December 2007

CU InfoSECURITY News Providing a brief summary of news and information related to security issues for credit unions - Plus some interesting and fun web sites.
(Click on photos to enlarge)

How to fully degunk a PC to get rid of crapware

Crapware slows your PC to a crawl, often causes instability and crashes, eats up valuable screen real estate, and may even border on malware. Yet it inevitably finds its way onto your computer -- and may even come WITH your computer when you buy it. Here's an explanation how to use a couple of free tools to deliver a one-two punch that eliminates crapware and improves the performance of your PC.
For more informatio: http://downloads.techrepublic.com.com/download.aspx?docid=301317&tag=nl.e036
or http://tinyurl.com/2xp8qw

Access Your Computer Remotely . . . and It's FREE

LogMeIn allows users to perform functions easily - as if they were sitting in front of that machine . . . and it's free.

If you need to access a remote Windows computer, you could manage it with Windows built-in remote access services, but a much easier - and free - solution is to use a website like LogMeIn.
Visit the site, download its remote-access client software and install it on as many machines that you need to access. Once the software is installed, you can access those machines via your browser with an account that you create on the LogMeIn website. You'll be able to launch programs on the remote computer, open files, check your email and perform all sorts of functions as if you were sitting in front of that machine.

I (Bill Rogers) have used this for more than 5 years from locations all over the country. All you need is access to the Internet. I have at least 5-6 friends and business associates using it and they all rave about it. Yes, there is a paid version, but the free service does a great job.
More info at: http://www.logmein.com

More CU phish tales surface

More phish tales from credit unions in three states surfaced this week, just as reports from a nationwide survey announced that 3.6 million U.S. consumers lost $3.2 billion in online phishing attacks this year. According to Stamford, Conn.-based research firm Gartner Inc., this year's loss figures are an increase from 2.3 million people who lost money last year. Gartner surveyed 4,500 online adults.
More info here:
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system122007-10.html?ref=hed
or http://tinyurl.com/2mjpyo

FTC’s ID-Theft Report: No Measuring Stick

The Federal Trade Commission’s first launched its identity-theft surveys in 2003, and they have become landmarks in defining the magnitude of the challenge. The FTC’s latest survey is remarkable for being in stark contrast to the results of other recent, well-received ID theft studies by Javelin Research and Utica College.

The 2006 Identity Theft Survey (using data from 2005 polling) notes drastically lower reported losses than in 2003—only $15.6 billion, compared to $46.7 billion. The average amount obtained by thieves also differs markedly: $1,882 in 2005 versus $4,789 in 2003. But the FTC notes that these are non-comparable numbers, obtained by different methodologies. In the latest survey, the FTC tallied actual losses reported, whereas in the first survey the commission used the mid-point figures of a specific range of losses ($300 within a “$100 to $499” choice), which were filled out by surveyed victims.

Read more at: http://www.americanbanker.com/btn_article.html?id=2007113068AR9QR9&email=y
or at: http://tinyurl.com/2rpl55

Attacks Against Credit Union Decrease

The most evident change in the types of U.S. institutions under attack during September 2007 is a significant decrease in attacks towards credit unions. After three steady months near 40%, credit unions comprised only 29% of attacked U.S. banks in September. The percentage of nationwide banks in the U.S. targeted for attacks grew slightly to 39%, when compared to both July 2007 and August 2007. Regional banks comprised just 23% of the attacked institutions in August 2007, but increased somewhat significantly to 32% of the attacked institutions in September 2007.

CU Target of Brazen E-mail Scam

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum recently informed the public that many Florida consumers, including state employees, have received fake e-mails from scammers who are fraudulently posing as representatives of First Florida CU.

The scam is especially brazen because it appears to be an authentic warning about identity theft and phishing attempts, often including a signature from a credit union security manager (US Fed News Dec. 6).

