A new malware variant called Silon is targeting Internet Explorer users, attempting to intercept their sessions and steal credentials. "Researchers at security vendor Trusteer Inc. issued an advisory warning that the Silon Trojan can detect when a user initiates a Web login session in Internet Explorer. It intercepts the login session, encrypts the data and sends it to a command-and-control server where it is collected with credentials from other victims. In a more sophisticated attack, the Trojan targets people logging into their online bank accounts. New York, N.Y.-based Trusteer said Silon can inject sophisticated dynamic HTML code into the login flow between the user and their bank's Web server. The method involves using a webpage displaying a phony message asking the victim to verify their login details. If the victim complies with the request, the login credentials are sent to the command-and-control server, said Amit Klein, chief technology officer of Trusteer. "

"Sun Microsystems, Inc. and Deloitte today announced a collaborative initiative to help companies develop efficient, cost-effective and sustainable technology and business processes to address their unique regulatory compliance and technology governance challenges. As part of this initiative, Sun and Deloitte today announced their plans for the Center for Technology Governance and Compliance (CTGC), which combines Deloitte's consulting and advisory services with Sun's IT management solutions and services, including its Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) and Identity Management technology portfolios. Access to the professionals and services within the CTGC is available through Sun Solution Centers. To learn more, please visit http://www.sun.com/compliance or http://www.deloitte.com/ . As a worldwide leader in network computing systems, Sun provides scalable solutions designed to protect and manage business-critical information through its lifecycle. The combination of Deloitte and Sun brings together complementary competencies to deliver a business-driven, technology-enabled framework for creating and implementing technology governance and compliance strategies and programs."

"Mozilla's flagship Firefox browser is vulnerable to at least 11 "critical" vulnerabilities that expose users to drive-by download attacks that require no user interaction beyond normal browsing. The open-source group shipped Firefox 3.5.4 with patches for the vulnerabilities, which range from code execution risk to the theft of information in the browser's form history."

"Rogue security software, also dubbed scareware, is an "ongoing threat" that is impacting largely users from English-speaking markets, according to findings from a year-long study by Symantec. Released Tuesday, Symantec's report on rogue security software noted that 250 rogue security programs launched some 43 million attempts to prompt user installation between July 2008 and June 2009. "

"As many as 68,000 members of CalOptima, the Medicaid plan for Orange County, California, may be at risk of identity theft and fraud after several CDs containing their personal information disappeared while in transit, the agency reported. "CalOptima's claims scanning vendor sent the electronic media devices to CalOptima through the U.S. Postal service by certified mail," the agency said. "On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, CalOptima discovered the apparent loss of the devices when the external packaging materials were delivered by the U.S. Postal Service without the box containing the devices." The missing discs include patient information such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers, diagnoses, and billing codes. CalOptima said it notified state and federal agencies of the breach on October 14, and posted an alert on its Web site on October 15."

"Sherry Natoli is followed everywhere she goes while shopping online, but she doesn't mind at all. Natoli, who owns a seashell business in Tampa, does all but her grocery shopping on the Internet and even opts in whenever she's asked whether she's willing to have her online movements tracked by websites." Companies have been monitoring our online behavior for almost as long as there's been an Internet, often using our online footsteps (cookies) whenever we search, browse or buy online. Tracking technology has advanced so much that everything from how long we linger over a product description to whether we are searching for sexual-dysfunction drugs can be collected and stored on individual profiles. Our profiles are numeric descriptions, not our real names, but in some cases, it's not hard to determine personal information behind the numbers. Privacy concerns abound, and several privacy and consumer groups are urging Congress to enact laws on what can and can't be collected and for how long.

"A simple search query has exposed Google Voice mail messages (audio and transcript) for anyone to see and hear. As first reported here, a user entering "site:https://www.google.com/voice/fm/*" into the Google search bar discovered random voice mail messages belonging to random Google Voice accounts (see screenshot below). Clicking on each revealed not only the audio file and transcript of the call, but it also listed the callers name and phone number as it would if you were checking your own Google Voice voice mail. I was able to replicate the issue and listen to several voice mail messages, including some legitimate ones with potentially sensitive information."

"Iconix Brand Group, Inc. will pay a $250,000 civil penalty to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the FTC's COPPA Rule by knowingly collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from children online without first obtaining their parents' permission. Iconix owns, licenses, and markets - both offline and online - several popular apparel brands that appeal to children and teens, including Mudd, Candie's, Bongo, and OP. Iconix required consumers on many of its brand-specific Web sites to provide personal information, such as full name, e-mail address, zip code, and in some cases mailing address, gender, and phone number - as well as date of birth - in order to receive brand updates, enter sweepstakes contests, and participate in interactive brand-awareness campaigns and other Web site features. Since 2006, Iconix knowingly collected and stored personal information from approximately 1,000 children without first notifying their parents or obtaining parental consent, according to the FTC's complaint. On one Web site, MyMuddWorld.com, Iconix also enabled girls to publicly share personal stories and photos online, according to the complaint. "Companies must provide parents with the opportunity to say 'no thanks' to the collection and disclosure of their children's personal information," said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. "Children's privacy is paramount, and Iconix really missed the boat by denying parents control over their kids' information online.""

