Trademark counterfeiting

A trademark as a word or symbol that helps a producer to identify his products should be under the control of rules and regulations to prevent consumer confusion and protect business goodwill.

In most developed countries, governments have strict trademark laws to prevent from trademark infringements (using someone else's trademark).

Counterfeiting is common form of trademark breach which occurs when a manufacturer produces goods look like the other producer's and use its trademark for his products. Trademark counterfeiting hurts both consumers (because of lower quality) and the owner of trademark (by losing reputation and business goodwill.

By the way, the owner of trademark can recover any profits lost as a result of the counterfeiting and even charge the criminal up to 3 times of real damages which can be considered as a huge reward!

Data resource:
http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/trademark-counterfeiting.html

Smartphones carry security risk

Our project this called rookies on smart phones, attacks in location and opportunities and those basically project and exploring the social impact of attacks on smart phones devices. Rookies are basically a stoutly version of malware that infects here smart phone operating system. Over a past couple of years we have seen smart phones becoming increasingly more complex and now this large complexity allows for rookies to be a huge threat. "Jeffrey Bickford, Graduate Assistant, Computer Science"

So in the future wind smart phones are be quittance that everybody has them. It could be particularly dangerous because attackers can transfer any number of ways especially on an open Internet network that smart phones are on that. Or trying to raise awareness that we need to start looking for some detection techniques of these devices so that in the real world normal people everyday are not affected by these attacks, Jefferey said.

Data resources:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZgf32wVTd4&playnext_from=TL&videos=ArYbAvhXYcs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgexzaYnPHA&playnext_from=TL&videos=ArYbAvhXYcs

Hackers target smartphones

Users should have the same security awareness around smartphones as they do with PCs, Dr. Charlie Miller, principal analyst at Independent Security Evaluators said.

Smartphones will be the next target for the hackers who are looking for financial gains and attempting to steal personal information.

In one attack against the core applications or drive-by-downloads, user just visits a Web site and the site exploits vulnerability in the Web browser to run code of the attacker's choosing.

Smartphones have more similarities with computers than with phones. Although they have limitations in most cases and only allow you to run certain applications but they are equipped with standard operating systems and have web browsers like PCs.

Recently iPhones are becoming increasingly targeted by cyber criminals. For example an iPhone application developer illegally gathered users' cell phone numbers without their permission. There have been different cases that cyber criminals have deployed a worm which targets iPhones and turns the phone into a botnet.

Smartphones users should avoid following links and downloading applications from untrusted sources. And be aware of what information they make accessible on their phone if they lose it.

Data resource:
http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31983:hackers-target-smartphones

How to protect yourself from being a victim of white-collar crime

• The best way is to be aware!
• Within transactions taking your cards by yourself will be safer than allow a cashier to do it for you.
• Don't forget your card when you are using ATM, and always protect your personal ID number.
• Occasionally check your bank and credit statements and quickly report any abnormalities.
• Memorize all personal ID numbers and never write them.

• In the case of changing your address, notify the post office, bank and credit card institutions.
• By the way, identity theft can occur everywhere over the Internet, telephone, fax or regular mail. Take care of your info!
• Trashes are also a goldmine for identity thieves. Make sure you cut up personal and financial documents before putting them in the garbage.

Data resource:

http://www.timescolonist.com/wave+crime+your+personal+data+could+sold+several+times/3008344/story.html

Criminals who once stole cars now turn into bank accounts

White-collar crimes are rising. Personal data can be sold several times to criminals who create fake credit cards.

Stealing bank accounts ID numbers, identity theft and similar scams are all different types of the white-collar crimes which can result on moving massive amounts of data very easily from Vancouver Island to South America.

Much more profitable returns, easier ways, more speed and less risks encourage criminals to use stolen or reproduced financial information to access or open bank accounts, transfer balances, apply for loans or credit cards and buy things that could include passports.

According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, payment card fraud is the most commonly reported type of crime in the country.

Developing technologies, such as Bluetooth can be used to capture card data immediately. Criminals sometimes steal data or cards in one area and spend the money in another.

Be aware of them and take care of your personal data!

Data resource:

http://www.timescolonist.com/wave+crime+your+personal+data+could+sold+several+times/3008344/story.html

5 things to stop doing now on facebook

• Using a weak password

Simple names, words and numbers won't be suitable at all. Instead, using mix upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols which are at least eight characters with numbers or symbols in the middle of a word would be great. Like this: hO27usEs

• Putting full birth date in profile

If so, identity thieves will be able to use it to obtain more information about you like bank or credit card account. You can put only the month and day or no birthday at all.

• Not pay attention to privacy controls

By specifying information access for only certain people or groups such as your friends, friends of friends, or yourself and avoiding from putting some information like phone number and address you can pass other step of safety.

• Mentioning that you won't be at home
  

Don't speak about the date of any trip. You can speak about them later!

