transparency and accountability without compromising privacy.
Data displayed includes the number of cameras the agency owns, the number of vehicles captured using ALPR, and other law enforcement agencies that the PPD shares its data with. The portal also shows the number of Hot List alerts and how many searches have been performed in the previous 30 days.
“The Piedmont Police Department strives to provide transparency on all police activities, policies, and practices, and Flock Safety’s Transparency Portal is another positive step in that direction,” said Piedmont Police chief Jeremy Bowers.
“We recognize that the public has a right and responsibility to understand how the officers who are sworn to protect and serve them do their jobs.”
He added: “The opportunity to be the launching agency partner on this first-of-its-kind program underscores our deep commitment to openness, accountability, and integrity.”
The Transparency Portal public safety operating system was created by Flock Safety, which provides the Piedmont Police’s ALPR camera system.
Flock Safety, which operates in 40 states and more than a thousand cities in America, provides hardware and software solutions aimed at solving and reducing crime. It currently works with over 600 local law enforcement agencies in the United States.
“We place privacy, transparency, and bias mitigation at the forefront of our product development and are constantly engineering new features that encourage and align with our ethical principles,” said Matt Feury, Flock Safety co-founder and CTO.
“We’re excited for the Transparency Portal to serve as another tool that our law enforcement partners can use to strengthen ties with their communities.”
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A security incident at an Ohio Medicaid provider last month may have resulted in the theft of personal data.
On Monday, the Ohio Department of Medicaid warned that an unknown party had accessed data in the care of Maximus for two days in May without authorization.
Maximus was hired by the department to carry out data management. The company employs about 30,000 workers worldwide, with approximately 10,000 of those employees working at 11 call centers in nine states in the United States.
Information exposed in the incident included names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers belonging to the state’s Medicaid providers. Maximus said the breached data could have been stolen.
Data concerning Medicaid patients or beneficiaries was not affected by the security incident, which occurred from May 17 to May 19, when it was detected by Maximus.
The company said that “because the unauthorized activity was detected at a very early stage, Maximus believes our quick response limited potentially adverse impacts.”
The hacker accessed the information via an application. Once the intrusion had been detected, Maximus took the breached app offline and contacted law enforcement.
An investigation into the data breach was launched and is being monitored by the Medicaid department.
Individuals who were impacted by the incident are being offered two years of free credit monitoring services.
In May 2018, Maximus notified thousands of patients of a data breach caused by a printing error. The error resulted in some participants in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) receiving part of a letter meant for another participant.
The error impacted letters prepared and mailed by the data company’s print vendor, Business Ink, between February 10 and February 13, 2018. By accidentally mismatching one page of a six-page letter, Business Ink exposed names, addresses, group and case numbers, and program types.
Maximus was founded in 1975 and has offices in nine countries. It is the leading administrator of Medicaid enrollment broker services in the United States and answers more than seven million calls per month at its contact centers.
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Theme park operator Six Flags Great America has agreed to pay $36m to settle a class-action lawsuit concerning the gathering and collection of its customers’ biometric data.
Filed in Lake County, Illinois, the lawsuit alleges that the use of finger-scanning equipment used at Six Flags entry gates violated the Prairie State’s Biometric Privacy Act.
The act regulates how companies collect and use an individual’s retina or iris scan, fingerprint, voiceprint, or scan of hand or face geometry. Under the law, which was passed in 2008, a company must obtain an individual’s written consent before gathering and storing their biometric data.
A company that violates the law must pay damages of $1,000 for each negligent violation and $5,000 for each intentional or reckless violation.
Lead plaintiff in the case against the amusement park operator, Stacy Rosenbach, sued the Gurnee branch of Six Flags in 2016 on behalf of her son, Alexander. Rosenbach said her son had supplied his fingerprint to gain access to the park, without first consenting to the collection and storage of his biometric information.
The case landed in the Illinois Supreme Court, where Six Flags argued that no injury had been done to Rosenbach’s son, because the biometric data had not been exposed or stolen.
However, the Court ruled in 2019 that for an individual to qualify as an “aggrieved” person under the Biometric Privacy Act and be entitled to relief and damages, that individual “need not allege some actual injury or adverse effect, beyond violation of his or her rights.”