"Data broker ChoicePoint, the victim of a 2004 data breach affecting more than 160,000 U.S. residents, has agreed to strengthen its data security efforts and pay a fine for a second breach in 2008, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said Monday. ChoicePoint, now a subsidiary of Reed Elsevier, will pay US$275,000 to resolve the newest FTC complaint. The FTC accused the company of failing to implement a comprehensive information security program to protect consumers' personal information, as required by the agency after the 2004 breach. The April 2008 breach compromised the personal data of 13,750 people, the FTC said in a press release. ChoicePoint turned off a "key" electronic security tool used to monitor access to one of its databases, and failed to detect that the security tool was turned off for four months, the FTC said. For a 30-day period, an unknown hacker conducted thousands of unauthorized searches of a ChoicePoint database containing sensitive consumer information, including Social Security numbers, the FTC said. After discovering the breach, the company notified the FTC. If the software tool had been working, ChoicePoint likely would have detected the intrusions "much earlier," the FTC said. "

"Nearly every practicing doctor in the United States is being warned that their identities might have been stolen when the laptop of an employee of an insurance trade group was snagged from a car in Chicago. The laptop contained business and personal information such as Social Security numbers, addresses and certain identification numbers on the laptop of an employee from the Chicago-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, a trade group for the nation's Blue Cross health insurance plans. The association confirmed that an employee "broke protocol and transferred to a personal laptop" information that was stolen in late August. No patient information was on the database, and so far, no doctor has reported a security breach. However, nearly 20 percent of the doctors listed in the database have their Social Security numbers as their medical-care provider identification, putting these health professionals at risk for identity theft, according to an article in the Chicago Tribune."

"The number of fraudulent IRS websites taken down in 2008 soared to 3,030, up more than 240 percent from 2007, according to a GAO analysis of Internal Revenue Service data, suggesting a sharp increase by criminals to draw unassuming taxpayers to faux tax agency websites to steal identities and money. In a Government Accountability Office audit, made public Thursday, the GAO credited the IRS for implementing programs to prevent, detect and resolve identity theft, but said the tax agency needs to do a better job in assessing the effectiveness of its initiatives. And, as it relates to potential online abuse, the IRS should be more consistent in enforcing security controls. "

"It's one of the newest and most popular stops on the Washington, D.C. tour, and its artifacts of history leave clues for how information security professionals should approach their future. The International Spy Museum has just celebrated its 7th year and its 5 millionth visitor, says Executive Director Peter Earnest, a former CIA officer who's run the museum since its inception. In an exclusive interview, Earnest discusses: the museum's goals and growth plans; who visits the museum and what they get from the experience; lessons to be learned by today's information security professionals. Earnest is a 35-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). He served 25 years as a case officer in its Clandestine Service, primarily in Europe and the Middle East. He ran intelligence collection and covert action operations against a range of targets including Soviet Bloc representatives and Communist front organizations. As Museum director, he has played a leading role in its extraordinary success as a Washington attraction. He edits the Museum's book ventures and has frequently been interviewed by the major media in radio, TV, and the press on current intelligence issues."

"U.S. marketers and consumer advocates are preparing for battle over the rules governing online advertising tailored to individual browsing habits, often tracked and collected without notice or permission. The U.S. Congress is due to intervene in the issue in the coming weeks, with a bill in the House of Representatives that would oblige websites to state explicitly how they use the information and allow those using the site to opt out. A billion-dollar industry and consumer privacy are at stake."

"The credentials of thousands of Microsoft Windows Live ID accounts were posted online late last week, company officials said Monday. The company confirmed Monday in a blog post that several thousand Windows Live customers had their usernames and passwords exposed on a third-party site over the weekend. "Upon learning of the issue, we immediately requested that the credentials be removed and launched an investigation to determine the impact to customers," the post said. "As part of that investigation, we determined that this was not a breach of internal Microsoft data and initiated our standard process of working to help customers regain control of their accounts." Windows Live IDs let users gain entry into Hotmail, Messenger, Xbox LIVE, according to Microsoft. The usernames and passwords that were leaked may also be used for other Microsoft services, including the company's web-based Office program and the Skydrive online storage service. News of the breach spread early Monday, but it was unclear how the credentials were originally obtained."

