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 . . .
(Click on photo to enlarge)
Happy New Year
Thursday, December 30, 2010
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 . . .
(Click on photo to enlarge)
Happy New Year
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
CUNA Says: Scams zero in on home equity lines
Identity thieves are having a field day with scams, particularly lucrative ones aimed at home equity lines of credit (HELOC). Others have stepped up their card scams, and phishing and vishing efforts to take advantage of consumers' good will and inattention to details during a busy holiday season.
The HELOC scams are increasing, according to Brad Mundine, regional manager for CUMIS' credit union protection and risk management division. He wrote an advisory last month that said HELOC account losses from theft have "increased significantly" this year, with the insurer losing more than $4 million so far in 2010 (StarTribune.com Dec. 23).
As a result of some HELOC thefts, lawsuits have cropped up, pitting consumers against their lenders, and lenders against their insurance companies over who pays when someone makes unauthorized charges. Credit unions are involved in at least two lawsuits related to thefts from HELOCs.
Last week a lawsuit was filed by a member against a Burnsville, Minn.-based Affinity Plus FCU after he was told he would have to pay nearly $90,000 in unauthorized charges against the his $200,000 HELOC account. The member, Mike Calcutt, found out about the theft during a conversation about interest payments on the loan in March. The thefts occurred after someone set up telephonic banking privileges on his account, then executed nine transfers of $10,000 each from his credit line to his savings account, and then instructed the credit union to wire the money to a drop account in Boston. Once there, the money disappeared.
In a separate case, Citizens Financial Bank in Indiana refused to cover $26,500 in bogus charges on a couple's HELOC after money was wired to a bank in Austria, where the money disappeared. A third case, filed in Philadelphia, involves another credit union, SB1 FCU, which covered a member's $220,000 loss from a HELOC and sought to recover the loss from its insurers, who denied the claims.
The Credit Union Information Security Professionals Association told the Star Tribune that of the 131 banks and credit unions participating in a 2008 webcast, 29 reported HELOC wire fraud incidents.
HELOCS aren't the only scams circulating. During the holidays a number of credit card scams surfaced. Here's a roundup of the latest scams:
Click here for the rest of the story:
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/10/system122810-7.html?ref=hed
The HELOC scams are increasing, according to Brad Mundine, regional manager for CUMIS' credit union protection and risk management division. He wrote an advisory last month that said HELOC account losses from theft have "increased significantly" this year, with the insurer losing more than $4 million so far in 2010 (StarTribune.com Dec. 23).
As a result of some HELOC thefts, lawsuits have cropped up, pitting consumers against their lenders, and lenders against their insurance companies over who pays when someone makes unauthorized charges. Credit unions are involved in at least two lawsuits related to thefts from HELOCs.
Last week a lawsuit was filed by a member against a Burnsville, Minn.-based Affinity Plus FCU after he was told he would have to pay nearly $90,000 in unauthorized charges against the his $200,000 HELOC account. The member, Mike Calcutt, found out about the theft during a conversation about interest payments on the loan in March. The thefts occurred after someone set up telephonic banking privileges on his account, then executed nine transfers of $10,000 each from his credit line to his savings account, and then instructed the credit union to wire the money to a drop account in Boston. Once there, the money disappeared.
In a separate case, Citizens Financial Bank in Indiana refused to cover $26,500 in bogus charges on a couple's HELOC after money was wired to a bank in Austria, where the money disappeared. A third case, filed in Philadelphia, involves another credit union, SB1 FCU, which covered a member's $220,000 loss from a HELOC and sought to recover the loss from its insurers, who denied the claims.
The Credit Union Information Security Professionals Association told the Star Tribune that of the 131 banks and credit unions participating in a 2008 webcast, 29 reported HELOC wire fraud incidents.
HELOCS aren't the only scams circulating. During the holidays a number of credit card scams surfaced. Here's a roundup of the latest scams:
Click here for the rest of the story:
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/10/system122810-7.html?ref=hed
Monday, December 27, 2010
Quick Tips: How Secure Is Your Password?
The New York Times reported on January 22 that 20% of all computer users typically use passwords that are easily hacked. A review of nearly 32 million passwords found that users are still choosing simple, easily remembered passwords in lieu of more complex combinations that might better prevent unwanted access. The six most popular passwords found in the study include:
• 12345
• 123456
• 123456789
• password
• iloveyou
• princess
The experts recommend using two different passwords — one 12 characters long for sites such as banks and e-mail, and an easier-to-remember one for social networking and entertainment sites. Changing your passwords on a regular basis is also recommended to maintain the security of your private information.
• 12345• 123456789
• password
• iloveyou
• princess
The experts recommend using two different passwords — one 12 characters long for sites such as banks and e-mail, and an easier-to-remember one for social networking and entertainment sites. Changing your passwords on a regular basis is also recommended to maintain the security of your private information.
Credit Card Fraud - $3.4 Billion and Counting
Credit card fraud costs US merchants and credit card companies more than $3.4 billion a year. That figure would undoubtedly be much higher without the use of computer surveillance systems to monitor every transaction.
One of the most proven antifraud systems is Falcon Fraud Manager, which keeps tabs on more than 4 billion transactions a month and uses lightning fast neural networks to scan for suspicious purchase patterns.
Neural networks were originally designed to mimic human gray matter. Over time, however, the technology has moved far beyond brain simulation to become a basic building block of many computer systems capable of learning and pattern recognition.
The networks typically consist of layers of interconnected neurons, each of which produces a signal only when its input exceeds a certain threshold. Though the individual neutrons are simple, the net as a whole can learn to recognize complex patterns of inputs.
The system specializes in detecting things a human would never notice. For example, if you use your card to buy a tank of gas and then go directly to a jewelry store to make a purchase, your account will almost surely be flagged, especially if you’re not a person who buys a lot of bling.
The reason: over years of correlating variables, testing, and learning, the system has noticed that a criminal’s first stop after stealing a credit card is often a gas station. If that transaction goes through, the thief knows the card hasn’t been reported stolen as yet and heads off on a spending spree, often at some high-priced retailer.
One of the most proven antifraud systems is Falcon Fraud Manager, which keeps tabs on more than 4 billion transactions a month and uses lightning fast neural networks to scan for suspicious purchase patterns.
Neural networks were originally designed to mimic human gray matter. Over time, however, the technology has moved far beyond brain simulation to become a basic building block of many computer systems capable of learning and pattern recognition.
The networks typically consist of layers of interconnected neurons, each of which produces a signal only when its input exceeds a certain threshold. Though the individual neutrons are simple, the net as a whole can learn to recognize complex patterns of inputs.
The system specializes in detecting things a human would never notice. For example, if you use your card to buy a tank of gas and then go directly to a jewelry store to make a purchase, your account will almost surely be flagged, especially if you’re not a person who buys a lot of bling.
The reason: over years of correlating variables, testing, and learning, the system has noticed that a criminal’s first stop after stealing a credit card is often a gas station. If that transaction goes through, the thief knows the card hasn’t been reported stolen as yet and heads off on a spending spree, often at some high-priced retailer.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
DMV Looks at Ears, Eyes, Mouths as Well as Faces
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| Cllick on Photo to enlarge |
Lack of a match may indicate that a person has given a fraudulent name. In the first quarter of 2009 alone, the DMV discovered 12,900 potential cases and pursued 363 of them.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Abbreviations for Texting for Seniors
Since Seniors are texting and tweeting, there appears to be a need for an STC (Senior Texting Code). Here it is:
ATD: At The Doctor's
BFF: Best Friend Fainted
BTW: Bring The Wheelchair
BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth
CBM: Covered By Medicare
CUATSC: See You At The Senior Center
DWI: Driving While Incontinent
FWB: Friend With Beta Blockers
FWIW: Forgot Where I Was
FYI: Found Your Insulin
GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low!
GHA: Got Heartburn Again
HGBM: Had Good Bowel Movement
IMHO: Is My Hearing-Aid On?
LMDO: Laughing My Dentures Out
LOL: Living On Lipitor
LWO: Lawrence Welk's On
OMMR: On My Massage Recliner
OMSG: Oh My! Sorry, Gas.
ROFL... CGU: Rolling On The Floor Laughing... And Can't Get Up
SGGP: Sorry, Gotta Go Poop
TTYL: Talk To You Later
WAITT: Who Am I Talking To?
WTFA: Wet The Furniture Again
WTP: Where's The Prunes?
WWNO: Walker Wheels Need Oil
ATD: At The Doctor's
BFF: Best Friend Fainted
BTW: Bring The Wheelchair
BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth
CBM: Covered By Medicare
CUATSC: See You At The Senior Center
DWI: Driving While Incontinent
FWB: Friend With Beta Blockers
FWIW: Forgot Where I Was
FYI: Found Your Insulin
GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low!
GHA: Got Heartburn Again
HGBM: Had Good Bowel Movement
IMHO: Is My Hearing-Aid On?
LMDO: Laughing My Dentures Out
LOL: Living On Lipitor
LWO: Lawrence Welk's On
OMMR: On My Massage Recliner
OMSG: Oh My! Sorry, Gas.