Read more at: http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system120707-7.html?ref=hed
or http://tinyurl.com/33yucs

Online Fraud Is Evolving

Phishing and pharming represent one of the most sophisticated, organized and innovative technological crime waves faced by online businesses. Fraudsters have new tools at their disposal and are able to adapt more rapidly than ever.

Read more and view graphs on the growth of phising activities.
http://www.rsa.com/solutions/consumer_authentication/intelreport/FRARPT_DS_0907.pdf
or http://tinyurl.com/3cpvnn

Phishing Was Fine This Summer

The Anti-Phishing Working Group just released its authoritative Phishing Activity Trends Report for the month of August and says that the total number of unique reports submitted to the group was 25,624, an increase of 10% from July.

The industry coalition also says it detected 32,079 phishing Web sites in August, an increase of more than 2,000 from the month before, and that there were 294 unique variants of phishing-based Trojan keyloggers detected, continuing a four-month upward trend.

For more information, click on:
http://www.cutimes.com/section/technology/35346
or http://tinyurl.com/2tcbmy

10 ways to reduce insider security risks

Insiders pose the top corporate security threat today. Recent reports indicate that insider breaches have risen from 80% to 86% of all incidents, with more than half occurring after employee termination. Not surprisingly, internal employees who are authorized to access company systems are most likely to be linked to fraud or a security breach—and of all employees, IT staff members have the most resources to do so. Accordingly, IT audits focus on several areas to identify risks.

Read more at: http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tr/downloads/home/dl_10_ways_security_compliance.pdf
or http://tinyurl.com/2yvhjf

The 10 biggest technology belly flops of 2007

While 2007 gave us some fantastic technological innovations, it also brought the usual spate of bungles, miscues, and faux pas. Since I believe that you learn more from your mistakes than your successes, it’s important to look at some of the most glaring errors that were made manifest in the business technology sector during 2007. There were a lot of opportunities for learning this year. Here are a few of them.

• HD DVD and Blu-ray repeat the VHS-Betamax blunder
• eBay fumbles the ball with Skype
• The Wall Street Journal teaches users how to sabotage IT
• Attackers take down e-mail servers at the Pentagon
• Windows Vista strikes out with businesses

See more at: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=571&tag=nl.e101
or http://tinyurl.com/2tcvvc

Detailed profile of your installed software and hardware

Belarc Advisor builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, including Microsoft Hotfixes and software serial numbers, and shows the results in your Web browser. All of your PC profile information is kept private on your PC and is not sent to any Web server. Version 7.2t includes unspecified updates.
More info here: http://software.techrepublic.com.com/download.aspx?docid=229047&tag=nl.e101
or at: http://tinyurl.com/39lryg

CUs targeted in 33% of November phish attacks

Credit union brands were targeted in 33% of phishing attempts during November, according to RSA Monthly Online Fraud Report. That's down from 40% in October but still up from September's 29%. Credit union brands were targeted more than regional U.S. bank brands but less than nationwide U.S. bank brands, according to the survey.
More at: http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system121807-10.html?ref=hed
or here: http://tinyurl.com/392ggv

A Chronology of Data Breaches

The data breaches noted at this website have been reported because the personal information compromised includes data elements useful to identity thieves, such as Social Security numbers, account numbers, and driver's license numbers. Some breaches that do NOT expose such sensitive information have been included in order to underscore the variety and frequency of data breaches. However, we have not included the number of records involved in such breaches in the total because we want this compilation to reflect breaches that expose individuals to identity theft as well as breaches that qualify for disclosure under state laws. The breaches posted include only those reported in the United States.

See the entire list at: http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/ChronDataBreaches.htm#1

or http://tinyurl.com/yvngas

Banks voice approval of phone biometrics

Several banks are adopting voice biometric technology, while BT is preparing to offer an internal service commercially, according to exhibitors at the first European Voice Biometrics Conference, held in London on 28 and 29 November.

