cybercrime posts

Convicted Hacker Left in Charge of Prison Computer System

by Amar Toor (RSS feed) — Sep 29th 2009 at 2:29PM

In a twist of Alanis Morrissettian irony, a man serving a six-year prison sentence for stealing millions of dollars through online credit card fraud recently succeeded in (surprise!) hacking into his prison's computer network, effectively paralyzing the entire system. The really incomprehensible part, though, is that officials at Ranby Prison, close to Retford, Nottinghamshire, England, gave him access to the computer.

Apparently in dire need of an internal TV station at the facility, officers decided against hiring a third party (e.g., not a convicted hacker) to set up the system. They instead opted to keep the operation in (the Big) house, delegating the duty to one Douglas Havard. So, as convicted hackers are wont to do, Havard, left unguarded, worked his way into the prison's hard drive, and set up a labyrinth of passwords to lock everyone else out of the system. And, just a week ago at this very same prison, an inmate actually got his hands on a master key.... Yeah.

Tags: crime, cyber crime, CyberCrime, funny, hack, prison, security, top, weird

Web

Dan Brown Clue Seekers Foiled by Online Scam

by Caleb Johnson (RSS feed) — Sep 10th 2009 at 2:15PM

People following clues that could reveal parts of the plot for best-selling author Dan Brown's upcoming book, 'The Lost Symbol,' didn't find what they were looking for Tuesday. Instead, they were led to a Web site that installed a fake anti-virus program on their PCs.

According to Wired, the scam is the result of a promotion on NBC's 'Today' show, in which host Matt Lauer reveals clues about 'The Lost Symbol' throughout the week. On the promotion's first day, this Tuesday, Lauer visited a research facility called 'Death Star' and asked viewers to identify the facility, which apparently is "a big part of the book." Naturally, these viewers googled 'death star research.' There's just one problem: an Eastern European cybercrime group was watching.

Tags: book, crime, cyber crime, CyberCrime, DanBrown, google, pc, scam, the lost symbol, TheLostSymbol, web

Computers, Web

Government Web Sites Suffer Independence Day Attack

by Warren Riddle (RSS feed) — Jul 8th 2009 at 2:10PM

On July 4th, as U.S. citizens celebrated the War of Independence, unknown cybercriminals launched a concentrated attack on several Federal Web sites. According to Associated Press reports, the unusually sophisticated attack affected Treasury Department, Secret Service, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and Transportation Department Web sites.

Sources familiar with the situation believe the elaborate assault to be an orchestrated denial-of-service attack, which typically involves flooding a particular Web site with traffic in order to force it offline. Ben Rushlo of Keynote Systems, a Web site monitoring firm that watches 40 government sites, said that the Transportation Department site was completely down for two days, while the FTC site was still being affected as late as Tuesday night. Other similar attacks also affected South Korean government sites over the weekend, but officials are uncertain whether or not the attacks were related.

Tags: cyber crime, cyber security, CyberCrime, CyberSecurity, defense, government, security, terrorism, top

Computers, Web

U.S. and E.U. Join Forces to Fight Cybercrime

by Caleb Johnson (RSS feed) — Jun 30th 2009 at 12:46PM

Cybercrime spans the entire globe, and, until now, there's been little collaboration between nations when it comes to combating international networks of hackers.

The Wall Street Journal reports on the newly formed European Electronic Crime Task Force -- a Rome-headquartered effort between the United States and the European Union. The group is backed by the muscle of the U.S. Secret Service, an Italian cybercrime police unit, and the Italian post office Poste Italiane SpA (PISA). What does a mail system have to do with fighting crime, you ask? Well, many people use PISA to deposit paychecks and pay bills, both online and in person. The Wall Street Journal reports that the post office does more business in its banking and insurance divisions than it does mailing letters and packages.

Tags: banks, crime, cyber crime, cyber warfare, CyberCrime, CyberWarfare, defense, europe, hack, security, terrorism

Web

Scammers Busted for iTunes and Amazon Music Fraud

by Kendra Cunningham (RSS feed) — Jun 14th 2009 at 10:30AM

A group of English ne'er-do-well scammers, have been arrested by the Metropolitan police (also referred to as Scotland Yard) for international music fraud.

