USAToday stories
Protesters, botnet gangs accelerate DDoS attacks against corporations
January 5, 2011
By Byron Acohido, USA TODAY, 05Jan2010, P1B
It will be much harder this year for companies to deflect the rising onslaught of cyberattacks orchestrated to knock them off the Internet.
Hundreds of times each day, attackers use a technique called distributed denial of service, or DDoS, that involves coordinating home PCs to flood targeted websites with nuisance requests — to the point where no one else can access the …More
Do Not Track law would empower consumers, disrupt advertising status quo
December 13, 2010
By Byron Acohido and Jon Swartz, USA TODAY, P1A
If you’re like most Web users, you probably don’t realize how intensively your visits to many of the most popular pages on the Internet are scrutinized.
In fact, the art of anonymous, Internetwide monitoring of who visits what webpage has been advancing dramatically, driven by advertisers’ desire to tailor their messages to specific groups of customers.
This month, however, the Federal …More
Tech industry moves to better protect children online
November 30, 2010
By Byron Acohido, USA TODAY, 30 Nov. 2010 p. 1B
The technology industry is making an intensified national push to try to keep children safer online.
Children are facing heightened exposure to cyberbullying, sexual predation and identity theft, thanks to the proliferation of cool devices that connect to the Internet, including smartphones, tablet PCs, Internet TVs and even video gaming consoles.
Multiplying ways to connect to the Internet means …More
Cyber CSI: going beyond blood and ballistics
November 23, 2010
By Byron Acohido, USA TODAY. 23Nov2010 p.1B
Cyberforensics, the science of finding and securing digital evidence buried deep within company networks, is fast emerging as a global industry.
Three major players are in the vanguard. PricewaterhouseCoopers has recently hired several former law enforcement agents and prosecutors to supplement its cyberforensic services, which already have 3,000 employees and 55 labs in 37 countries.
Verizon Business — supplier of communications, networking and security …More
Google’s Wi-Fi spy cars collected medical info, other sensitive data
October 25, 2010
Wi-Fi spy car
By Byron Acohido, USA TODAY, Page 3B, Oct. 25, 2010
Google is feeling rekindled heat over the private data it collected without permission in more than 30 nations.
The British Information Commissioner’s Office on Monday asked to take a closer look at the evidence Google made available earlier this year, after the company admitted that cars sent to take photos for its …More
Microsoft perfects legal manuever to decapitate botnets
September 8, 2010
By Byron Acohido, USA TODAY, Sept. 8, 2010, P3B
SEATTLE — With a judicial assist, Microsoft has perfected a new superweapon to shoot down botnets, the engines cybergangs use to deliver malicious Internet attacks.
The U.S. District Court of Eastern Virginia last week granted a motion that, in effect, gives Microsoft permanent ownership of 276 Web domains once used by the Waledac cybergang to send instructions …More
Banks require your help to keep online banking safe
July 30, 2010
By Byron Acohido
Published July 30, 2010, USA TODAY print editions, P1A
For generations, U.S. consumers have relied on banks to bear the primary responsibility for keeping their hard-earned cash deposits out of the hands of thieves. Now, banks want consumers to share the load.
About 80% of U.S. households have come to do their banking over the Internet, banking consultancy Novantas says. Many consumers believe online banking is every …More
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