VoiceVault’s technology is also being trialled by the Allied Irish Bank (AIB), which is using the voice verification system as part of its automated password reset service for e-banking customers.
More information at:
http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/071206_voicebiometrics.html
or at: http://tinyurl.com/2f2fay

CU members in Kansas City targeted in phone scam

Mazuma CU members are being targeted by scammers claiming to be from the credit union.
Scammers are calling the Kansas City-based Mazuma CU members, stating that their accounts have been suspended because of fraud. The caller tells the member to call a toll-free number to reactivate the account. When members call, they are asked for their credit card numbers (US Fed News Dec. 10).

More information at: http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system121107-4.html?ref=hed
or http://tinyurl.com/2e83hy

November 2007

CU InfoSECURITY News Providing a brief summary of news and information related to security issues for credit unions - Plus some interesting and fun web sites.

(Click on photos to enlarge)

CUNA tracking dramatic increase in phish attempts

The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) is tracking a dramatic increase in phishing attacks during recent weeks. E-mails purporting to be from CUNA are in circulation nationwide. According to Dorothy Steffens, vice president of CUNA Web Services, CUNA Mutual Group sent out a risk alert earlier in the week to its customers, and CUNA has reported the phish attempts in News Now. CUNA also has updated its fraud alert information on its consumer website, http://www.creditunion.coop, and the association's www.cuna.org home page.
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system110107-1.html
or http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system110107-1.html?ref=hed
or http://tinyurl.com/2lfwx3

The 10 most important business technology products of 2007

Technology product developments came at a blistering pace in 2007, including big moves from major vendors like Microsoft, Cisco, and Apple, as well as exciting innovations from several upstarts. Here’s my list of the 10 most important business technology products of the year.
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=569&tag=nl.e101
http://tinyurl.com/3y4veg

Customer Identification Programs for Banks, Savings Associations and Credit Unions

The National Consumer Law Center ("NCLC") submits the following comments on behalf of its low income clients regarding the proposed rules on Customer Identification Programs for financial institutions. NCLC makes this comment for two reasons. First, we present comments regarding the potential effect of the proposed regulations on addressing the serious problem to consumers of identity theft. Second, we want to ensure that Customer Identification Programs contain a reasonable method for new immigrants to this country to have access to basic financial services. We believe that these distinct issues do not require contradictory results.
http://www.nclc.org/initiatives/test_and_comm/id_program.shtml
or http://tinyurl.com/2mfg6c

Technology Statistic of The Month

3rd Generation fiber optics has been recently tested by both NEC and Alcatel that pushes 10 trillion bits per second down one strand of fiber (that's 1,900 CDs or 150 million simultaneous phone calls every second.) This is currently tripling about every 6 months and is expected to do so for at least the next 20 years. The fiber is already there. They're just improving the switches on the ends, which means the marginal cost of these improvements is effectively $0.

George Carlin & The Modern Man

George Carlin, the Modern Man
http://www.vsocial.com/video/?d=18964

Customer Service Representative

The benefits of offshore outsourcing. A very versatile customer service rep at work.

http://www.flixxy.com/offshore-outsourcing.htm



(Don't stop here. Click on OLDER POSTS below for more news)

Malware attacks on websites grew 30% in third quarter

Phishers continue to focus heavily on financial institutions such as credit unions and banks, which represented 93% of all phishing attacks during third quarter, according to a new online fraud report. A significant shift in the nature of online attacks was reported, with malware-based attacks jumping 30% to more than three million attacks during third quarter, according to Cyveillance's latest "Online Financial Fraud and Identity Theft Report.

http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system110907-5.html?ref=hed
http://tinyurl.com/27bj99

Teachers CU e-Mail Scam Pretends to Warn About Scams

A bogus e-mail using the name of Teachers CU begins by pretending to warn consumers about financial scams, but in reality it is a phishing scam itself. The e-mail starts with a statement that Teachers CU, a $1.704 billion asset, South Bend, Ind.-based credit union, will never contact members to obtain personal financial information through e-mail, snail mail or instant message.
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system111307-6.html?ref=hed
http://tinyurl.com/2fvh6z