After uploading a few songs they allegedly recorded to iTunes and Amazon, the group commenced to repeatedly create and buy its own songs with 1,500 stolen credit cards. An unnamed police source told the Times Online, "We will not know why they did what they did until we have conducted all the interviews." Over a five-month period, the 10 individuals spent $750,000 and racked up $300,000 in royalties, according to the Guardian.

Sixty officers from the Metropolitan police's e-crime unit arrested the seven men and three women from all over England. The group is being held on suspicion of fraud and money laundering. The case was cracked during a parallel investigation with the FBI, after it was established that the criminal network was uploading music.

According to Detective Chief Inspector Terry Wilson, the e-crime unit will continue its work against criminals and will actively develop international partnerships with business and law-enforcers around the world.

We see examples of cybercrime regularly around here, like when a repairman was arrested after tricking Apple into sending him thousands of iPod shuffles, which he'd sell for a profit. Fraud, whether committed as part of a complex digital heist or simple plan, seems inescapable; there's no shortage of people trying to make a quick buck. [From: Guardian and The Times Online via Slashdot]

Tags: amazon, crime, cyber crime, CyberCrime, fraud, itunes, music, top

Computers

Many Data Breaches Perpetrated by Organized Crime

by Warren Riddle (RSS feed) — Apr 17th 2009 at 6:48AM

The notion of hackers as lonely, overweight tech-geeks who reside in their parents' basement is now an antiquated, and false, stereotype, according to a recent story on cybercrime from The Washington Post. Bryan Sartin of Verizon Business, a firm that investigates data breaches, told the Post that his group investigated 100 incidents involving 285 million compromised consumer records in 2008. Fifty-percent of those incidents shared the same perpetrators, many of whom Sartin claimed are actively involved in Russian and Eastern European organized crime syndicates.

Instead of targeting a company's known security flaws and weaknesses, the new breed of Eastern European hackers will first identify their targets, 95-percent of which are banks and financial institutions, and will then develop a method of infiltration. In one of 2008's largest US cyberattacks, hackers targeted RBS WorldPay, an Atlanta company that focuses on payroll cards and payment processing. The Euro-hackers artificially increased the spending limits on ATM and credit cards, and then distributed the cards to "money mules" who eventually withdrew millions of dollars during a single 24-hour period. According to Sartin, the same hacking crew was responsible for a similar incident at a ski resort in Vermont, and a breach of the Texas-based OmniAmerican Bank. Another organization, based out of Russia, successfully hacked over 300 companies in the U.S. and abroad, according to the report.

Well aware of the problem, the FBI and the Secret Service released a cybercrime warning in February, providing banks and retailers with a list of popular techniques used by hackers. The government agencies also taught the institutions how to identify an already perpetrated, but theretofore unrecognized, breach. Shawn Henry of the FBI's cybercrime division told the Post that, even as attacks grow bolder and more sophisticated, progress is being made in the war against hackers. He said that the FBI is seeking help from victims and foreign law enforcement, and that the bureau's "commitment is steadfast." Everyone with a bank account certainly hopes so. [From: The Washington Post]

Related Links:

Tags: crime, cybercrime, data breaches, DataBreaches, hacking, identity theft, IdentityTheft, organized crime, OrganizedCrime, security, top

Web

Demand Remains High for Stolen Personal Data

by Warren Riddle (RSS feed) — Apr 15th 2009 at 1:23PM

While few businesses have made it through the current financial crisis unscathed, certain "entrepreneurs" continue to be successful: scam artists and con men. It can be difficult to stay abreast of such crooks' rapidly changing ploys, such as the recent phishing scam that promised expedited government stimulus checks, so we all need to exercise extreme caution whenever we are asked for personal information.

According to the security software firm Symantec, the demand for credit card and Social Security numbers, along with other forms of personal information, remains high, while new phishing scams continue to emerge. Some troubling statistics back up their assertions. From 2007 to 2008, Web sites hosting phishing scams increased by 66-percent. According to another study by Gartner, Inc., five million U.S. citizens lost money to phishing scams between September 2007 and September 2008, a 40-percent increase over the previous year.

For protection, consumers need to not only keep their anti-virus software up-to-date, but to also be wary of enticing new "opportunities." One scam which recently hit the Net preys on people's fears of the recession and the housing slump by offering bank-related benefits, such as low-interest loans and mortgage refinancing. According to Symantec, such scams comprise 75-percent of the phishing e-mails they investigated.

