Content by Mathew J. Schwartz

Malware Targets Password Managers

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 24, 2014

Citadel financial malware has been upgraded to steal master passwords for software designed to securely store lists of usernames and passwords, according to IBM's Trusteer unit. Security experts offer insights on how to respond to the threat.

Police Target Remote Access Trojan Use

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 21, 2014

European police have announced the arrests of 15 alleged users of remote-access Trojans, which can be employed by attackers to spy on webcams, launch DDoS attacks, steal financial details and launch extortion campaigns.

Financial Sector Terrorism Threat Grows

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 20, 2014

Security experts warn of an increased risk that terrorists will disrupt the financial sector via cyber-attacks. In response, law enforcement authorities who monitor U.S. and U.K. financial markets plan to embed employees in each other's organizations.

Microsoft Sounds Zero-Day Warning

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 19, 2014

Microsoft has issued an emergency fix for a vulnerability in Windows Kerberos that is being exploited via in-the-wild attacks. Attackers can leverage the flaw to gain all-access rights to anything inside an Active Directory Domain, experts warn.

Staples Confirms POS Malware Attack

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 18, 2014

Staples has confirmed that its retail point-of-sale systems were compromised earlier this year by malware-wielding attackers. Learn what two card issuers say about fraud tied to the breach.

Fiberlink President on Future of BYOD

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 12, 2014

BYOD is evolving into the "BYO-everything" trend, says Chris Clark, president of IBM's Fiberlink. He discusses Apple and IBM's enterprise mobility deal, as well as how mobility continues to reshape computing.

Authorities Seize 'Darknet' Drug Sites

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 7, 2014

U.S. and European law enforcement officials have arrested 17 alleged vendors and operators of illegal "Darknet" online marketplaces, shuttered 410 websites - including Silk Road 2.0 - and seized narcotics and $1 million in bitcoins.

Regulator Sounds SQL Injection Warning

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 7, 2014

A hotel booking website hack - resulting in stolen payment cards - triggers a regulator's warning that businesses still need to pay close attention to eliminating SQL injection vulnerabilities from their websites and emphasizing secure coding.

Malware Infects Apple iOS Devices

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 6, 2014

Apple iOS and Mac OS X devices are susceptible to WireLurker, a previously unseen malware family that spreads via a third-party Chinese app store, and which can infect even non-jailbroken iOS devices, Palo Alto Networks warns.

Accused Nasdaq Hacker Faces Extradition

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 5, 2014

The Dutch government this week upheld a 2012 U.S. extradition request for Vladimir Drinkman, who's accused of masterminding the "Shadowcrew" team that hacked Nasdaq, 7-Eleven and others, stealing 160 million cards and causing $300 million in damages.

Accused Malware Kingpin Extradited

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 4, 2014

Nearly three years after his indictment, the alleged kingpin of an Estonian gang that infected 4 million PCs in more than 100 countries with malware, generating an estimated $14 million in fraudulent online ad revenue, has been extradited to the U.S.

British Spy Chief Blasts U.S. Tech Sector

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 4, 2014

The new director of Britain's eavesdropping agency, GCHQ, has blasted U.S. technology firms, arguing that - intentionally or not - they're "the command-and-control networks of choice for terrorists and criminals."

Researchers Hack Visa EMV Flaw

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  November 3, 2014

A foreign currency flaw in Visa's EMV-based contactless payment card system in the U.K. could be abused to commit fraud using NFC-enabled Android devices, researchers say. But Visa discounts the possibility of real-world attacks succeeding.

Two Arrested For $6M Debit Card Scam

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  October 31, 2014

FBI and Department of Homeland Security agents have arrested two men on charges that they stole $5.8 million using reloadable debit cards, which they funded by tricking to threatening victims into adding funds to a money-sending service.

Attackers Exploit Drupal Vulnerability

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  October 30, 2014

Automated attacks have potentially compromised the majority of websites that run the Drupal content management system, giving attackers platforms for launching malware, DDoS attacks and spam, according to the Drupal security team.