Sanity check: 10 dirty little secrets you should know about working in IT

If you are preparing for a career in IT or are new to IT, many of the “dirty little secrets” listed below may surprise you because we don’t usually talk about them out loud. If you are an IT veteran, you’ve probably encountered most of these issues and have a few of your own to add - and please, by all means, take a moment to add them to the discussion. Most of these secrets are aimed at network administrators, IT managers, and desktop support professionals. This list is not aimed at developers and programmers - they have their own set of additional dirty little secrets - but some of these will apply to them as well.
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=546&tag=rbxccnbtr1
http://tinyurl.com/yt842d

McDonalds Application – And They Hired Him

This is an actual job application a 17-year-old boy submitted at a McDonald's fast-food establishment in Florida – and they hired him because he was so honest and funny!
http://home.cfl.rr.com/kuschskorner/mcdonalds.htm
or http://tinyurl.com/2qp2e5

Deconstructing the Fake FTC E-mail Virus Attack

A targeted e-mail virus disguised as an identity theft inquiry from the Federal Trade Commission appears to have successfully compromised more than 500 PCs, including victims at banks, real estate brokerages, law firms and marketing companies.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2007/11/deconstructing_the_fake_ftc_em_1.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter
or http://tinyurl.com/yvf5sp

CUNA Mutual Issues California Wildfire Scam Warning

CUNA Mutual Group is advising credit unions to warn their members about online scams relating to the California wildfires. Websense Inc., a recognized Web filtering and desktop security software provider, announced its security research team has discovered suspicious online scams designed by criminals to steal money from those donating to the California fire effort.
http://www.cutimes.com/article.php?article=35009
or http://tinyurl.com/2nj8rq

October 2007

>>> Get your FBI file -- and your NSA and CIA files too, while you're at it

The Freedom-of-Information-loving folks who brought you Get Grandpa's FBI File have just launched a sister site: Get My FBI File . This site helps you automatically generate the letters you need to send in to get your own FBI file ... and while you're at it, you can also get your NSA, CIA, DIA, DSS, Secret Service, etc. files too, just by checking a few boxes. If you throw in UnSecureFlight.Com, we're getting perilously close to one-stop shopping for all your government security file needs.
http://www.getmyfbifile.com/
http://unsecureflight.com/home.html

>>> Tech Beyond 2010 – What lies ahead

Gigabit Internet (2012) – Dogged by the speed of your home broadband service? With a gigabit Internet connection over a fiber-optic line, you’ll be able to download the latest movies in less than a minute at speeds up to 1 gbps.

Mobile fuel cells (2013) – Now in development, hydrogen fuel cells will power your laptop for a week at a time using store-bought fuel cartridges.

Smart homes (2014) – We’ve heard for years about the smart home – a house chock-full of computer-driven appliances that cater to your every need. As homes with built-in Ethernet wiring become more common in several years, central home PCs will control everything from the thermostat to the lighting to the security system.

>>> Fifteen Million Americans Victimized by ID Theft

Fifteen million Americans were victimized by identity theft in a recent 12-month period, according to a Gartner study. Greater amounts of money are being stolen than ever before. And, more of what’s lost stays lost, with only a 61 percent recovery rate reported in 2006. Indirect identity authentication tools like tokens, badges and smartcards can be lost, stolen or duplicated. PINs and passwords are inconvenient and compromised far too easily. People share them, or write them down, and they can be stolen when used in public places.
http://www.persay.com/Volume_1_Issue2/main_article/speechtek_article.htm
or http://tinyurl.com/2m9hq5