ROFL... CGU: Rolling On The Floor Laughing... And Can't Get Up
SGGP: Sorry, Gotta Go Poop
TTYL: Talk To You Later
WAITT: Who Am I Talking To?
WTFA: Wet The Furniture Again
WTP: Where's The Prunes?
WWNO: Walker Wheels Need Oil
Friday, December 17, 2010
NCUA Passes Financial Literacy Requirement For CU Directors
The NCUA Board this morning approved a new financial literacy rule for the nation's 75,000 volunteer credit union directors requiring for the first time that each director obtain a minimum ability to read a credit union income statement and balance sheet.
The new requirement comes amid growing credit union losses and increasing sophistication of credit union finances. The required level of financial literacy will depend on the complexity of the credit union.
Directors will be given six months to receive training in financial literacy with NCUA providing both Internet-based and as many as 50 regional training sessions in the coming months.
"I think we can all agree that volunteers are the heart and soul of the credit union community," said NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz, who emphasized that directors should have a minimum of competence in basic finance and an ability to read and understand their credit union's balance sheet. She said NCUA is not planning hardcore efforts to police the new requirements, at first. "It's not going to be a game of gotcha; examiners are not going to go around quizzing volunteers," she added.
The new rules also include additional provisions on a director's fiduciary responsibility to his or her credit union and prohibits a credit union from indemnifying a director in cases of gross negligence. A credit union may, however, provide legal assistance to a director being sued if the credit union officers believe the director acted in good faith. These new provisions were prompted by several recent conversions to mutual savings bank when members sought to sue their directors over the squandering credit union resources during expensive conversion fights.
The new rules also includes new requirements for voting on credit union conversions to banks, stepping up requirements for independent third-party oversight of conversion votes; barring credit union employees form helping members fill out secret ballots; and preventing officers from seeing and using incomplete vote counts, something that occurred during several controversial conversion to bank ballots.
The new rule will also require in case of conversions to banks that credit unions provide members with an option of paying out a credit union's capital in a liquidating dividend; that it obtain and present to members a pre-conversion valuation by an independent third party; and that final member votes to convert to banks receive the affirmative vote of at least 20% of all members. It also requires that credit unions disclose during the conversion process what role, if any, current officers and directors will play once the conversion to bank is completed, and any compensation they may earn as a result.
Directors will be given six months to receive training in financial literacy with NCUA providing both Internet-based and as many as 50 regional training sessions in the coming months.
"I think we can all agree that volunteers are the heart and soul of the credit union community," said NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz, who emphasized that directors should have a minimum of competence in basic finance and an ability to read and understand their credit union's balance sheet. She said NCUA is not planning hardcore efforts to police the new requirements, at first. "It's not going to be a game of gotcha; examiners are not going to go around quizzing volunteers," she added.
The new rules also include additional provisions on a director's fiduciary responsibility to his or her credit union and prohibits a credit union from indemnifying a director in cases of gross negligence. A credit union may, however, provide legal assistance to a director being sued if the credit union officers believe the director acted in good faith. These new provisions were prompted by several recent conversions to mutual savings bank when members sought to sue their directors over the squandering credit union resources during expensive conversion fights.
The new rules also includes new requirements for voting on credit union conversions to banks, stepping up requirements for independent third-party oversight of conversion votes; barring credit union employees form helping members fill out secret ballots; and preventing officers from seeing and using incomplete vote counts, something that occurred during several controversial conversion to bank ballots.
The new rule will also require in case of conversions to banks that credit unions provide members with an option of paying out a credit union's capital in a liquidating dividend; that it obtain and present to members a pre-conversion valuation by an independent third party; and that final member votes to convert to banks receive the affirmative vote of at least 20% of all members. It also requires that credit unions disclose during the conversion process what role, if any, current officers and directors will play once the conversion to bank is completed, and any compensation they may earn as a result.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Arizona now has anti-fraud program
Arizona Credit Union League & Affiliates has joined credit unions in a growing number of states to participate in Consumer Federation of America (CFA) program that seeks to protect consumers from fake check scams.
Six banks and seven credit unions in Arizona have agreed to participate. About a dozen states are participating in the campaign. Credit unions are active in all of them.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Interesting Facts About Money
More about money – some interesting info...
Money might not buy happiness, but it does make the world go round and everybody seems to want to get their hands on it. Here are some intriguing details about our currency:
What's the biggest bill ever issued? The $100,000 Gold Certificate of 1934. President Woodrow Wilson's portrait was on these bills, which were only used by Federal Reserve banks and never went into general circulation.
How much of our money is in dollar bills? In fiscal year 2009, 42.9% of the bills printed were $1 notes.
How long does money last? Money may not stay long in your wallet, but it does hang around for a while out in the world. The government reports these average life spans for the various bills: $1 - 42 months; $5 - 16 months; $10 - 18 months; $20 - 24 months; $50 - 55 months; and $100 - 89 months. When bills are too worn, they're pulled from circulation and replaced. Coins last about 25 years.
How many pennies would it take to stretch across the country? It takes 84,480 pennies to cover a mile and over 250 million of them to go coast to coast. That adds up to over $2.5 million.
Did any bill ever have a picture of a woman? Martha Washington's portrait was on the face of the 1886 and 1891 $1 Silver Certificates and on the back of the ones issued in 1896.
Has a portrait of an African American ever been on U.S. currency? Commemorative coins in the 1940s had pictures of George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington and a recent one honored Jackie Robinson. No paper money has had an African American's portrait, but the signatures of four African American Registers of the Treasury have been on our bills – Blanche K. Bruce, Judson W. Lyons, William T. Vernon, and James C. Napier – as well as the signature of one African American woman, Azie Taylor Morton, the 36th Treasurer of the United States, who served from 1977 to 1981.
What kind of paper do they use to print money? They don't. Our bills are a 75% cotton - 25% linen blend with silk fibers throughout. This is far more durable than paper when wet.
How tough is our money? Government tests show our bills can be folded forward and backward 4,000 times before they tear.
What is that eye at the top of the pyramid? The "all-seeing eye" is a symbol of divine providence.
E Pluribus Unum – what's it mean? This Latin motto means, "Out of many, one." It can be freely translated as, "Many uniting into one." It has been on the Great Seal of the United States since 1782, but didn't wind up on our money until 1902.
Is a torn bill still worth something? The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) says on their website: "The BEP redeems partially destroyed or badly damaged currency as a free public service....The Office of Financial Management, located in the BEP, uses experts to examine mutilated currency and will approve the issuance of a Treasury check for the value of the currency determined to be redeemable."
Money might not buy happiness, but it does make the world go round and everybody seems to want to get their hands on it. Here are some intriguing details about our currency:
What's the biggest bill ever issued? The $100,000 Gold Certificate of 1934. President Woodrow Wilson's portrait was on these bills, which were only used by Federal Reserve banks and never went into general circulation.
How much of our money is in dollar bills? In fiscal year 2009, 42.9% of the bills printed were $1 notes.
How long does money last? Money may not stay long in your wallet, but it does hang around for a while out in the world. The government reports these average life spans for the various bills: $1 - 42 months; $5 - 16 months; $10 - 18 months; $20 - 24 months; $50 - 55 months; and $100 - 89 months. When bills are too worn, they're pulled from circulation and replaced. Coins last about 25 years.
How many pennies would it take to stretch across the country? It takes 84,480 pennies to cover a mile and over 250 million of them to go coast to coast. That adds up to over $2.5 million.
Did any bill ever have a picture of a woman? Martha Washington's portrait was on the face of the 1886 and 1891 $1 Silver Certificates and on the back of the ones issued in 1896.
Has a portrait of an African American ever been on U.S. currency? Commemorative coins in the 1940s had pictures of George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington and a recent one honored Jackie Robinson. No paper money has had an African American's portrait, but the signatures of four African American Registers of the Treasury have been on our bills – Blanche K. Bruce, Judson W. Lyons, William T. Vernon, and James C. Napier – as well as the signature of one African American woman, Azie Taylor Morton, the 36th Treasurer of the United States, who served from 1977 to 1981.
What kind of paper do they use to print money? They don't. Our bills are a 75% cotton - 25% linen blend with silk fibers throughout. This is far more durable than paper when wet.
How tough is our money? Government tests show our bills can be folded forward and backward 4,000 times before they tear.
What is that eye at the top of the pyramid? The "all-seeing eye" is a symbol of divine providence.
E Pluribus Unum – what's it mean? This Latin motto means, "Out of many, one." It can be freely translated as, "Many uniting into one." It has been on the Great Seal of the United States since 1782, but didn't wind up on our money until 1902.
Is a torn bill still worth something? The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) says on their website: "The BEP redeems partially destroyed or badly damaged currency as a free public service....The Office of Financial Management, located in the BEP, uses experts to examine mutilated currency and will approve the issuance of a Treasury check for the value of the currency determined to be redeemable."
