Things That Have Gone Away: Remember These?

Adjusting Rabbit Ears On Top Of a TV

Adjusting Horizontal And Vertical Holds on a TV

Be Kind-Rewind video tapes

Calling A Phone Sex Line

Calling Collect On A Payphone

Cash Register Used Manually Entering The Prices (rather than scanning them)

Changing The Ribbon On A Typewriter

Converting Your Albums From Vinyl To Cassette Tape

Cuff Links

Dialing A Rotary Phone

Filing Cards In A Library Card Catalog

Finding Channels On UHF

Getting Off The Couch To Change Channels On Your TV Set

Having Your Gas Pumped For You And Your Oil Checked At A Full-service Gas Station

Kick Starting A Motorcycle

Knowing What Part Of Town Someone Lives In By Their Phone Exchange

Loading A Reel To Reel Tape Drive

Making An Operator Assisted Phone Call

Making Hot Chocolate By Heating Milk in a Pan, Then Adding Cocoa Powder and Sugar (remember the "skin" on the milk?)

Meeting People By Answering Personal Ads In A Newspaper Or Magazine

Opening A Can Of Beer Or Soda With A Church Key

Peeling The Developer Layer Off A Polaroid

Percolating Coffee

Placing A Coin On A Tone arm To Prevent Skipping

Popping Corn In A Pot With Oil

Porn Not From The Internet

Putting A Needle On A Vinyl Record

Rewinding An Audio Cassette Using A Bic Pen

Selling Something In The Classified Ads

Shave With A Straight Razor

Shorthand

Smelling A Freshly Mimeographed Test Paper

Switching To High Beams By Stomping On A Button In The Floor

Taking The Tape Out Of An Answering Machine

Testing TV Tubes At the Drugstore

Using Carbon Paper To Make Copies

Using Correction Fluid

Using A Party-line Telephone

Using A Pay Toilet

Gadgets of the Decade

2000: The USB Flash Drive

2001: The iPod

2002: The Dyson DC07 Vacuum Cleaner

2003: The Mainstream DVR

2004: The Motorola RAZR Cell Phone

2005: Personal GPS Navigation Devices

2006: Intel-Powered Macbooks

2007: Tie - the iPhone, the Wii, and the Flip camera

2008: Netbooks

2009: Explosion of e-readers

See the entire list and read the details at:  http://www.fastcompany.com/pics/gadgets-decade

December News & Views Published Below

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

Five technology trends to watch in 2010

Technology innovation continued its ruthless pace in 2009, despite the economic headwinds. Now it’s time to turn our sights on 2010, where there are going to be some really interesting things to keep an eye on. Let’s count down the five tech trends that should be on your radar for 2010.

5: The consumerization of IT  -  This is something we’ve been talking about for a couple years but the trend is accelerating. We see it in employees using their own personal laptops and devices for work tasks and using freely available Web tools to help them get their jobs done. This can create a whole host of problems for IT, but in most cases you don’t want to squash it altogether. What you’ll need is a policy that gives employees guidance on how and when these types of tools can and can’t be used, and why.

4: Desktop virtualization  -  TechRepublic recently asked its CIO Jury about desktop virtualization and 75% said they weren’t interested. However, the 25% that ARE interested are very enthusiastic about using it to cut costs and simplify IT support. In 2010, it’s going to interesting to see if this trend gains momentum and becomes more mainstream, or if it’s simply relegated to a few niche scenarios and industries.

3: E-readers  -  While most of the buzz around e-readers is centered around consumers readings books and newspapers, there are also a new set of e-readers that will hit the market in 2010 that are aimed at helping businesses streamline the meetings that require huge stacks of paper and bring more multimedia capabilities to business documents. For more ammunition on why you should follow this trend, see Jack Wallen’s article “10 reasons why e-readers make sense in the enterprise.”

2: WAN acceleration  -  I consider WAN acceleration to be one of the best kept secrets in the IT and business worlds. By caching big files and often-used documents, WAN acceleration appliances and software can save big money on bandwidth costs and give your branch offices and remote workers far better performance on their business applications. Companies like Riverbed are even taking WAN acceleration a step further and using it to help speed up hosted cloud applications by partnering with major SaaS providers. All of this makes WAN acceleration one of the hottest projects in IT right now, because it can offer fast ROI and immediate productivity benefits.