>>> Roadmap for Evaluating a Voice Biometric System

Regardless of your industry or your company’s specific objectives, testing and deployment of a voice biometric solution can be easy and fast… as long as you rely on proven methodology.
http://www.persay.com/Volume_1_Issue2/second_article/roadmap_article.htm
or http://tinyurl.com/2sh52r

>>> Data Security Breaches

The data breaches noted have been reported because the personal information compromised includes data elements useful to identity thieves, such as Social Security numbers, account numbers, and driver's license numbers. Some breaches that do NOT expose such sensitive information have been included in order to underscore the variety and frequency of data breaches. However, we have not included the number of records involved in such breaches in the total because we want this compilation to reflect breaches that expose individuals to identity theft as well as breaches that qualify for disclosure under state laws. The breaches posted below include only those reported in the United States and does not include incidents in other countries.

The total number of records containing sensitive personal information involved in security breaches is 167,493,672.
http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/ChronDataBreaches.htm
or http://tinyurl.com/bl8kp

>>> Fires Bring Reminder to Have Disaster Recovery Plans

With Southern California wildfires burning more than 283,000 acres from San Diego to Malibu, destroying about 700 homes and 100 businesses so far, the need for credit unions to have effective disaster recovery plans is in the forefront.
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system102307-7.html?ref=hed
or http://tinyurl.com/224pua

>>> Beware of hackers targeting storage systems

Corporate storage systems and networks are an attractive target for hackers looking to steal sensitive data or launch computer attacks, Alan Lustiger, security architect at TD Ameritrade, told an audience at Computerworld's Storage Networking World user conference in the US this week.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;594274160
or http://tinyurl.com/2nzpv6

>>> Ebola Monkey Man: Pissing Off Nigerian Scammers One At a Time!

This site is dedicated to all the hardworking people who have either been scammed or annoyed by a Nigerian 419 Scam Artist. My intention is not to offend anyone. OK, that's a lie. My intention is to offend anyone who will sink low enough to take advantage of a hard working person. I love all people, except those that cause pain. If you are not a scammer and find this page offensive, use your head and please do not add it to your favorites section. Oh, and relax, it's all in good fun.
http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com/

>>> Credit unions, banks unveil identity theft-fighting Web site

The group of Oregon lenders that fights identity theft has launched a Web site that could help catch more purveyors of fraud. The Financial Institutions Security Task Force, which melds the Oregon Bankers Association with the Credit Union Association of Oregon, believes the site will keep the general public informed of major banking security issues. The site will also act as a conduit between the task force, law enforcement, the media and the public. The Web site, fist.oregonbankers.com, also contains information on current robbery rewards, upcoming events, fraud and robbery statistics and trends, state and national resources, and media materials.
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/10/15/daily55.html
or http://tinyurl.com/yumnk9

>>> More Consumers Switch Financial Institutions Over Fees Than Over Security Issues, Survey Finds

A recent survey which found more consumers switch financial institutions over issues with their fee structures than over security may be another indicator of a CU marketing opportunity. The survey, conducted by the noted research firm Gartner, Inc., found that 20% of consumers switch financial institutions over fees while only 4% do so out of concern their institution is not protecting their confidential data. This runs sharply counter to major marketing pushes by major banks which highlight security efforts and would seem to offer CUs a further opportunity to highlight the fee difference with banks.
http://www.cutimes.com/article.php?article=34903
or http://tinyurl.com/2r2fo3

>>> FIRE FAMILY FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED TO SUPPORT CALIFORNIA FIREFIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Los Angeles Firemen’s Credit Union Members and Staff Donate Time and Resources so that 100% of Donations Will Pass Through to Beneficiaries

LOS ANGELES, California—Fire Family Foundation, the first of its kind in California, will help firefighters and their families in times of crisis, fund firefighter training programs, provide firefighting equipment to fire departments around the state, and support other firefighter-focused charities, announced Los Angeles Firemen’s Credit Union (LAFCU), which set up the foundation through volunteer members and staff and will similarly manage the Foundation so that 100% of donations will pass through to beneficiaries.
http://www.creditunions.com/resources/press/pressreleases/551/LAFCU%20Press%20Release%2010-22-07.doc
or http://tinyurl.com/2qv6eq