Tags: credit card fraud, CreditCardFraud, cyber crime, CyberCrime, identity theft, IdentityTheft, phishing scams, PhishingScams

Computers

Computer Consultant Allegedly Siphoned $1M From Utah Bank

by Ian Rowan (RSS feed) — Apr 14th 2009 at 2:10PM

When consultant jobs are few and far between, you have to make the most out of the ones you can get. Take, for instance, Zeldon Morris. When the Family First Credit Union in Orem, Utah hired the Provo man to fix some bugs in a recent computer upgrade, Morris decided to take some liberties with a few of the accounts, according to Provo's Daily Herald.

According to recently submitted court documents, Morris made false deposits via several electronic transfers into his personal and business accounts from June of 2008 to January of 2009 -- all to the tune of over $1 million. He allegedly used the money to remodel his home, pay off his two car notes, and cover a few mortgage payments. (At least he's propping up Sallie Mae!)

All of this came to the attention of the credit union last month when Morris' business partner, Eunyong Lee, blew the whistle after seeing some suspicious transactions and suspecting that they were related to fraud. Many technology business analysts have been predicting that, as the recession gets worse, more IT professionals will turn to fraud as a means of making money. Court documents say that Family First Credit Union would not have discovered Mr. Morris' scheme if it had not been for Mr. Lee. With that in mind, who knows what other scams we'll hear about long after they've been committed?

Morris was arrested last Wednesday, and arraigned the following day, entering a plea of not guilty. The alleged swindler has been charged with one count of bank fraud. [From: Daily Herald]

Related Links:

Tags: banks, business, crime, crime and punishment, CrimeAndPunishment, cyber crime, CyberCrime, expire-images:2010-4-14, identity theft, IdentityTheft, IT, recession

Computers

2008 Trumps 2007 as Worst Year for Internet Crime

by Tim Stevens (RSS feed) — Mar 30th 2009 at 1:58PM

Ah, yes. It was about this time last year when we were looking at an FBI report indicating that 2007 was the worst year on record for Internet fraud. Crime was up 25-percent from 2006, and we sure thought it couldn't get any worse. Sadly, it sure did -- 33-percent worse, to be specific.

Yes, the 2008 report has been released by the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3. The report mentions 275,000 complaints of Internet fraud, a significant jump from the 206,884 complaints logged in 2007. As if that weren't bad enough, the average amount of money lost per complaint also rose by nearly a third, up to $931 from $680. All told, that's over $250 million dollars stolen electronically in 2008. While many of these thefts were targeted individuals, don't forget about massive security breaches at places like Heartland Payment, which allowed millions of credit card numbers to fall into the wrong hands. Not a good year by any means. And, if we had to guess, 2009 isn't going to be any better. [From: IT World]

Tags: cyber crime, CyberCrime, fbi, ic3, identity theft, IdentityTheft, internet crimes complaint center, InternetCrimesComplaintCenter, security

Computers, Advice

New Version of Conficker Virus Can Update Itself

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Feb 24th 2009 at 12:54PM

Just as Microsoft has decided it's done playing games, and has put a price on the head of the hackers behind Conficker, the elusive cyber-criminals have upped the ante. A new version of the malware, dubbed Conficker B++, is spreading like wildfire, thanks to a newly unplugged security hole and self-updating features.

The new version allows the virus to download updates that could potentially give it new abilities and ways of spreading. It also skips the download of Antivirus XP, a fake security program that once lured victims into handing over credit card information and later became a dead giveaway of a Conficker infection.

Tags: conficker, cyber crime, CyberCrime, malware, security, top, virus

Computers

Attacks on Federal Computers Increase by 40%

by Lee Bains (RSS feed) — Feb 21st 2009 at 4:03PM

Last year, the federal government's computer systems saw a 40-percent increase in cyberattacks, reports USA Today.

From 2007 to 2008, reported incidents of attacks on governmental computer systems rose from 3,928 to 5,488, according to a report by the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team. While these numbers could conceivably be a result of more thorough tracking techniques, Joel Brenner of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence conceded to USA Today, "We're seeing ... a dramatic, consistent increase in cyber crime (and) intelligence activities." Still, only 1-percent of federal entities are equipped with up-to-date tracking methods.