1: Berries, apples, and robots  -  What do these three things have in common? Well, of course, we’re talking about smartphones with BlackBerry, Apple iPhone, and Google Android. These are the three smartphone platforms that have the most momentum heading into 2010. With smartphones becoming standard tools for more and more business workers, it’s going to be important to watch which devices users gravitate toward, which platforms offer IT more security and manageability features, and which ones developers latch on to as the best place to build new applications for business users.

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=3473&tag=nl.e101

FBI: 19,000 Matches to Terrorist Screening List in 2009

Testifying in front of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, the FBI's Timothy Healy, director of the Terrorist Screening Center, stated that law enforcement officials reported 55,000 encounters with suspected terrorists in the last year. Of these encounters, 19,000 were with individuals on the terrorist watchlist. (Some of the 19,000 matches included multiple encounters with the same individuals.)

The watchlist, which includes approximately 400,000 individuals, is used to screen visa applicants, gun buyers and suspects stopped by police and to stop some air travelers for extra screening or interrogation.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/12/terrorist-watchlist

A Job Even Better Than Working At a Credit Union

From The London Times:

Outside England 's Bristol Zoo there is a parking lot for 150 cars and 8 buses. For 25 years, its parking fees were managed by a very pleasant attendant. The fees were £1 for cars ($1.40), £5 for busses (about $7).

Then, one day, after 25 solid years of never missing a day of work, he just didn't show up; so the Zoo Management called the City Council and asked it to send them another parking agent. The Council did some research and replied that the parking lot was the Zoo's own responsibility. The Zoo advised the Council that the attendant was a City employee.

The City Council responded that the lot attendant had never been on the City payrole.

Meanwhile, sitting in his villa somewhere on the coast of Spain (or some such scenario), is a man who'd apparently had a ticket machine installed completely on his own; and then had simply begun to show up every day, commencing to collect and keep the parking fees, estimated at about $560 per day -- for 25 years. Assuming 7 days a week, this amounts to just over

$7 million dollars!

And no one even knows his name.

Six cyber trends outlined by I.D. theft center

Identity crime, especially Internet-based crime, continues to plague consumers and the economy, according to the Identity Theft Assistance Center (ITAC) Identity Theft Outlook for 2010.

The report is based on developments during the past year and notes what's ahead in 2010, including trends in criminal activity and law enforcement.

The report also outlined six trends ITAC anticipates for 2010:

1) More criminals will use malware to steal usernames and passwords, and recruit accomplices as "money mules" to open phony accounts and transfer funds. "It is the responsibility of consumers and businesses alike to demand the best security protection and to implement it into their everyday experiences," said Michael Stanfield, CEO, Intersections Inc., a CUNA Strategic Service.

2) More collaboration on cyber security. The Obama administration will continue to break down silos within the government and collaborate more with the industry as it develops and implement cyber security policy, ITAC said.

3) Expanded use of identity management solutions to address identity theft, data breaches and cybercrime.

4) Changes resulting from "Red Flag" rules. Red flags are any activity or practice that indicates possible identity theft. Consumers will face questions about address changes and other behavior, including missed payments or changes in spending patterns. Consumers may be annoyed until they adjust to the new levels of scrutiny.

5) Stiffer sentences for those convicted of identity theft. The law requires a mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors also are pursuing added jail time for related felonies, including wire fraud and use of unauthorized access devices.

6) Possible federal regulation of breaches of consumer data. The Senate is slated to consider two measures that would regulate how public and private organizations protect personal information.

Counterfeit credit/debit card fraud: Let's stop it now

These tips may seem obvious, but mentioning them again can’t hurt. It’s your hard-earned money at stake, after all:

> Stare: It’s no longer considered rude to stare at your card for the entire time it’s in the hands of a clerk or waiter.

> Shield: When using your debit card, lean in and cover your PIN entry from every angle, the digits you protect equal the money in your account.

> Change: The bad guys have figured out the number-increment algorithm many banks use. If at all possible, make sure the last eight digits of the new credit/debit card’s number are different.

> Check: The average time between stealing credit card information and using it on-line has dropped from 10 days to three. It is recommended that you check your on-line accounts at least that often.