"This presentation contains statements of a forward-looking nature which represent our management's beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are based on information currently available to us. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements due to many factors, including without limitation, the impact that the significantly unfavorable economic conditions confronting the United States may have on our business, the results and effects the security breach of our processing system may have on us, including the costs and damages we may incur in connection with the claims arising from such breach that have been made and may in the future be made against us, the extent of cardholder information compromised and the possibility that such security breach could cause us to lose customers or make it difficult for us to obtain new customers, the possibility that we may not be successful in developing and implementing an end to end encryption solution, the possibility that if we are successful in developing and implementing an end to end encryption solution it may not prevent future security breaches of our payment processing system, and additional factors that are contained in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to, the Company's annual report on Form 10- K for the year ended December 31, 2008. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this presentation. Topics / Agenda - The Future of Electronic Payments * What Is The Problem? The Cybercrimes Arms Race * Who Is Heartland Payment Systems? * What Happened and What Has/Will It Cost? * What Did We Do About It and What Are We Doing Now? * Massive Quantity/Quality of Breaches Call for Enhanced Solutions * Our New Solution Called E3 -

"On January 20, 2009, Heartland Payment Systems reported discovering malicious software in its payment processing system, a security breach of potentially massive magnitude given that the company's handles 100 million transactions per month for more than 250,000 businesses. While the monetary and data loses following from the penetration of Heartland's systems -- the compromise that lasted for months -- are still being determined, the financial impact on Heartland's stock price alone was devastating. " The breach, in conjunction with the economic downturn, led to the loss of about $500 million in shareholder value, more than three-quarters of the company's market capitalization, two months after the news was announced. And then there's the cost of more than several dozen breach-related lawsuits filed against the company this year and related expenses. According to slides presented in August at a National Retail Federation Conference by Robert O. Carr, Heartland's founder, chairman and CEO, the breach cost the company $32 million in legal fees, fines, settlements, and forensics during just the first half of the year.

"On October 6, 2009, the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") announced proposed settlement agreements with six companies over charges that they falsely claimed membership in the U.S. Department of Commerce Safe Harbor program. In six separate complaints, the FTC alleged that ExpatEdge Partners LLC, Onyx Graphics, Inc., Directors Desk LLC, Collectify LLC, and Progressive Gaitways LLC deceived consumers by representing that they maintained current certifications to the Safe Harbor program when such certifications had previously lapsed. The terms of the proposed settlement agreements prohibit the companies from misrepresenting their membership in any privacy, security or other compliance program. The six enforcement actions are significant as they mark a considerable uptick in the FTC's enforcement related to the Safe Harbor program. The FTC recently brought its first enforcement action relevant to the program, which is detailed in our post titled FTC's First Safe Harbor Enforcement Action. The European Union Data Protection Directive requires EU Member States to implement legislation that prohibits the transfer of personal data outside the EU unless the EU has made a determination that the laws of the recipient jurisdiction are substantially equivalent to those of the EU, and thus provide "adequate" protection for personal data. Because the EU has determined that laws of the United States do not meet its adequacy standard, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the EU developed the Safe Harbor Framework, which went into effect in November 2000. The Safe Harbor Program allows participating U.S. companies under the jurisdiction of the FTC or the U.S. Department of Transportation to transfer personal data lawfully from the EU. To join the Safe Harbor, a company must self-certify to the U.S. Department of Commerce that it complies with seven principles that have been deemed to meet the EU's adequacy standard. To maintain its certification to the Safe Harbor

"Professors from the University of California - Berkeley and the University of Pennsylvania have released the results of a joint study which indicates that young people and old are concerned about private information getting into the wrong hands. They found that approximately two-thirds of all consumers polled said they did not want tailored content if that meant they would be tracked via the Internet. Other interesting findings include: * 66% of respondents reported that tailored/targeted ads 'did not appeal' * 55% of 18-24 year olds reported not wanting tailored ads and 37% reported not waiting tailored discounts * 54% of 18 - 24 year olds report not wanting tailored news * For those over age 65, 82% report not wanting tailored ads and 68% report not wanting tailored news"

"The inspector general of the National Archives and Records Administration is investigating a potential data breach affecting tens of millions of records about U.S. military veterans, Wired.com has learned. The issue involves a defective hard drive the agency sent back to its vendor for repair and recycling without first destroying the data. The hard drive helped power eVetRecs, the system veterans use to request copies of their health records and discharge papers. When the drive failed in November of last year, the agency returned the drive to GMRI, the contractor that sold it to them, for repair. GMRI determined it couldn't be fixed, and ultimately passed it to another firm to be recycled. The incident was reported to NARA's inspector general by Hank Bellomy, a NARA IT manager, who charges that the move put 70 million veterans at risk of identity theft, and that NARA's practice of returning hard drives unsanitized was symptomatic of an irresponsible security mindset unbecoming to America's record-keeping agency."

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is slated to vote Wednesday on legislation that would require strong security policies from firms that collect and store individuals' sensitive information and provide for nationwide notification in the event of a data breach. The bill was sponsored by House Energy and Commerce Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush, D-Ill., and was tweaked to win his panel's approval in June, but more revisions are expected.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is slated to vote Wednesday on legislation that would require strong security policies from firms that collect and store individuals' sensitive information and provide for nationwide notification in the event of a data breach. The bill was sponsored by House Energy and Commerce Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush, D-Ill., and was tweaked to win his panel's approval in June, but more revisions are expected.