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Electronic Pickpoket Can Hit Your Credit Union
Electronic Pickpocket? - Take a look at this video.
http://www.wreg.com/videobeta/?watchId=8ba6f8fc-90a2-4711-90ea-1884ec348310
http://www.wreg.com/videobeta/?watchId=8ba6f8fc-90a2-4711-90ea-1884ec348310
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
UPS to require photo IDs for shipping packages
UPS is now requiring photo identification from customers shipping packages at retail locations around the world, a month after explosives made it on to one of the company's planes.
The Atlanta-based package courier said Tuesday the move is part of an ongoing review to enhance security. The directive will apply at The UPS Store, Mail Boxes Etc. locations and other authorized shipping outlets.
UPS customer centers have required government-issued photo identification since 2005.
In late October, a printer cartridge on a UPS cargo plane bound for Chicago was stopped in London after explosives were discovered. The package was later traced to a retail location in Yemen.
The stepped-up security also comes as UPS prepares for its busiest shipping day of the year. United Parcel Service expects to deliver 430 million packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and 24 million packages alone on its busiest day, projected to be Dec. 22. That's up 60 percent from a normal day.
"Since retail centers experience a significant increase in business from occasional shippers during the busy holidays, this enhancement adds a prudent step in our multi-layered approach to security," UPS Vice President of small business and retail marketing Dale Hayes said in a statement.
The Atlanta-based package courier said Tuesday the move is part of an ongoing review to enhance security. The directive will apply at The UPS Store, Mail Boxes Etc. locations and other authorized shipping outlets.
UPS customer centers have required government-issued photo identification since 2005.
In late October, a printer cartridge on a UPS cargo plane bound for Chicago was stopped in London after explosives were discovered. The package was later traced to a retail location in Yemen.
The stepped-up security also comes as UPS prepares for its busiest shipping day of the year. United Parcel Service expects to deliver 430 million packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and 24 million packages alone on its busiest day, projected to be Dec. 22. That's up 60 percent from a normal day.
"Since retail centers experience a significant increase in business from occasional shippers during the busy holidays, this enhancement adds a prudent step in our multi-layered approach to security," UPS Vice President of small business and retail marketing Dale Hayes said in a statement.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
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 . . .
Aging membership means challenges ahead: Mich. survey
From CUNA: http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/10/system112910-4.html?ref=hed
The U.S. population is aging, and seniors are the country's fastest growing demographic, which has implications for credit unions, says the Michigan Credit Union League.
The U.S. is experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of people who live to old age, according to the Administration on Aging, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, (Michigan Monitor Nov. 29).
This phenomenon is creating challenges for Americans of all ages as they cope with Social Security, health care, housing, employment and other national issues that are important to an aging population.
The average credit union member is 47 years old, up from 40 in just the past two decades, according to Credit Union National Association (CUNA) research quoted by the league. Given that the average adult credit union member has moved beyond his or her prime borrowing years of 25 to 44, credit unions should take notice as they plan for the future, said the league.
(Read more at: http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/10/system112910-4.html?ref=hed)
The U.S. population is aging, and seniors are the country's fastest growing demographic, which has implications for credit unions, says the Michigan Credit Union League.
The U.S. is experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of people who live to old age, according to the Administration on Aging, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, (Michigan Monitor Nov. 29).
This phenomenon is creating challenges for Americans of all ages as they cope with Social Security, health care, housing, employment and other national issues that are important to an aging population.
The average credit union member is 47 years old, up from 40 in just the past two decades, according to Credit Union National Association (CUNA) research quoted by the league. Given that the average adult credit union member has moved beyond his or her prime borrowing years of 25 to 44, credit unions should take notice as they plan for the future, said the league.
(Read more at: http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/10/system112910-4.html?ref=hed)
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Opposition to Airport Body Scanners Growing
Man at San Diego airport opts out of porno scanner and grope, told he'll be fined $10K unless he submits to fondling.
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/11/13/man-at-san-diego-air.html
Johnnyedge checked the TSA's website and learned that the San Diego airport had not yet implemented its porno-scanners, so he went down to catch his flight. When he arrived, he discovered that the TSA's website was out of date, and the naked scanners were in place. He opted out of showing his penis to the government, so they told him he'd have to submit to an intimate testicle fondling. He told the screener, "if you touch my junk, I'll have you arrested."
After faffing around with various supervisors and supervisors' supervisors, he opted not to fly, collected a refund from the American Airlines counter, and started to leave the airport. But before he could go, the supervisor's supervisor's supervisor told him he wasn't allowed to leave the checkpoint once he entered it, that he was already in for up to $10,000 in fines, and that he would have to return and allow the man's minons to palpate his genitals before he'd be allowed to leave the airport. (Click on photos to enlarge)
After he objected, he was left cooling his heels for a long time. Finally, he asked if he was under arrest, and being told that he wasn't, but that he would be sued for $10K if he tried to go, he said, "you bring that suit" and left. Most of the incident was recorded on his phone, and has been posted to YouTube.
Here's some of the recent titles in the press.
• Naked scanner reveals airport screener's tiny penis, sparks steel ...
• Naked airport scanner catches cellphone, misses bomb components ...
• Airport worker caught photographing screen as female worker passed ...
• When, not if, will full-body "naked scans" become mandatory in the ...
• Creepy "naked scanners" violate child porn laws in UK
• Feds admit to storing tens of thousands of images from naked ...
• Feds admit to storing tens of thousands of images from naked ...
• More TSA "grope vs porno shoot" tees
• What the TSA's new body scanner images look like
http://johnnyedge.blogspot.com/2010/11/these-events-took-place-roughly-between.html
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/11/13/man-at-san-diego-air.html
Johnnyedge checked the TSA's website and learned that the San Diego airport had not yet implemented its porno-scanners, so he went down to catch his flight. When he arrived, he discovered that the TSA's website was out of date, and the naked scanners were in place. He opted out of showing his penis to the government, so they told him he'd have to submit to an intimate testicle fondling. He told the screener, "if you touch my junk, I'll have you arrested."
After he objected, he was left cooling his heels for a long time. Finally, he asked if he was under arrest, and being told that he wasn't, but that he would be sued for $10K if he tried to go, he said, "you bring that suit" and left. Most of the incident was recorded on his phone, and has been posted to YouTube.
Here's some of the recent titles in the press.
• Naked scanner reveals airport screener's tiny penis, sparks steel ...
• Naked airport scanner catches cellphone, misses bomb components ...
• Airport worker caught photographing screen as female worker passed ...
• When, not if, will full-body "naked scans" become mandatory in the ...
• Creepy "naked scanners" violate child porn laws in UK
• Feds admit to storing tens of thousands of images from naked ...
• Feds admit to storing tens of thousands of images from naked ...
• More TSA "grope vs porno shoot" tees
• What the TSA's new body scanner images look like
http://johnnyedge.blogspot.com/2010/11/these-events-took-place-roughly-between.html
The First Kiss
It's your First Kiss and several questions might come to mind:
Is it the right time?
Is anyone watching?
Does your partner even want to?
Is your breath fresh?
AND,---Should you use some tongue?
Then you say . . ..
'What the heck!' and Just Go for it!!!
Must be the 2nd or 3rd kid as mom grabbed the camera.
Is it the right time?
Is anyone watching?
Does your partner even want to?
Is your breath fresh?
AND,---Should you use some tongue?
Then you say . . ..
'What the heck!' and Just Go for it!!!
Must be the 2nd or 3rd kid as mom grabbed the camera.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Genius Announces Rechargable Wireless Keyboard And Mouse Combo
New keyboard boasts 2.4 GHz wireless capabilities and USB battery charger to prolong battery life
Genius (www.geniusnetusa.com), a brand division of KYE Systems Corp., today announced a new addition to the company’s extensive line of keyboards, the Luxemate R820, combined with wireless mouse, that offers rechargeable battery life and anti-interference wireless capabilities with 2.4GHz transmission.
The LuxeMate R820 is a rechargeable desktop keyboard and mouse combo kit that features a USB battery charger to prolong the battery life of the mouse and keyboard. The anti-interference function offers reliable 2.4GHz transmission and can operate up to 10 meters from its receiver. The fashionable Apple-like style keycaps make for quiet typing and are soft to the touch. The LuxeMate R820 has ten function keys for instant control of media and Internet features. Combined with a handy 1200 dpi optical mouse, the Luxemate R820 keyboard combo makes it easy to browse through documents or Internet pages quickly. Now available in black finish, the Luxemate R820 is Windows 7, Vista and XP compatible and attractively priced at MSRP USD $54.90.
Features:
* Rechargeable 2.4GHz wireless keyboard combo
* Up to 10m operational distance and anti-interference function
* Ultra-slim keyboard design with enhanced functions keys
* USB battery charger
* High resolution optical mouse with mini receiver
Sales/Purchase:
The new Luxemate R820 is currently shipping. Interested shoppers can go to New Egg.com, Amazon.com, http://www.geniuseshop.com/, Tiger Direct, Buy.com or for more information on the entire line of Genius products and other retailers and distributors please visit: http://www.geniusnetusa.com/.
