Entries by Robert Siciliano

Cellular Base Station Range Extenders Vulnerable to Attack

Low-powered cellular base stations are often found in residential homes and small businesses where mobile coverage is scant. The device, which also known as a femtocell, connects to DSL or cable connections and extends cellular coverage to a functional level where cell towers simply don’t reach. Some cellular base stations can accommodate up to 16…

10 Years: National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2013

Today marks the beginning of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). This year we celebrate the 10th anniversary of NCSAM. Since its inception a decade ago under leadership from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance, NCSAM has been a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure every American has the resources…

Identity Thieves Go After the Deceased

There are a reported 2.5 million cases of identity theft among the deceased every year. Theft of deceased people’s identity happens partly because of the availability of public records coupled with the time it takes for credit bureaus, the Social Security Administration, financial institutions and others to process a deceased person’s Social Security number (SSN) in…

5 Ways to Limit Mobile WiFi Risks

WiFi is everywhere, and some connections are more secure than others. There are five ways to ensure more secure use of a mobile WiFi connection: Turn off WiFi. The most secure WiFi is one that is turned off. Disabling the WiFi signal on your device prevents anyone from seeing your device. If WiFi is turned…

It’s Even Easier Now For Regular Folks To Conduct Cybercrime

Here’s a late night infomercial for you: How’s that burger flipping going? That cubicle working out? Anyway, I’m sure your boss is such a nice guy. Guess what! If you’re interested in a career in criminal hacking, you don’t even need a computer! This (scary) special, one-time offer comes to you right now from the…

Danger: Wireless Toilets Next on Hackers’ List

Just about anything wireless is hackable today. Everything—from PCs to mobiles to tablets to home automation devices to pacemakers to insulin dispensers and even cars—are hackable. And now “smart” toilets. CNET reports, “[Smart] toilets can be controlled using an Android app, but the Bluetooth PIN is hard-coded to ‘0000.’ Just knowing that code number means the awesome…

Workplace Violence Red Flags, Prediction and Prevention

Every school shooting, workplace shooting and even the Navy Yard shooting could have been prevented if we crowdsourced our security. The fact is that when someone’s about to “go postal,” that person tells the world in many obvious ways. Organizations that do nothing and say it can’t happen to them are next in line when…

Cybercriminals Camping Out on Hotel WiFi Using Evil Twins

When traveling on business or for pleasure, seeking out a reliable WiFi connection is usually a priority for most travelers. While mobile 3G/4G connections satisfy some, the speed of WiFi for laptops or uploading/downloading larger files doesn’t compare. NBC news reports, “More and more hotels are stepping up and offering guests free WiFi, but security…