>>> CUNA Shuts Down New Card Activation Phish Attempt

A new phishing-scam attempt using the Credit Union National Association's name informs recipients about "irregular check card activity" and advises them to call a toll-free number to get any restrictions removed. That is a "bad idea," says Dorothy Steffens, CUNA's vice president of web services. The call is a ploy to get personal account information, possibly for identity theft purposes. Recipients received a message as a "CUNA Alert: Irregular Check Card Activity.”
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system102607-10.html?ref=hed
or http://tinyurl.com/38d2b4

September 2007

>>> Simpler-Webb partners with EVault
Simpler-Webb, Inc. announced its partnership with EVault to provide customer data protection software and Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions from EVault, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seagate Technology. EVault offers a suite of data protection software and SaaS solutions that are easy-to-use, reliable, and flexible. This allows Simpler-Webb’s credit union customers to conform to industry-specific compliance and security regulations by addressing their backup, recovery, archiving, business continuity and e-discovery needs.
http://www.creditunions.com/resources/press/pressreleases/41565/EVault%20release%20CU.doc
http://tinyurl.com/39ss9y

>>> Sixty members caught in repeated phish nets
Financial accounts of more than 60 members at a credit union in Indiana may have been compromised due to an unusual multi-part e-mail phishing scam discovered Friday.

Fraudulent e-mails posing to be from the $391 million-asset Notre Dame FCU in South Bend rerouted users to a counterfeit credit union website in the Netherlands that asked members for personal information, such as debit card numbers and security codes.
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system090607-6.html?ref=hed
http://tinyurl.com/2o9grw


>>> Everyone's hacking the net, says Check Point founder
Governments, criminal gangs, and gifted amateurs are seeding cyberspace with Trojans, viruses and other malware to monitor activity and benefit economically, according to the founder of Check Point.

"Every day we are seeing attacks, and I am not sure if this is just the tip of the iceberg," said Gil Schwed, the founder and chief executive of the security software and appliance firm. Schwed was referring to recent media reports that the Pentagon, the German government, and Western corporate sites had been attacked from China.
http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/070906_checkpoint_cw.html
http://tinyurl.com/2mawwc

>>> The Biggest Problem with VISTA
The biggest problem with Vista is the one that Microsoft can least fix - driver support. Even after all this time, there's still a lot of (even brand new) hardware I own that doesn't support Windows Vista. Maybe Microsoft could bribe (or offer "incentives") to manufacturers to release Vista drivers for all of their hardware less than 3 years old. And make sure the drivers actually work properly. Other than that, I think the "Ultimate" edition should actually be the only version on sale. Price it at the same as Home Premium and then at install time give the option of installing a "basic", "regular" or "expert" version of the OS. It would save a lot of shelf space and confuse consumers less.

>>> Help users create complex passwords that are easy to remember
While most end users understand the importance of using passwords to secure corporate systems and data, they don't always know how to create a strong password. That's why it's just as important to create a strong password policy in your organization. Remember: Passwords are only as good as the policy that enforces their use. For example, if your company's password policy only requires a minimum of six characters and doesn't require complexity (i.e., a combination of uppercase and lowercase characters, digits, and/or nonalphanumeric characters), then you've got a pretty weak policy. That means most users will use passwords that are easy to crack through either brute force or social engineering.
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-1009_11-6028857.html?tag=nl.e036
http://tinyurl.com/2dr36b