Mr. Patterson’s endeavor

Those tips are important. Yet, they are overshadowed by Mr. Patterson’s real quest. Here is what he wants to do:

“Completely eradicate counterfeit card fraud world-wide in the next 24 months. With the banks losing over 4 billion dollars a year and growing rapidly, the industry is ready to fight back. Organized crime has declared this fight, and it will take a unified effort to repel.”

We all know about credit/debit card fraud. What surprised me was the scope of counterfeit card fraud. Expert after expert pointed out that using counterfeit cards or information obtained from credit/debit cards supports most illegal activity throughout the world.

Counterfeit cards

This YouTube video will give you an idea of how simple it is to steal information embedded in a credit/debit card’s magnetic strip. As the video shows, the only hardware required is a computer, card reader, and magnetic strip card writer. One expert commented on how easy it is to buy card skimmers (readers) on eBay. So, I looked and, sure enough (courtesy of eBay):

(Read the rest of the story at: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/security/?p=2825&tag=nl.e036

The Google Phone: Risks, rewards and wild cards

The fabled Google Phone made an appearance over the weekend and it’s another iPhone killer, grand experiment for the search giant or a way to rewrite the wireless pecking order. Here’s a look at the risks, rewards and wild card associated with Google’s phone, dubbed Nexus One.

First, a little background (Techmeme). Google on Saturday said on its mobile blog that is handing out a snazzy phone loaded with an uncompromised version of its Android operating system. The move was all about Google eating is own Android dogfood. The device combines “innovative hardware from a partner with software that runs on Android to experiment with new mobile features and capabilities.”

It didn’t take long for pictures of this Google phone to hit Twitter. The Wall Street Journal then followed up with a few more tidbits.

Among them:

> Google’s Nexus One will up the ante vs. Apple;

> HTC will make the device;

> The device won’t be tethered to any carrier and Google will sell it online;

> Google wanted to control the hardware, software and user experience completely.

So what is Google up to with Nexus One? The answers are a little fuzzy, but here’s a crack at Google’s calculus behind launching a phone that could alienate partners, drive wireless innovation and alter the competitive landscape among other things.

Read more about the Google phone at: http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=28432&tag=nl.e539

How Fake Sites Trick Search Engines to Hit the Top

Even search engines can get suckered by Internet scams.

Security researcher Jim Stickley displays logs on his laptop from Internet scams he created for a...

Security researcher Jim Stickley displays logs on his laptop from Internet scams he created for a study for a California financial institution at his home in La Mesa, Calif., Monday Dec. 7, 2009. Stickley's study showed some of the most trusted Internet search engines gave high ratings to fraudulent web sites. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

(AP)With a little sleight of hand, con artists can dupe them into giving top billing to fraudulent Web sites that prey on consumers, making unwitting accomplices of companies such as Google, Yahoo and Microsoft.

Online charlatans typically try to lure people into giving away their personal or financial information by posing as legitimate companies in "phishing" e-mails or through messages in forums such as Twitter and Facebook. But a new study by security researcher Jim Stickley shows how search engines also can turn into funnels for shady schemes.

Stickley created a Web site purporting to belong to the Credit Union of Southern California, a real business that agreed to be part of the experiment. He then used his knowledge of how search engines rank Web sites to achieve something that shocked him: His phony site got a No. 2 ranking on Yahoo Inc.'s search engine and landed in the top slot on Microsoft Corp.'s Bing, ahead of even the credit union's real site.

Read the rest of this story at:  http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=9282914

From a Security Perspective, Can You Really Identify The Bad Guy

If you watch the above images from your seat in front of the computer, Mr. Angry is on the left, and Mr. Calm is on the right.Get up from your seat, and move back. They switch places! "This illusion was created by Dr. Aude Oliva & Philippe G. Schyns, MIT illustrates the ability of the visual system to separate information coming from different spatial frequency channels."

Credit Union Retired Executives (CURE) Online Advisory Service Launched

Unique Virtual Network Provides Confidential, Free Advice to Credit Union Professionals

We are pleased to announce the debut of its unique online advisory service — CURE, at www.CURetiredExecs.com — a secure, virtual network of retired credit union executives who are volunteering their time and expertise to support those working today on the front lines of the credit union industry. The first of its kind, this new website is the only place to go 24/7 for confidential advice — free of charge, thanks to the website’s Supporters — about the many operational issues facing credit unions today.

