Security

Airtel has admitted a security bug in its mobile app. The company fixed the flaw after it was brought to its notice. The vulnerability in app of the country's third-largest mobile network Airtel was discovered by Ehraz Ahmed, an independent security researcher. The bug was found in the Application Program Interface (API) of Airtel's mobile app. Confirming the security glitch to Times of India Tech-Gadgets Now, an Airtel spokesperson said in a statement. "There was a technical issue in one of our testing APIs, which was addressed as soon as it was brought to our notice. Airtel’s digital platforms are highly secure. Customer privacy is of paramount importance to us and we deploy the best of solutions to ensure the security of our digital platforms," said the company in a statement. Ahmed has also published a case study and a proof of concept video of the flaw online. "The flaw exists in one of their API that allows you to fetch sensitive user information of any Airtel … [Read more...] about Airtel confirms security flaw in mobile app, says issue fixed

We're on day who-the-heck-knows of the Android Stagefright security vulnerability, and there's really no point keeping track of the days because no one's going to fix it. The Android ecosystem can't deal with security, and it won't change until it's too late. Android was originally designed, above all else, to be widely adopted. Google was starting from scratch with zero percent market share, so it was happy to give up control and give everyone a seat at the table in exchange for adoption. The sales pitch was simple: "Apple locked you all out of the iPhone and with Microsoft you're just a customer, but on Android, you'll all have a say in the end product." The open source nature of Android allowed anyone to adapt its code to their hardware, and OEMs and carriers could (theoretically) alter or fork it to their hearts' content. Now, though, Android has around 75-80 percent of the worldwide smartphone market—making it not just the world's most … [Read more...] about Waiting for Android’s inevitable security Armageddon

Computer algorithms have gotten much better at recognizing patterns, like specific animals or people's faces, allowing software to automatically categorize large image collections. But we've come to rely on some things that computers can't do well. Algorithms can't match their image recognition to semantic meaning, so today you can ensure a human is present by asking them to pick out images of street signs. And algorithms don't do especially well at recognizing when familiar images are distorted or buried in noise, either, which has kept us relying on text-based CAPTCHAs, the distorted text used to verify a human is interacting with Web services. Or we had relied on them 'til now, at least. In today's issue of Science, a Bay Area startup called Vicarious AI describes an algorithm it created that is able to take minimal training and easily handle CAPTCHAs. It also managed general text recognition. Vicarious' secret? It modeled the structure of its AI on information we've … [Read more...] about Inspired by brain’s visual cortex, new AI utterly wrecks CAPTCHA security

A new startup from Google's parent, Alphabet, will help companies sift through petabytes-worth of network data to detect whether they've been hacked. The product, called Backstory, comes from the Alphabet subsidiary Chronicle, which launched over a year ago. The system isn't an antivirus tool, but a cloud service that can process a company's network data for signs of malicious activity. Clients can privately upload their "internal security telemetry" to Backstory, which will then break it down and flag any data for hacking threats that a company can then investigate. The cybersecurity vendor market is full of tools that offer enterprise threat assessments. But Chronicle claims Backstory can offer a more complete picture of the threat landscape at an affordable price. "Too often, vendors charge customers based on the amount of information they process. Since most organizations generate more data every year, their security bills keep rising, but they aren't more secure. Backstory is … [Read more...] about Alphabet to Give Businesses the Backstory on How They Got Hacked

Almost every day there’s breaking news about a new hack or data leak, yet the cybersecurity industry remains chronically understaffed, with the talent gap estimated in the millions.This makes it a tempting and potentially lucrative career to enter. Yet there are so many beginner’s resources out there it’s difficult to know where to start. That’s where Cybersecurity, The Beginner’s Guide comes in.This free ebook (usually $30) explores deep technical cybersecurity content, along with practical guidance on how to become a cybersecurity expert.Download This Ebook For FreeInside, you will learn everything including: The importance and evolution of cybersecurity Skills needed for a cybersecurity career Attacker mindset Understanding reactive, proactive, and operational security Networking, mentoring, and shadowing Building your own cybersecurity practice lab Choosing the right certifications Security intelligence resources Expert opinions on entering the field … [Read more...] about Get Started in Cybersecurity With This FREE Ebook (Worth $30)