>>> FBI May Seek No Hats Legislation in Washington State
The FBI in Washington State may seek legislation that would forbid financial institutions from doing business with member/customers wearing hats and sunglasses and hooded sweatshirts while inside the institution. Special Agent Larry Carr, who heads the bank robbery division in Seattle, plans to work with state lawmakers on the legislation, said The Seattle Times (Sept. 14). Robbers often use the clothing to disguise themselves and thwart surveillance cameras.
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system091407-5.html?ref=hed
http://tinyurl.com/2kx7t4

>>> CU Members Value More Online Security
When it comes to a positive credit union online experience, improving online security and communicating security policy are key according to a recent Solavista survey. Results from 1,809 credit union respondents showed that online security is the overwhelming feature members are seeking from their credit union’s Web site. In fact, three of the top four Web site improvement factors desired by members involved security enhancements. Some 81% said they want greater assurance that their information won’t be sold or distributed to others. Protecting against hackers (73% of all respondents) and protecting against phishing attacks (64%) ranked two and four respectively.

>>> Google Presents Power Point Alternative
The rumored arrival of a Google option for creating and viewing slide-based presentations became fact with the debut of its newest feature on Google Docs. You'll see something different when clicking New in Google Docs. The option to create a presentation with Google's online suite has been on the radar since Google disclosed it in April 2007, confirming an earlier rumor about it posted to Google Operating System. People have the option of creating new presentations with the slide editor in Google Docs. The technology comes from a blend of companies Google acquired for their slide-based innovations. As noted on the official Google blog, presentations and collaboration go hand in hand with this new product: “When it's time to present, participants can simply click a link to follow along as the presenter takes the audience through the slideshow. Participants are connected through Google Talk and can chat about the presentation as they're watching.”

The debut of presentations gives Google another point on which they and Capgemini can compete with Microsoft for certain segments of enterprise workers. Google's deal with Capgemini gives it access to a lot of people working for units managed by the IT outsourcer.

Aug 2007

>>> Hacker attempts up 62% for credit unions
The number of hackers attempting to attack the banking clients of an Atlanta security provider is up 81% since last year--with tries against its credit union clients up 62%. From June to December 2006, "we were blocking attacks from approximately 808 hackers per bank per month," said Allen Wilson, vice president of research for SecureWorks. From January through June, the average number of hackers launching attacks at each of its bank clients is 1,462. "For our credit unions, we were blocking attacks from 1,110 hackers per credit union per month. That number has risen to 1,799 hackers per credit union per month," Wilson said.
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system080307-3.html?ref=hed
http://tinyurl.com/2k2jyq

>>> 10 things you can do to make sure your data doesn't walk out the door
Hacker attacks that bring down the network get a lot of attention, so companies concern themselves with protecting against those threats. Unfortunately, the security precautions that prevent those high profile attacks may not be addressing a much more insidious problem: theft of company data for corporate espionage or other purposes. Yet disclosure of your trade secrets to a competitor or the release of private company information to the media could, in some cases, result in a much greater loss than network downtime. Here's a look at what you should be doing to keep your data from walking out the door.
http://downloads.techrepublic.com.com/abstract.aspx?docid=307311&tag=nl.e101
http://tinyurl.com/2dcwk7

>>> Underground phish kits rise, attacks vs. CUs unchanged
Fraudsters used more "plug and play" phish kits during July while the number of financial institution brands under phish attacks increased to 199, making July the third-highest month for attacks in the past 12 months, according to the RSA Anti-Fraud Command Center (AFCC).
Credit unions were targeted in 39% of the attacks, the same as in May and June. Still, they accounted for the largest share of the attacks. Nationwide U.S. banks were targets in 28% of attacks in July--a significant increase over the 19% they attracted in March, April and June. Regional U.S. banks drew 33% of attacks in July, down from June's 42% in June but higher than May's 28%.
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system081507-9.html?ref=hed
http://tinyurl.com/yqpfro