Genius (www.geniusnetusa.com), a brand division of KYE Systems Corp., today announced a new addition to the company’s extensive line of keyboards, the Luxemate R820, combined with wireless mouse, that offers rechargeable battery life and anti-interference wireless capabilities with 2.4GHz transmission.
The LuxeMate R820 is a rechargeable desktop keyboard and mouse combo kit that features a USB battery charger to prolong the battery life of the mouse and keyboard. The anti-interference function offers reliable 2.4GHz transmission and can operate up to 10 meters from its receiver. The fashionable Apple-like style keycaps make for quiet typing and are soft to the touch. The LuxeMate R820 has ten function keys for instant control of media and Internet features. Combined with a handy 1200 dpi optical mouse, the Luxemate R820 keyboard combo makes it easy to browse through documents or Internet pages quickly. Now available in black finish, the Luxemate R820 is Windows 7, Vista and XP compatible and attractively priced at MSRP USD $54.90.
Features:
* Rechargeable 2.4GHz wireless keyboard combo
* Up to 10m operational distance and anti-interference function
* Ultra-slim keyboard design with enhanced functions keys
* USB battery charger
* High resolution optical mouse with mini receiver
Sales/Purchase:
The new Luxemate R820 is currently shipping. Interested shoppers can go to New Egg.com, Amazon.com, http://www.geniuseshop.com/, Tiger Direct, Buy.com or for more information on the entire line of Genius products and other retailers and distributors please visit: http://www.geniusnetusa.com/.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
The Great Cyberheist
One night in July 2003, a little before midnight, a plainclothes N.Y.P.D. detective, investigating a series of car thefts in upper Manhattan, followed a suspicious-looking young man with long, stringy hair and a nose ring into the A.T.M. lobby of a bank. Pretending to use one of the machines, the detective watched as the man pulled a debit card from his pocket and withdrew hundreds of dollars in cash. Then he pulled out another card and did the same thing. Then another, and another. The guy wasn’t stealing cars, but the detective figured he was stealing something. Indeed, the young man was in the act of “cashing out,” as he would later admit. He had programmed a stack of blank debit cards with stolen card numbers and was withdrawing as much cash as he could from each account. He was doing this just before 12 a.m., because that’s when daily withdrawal limits end, and a “casher” can double his take with another withdrawal a few minutes later. To throw off anyone who might later look at surveillance footage, the young man was wearing a woman’s wig and a costume-jewelry nose ring. The detective asked his name, and though the man went by many aliases on the Internet — sometimes he was cumbajohny, sometimes segvec, but his favorite was soupnazi — he politely told the truth. “Albert Gonzalez,” he said.
===============================
Monday, November 8, 2010
Lipstick in School
According to a news report, a certain private school in Washington was recently faced with a unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back.
He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it.
Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.
There are teachers and then there are educators.
Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night (you can just imagine the yawns from the little princesses). To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required.
He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it.
Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.
There are teachers and then there are educators.
Best Buy Restocking Fees Need Attention
If you are purchasing anything from Best Buy, be aware of their restocking fees and return policies.
Here are the relevant entries:
14-day return period
We accept returns or exchanges 14 days from the original purchase on computers, monitors, notebook computers, projectors, camcorders, digital cameras, radar detectors and video games purchased as used.
Restocking fee
A restocking fee of 15% will be charged on opened notebook computers, projectors, camcorders, digital cameras, radar detectors, GPS/navigation and in-car video systems unless defective or prohibited by law. A restocking fee of 25% will be charged on Special Order Products, including appliances unless defective or prohibited by law.
Refund method
Refund will be in the same form as original purchase. Exceptions: Cash, debit or check purchases over $250 will be refunded in the form of a mail check within 10 business days of return.
Restocking fees aren't uncommon at comparable companies. Sears, Target, and Circuit City, for example, all charge 15% restocking fees for products in certain categories.
Needless to say, it's advisable to inquire about the particulars before purchasing products that may have to be returned.
Here are the relevant entries:
14-day return period
We accept returns or exchanges 14 days from the original purchase on computers, monitors, notebook computers, projectors, camcorders, digital cameras, radar detectors and video games purchased as used.
Restocking fee
A restocking fee of 15% will be charged on opened notebook computers, projectors, camcorders, digital cameras, radar detectors, GPS/navigation and in-car video systems unless defective or prohibited by law. A restocking fee of 25% will be charged on Special Order Products, including appliances unless defective or prohibited by law.
Refund method
Refund will be in the same form as original purchase. Exceptions: Cash, debit or check purchases over $250 will be refunded in the form of a mail check within 10 business days of return.
Restocking fees aren't uncommon at comparable companies. Sears, Target, and Circuit City, for example, all charge 15% restocking fees for products in certain categories.
Needless to say, it's advisable to inquire about the particulars before purchasing products that may have to be returned.
Michigan First Credit Union launches m-banking app
Michigan First Credit Union has rolled out Michigan First Mobile, a mobile version of its online banking services.
With the mobile banking application, Michigan First’s clients will be able to perform fund transfers, check their account balances, monitor transaction history, pay bills as well as locate the nearest Michigan First branch, MoneyWorks Banking Center or one of over 28,000 free automated teller machines (ATM) available to them through the CO-OP Financial Service Network.
Members can access Michigan First Mobile via their mobile browser, by texting or by downloading a free application. Michigan First Mobile applications are available for Blackberry, the iPhone and Android devices as well as several others.
With the mobile banking application, Michigan First’s clients will be able to perform fund transfers, check their account balances, monitor transaction history, pay bills as well as locate the nearest Michigan First branch, MoneyWorks Banking Center or one of over 28,000 free automated teller machines (ATM) available to them through the CO-OP Financial Service Network.
Members can access Michigan First Mobile via their mobile browser, by texting or by downloading a free application. Michigan First Mobile applications are available for Blackberry, the iPhone and Android devices as well as several others.
Monday, November 1, 2010
October 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 . . .
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Cleaning crew at conference caught on video swiping a laptop
[Editor’s Note: This account of a theft earlier this month at the ASIS security conference in Dallas, TX, was provided by Milestone Systems.]
Around 10 p.m. on Tuesday night, October 12, a few of the cleaning crew did more than just vacuum and dust on the evening tour of duty -- they also allegedly swiped computer equipment from exhibitors' booth displays.
However, failing to notice that the convention had gathered the best of the security industry’s video surveillance equipment, the crew didn’t realize this would be the last time they performed that sanitation job.
At the ASIS 2010 security trade show, several exhibitors discovered missing electronics on the second morning of the event. Milestone Systems fortunately had a booth adjacent to one of the victim’s booth, with surveillance cameras set up to demonstrate Milestone’s XProtect IP video management software, which recorded the dirty deeds.
See the video of the alleged thief in action at: http://www.gsnmagazine.com/node/21718?c=video_surveillance_cctv
"I arrived at our booth early Wednesday morning to get our security systems up and running when I realized the laptop that ran our radar surveillance system was gone; it stored proprietary software from Moog QuickSet,” said Trish Logue, a marketing manager at Moog QuickSet. “I immediately reported it to the Arata event managers, who contacted the security personnel, as well as the Dallas police.
“They suggested I ask booths around mine if they were missing anything, so I approached Kevin Gramer from Rimage, who was exhibiting in the Milestone booth,” Logue continued. “He immediately fired up the Milestone video from an Axis camera that was pointing at the Moog QuickSet booth all night. Needless to say, I was more than impressed when he pulled up the video of the two individuals clearly stealing the laptop.
“Kevin was extremely accommodating, showing me the features of the software, zooming in on the individuals' faces, slowing down the video, rewinding, etc. He burned five CDs for me and I immediately gave Arata services a copy of the video clearly showing the perpetrators in action. The video surveillance helped the Dallas police positively identify them; they were apprehended and we got our laptop back," said Logue.
Around 10 p.m. on Tuesday night, October 12, a few of the cleaning crew did more than just vacuum and dust on the evening tour of duty -- they also allegedly swiped computer equipment from exhibitors' booth displays.
However, failing to notice that the convention had gathered the best of the security industry’s video surveillance equipment, the crew didn’t realize this would be the last time they performed that sanitation job.
At the ASIS 2010 security trade show, several exhibitors discovered missing electronics on the second morning of the event. Milestone Systems fortunately had a booth adjacent to one of the victim’s booth, with surveillance cameras set up to demonstrate Milestone’s XProtect IP video management software, which recorded the dirty deeds.
See the video of the alleged thief in action at: http://www.gsnmagazine.com/node/21718?c=video_surveillance_cctv
"I arrived at our booth early Wednesday morning to get our security systems up and running when I realized the laptop that ran our radar surveillance system was gone; it stored proprietary software from Moog QuickSet,” said Trish Logue, a marketing manager at Moog QuickSet. “I immediately reported it to the Arata event managers, who contacted the security personnel, as well as the Dallas police.
“They suggested I ask booths around mine if they were missing anything, so I approached Kevin Gramer from Rimage, who was exhibiting in the Milestone booth,” Logue continued. “He immediately fired up the Milestone video from an Axis camera that was pointing at the Moog QuickSet booth all night. Needless to say, I was more than impressed when he pulled up the video of the two individuals clearly stealing the laptop.