While some of these cyberattacks are likely to have been perpetrated by foreign spies, according to Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, many of them likely spring from criminal entities, wishing to wreak havoc on the government rather than learn about its workings. In response to these reports, President Obama has launched an assessment of federal systems security. Maybe he can kill two birds with one stone and, for the assessment, hire on those certainly unemployed hackers that broke into the government's employment site. [From: USA Today]

Related Links:

Tags: cyber attack, CyberAttack, cybercrime, federal government, FederalGovernment, hack, national security, NationalSecurity, obama, security

Computers

F-Secure Third Security Firm to Be Hacked

by Kaiser Hwang (RSS feed) — Feb 19th 2009 at 7:20AM

If you're a company that specializes in online security and anti-virus solutions, here's a tip: Make sure your Web site doesn't get hacked. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened to security firm F-Secure's Web site last week. The same hacker also hit the sites of Russian firm Kaspersky, and the Portugal-based BitDefender -- all within a week, and all using the same method.

While no sensitive data was retrieved, and excuses were made (hey, it's just a low-level server with only statistical marketing data!), at least F-Secure owns up to it: "It is slightly embarrassing as a security company that we have had the breach," David Frazer, a spokesman for F-Secure, told CNET. "We certainly, as a security company, want to ensure that all of our servers are patched to the levels that they should be."

Even if no personal or sensitive data was stolen, there's the issue of face here. Who wants to trust a security company that can't keep their own site secure? It's all about image and perception, and frankly, people will likely see this breach as worse than it actually is. [From: CNET]

Related Links:

Tags: cyber crime, CyberCrime, hack, security, security breach, SecurityBreach

Computers

Hackers Steal $9-Million From ATMs, 'Ocean's 11'-Style

by Lee Bains (RSS feed) — Feb 11th 2009 at 4:46PM

If you're one of the many who envision hackers and identity thieves as pitiful, grubby men, slouched behind their computers in their parents' basements, peering at their computer screens with beady, glazed eyes, then the group of hackers that stole $9 million from global ATMs this past November might just put a new image in your mind.

According to Network World, these cyber criminals are more cat burglar than catatonic, having composed an attack plan worthy of a Hollywood screenplay.

In the first stage of their attack, the thieves hacked into electronic payment processing service RBS WorldPay, where they obtained the information contained in 100 units of the company's "payroll card," a sort of debit card where cash is directly "loaded" by an employer. Having accessed those 100 cards, the hackers then performed another hack, allowing them to "load" imaginary money onto the cards. With all that information, and money in the bank, the hackers simply made physical copies of those cards, most likely using one of the several legal, relatively cheap card printing machines.

Tags: atm hack, AtmHack, crime, cyber crime, CyberCrime, hack, hackers, heists, identity theft, IdentityTheft, security, top

Computers

Nigerian 419 Scammer Busted on Facebook Chat

by Peter Mychalcewycz (RSS feed) — Jan 26th 2009 at 6:03PM

http://www.tahomaaudubon.org/Content/Pictures/Picture.ashx?PicId=61200

Those tricky Nigerian scammers are at again. This time, they are impersonating people on Facebook, according to AlleyInsider, and (surprise, surprise) they're asking for money. The formula of their scam hasn't changed -- it just has a more personal twist these days.

While Facebook is pretty secure, hackers -- if they try hard enough -- can still hack into your account and get your info. Pay attention to how this scam works, and what it looks like. Below are excerpts from an actual online conversation between a Facebook member (and friend of AlleyInsider) and a scammer posing as an old friend in need. Evan is the actual member, while the Nigerian scam artist is posing as Calvin.

Calvin: hey
Evan: holy moly. what's up man?
Calvin: i need your help urgently
Evan: yes sir
Calvin: am stuck here in london
Evan: stuck?
Calvin: yes i came here for a vacation
Calvin: on my process coming back home i was robbed inside the hotel i loged in
Evan: ok so what do you need
Calvin: can you loan me $900 to get a return ticket back home and pay my hotel bills
Evan: sure thing man
Evan: ok one question
Calvin: are you sending it now?
Evan: what was the name of our high school mascot?
Evan: hello?
Evan: cal?
Calvin: Shawnee Mission Northwest High '01
Evan: what? i know
Calvin: it seems you dont to help
Evan: what of course i do want to help
Calvin: am in a hot sits here and you asking me silly question
Evan: what is hot sits
Calvin: am dead here
Evan: i hope you die there
YOU HACKER
good luck finding someone stupid
bye now

It is simple. If someone asks you for money, verify that he is who he claims to be. A simple phone call would probably help. [From: AlleyInsider]