Holly Herman, Executive Director, stated, “Experience matters! We’ve assembled an incredible team of Advisors, retired credit union executives with an unmatched depth and breadth of experience — experience that has gone largely untapped until now. We also have an exceptional group of Supporters from around the industry, who are making it all possible.”

Getting started is easy. Visit www.CURetiredExecs.com, register, and ask your first question. Visitors have their choice of advisors with expertise in a wide variety of areas, and are assured total confidentiality — and a customized answer within 3 business days, offering suggested solutions, recommended alternatives, and new perspectives on the question at hand.

Herman added, “In these especially difficult times for all of us, we’re confident that this service will prove invaluable in tackling and overcoming the challenges of the day, to ensure that credit unions everywhere can continue to offer the best in financial services to their members.”

CURE is a resource for credit union professionals to ask questions and to use as a sounding board. It's the number one place to go for advice on anything relating to your credit union. CURE connects credit union professionals with the nation's finest credit union retired executives for free and confidential advice. We have advisors waiting to share their experience and opinions with you. Visit http://www.curetiredexecs.com/ to get started.

 

Scam Wave Hits CUs in Several States

Another wave of texting and phishing scams has swamped credit unions and other financial institutions in several states--this time in the Western half of the nation--prompting them to alert members and the public.

Two scams circulating in Northern Colorado involve texting to cell phones of members and nonmembers. The messages invoke the name of a defunct credit union, Norlarco CU, which was acquired by Public Service CU in Denver (Coloradoan.com Dec. 1).

The text messages say recipients' accounts have been restricted and they must call a toll free number. To unlock the account, they are instructed to enter their debit or credit card number, personal identification number (PIN) and expiration date.

Several members of Public Service CU received the message, according to its website. The credit union told members to not respond in any way to the message and to "Delete it immediately. It is a scam."

In Cheyenne, Wyoming, Warren FCU, members received a similar scam, prompting the Better Business Bureau serving Northern Colorado and Wyoming to tell the Coloradoan, "It seems like credit unions are specifically targeted."

In California, credit unions in Redwood City and Merced were targeted with the same kinds of messages. San Mateo CU, Redwood City, issued a press release saying it had not sent a text message received by consumers. In Merced, another credit union as well as customers of AT&T cell phone accounts were targeted, reported the sheriff's office (Merced Sun-Star Nov. 26).

Bridgeton, Mo.-based Vantage CU, which was been targeted before in previous waves of scams, said fraudsters started sending text-message phishing scams again to members and non-members last weekend in the credit union's name. Eric Acree, vice president, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the credit union is trying to educate members about its security procedures so they don't fall for the fake messages. The credit union never contacts accountholders with an unsolicited text message, he told the newspaper.

In Nampa, Idaho, police said scammers sent text messages with an emergency notification about their accounts to consumers. Mountain Gem CU was targeted by the scammers, and Northwest Christian CU and IDADIV CU used their websites to warn consumers about the scam.

You Can Buy Used ATMs On Craigslist

Here’s a new twist on an old scam, ATMs for sale on Craigslist are being bought and used by crooks in a variety of ways (none of them good). A data security expert in Boston demonstrated this vulnerability.

After searching Craigslist for a seller, he found a bar owner looking to liquidate assets. He paid $750 for the ATM, and after a hacker friend looked over the accompanying manual, he was able to get 1,000 account numbers to print out.

ATM Skimmers Make Off With $70,000 in Chicago

ATM skimming, capturing card holder’s card information by way of devices often attached to or placed around an ATM while they use the machine, has been slow to catch on the U.S. But Chicago thieves have been catching up.
Police are confirming media accounts of two ATM thieves which made off with $70,000 from a bank ATM after they attached a device to the machine to record card data and used a camera to record a card holder’s personal identification numbers as they punched them in.

The bank declined to comment on the theft other than to confirm that the Secret Service had been notified as well as the police. The Secret Service did not comment. Media reports said the two were caught on surveillance cameras placing the device and then returning to collect it and use the data to make the withdrawals.

See how the scam works:  http://www.utexas.edu/police/alerts/atm_scam/

November News & Views Published Below

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