“Kevin was extremely accommodating, showing me the features of the software, zooming in on the individuals' faces, slowing down the video, rewinding, etc. He burned five CDs for me and I immediately gave Arata services a copy of the video clearly showing the perpetrators in action. The video surveillance helped the Dallas police positively identify them; they were apprehended and we got our laptop back," said Logue.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Facebook Account of A Credit Union CEO
What do you suppose could happen if a person with malicious intent was able to gain access to the Facebook account of a credit union CEO? What about a corporate Twitter account? There has been an old hacking technique called HTTP Session Highjacking that has recently been brought to the front of the pack with the release of Firesheep by Eric Butler, and covered by TechCrunch.
When you sign in to an online service, such as your email, online banking, Facebook, or Flickr, the website gives your computer a session cookie. Generally, the login page is secured behind an SSL certificate, meaning that the traffic is encrypted and can’t be deciphered. However, as is the case with Facebook and Flickr, once you’ve logged into the service, you browse the site over regular HTTP that is not encrypted. Firesheep is an extension for Firefox that sniffs internet traffic on a network and finds cookies from websites like Facebook. Since these cookies aren’t encrypted and you are browsing Facebook without any security, these cookies can easily be copied and a person identity can be spoofed very easily.
Firesheep makes this as easy as installing the plugin and click a button. It sits there and gathers all of the cookie traffic across a network and present you with the results, let you click on more button and logging into the Facebook account of someone.
(Read the rest of this article at: http://cuinnovators.com/blog/the-facebook-account-of-a-credit-union-ceo/
When you sign in to an online service, such as your email, online banking, Facebook, or Flickr, the website gives your computer a session cookie. Generally, the login page is secured behind an SSL certificate, meaning that the traffic is encrypted and can’t be deciphered. However, as is the case with Facebook and Flickr, once you’ve logged into the service, you browse the site over regular HTTP that is not encrypted. Firesheep is an extension for Firefox that sniffs internet traffic on a network and finds cookies from websites like Facebook. Since these cookies aren’t encrypted and you are browsing Facebook without any security, these cookies can easily be copied and a person identity can be spoofed very easily.
Firesheep makes this as easy as installing the plugin and click a button. It sits there and gathers all of the cookie traffic across a network and present you with the results, let you click on more button and logging into the Facebook account of someone.
(Read the rest of this article at: http://cuinnovators.com/blog/the-facebook-account-of-a-credit-union-ceo/
The sneakiest new shopping scams
Easy ways to avoid the biggest rip-offs online and in stores
Just as important as knowing how to sniff out great buys is understanding what it takes to avoid rip-offs. And with Internet fraud on the rise, it's getting tougher to outsmart the criminals. Complaints to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a joint operation of the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, jumped 22 percent last year. The complaints include plenty of run-of-the-mill scams, like sellers who steal credit-card numbers or take the money and run. But those are child's play compared with what else is brewing.
Think you're too savvy to get taken? OK, maybe you don't fall for those e-mails from Nigerian royalty asking you to wire money, but digital criminals are getting sneakier every year. One scam that can trip up even the most cautious consumers involves "skimmers" attached to ATMs. Those devices record account numbers and passwords so that thieves can clean out your bank account.
"These guys are constantly thinking of new ways to swindle you, some of which are quite sophisticated," says Brian Krebs, a computer security expert and author of "Krebs on Security" at Krebsonsecurity.com.
Think you're safer shopping at the mall? Official purse-snatching statistics show there's been a downward trend, but many of those crimes aren't reported to law enforcement officials. And pickpocket activity always jumps around holiday time, says Bob Arno, co-author of "Travel Advisory! How to Avoid Thefts, Cons and Street Scams While Traveling" (Bonus Books, 2003). But you can outsmart even the craftiest swindlers if you know what's in their bag of nasty tricks. Here's a guide to the latest, sneakiest scams, and simple tips that can help you protect yourself.
Read the rip-off tips at: http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/448/the-sneakiest-new-shopping-scams/
Just as important as knowing how to sniff out great buys is understanding what it takes to avoid rip-offs. And with Internet fraud on the rise, it's getting tougher to outsmart the criminals. Complaints to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a joint operation of the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, jumped 22 percent last year. The complaints include plenty of run-of-the-mill scams, like sellers who steal credit-card numbers or take the money and run. But those are child's play compared with what else is brewing.
Think you're too savvy to get taken? OK, maybe you don't fall for those e-mails from Nigerian royalty asking you to wire money, but digital criminals are getting sneakier every year. One scam that can trip up even the most cautious consumers involves "skimmers" attached to ATMs. Those devices record account numbers and passwords so that thieves can clean out your bank account.
"These guys are constantly thinking of new ways to swindle you, some of which are quite sophisticated," says Brian Krebs, a computer security expert and author of "Krebs on Security" at Krebsonsecurity.com.
Think you're safer shopping at the mall? Official purse-snatching statistics show there's been a downward trend, but many of those crimes aren't reported to law enforcement officials. And pickpocket activity always jumps around holiday time, says Bob Arno, co-author of "Travel Advisory! How to Avoid Thefts, Cons and Street Scams While Traveling" (Bonus Books, 2003). But you can outsmart even the craftiest swindlers if you know what's in their bag of nasty tricks. Here's a guide to the latest, sneakiest scams, and simple tips that can help you protect yourself.
Read the rip-off tips at: http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/448/the-sneakiest-new-shopping-scams/
Friday, October 22, 2010
One of the worst kept secrets - http://join.me
About join.me
Get your people together, without actually getting them together. Just instantly share your screen so everybody's on the same page. No need for a plane, a projector or a sandwich platter. Just gather at join.me. You can also use Join.Me to help a friend or relative resolve a problem or for you to "show" them the solution by dialing into their computer.
So what is join.me exactly? It's an impromptu meeting space that happens wherever, whenever. It's getting a second or third pair of eyes on your presentation from across the hall or across the continent. It's sharing your screen instantly with anyone or everyone to get stuff done, quickly.
It's join.me, the last two words in an invitation to collaborate, meet, train, demo or show-off.
Free version
•screen sharing
•chat
•file transfer
•remote control
There's also a pro version version available that offers:
•personal link
•meeting scheduler
•user management
•meeting lock
•all the goodies in free
Check it out at: http://join.me/
http://blog.join.me/
In what has to be one of the worst kept secrets in history, we just told the world at large about some new, fast and easy screen-sharing product called join.me. I know. Hardly new news, right? Well, consider yourself among the proverbial early adopters. The join.me insiders.
Get your people together, without actually getting them together. Just instantly share your screen so everybody's on the same page. No need for a plane, a projector or a sandwich platter. Just gather at join.me. You can also use Join.Me to help a friend or relative resolve a problem or for you to "show" them the solution by dialing into their computer.
So what is join.me exactly? It's an impromptu meeting space that happens wherever, whenever. It's getting a second or third pair of eyes on your presentation from across the hall or across the continent. It's sharing your screen instantly with anyone or everyone to get stuff done, quickly.
It's join.me, the last two words in an invitation to collaborate, meet, train, demo or show-off.
Free version
•screen sharing
•chat
•file transfer
•remote control
There's also a pro version version available that offers:
•personal link
•meeting scheduler
•user management
•meeting lock
•all the goodies in free
Check it out at: http://join.me/
http://blog.join.me/
In what has to be one of the worst kept secrets in history, we just told the world at large about some new, fast and easy screen-sharing product called join.me. I know. Hardly new news, right? Well, consider yourself among the proverbial early adopters. The join.me insiders.
Mistaken Identity
LETTER: Mistaken identity
Source: Independent, The; London (UK)
Sir: Last week I made a short business trip to Padua, flying between Heathrow and Marco Polo airports. My passport was examined 11 times - four times times by airport security, three times by airline staff, twice each by Italian and UK immigration. Only it wasn't my passport, it was my wife's, mistakenly picked up when I left home. Our friends are kind enough to say we bear little resemblance.
JULIAN MORRIS
Appleton, Oxfordshire
Source: Independent, The; London (UK)
Sir: Last week I made a short business trip to Padua, flying between Heathrow and Marco Polo airports. My passport was examined 11 times - four times times by airport security, three times by airline staff, twice each by Italian and UK immigration. Only it wasn't my passport, it was my wife's, mistakenly picked up when I left home. Our friends are kind enough to say we bear little resemblance.
JULIAN MORRIS
Appleton, Oxfordshire
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Facebook Launches New Feature
Facebook launched a new feature that lets you share your location throughout the day. It's call "I want to get robbed."
24-Hour Banking
I saw a sign that said "24-hour Banking." Since I didn't have that much time, I went home.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
CU, bank employees aid fin. fraud fight, FinCEN finds
WASHINGTON (10/19/10)--"While suspected cases of identity theft are on the rise, vigilant financial institution employees are reportedly rejecting over half of fraudulent vehicle or student loans facilitated by identity theft prior to funding," a Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) survey has found.