Related Links

Next >> Facebook 101

Tags: cyber crime, CyberCrime, facebook, nigeria, nigerian scam, NigerianScam, scam, social networking, SocialNetworking, top

Computers

Monster.com's Database Breached, Leaking Job-Seekers' Personal Info

by Tim Stevens (RSS feed) — Jan 26th 2009 at 12:10PM

It was about 18 months ago that Monster.com's databases were hacked, compromising the personal information of roughly 1.2 million registrants (most of whom had signed up looking for a job, not for a new way to have their phone numbers stolen0. The job-seeker's site, of course, pledged to fix the hole right away, but, sadly, didn't do a particularly good job of it, as we're hearing that the company has been breached again. At least this time, Monster.com is being proactive and has made news of the breach public from the get-go.

The company has indicated that the database containing its millions of registrants' personal information has been compromised, leaving their private info swinging in the cold. Names, birth dates, phone numbers and other information have all been accessed, and, while it's unclear just how many accounts were accessed illegally, it could possibly be all of them.

While the folks at Monster.com are being somewhat forthcoming about the leak in general, they still aren't actually e-mailing individual users to tell them about it, meaning, as usual, it's up to you to keep an eye on your credit report. [From: The Register]

Related Links:

Tags: cyber crime, CyberCrime, data leak, database, DataLeak, hack, hackers, identity theft, IdentityTheft, leak, monster, monster.com, personal information, PersonalInformation, top

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'Black Friday' Deals to Watch For

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Black Friday' Deals to Watch For

Traditionalists might balk, but the holiday shopping season is already underway. Skeptical? Head to your local department store and you'll be inundated by Christmas trees and ornaments. Bargain hunters, though, know that the real deals are more than a month away.

Black Friday, traditionally, is when retailers truly slash prices. Early birds can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off of their holiday bills. Switched.com checked with a few elves, who gave a sneak peek at what you can expect deal-wise this year.

Blu-ray Players and Movies: Blu-ray is shaping up to be the biggest door buster of this year's Black Friday. de Grandpre expects at least one retailer will offer a Blu-ray player for just $49. Look for bargains on Blu-ray films as well, with last year's hit titles (such as "Iron Man") to fall as low as $5.

Laptops: With the proliferation of Netbooks this year, it's never been easier to find affordable portable computing, but Dan de Grandpre, CEO of DealNews.com says it will get even cheaper on Black Friday. Look for well-equipped Netbooks to sell for $199 – and basic 15" laptops to go for as little as $249.

HDTVs (Pretty big): The holidays are typically the best time to buy a new TV – and Black Friday is the time to do it. If you're looking for a normal sized set, you're in luck. Piper Jaffrey analyst Mitch Kaiser says he expects to see 32-inch LCD sets for as low as $299. GottaDeal.com is estimating 37-inch plasma and LCD sets will fall to $399 or less.

HDTVs (Really big): Need something bigger? How about a 46-47 inch LCD set for $599 – a 25 percent savings? Or a 52-inch LCD for $999? Dealnews says you can expect both. Plasma deals will be a little harder to come by, but a 50-inch set should run roughly $899.

HD Camcorders: You've wanted to shoot your child's school play in HD for a while, but haven't been able to spring for the pricey camcorder. This might be the year. Low-end, flash-based 720p models could drop as low as $60 (though you won't be able to zoom with those). Expect a high quality 1080p HD camcorder for $349.

GPS: While navigation systems have dramatically expanded their reach this year – even making it onto the iPhone – there's still a market for car-based systems. Dealnews predicts you'll be able to find a no-name entry-level system for $49, while a Garmin or Tom-Tom brand will be as low as $69.

Digital Picture Frames: Showcasing your digital pictures consistently gets cheaper. This year, skip the 7-inch screens and focus on the 8- or 9-inch ones, which should be available on Black Friday for as little as $30.

Monitors: Computer monitors might not be the sexiest of gifts, but they're usually welcomed with open arms – and they'll be cheap this year. Name brand 22-inch LCD models may go for as low as $99, while 24-inch models will drop below $150.

Memory: Don't know anyone who needs a monitor? External hard drives are always popular, since they're an easy way to back-up data. Dealnews expects a 1TB drive to fall as low as $49 this year. Gottadeal is looking for 8GB flash drives to hit $15.

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