After a period of mediation, a settlement was proposed that entitles people who first had their finger scanned when entering Six Flags Great America between October 1, 2013, and April 30, 2016, to receive up to $200. People who first had their finger scanned when entering the park between May 1, 2016, and December 31, 2018, could receive up to $60.
Under the agreement, Six Flags, which is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, does not accept any liability or admit any fault. The agreement is provisional and scheduled to be approved at a court hearing in October.
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Close to 100 electronic devices have been lost by Parliamentary staffers in the UK during the last two years, raising fears that sensitive public data has fallen into the hands of malicious actors.
The official data obtained by Parliament Street think tank under Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation revealed that a total of 96 laptops, tablet computers and other electronic gadgets were reported missing by Parliamentary staffers in the calendar years of 2019 and 2020.
The majority of the device loss incidents occurred in 2019, at 53, with the remaining 43 taking place in 2020. Of the 96 lost or stolen devices, 41 were laptops, 36 were tablets, and the reminder included 11 phones and six skype headsets.
Of the 76 devices reported as lost, 11 were on trains, three on a bus, six in a car and even one in a pub.
Of the 20 devices that were stolen, four were from home addresses, one in a hotel and one on the London Underground.
Worryingly, just 18 of the total number of devices reported missing were subsequently located and found.
Edward Blake, area vice president EMEA of Absolute Software, commented on how dangerous losing such devices are. He highlighted that “Devices used to carry out parliamentary duties will contain a goldmine of confidential data that could be lethal if it fell into the hands of cyber-criminals. It’s critical that parliamentary authorities have the necessary systems in place to track missing devices, enabling them to freeze and wipe lost or stolen laptops, protecting public data from fraudsters.
“If a lost laptop ends up in the wrong hands, the organization in question could be facing a far more costly predicament than first anticipated. Sophisticated cyber-criminals can steal the data contained on these devices, access more businesses files, or intercept emails between colleagues, all with relative ease once a device has been compromised.
“Therefore, it is more critical than ever to have a permanent digital connection to every endpoint, as well as the ability to lock, freeze or wipe the device if it is at risk of being compromised.”
Several examples of device loss are prevalent in several major public bodies in the UK. Earlier this year, official figures were published showing that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy lost 306 mobile and laptop devices across the calendar years of 2019 and 2020.
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Security experts have warned online shoppers to beware of scam emails and texts over the next couple of days as the Amazon Prime Day e-commerce bonanza gets underway.
The 48-hour sales event for Prime subscribers is said to be an even bigger money-maker for Amazon than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined.
However, where there is money and consumers, cyber-criminals are usually not far away, warned Charles Brook, a threat intelligence researcher at Tessian.
“The most common tactic will be for scammers to impersonate Amazon in phishing emails, luring consumers with ‘too good to be true’ deals or prize offerings to encourage them into clicking malicious links or entering their details into fake websites,” he explained.
Tessian detected a 133% increase in phishing emails related to Amazon Prime Day or Amazon Store on the second day of the event last year, compared to a normal daily average for the month.
“Another common technique is to impersonate logistics or delivery companies in text message scams, asking consumers to click a link to confirm delivery details, track orders or reroute packages,” continued Brook.
“If you’ve just bought something in the sales, it wouldn’t seem unusual to receive a message like this. But these scams are designed to harvest financial information or account credentials which can be used to access other online accounts.”
The scams may continue even after the event itself has wound down, Tessian warned.
On October 15, 2020, the day after the Prime Day sales last year, Tessian saw a 160% increase in the number of phishing emails citing “Amazon” and “Amazon Prime Day” compared to the daily average for October 2020, Tessian said.
Subject lines tended to include order confirmations, invoices, package delivery updates and messages from ‘customer support.’
Tessian urged shoppers not to click on Prime Day links in unsolicited emails and double-check senders’ email addresses rather than their display names.
“Scammers take advantage of the fact that, on mobile, emails only show a display name which makes it easier for a bad actor to impersonate Amazon and send a message from an unknown email address,” it said.
Consumers should also refrain from clicking on unsolicited text message links, checking first with the company that sent them. Spelling and grammatical mistakes and deals which seem too good to be true are also tell-tale signs of potential fraud.
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