"FinCEN's study of identity theft Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) reveals how important suspicious activity reports can be to deterring illicit activity," FinCEN Director James Freis Jr., said. "The vigilance of employees of financial institutions is apparently deterring greater losses when the employees suspect loans are tied to false identities," Freis added.
The FinCEN study found that identity theft "was the sixth most frequently reported characterization of suspicious activity," behind structuring/money laundering, check fraud, mortgage loan fraud, credit card fraud, and counterfeit check fraud.
The number of identity theft-related SARs filed increased by 123% over the number reported in 2004. The total number of SAR filings increased by 89% during that same time period.
FinCEN found that credit card fraud "was the most frequently co-reported suspicious activity characterization with identity theft, appearing in over 45.5% of sample filings," and that just over one-quarter of total reported identity thefts were committed by a perpetrator that knew the victim.
SAR report filers "credited routine financial institution account monitoring" with revealing identity theft in over 20% of the filings covered by the survey, FinCEN said. While 28% of identity theft victims uncovered the thefts during a review of their own accounts, "credit reports, law enforcement investigations, collection agencies, and credit monitoring services were responsible for revealing identity theft in a decreasing percentage of sample filings," FinCEN added.
"FinCEN's study of identity theft Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) reveals how important suspicious activity reports can be to deterring illicit activity," FinCEN Director James Freis Jr., said. "The vigilance of employees of financial institutions is apparently deterring greater losses when the employees suspect loans are tied to false identities," Freis added.
The FinCEN study found that identity theft "was the sixth most frequently reported characterization of suspicious activity," behind structuring/money laundering, check fraud, mortgage loan fraud, credit card fraud, and counterfeit check fraud.
The number of identity theft-related SARs filed increased by 123% over the number reported in 2004. The total number of SAR filings increased by 89% during that same time period.
FinCEN found that credit card fraud "was the most frequently co-reported suspicious activity characterization with identity theft, appearing in over 45.5% of sample filings," and that just over one-quarter of total reported identity thefts were committed by a perpetrator that knew the victim.
SAR report filers "credited routine financial institution account monitoring" with revealing identity theft in over 20% of the filings covered by the survey, FinCEN said. While 28% of identity theft victims uncovered the thefts during a review of their own accounts, "credit reports, law enforcement investigations, collection agencies, and credit monitoring services were responsible for revealing identity theft in a decreasing percentage of sample filings," FinCEN added.
Treasury Department Says Identity Theft Up Dramatically
The number of suspicious activity reports that involve identity theft increased by 123% from 2004-2009, according to a report issued today by the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
During the same period, there was an 89% increase in SAR filings. In 2004, there were 15,445 SARs with identity theft and there were 36,210 last year, according to the report. The report said the largest single kind of identity theft involved credit cards, which was cited in 45.5% of the filings sampled. Of those, 30% involved the takeover of an existing account and 17% involved setting up a new account.
In 31% of the filings, the abuse involved loan accounts, and among those 56.5% involved student loan fraud.
In 27.5% of the cases, the victim knew the person suspected of stealing their identity and 4% of the filings involved computer-assisted identity theft.
During the same period, there was an 89% increase in SAR filings. In 2004, there were 15,445 SARs with identity theft and there were 36,210 last year, according to the report. The report said the largest single kind of identity theft involved credit cards, which was cited in 45.5% of the filings sampled. Of those, 30% involved the takeover of an existing account and 17% involved setting up a new account.
In 31% of the filings, the abuse involved loan accounts, and among those 56.5% involved student loan fraud.
In 27.5% of the cases, the victim knew the person suspected of stealing their identity and 4% of the filings involved computer-assisted identity theft.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Phishing Attacks Continue to Spread
Phishing fraudsters are still targeting banks and credit unions but are expanding their search for online credentials to universities and social media sites, according to Cyveillance Inc.
Banks accounted for 69% and credit unions for 9% of the new brands attacked for the first time in the first half of 2010, the company said in its latest report. That compares with 60% and 28% for the previous five years, the cyber intelligence firm said.
Meanwhile, university and social media sites are growing in popularity in part because of the tendency of users of those sites to publicly reveal personal information, the company said.
Cyveillance said it detected a total of 126,644 phishing attacks during the first half of 2010, down slightly from the previous six months.
The company also said its testing of 13 leading antivirus software vendors found that only 19% of malware threats such as Trojans and other keyloggers were detected as they first appeared and only 61.7% were detected after 30 days.
Cyveillance, based in Arlington, Va., said it now provides monitoring through its clients for more than 100 million end users, scanning more than 200 million unique domain servers, 190 million websites, 80 million blogs and 90,000 message boards, discovering more than 100,000 new sites per day.
Phishing fraudsters are still targeting banks and credit unions but are expanding their search for online credentials to universities and social media sites, according to Cyveillance Inc.
Banks accounted for 69% and credit unions for 9% of the new brands attacked for the first time in the first half of 2010, the company said in its latest report. That compares with 60% and 28% for the previous five years, the cyber intelligence firm said.
Meanwhile, university and social media sites are growing in popularity in part because of the tendency of users of those sites to publicly reveal personal information, the company said.
Cyveillance said it detected a total of 126,644 phishing attacks during the first half of 2010, down slightly from the previous six months.
The company also said its testing of 13 leading antivirus software vendors found that only 19% of malware threats such as Trojans and other keyloggers were detected as they first appeared and only 61.7% were detected after 30 days.
Cyveillance, based in Arlington, Va., said it now provides monitoring through its clients for more than 100 million end users, scanning more than 200 million unique domain servers, 190 million websites, 80 million blogs and 90,000 message boards, discovering more than 100,000 new sites per day.
Meanwhile, university and social media sites are growing in popularity in part because of the tendency of users of those sites to publicly reveal personal information, the company said.
Cyveillance said it detected a total of 126,644 phishing attacks during the first half of 2010, down slightly from the previous six months.
The company also said its testing of 13 leading antivirus software vendors found that only 19% of malware threats such as Trojans and other keyloggers were detected as they first appeared and only 61.7% were detected after 30 days.
Cyveillance, based in Arlington, Va., said it now provides monitoring through its clients for more than 100 million end users, scanning more than 200 million unique domain servers, 190 million websites, 80 million blogs and 90,000 message boards, discovering more than 100,000 new sites per day.
Phishing fraudsters are still targeting banks and credit unions but are expanding their search for online credentials to universities and social media sites, according to Cyveillance Inc.
Banks accounted for 69% and credit unions for 9% of the new brands attacked for the first time in the first half of 2010, the company said in its latest report. That compares with 60% and 28% for the previous five years, the cyber intelligence firm said.
Meanwhile, university and social media sites are growing in popularity in part because of the tendency of users of those sites to publicly reveal personal information, the company said.
Cyveillance said it detected a total of 126,644 phishing attacks during the first half of 2010, down slightly from the previous six months.
The company also said its testing of 13 leading antivirus software vendors found that only 19% of malware threats such as Trojans and other keyloggers were detected as they first appeared and only 61.7% were detected after 30 days.
Cyveillance, based in Arlington, Va., said it now provides monitoring through its clients for more than 100 million end users, scanning more than 200 million unique domain servers, 190 million websites, 80 million blogs and 90,000 message boards, discovering more than 100,000 new sites per day.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
USB Microwave Oven – Smallest in the World
Beanzawave is the name of this brand new USB-powered gadget from the American food company Heinz. It is the world’s smallest, portable microwave oven.
This small but hot device, measuring 7.4(H) x 6.2(W) x 5.9(D) inches, is still only a prototype the technology required to make it into a real product exists. The price will be around $160 if Heinz ever does decide to make this USB microwave oven into something that you can buy.
For more info: http://www.geekalerts.com/usb-microwave-oven/
or
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1191606/Beanz-meanz-microwaves-Heinz-create-gadget-heat-snack-60-seconds.html
This small but hot device, measuring 7.4(H) x 6.2(W) x 5.9(D) inches, is still only a prototype the technology required to make it into a real product exists. The price will be around $160 if Heinz ever does decide to make this USB microwave oven into something that you can buy.
For more info: http://www.geekalerts.com/usb-microwave-oven/
or
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1191606/Beanz-meanz-microwaves-Heinz-create-gadget-heat-snack-60-seconds.html
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Google cars drive themselves in traffic
Anyone driving the twists of Highway 1 between San Francisco and Los Angeles recently may have glimpsed a Toyota Prius with a curious funnel-like cylinder on the roof. Harder to notice was that the person at the wheel was not actually driving.
The car is a project of Google, which has been working in secret but in plain view on vehicles that can drive themselves, using artificial-intelligence software that can sense anything near the car and mimic the decisions made by a human driver. With someone behind the wheel to take control if something goes awry and a technician in the passenger seat to monitor the navigation system, seven test cars have driven 1,000 miles without human intervention and more than 140,000 miles with only occasional human control. One even drove itself down Lombard Street in San Francisco, one of the steepest and curviest streets in the nation. The only accident, engineers said, was when one Google car was rear-ended while stopped at a traffic light.