• Letting search engines find you

You can inactive box of public search results in Search section of facebook's privacy controls and select Only Friends for facebook search results.

Data resource:
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/109538/7-things-to-doing-now-on-facebook

China, Russia, Canada again top USTR piracy list

Just few days after agreement of U.S and Russia to talk on Moscow's bid to join the world Trade Organization, Reuters placed Russia on the list of countries with the weakest copyright theft preventions for the 13 continuous years.

In this list China placed for the sixth consecutive year and Canada for the second. Algeria, Argentina, Chile, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand, and Venezuela are the other countries existing in the list.

U.S. trade losses which affected by the piracy were about $15.8 billion in 2009. (about $3.5billion in China, $1.9 billion in Russia, $1.5 billion in India, $1.1 billion in Italy, $978 million in Brazil and $710 million in Canada).

Reduction of global piracy will actually help U.S movie, software, music and other copyright industries increase their annual revenues, and this won't be occur unless all countries cooperate with each other and improve their related laws.

Data resource:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100430/tc_nm/us_usa_trade_piraci_2

Facebook Hackers Phishing and Taking Over Facebook Accounts www.IDTheftS...

Phishing

While fraud on debit and credit cards fell during 2009, online banking fraud rose by 14% last year. Actually when relevant industries are attempting to use new ways of protection such as using chip, PIN and detection software, fraudsters find new ways of fraud to achieve personal and financial information.

Call centers which are focused on customer satisfaction can be "socially engineered". Through a phishing attack fraudster will be able to access some personal information such as address, personal account, etc. Actually he can use personal blogs and social networks to complete required information or even act as follow:

As a result, new types of defense based on implementation appropriate information and technology seems essential to deal with cyber threats which are increasingly grow in sophistication and diversity.



Data resource:
http://www.computerworlduk.com/community/blogs/index.cfm?entryid=2932&blogid=38
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlfhjPST1Ls

Death of Internet Neutrality = Death of Free Speech!

Free speech, legal system sometimes at odds

Since the beginning of the written word, freedom of speech has supposed an illogical challenge to legislators. The real border line between what is legal and what is illegal poses interesting international implementations because of border less nature of wireless networks.

The line between free speech and defamation may not be so clear. and sometimes Internet freedom for exploited countries has been seen as the last indication of hope for open communication.

Nowadays we can see different types of censorship around the world. But who knows where our borders of freedom should be limited?

Data resource:

http://www2.highlandstoday.com/content/2010/may/04/041728/free-speech-legal-system-sometimes-at-odds/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYsbQ0SGCj0&feature=related

You as a Password

Our world has turned into an integrated communication networks and now our security requires continuous growth.

When we face serious threats even in the case of the biggest search enginges in the world (hacking of Google's source code), we realize that security must now be our toppriority.

Protection from access to sensitive corporate information by employees and individuals' private data (Social Security Number, Passport, Bank account information, etc.) is vital for connected web communities.

Based on what we have and do, network must be able to identify who we are. Our all unique characteristics that cannot be computer-generated, lost or stolen as the traditional methods of identification could. Instead we become the key to our data: Data Password!

New ways to secure login portals should be considered. More importantly, if we all better educate on the state of cyber security it becomes easier to trust the security and privacy in the web.

As the Internet matures we enter into a cyberspace with borders from private-sector competitors to foreign governments and agents which would collapse Freedom. That means greater recognition that government and the marketplace have equal parts in sharing good ideas and each must have a seat at the table.

The online universe is successfully destroying the walls it had but still danger lies. The Internet is moving forward. Are we?

Data resource:

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/04/27/tom-helou-internet-cybersecurity-al-qaeda-password-google/

Cyber war: a major threat to global security - RT 090506

FOX News Radio - » Securing America – Cyber Attacks

Posted using ShareThis




A brief history of Cyber Attacks

• 1991, creation of AF/91 Virus for destroying performance of Iraqi aircraft guns
• 1998, hacking Serbian air defense system by US and NATO
• China and Russia started to attack to US systems
• 2007, Cyber Spy to US government, military and high tech agencies
• May 17th 2007, Cyber attack to Estonian parliament, ministries, banks and media
• December 14th 2007, hacking Kyrgyz Central Election Commission during the election
• 2008, attack to the Georgian & Azerbaijani sites
• March 28th 2009, Cyber spy network via Chinese servers
• July 2009, Cyber attacks against major government, news media & financial websites in South Korea and US
• December 2009, China attacked Google & over 20 other companies
  

Data resources:
http://www.foxnewsradio.com/2010/04/30/securing-america-cyber-attack/#axzz0mv7KKumo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRGHGb5axK4&playnext from=TL&videos=P7J-gi LQyc
http://www.worldwar-e.com/2010/02/a-brief-history-of-cyber-war-attacks/