>>> Ongoing staff training key to preventing fraud, AACUC told
Protecting credit unions and their members from fraud requires familiarity with current scams, use of fraud prevention tools and ongoing training for employees, a risk management expert told attendees at the African-American Credit Union Coalition 2007 Annual Conference Saturday.
Chetta Hebron-Byrd, risk manager with CUNA Mutual Group, said it's important to understand the mentality of fraud perpetrators. "This is a full-time job for them," she said. "They don't care if you're young or old, or rich or poor. They're out to defraud you and your members."
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system081507-2.html?ref=hed
http://tinyurl.com/yvpw5o

>>> See a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware
Belarc Advisor builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, including Microsoft Hotfixes and software serial numbers, and shows the results in your Web browser. All of your PC profile information is kept private on your PC and is not sent to any Web server. We use Belarc here (William Rogers & Associcate) and it’s great. It will give you a complete overview of your hardware and software on your PC. It’s free for personal use, but a corporate license is available.
http://belarc.com/free_download.html

>>> Capture and save screenshots with the press of a key with Screen Shot Lite
Have you seen these promotions before?

“Capture screenshots with the press of a key or turn on the autosave feature and use the Print Screen button on your keyboard or copy feature on your right-click menu. Even when other screenshot utilities do not work with certain programs, Screen Shot Lite will.”

While some of these programs are pretty good, you have a screen capture option already on your PC. When looking at a screen, just press PrtScn (usually in the upper right hand corner of your keyboard). This captures the screen into memory on your PC. You can then go to any document to paste the captured screen. If you have editing capability, you can crop the screen to remove any data not needed.

>>> Ent launches newest service center in Jackson Creek
Ent Federal Credit Union will celebrate the grand opening of its Jackson Creek Service Center, 16050 Old Forest Point, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 18. The 4,000 square-foot service center has three drive-through lanes, 24/7 ATMs with cash and check imaging capabilities, and biometric accessed safe deposit boxes.
http://www.thepbj.com/story.cfm?ID=10981

>>> List of Data Breaches in The U.S.
The data breaches noted have been reported because the personal information compromised includes data elements useful to identity thieves, such as Social Security numbers, account numbers, and driver's license numbers. Some breaches that do NOT expose such sensitive information have been included in order to underscore the variety and frequency of data breaches. However, we have not included the number of records involved in such breaches in the total because we want this compilation to reflect breaches that expose individuals to identity theft as well as breaches that qualify for disclosure under state laws. The breaches posted include only those reported in the United States and does not include incidents in other countries.
http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/ChronDataBreaches.htm#CP
http://tinyurl.com/3yd7l9

>>> ID-stealing virus creates monster problems for Monster.com
Security researchers continue weighing the damage caused by a Trojan horse that sifted resumes at job-search service Monster.com for personal information. One estimate puts the number of exposed records at 1.6 million, according to security provider Symantec Corp.

According to Symantec, the Trojan discovered recently and named Infostealr.Monstres sought e-mail and home addresses among other information from resumes and sent them back to a mysterious host server for hackers to use later as phishing targets. The realistic-looking e-mails sent back as phishes allegedly contained different Trojans that detected logon and password information used for banking accounts.

Trojans, named after the famous hollow wooden horse of Trojan War myth, are programs that install malicious software while appearing to do something much less threatening.

Infostealer.Monstres likely wound up at Monster.com through fraudulent advertising placed on the site, the researchers said. Other job-search services are under scrutiny from the researchers as well.
(no link available)

>>> 10 pieces of hardware you should replace rather than repair
Any time a computer component stops working, or just becomes unstable — as we all know will happen from time to time — we have to decide whether to replace it, have it repaired, or just get by as is with perhaps a temporary fix. Repair or just getting by will nearly always be the cheapest solution, at least in the short run. Replacement, however, will usually provide a good opportunity to upgrade. In fact, given the rate at which the various technologies behind computer hardware are advancing, unless you replace something a week after you buy it, you may almost be forced to upgrade.
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=219&tag=nl.e101
http://tinyurl.com/2hxyyp