Autonomous cars are years from mass production, but technologists who have long dreamed of them believe that they can transform society as profoundly as the Internet has.
Robot drivers react faster than humans, have 360-degree perception and do not get distracted, sleepy or intoxicated, the engineers argue. They speak in terms of lives saved and injuries avoided - more than 37,000 people died in car accidents in the United States in 2008. The engineers say the technology could double the capacity of roads by allowing cars to drive more safely while closer together. Because the robot cars would eventually be less likely to crash, they could be built lighter, reducing fuel consumption. But of course, to be truly safer, the cars must be far more reliable than, say, today's personal computers, which crash on occasion and are frequently infected.
The Google research program using artificial intelligence to revolutionize the automobile is proof that the company's ambitions reach beyond the search engine business. The program is also a departure from the mainstream of innovation in Silicon Valley, which has veered toward social networks and Hollywood-style digital media.
Read the entire article at: http://www.stltoday.com/business/article_74fb2f8e-d3fe-11df-aaed-0017a4a78c22.html
The car is a project of Google, which has been working in secret but in plain view on vehicles that can drive themselves, using artificial-intelligence software that can sense anything near the car and mimic the decisions made by a human driver. With someone behind the wheel to take control if something goes awry and a technician in the passenger seat to monitor the navigation system, seven test cars have driven 1,000 miles without human intervention and more than 140,000 miles with only occasional human control. One even drove itself down Lombard Street in San Francisco, one of the steepest and curviest streets in the nation. The only accident, engineers said, was when one Google car was rear-ended while stopped at a traffic light.
Autonomous cars are years from mass production, but technologists who have long dreamed of them believe that they can transform society as profoundly as the Internet has.
Robot drivers react faster than humans, have 360-degree perception and do not get distracted, sleepy or intoxicated, the engineers argue. They speak in terms of lives saved and injuries avoided - more than 37,000 people died in car accidents in the United States in 2008. The engineers say the technology could double the capacity of roads by allowing cars to drive more safely while closer together. Because the robot cars would eventually be less likely to crash, they could be built lighter, reducing fuel consumption. But of course, to be truly safer, the cars must be far more reliable than, say, today's personal computers, which crash on occasion and are frequently infected.
The Google research program using artificial intelligence to revolutionize the automobile is proof that the company's ambitions reach beyond the search engine business. The program is also a departure from the mainstream of innovation in Silicon Valley, which has veered toward social networks and Hollywood-style digital media.
Read the entire article at: http://www.stltoday.com/business/article_74fb2f8e-d3fe-11df-aaed-0017a4a78c22.html
Friday, October 8, 2010
CUs Recognized for Best Tech Practices
Three credit unions received the Best Practices Award at the CUNA Technology Council's 15th annual conference last week in Las Vegas.
They were $1.3 billion Affinity Plus FCU of St. Paul, Minn., $1.6 billion Travis CU of Vacaville, Calif., and $222 million Envision CU of Tallahassee, Fla.
Affinity Plus won two awards, one in the information/security privacy category for an automated employee access program and another in the miscellaneous category for an automated in-house statement and notice printing system. Envision CU also won in the miscellaneous category for developing in-house tools to customize software applications.
Travis CU won in the member service/convenience category for its use of Oracle middleware to integrate data warehouse, business intelligence, enterprise content management and business process management functions to meet the needs of each business area at the big credit union.
A panel of CUNA Technology Council members selected the winners, based on strategy, process, application and results, without regard to credit union asset size.
They were $1.3 billion Affinity Plus FCU of St. Paul, Minn., $1.6 billion Travis CU of Vacaville, Calif., and $222 million Envision CU of Tallahassee, Fla.
Affinity Plus won two awards, one in the information/security privacy category for an automated employee access program and another in the miscellaneous category for an automated in-house statement and notice printing system. Envision CU also won in the miscellaneous category for developing in-house tools to customize software applications.
Travis CU won in the member service/convenience category for its use of Oracle middleware to integrate data warehouse, business intelligence, enterprise content management and business process management functions to meet the needs of each business area at the big credit union.
A panel of CUNA Technology Council members selected the winners, based on strategy, process, application and results, without regard to credit union asset size.
Friday, October 1, 2010
CSI Offered by CUNA Mutual
CUNA Mutual Group has partnered with a major risk consulting firm to offer its own cyber and security incident package, or CSI.
The package combines data breach recovery services with an insurance policy to protect credit unions and their members from the fallout of an internal data breach that compromises member data.
It offers a choice of two policies--both underwritten by CUNA Mutual's CUMIS Insurance Society--that cover items not typically included in traditional coverage, such as security breach liability, programming errors and omissions liability, public relations expenses, website publishing liability, replacement of electronic data and protection against extortion threats.
The breach services are from New York-based Kroll and include preparedness resources as part of the package and, at no charge unless they're used, incident recovery services that range from high-tech investigative forensics to public relations counsel.
The package combines data breach recovery services with an insurance policy to protect credit unions and their members from the fallout of an internal data breach that compromises member data.
It offers a choice of two policies--both underwritten by CUNA Mutual's CUMIS Insurance Society--that cover items not typically included in traditional coverage, such as security breach liability, programming errors and omissions liability, public relations expenses, website publishing liability, replacement of electronic data and protection against extortion threats.
The breach services are from New York-based Kroll and include preparedness resources as part of the package and, at no charge unless they're used, incident recovery services that range from high-tech investigative forensics to public relations counsel.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
September News & Views Published Below
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
7% of Robberies Were at CUs
During second quarter of 2010, roughly 1,146 robberies and incidental crimes affecting financial institutions were reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Of those, 85 or 7% were at credit unions.
Commercial banks were hit by 1,013 instances, said the FBI's report, released last week. Credit unions were second highest with the 85, followed by savings and loan associations with 26 robberies, then mutual savings banks, with 11.
The figures are not a complete statistical picture of the nation's robberies of financial institutions because not all are reported to the FBI.
The agency noted that in 91% of the incidents, suspects stole more than $8.4 million, mostly in cash but about $4,130 in checks, including traveler's checks. Of that amount, 21% --more than $1.3 million--was recovered.
Bank crimes continued the trend of occurring most frequently on Friday, traditionally pay day. Monday was the second-most popular day for the crimes. Regardless of the day, the most popular time of day for bank crimes occurred from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Five percent of the robberies included acts of violence, resulting in 23 injuries, five deaths and nine persons taken hostage.
Oral demands and demand notes were the most common method used by the culprits.
The most crimes occurred in the Western U.S., which reported 403 incidents. The South had 348 robberies. North Central and Northeast regions had 212 and 163 incidents, respectively.
Among states, Pennsylvania financial institutions reported the most robberies--62, followed by Illinois with 56, Ohio with 49, New York with 48, and Georgia with 42 incidents.
Commercial banks were hit by 1,013 instances, said the FBI's report, released last week. Credit unions were second highest with the 85, followed by savings and loan associations with 26 robberies, then mutual savings banks, with 11.
The agency noted that in 91% of the incidents, suspects stole more than $8.4 million, mostly in cash but about $4,130 in checks, including traveler's checks. Of that amount, 21% --more than $1.3 million--was recovered.
Bank crimes continued the trend of occurring most frequently on Friday, traditionally pay day. Monday was the second-most popular day for the crimes. Regardless of the day, the most popular time of day for bank crimes occurred from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Five percent of the robberies included acts of violence, resulting in 23 injuries, five deaths and nine persons taken hostage.
Oral demands and demand notes were the most common method used by the culprits.
The most crimes occurred in the Western U.S., which reported 403 incidents. The South had 348 robberies. North Central and Northeast regions had 212 and 163 incidents, respectively.
Among states, Pennsylvania financial institutions reported the most robberies--62, followed by Illinois with 56, Ohio with 49, New York with 48, and Georgia with 42 incidents.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Forecasts From The Futurist Magazine
Each year since 1985, the editors of THE FUTURIST have selected the most thought-provoking ideas and forecasts appearing in the magazine to go into our annual Outlook report. Over the years, Outlook has spotlighted the emergence of such epochal developments as the Internet, virtual reality, and the end of the Cold War. The forecasts are meant as conversation starters, not absolute predications about the future.
Below are the editors' top 10 forecasts from Outlook 2011.
1. Physicists could become tomorrow’s leading economic forecasters. Unlike mainstream economists, who rely on averages, econophysicists study complex systems, feedback loops, cascading effects, irrational decision making, and other destabilizing influences, which may help them to foresee economic upheavals.
2. Environmentalists may embrace genetically modified crops as a carbon-reduction technology. Like nuclear power, genetically modified crops have long been the bane of environmentalists, but Stewart Brand, author of Whole Earth Discipline, argues that there are myriad benefits to them as C02 sinks.
3. Search engines will soon include spoken results, not just text. Television broadcasts and other recordings could be compiled and converted using programs developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis.
4. Will there be garbage wars in the future? Trash producers in the developed world will ship much more of their debris to repositories in developing countries. This will inspire protests in the receiving lands. Beyond 2025 or so, the developing countries will close their repositories to foreign waste, forcing producers to develop more waste-to-energy and recycling technologies.
