Hasta La Gadget!

The online world has become a little less safe considering how many companies have their services hacked, which results in the user having to change a perfectly good password in fear their account will be accessed by an unauthorized user. Microsoft is taking steps to keep your security when using their services the highest priority, which is why they’re rolling out a new two-step verification process for all of its accounts.

The new verification process will start rolling out an upgrade to Microsoft accounts over the next few days that will allow its users to enable an optional two-step authentication service to help improve the security of their account. The result will help better protect a person’s Microsoft account through the use of a verification process. Microsoft account owners will also be able to use app passwords for some of its services, such as the Xbox 360, for those services, which at the moment, don’t support two-step authentication. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Dropbox Can Be Used To Find Your Stolen Computer, Adobe Launching Primetime To Tackle TV Everywhere,

Many of you are probably sporting some kind of anti-malware software on your computer, whether it’d Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky, etc. However, it turns out that almost a quarter of all PCs in the world are unprotected, leaving them wide open for all kinds of havoc that no one really wants lurking around.

According to Microsoft’s latest Security Intelligence Report, 24% of all PCs are absent of any kind of anti-malware software. Microsoft says that unprotected computers are 5.5 times more likely to catch a virus than computers that have anti-malware software installed. However, it seems some users are willing to take the risk.

According to the report, the country who has the most unprotected computers roaming around is Egypt, with a whopping 40% of unprotected PCs laying around, with India coming in second at 30%, and Russia with 29%. The US comes in at 26%, with the UK at 21%, which ties for the lowest percentage along with Brazil and Australia.

However, Microsoft notes that the reason for unprotected PCs may not just be about laziness on the users’ part, but they simply may not be well-informed on the importance of having anti-virus software on their computer. There’s also other contributing factors, like free trials expiring without notice, or a virus itself disabling your anti-virus software.

Microsoft reports that 24% of all PCs are unprotected is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Symantec has published its 2013 Internet Security Threat Report, revealing data about the state of the Internet and the threats in it. According to the security report, small and medium businesses have seen the greatest increase in threats, with over all targeted attacks in 2012 jumping to 42-percent, with 31-percent of those attacks being aimed at companies with less than 250 employees.

According to the report, those who use social networks, particularly Facebook and Twitter, should be careful, with the instances of phishing websites that spoof popular social networks having jumped a huge 125-percent last year. Not all numbers jumped, however, with the amount of spam sent in 2012 dropping to 69-percent of all email sent during the year.

The number of vulnerabilities found last year clocked in at 5,291, with a fair chunk of them – 415, to be precise – being vulnerabilities with mobile OSs. In line with that is the numbers on data theft, with the report stating that 32-percent of the mobile threats resulted in stolen data. The number of web-based attacks also followed the upward trend, jumping 30-percent.

There were 14 zero-day vulnerabilities last year, as well as some big events, including 600,000 Macs being affected by a virus, and a single waterhole attack hit 500 organizations in one day. Other relevant data is contained in the infograph above, which was made by Symantec. Particularly of note is the increase in the number of web-based attacks that were blocked last year over 2011, jumping from 190,370 to 247,350.

[via Symantec]

Symantec security report reveals attacks up and spam down is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This week Eric Schmidt spoke at Dive Into Mobile, the Google Executive Chairman making clear that Google’s dedication to security will stay strong through the future. Having already run down the Android activation numbers earlier in his talk, noting a staggering 1.5 million Android activations per day, Schmidt tipped an easy 1 billion Android devices set by the end of the year. With that number jumping from just 750 million confirmed by Google CEO Larry Page just this past month, security had certainly better be a big subject one way or another.

Data security has become an increasingly important issue as Google continues to take hold of the mobile device market across the universe. Here in 2013, with Android devices creating the most massive cross-section of smart devices on the planet, Google is assuring us that they’re keeping our safety in mind.

“Google has a responsibility to keep your data secure. You have a responsibility to keep your password secure and not install malware. With respect to your personal information, we allow you to take it out.” – Schmidt

Of course “take it out” refers to Google’s own takeout service, this allowing users to download the information they’ve added to Google databases in a friendly user-friendly way. Have a peek at our takeout rundown to see all the services you can work with today straight through https://www.google.com/takeout/ – and let us know what you’re going to serve up!

“The other thing is that we’re careful about when we use your information and we tell you that. We disclose what we do with your information, and we adhere to published principles. We have an absolute responsibility to keep your data secure” – Schmidt

Keep that in mind as we continue to see Google embroiled in security lawsuits in the future – watch Schmidt as he continues to assure us that all things remain safe with the big G!

[via All Things D]

Eric Schmidt dives into Google data security is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

If you’re a Comcast cable subscriber, be prepared for yet another television transition. Comcast has made official its plans to begin encrypting its basic cable channels. Comcast has begun notifying its customers in select markets that they will need to order a digital adapter if they want to continue to receive basic cable channels through Comcast.

Of course, the biggest concern is whether or not customers will have to pay for the digital adapter. However, Comcast says that it’s making adapters available for free in some markets, and they will have an adapter that works with third-party set-top boxes. However, some users may have to pay for their adapter if Comcast doesn’t provide one in their location or for their specific device.

However, those using a Comcast set-top box or a CableCARD-enabled device won’t need the adapter, and those who need one will be able to get one for free for up to two years. After that, you’ll have to pay $0.50 per month per TV in your household. Only two adapters are aloud per household, though, so it seems you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket if you need a third or fourth.

As for when the encryption will officially begin rolling out, Comcast says that they’ll be rolling it out on a market-by-market basis in the coming months, meaning that some subscribers will get it before others. The company says that the transition to encrypted cable will provide greater convenience for customers because the encryption will reduce the need for in-home appointments.

[via GigaOM]

Comcast to encrypt basic cable channels is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.