5. The notion of class time as separate from non-class time will vanish. The Net generation uses technologies both for socializing and for working and learning, so their approach to tasks is less about competing and more about working as teams. In this way, social networking is already facilitating collaborative forms of learning outside of classrooms and beyond formal class schedules.
6. The future is crowded with PhDs. The number of doctorate degrees awarded in the United States has risen for six straight years, reaching record 48,802 in 2008, according to the National Science Foundation's Survey of Earned Doctorates. One-third of these degrees (33.1%) went to temporary visa holders, up from 23.3% in 1998.
7. Cities in developed countries could learn sustainability from so-called slums in the developing world. Dwellers of "slums," favelas, and ghettos have learned to use and reuse resources and commodities more efficiently than their wealthier counterparts. The neighborhoods are high-density and walkable, mixing commercial and residential areas rather than segregating these functions. In many of these informal cities, participants play a role in communal commercial endeavors such as growing food or raising livestock.
8. Cooperatively owned smart cars and roads will replace dumb, individual gas guzzlers. With 800 million cars on the planet to serve 7.8 billion people, personal transportation is a dominant force in our lives. But the emergence of car-sharing and bike-sharing schemes in urban areas in both the United States and Europe have established alternative models and markets for fractional or on-demand mobility, says MIT's Ryan C.C. Chin. He and his fellow engineers with the MIT Media Lab have designed a car system that could serve as a model for future cities.
9. Fighting the global threat of climate change could unite countries—or inflame rivalries. Nations with more sophisticated environmental monitoring systems could use data to their advantage, perhaps weakening an enemy by failing to warn it of an oncoming storm or other catastrophe. They could also fudge their own, or their rivals', carbon output numbers to manipulate International legislation says forecaster Roger Howard.
10. We may not be able to move mountains with our minds, but robots will await our mental commands. Brain-based control of conventional keyboards, allowing individuals to type without physically touching the keys, has been demonstrated at the universities of Wisconsin and Michigan. In the near future, brain e-mailing and tweeting will become far more common, say experts. A group of undergraduates at Northeastern University demonstrated in June that they could steer a robot via thought.
All of these forecasts plus dozens more are included in the annual report that scans the best writing and research from THE FUTURIST magazine over the course of the previous year. The Society hopes this report, covering developments in business and economics, demography, energy, the environment, health and medicine, resources, society and values, and technology, will assist its readers in preparing for the challenges and opportunities in 2011 and beyond.
Read more future projections at: http://www.wfs.org/Forecasts_From_The_Futurist_Magazine
1. Physicists could become tomorrow’s leading economic forecasters. Unlike mainstream economists, who rely on averages, econophysicists study complex systems, feedback loops, cascading effects, irrational decision making, and other destabilizing influences, which may help them to foresee economic upheavals.
2. Environmentalists may embrace genetically modified crops as a carbon-reduction technology. Like nuclear power, genetically modified crops have long been the bane of environmentalists, but Stewart Brand, author of Whole Earth Discipline, argues that there are myriad benefits to them as C02 sinks.
3. Search engines will soon include spoken results, not just text. Television broadcasts and other recordings could be compiled and converted using programs developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis.
4. Will there be garbage wars in the future? Trash producers in the developed world will ship much more of their debris to repositories in developing countries. This will inspire protests in the receiving lands. Beyond 2025 or so, the developing countries will close their repositories to foreign waste, forcing producers to develop more waste-to-energy and recycling technologies.
5. The notion of class time as separate from non-class time will vanish. The Net generation uses technologies both for socializing and for working and learning, so their approach to tasks is less about competing and more about working as teams. In this way, social networking is already facilitating collaborative forms of learning outside of classrooms and beyond formal class schedules.
6. The future is crowded with PhDs. The number of doctorate degrees awarded in the United States has risen for six straight years, reaching record 48,802 in 2008, according to the National Science Foundation's Survey of Earned Doctorates. One-third of these degrees (33.1%) went to temporary visa holders, up from 23.3% in 1998.
7. Cities in developed countries could learn sustainability from so-called slums in the developing world. Dwellers of "slums," favelas, and ghettos have learned to use and reuse resources and commodities more efficiently than their wealthier counterparts. The neighborhoods are high-density and walkable, mixing commercial and residential areas rather than segregating these functions. In many of these informal cities, participants play a role in communal commercial endeavors such as growing food or raising livestock.
8. Cooperatively owned smart cars and roads will replace dumb, individual gas guzzlers. With 800 million cars on the planet to serve 7.8 billion people, personal transportation is a dominant force in our lives. But the emergence of car-sharing and bike-sharing schemes in urban areas in both the United States and Europe have established alternative models and markets for fractional or on-demand mobility, says MIT's Ryan C.C. Chin. He and his fellow engineers with the MIT Media Lab have designed a car system that could serve as a model for future cities.
9. Fighting the global threat of climate change could unite countries—or inflame rivalries. Nations with more sophisticated environmental monitoring systems could use data to their advantage, perhaps weakening an enemy by failing to warn it of an oncoming storm or other catastrophe. They could also fudge their own, or their rivals', carbon output numbers to manipulate International legislation says forecaster Roger Howard.
10. We may not be able to move mountains with our minds, but robots will await our mental commands. Brain-based control of conventional keyboards, allowing individuals to type without physically touching the keys, has been demonstrated at the universities of Wisconsin and Michigan. In the near future, brain e-mailing and tweeting will become far more common, say experts. A group of undergraduates at Northeastern University demonstrated in June that they could steer a robot via thought.
All of these forecasts plus dozens more are included in the annual report that scans the best writing and research from THE FUTURIST magazine over the course of the previous year. The Society hopes this report, covering developments in business and economics, demography, energy, the environment, health and medicine, resources, society and values, and technology, will assist its readers in preparing for the challenges and opportunities in 2011 and beyond.
Read more future projections at: http://www.wfs.org/Forecasts_From_The_Futurist_Magazine
Thursday, September 23, 2010
What Did Presidents Hoover, Truman and Eisenhower Have in Common
Back during The Great Depression, President Herbert Hoover ordered the deportation of ALL illegal aliens in order to make jobs available to American citizens that desperately needed work..
Harry Truman deported over two million illegal after WWII to create jobs for returning veterans.
And then again in 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower deported 13 million Mexican Nationals! The program was called 'Operation Wetback'. It was done so WWII and Korean Veterans would have a better chance at jobs.
It took 2 Years, but they deported them!
Now....if they could deport the illegal's back then - they could sure do it today.
Please note. The key word here is "illegal."
Harry Truman deported over two million illegal after WWII to create jobs for returning veterans.
And then again in 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower deported 13 million Mexican Nationals! The program was called 'Operation Wetback'. It was done so WWII and Korean Veterans would have a better chance at jobs.
It took 2 Years, but they deported them!
Now....if they could deport the illegal's back then - they could sure do it today.
Please note. The key word here is "illegal."
12 Dangers Airport Security Still Doesn’t Check For
We all know what can happen when flights go wrong, making airport security a must. But as security rules and regulations change, so to do the individuals and groups that try to circumvent them. With liquids, shoes, and even underwear being used in the attempt to destroy the lives of civilians, it can be confusing as to what is and is not allowed on a national or international flight.
To help, we have gathered twelve dangers airport security still doesn’t check for. They include items that should be banned but are still allowed through, items that shouldn’t be allowed but are, and everything in between that will have you rethinking that next airport security fee.
1. An Actual Gun
Run all the bans you like, apparently weapons are still making it through airport security. In January of 2010 a flight attendant was able to sneak an actual hand gun through the usual processes. Although guns are allowed as checked baggage, this one made it onto the flight and she was eventually charged. It is still unclear what her purpose was in taking a handgun onto a plane.
2. Plastic Knife
As we have all seen in prison movies, knives made out of plastic can be just as dangerous as the real thing. Travel Q and A’s has a simple list of things you can and cannot bring on an airplane, and it seems a plastic knife is allowed. Whether or not it can be a standard picnic variety plastic knife or an actual “shiv” is still unclear.
3. Explosives
We’ve all heard of the Christmas Day or Panty Bomber who tried to detonate a bomb during the last leg of a flight to the U.S. But did you ever wonder how airport security didn’t check for or find the explosive devices he was carrying? Still a mum with the media. They do confirm however that Abdulmutallab passed a security check in Amsterdam that included a hand baggage scan and metal detector. Whatever the cause, he was still able to board a flight headed for the United States with a highly explosive chemical.
4. Dynamite
You read that correctly. According to this entry from “USA Today,” 32 of the nation’s largest airports failed to detect fake weapons including guns, bombs, and even dynamite. Undercover agents who went to no great lengths to conceal their contraband sailed right through airport security. In 25 to 50 percent of the tests, screeners failed to detect potentially fatal items. Even after scoring positive hits on metal detectors, screeners failed to catch the contraband.
5. What About Marshals?
Although the Fed does hire marshals to provide a last line of defense against terrorists on planes, how effective are they? According to this article, many have taken naps during the job, literally putting them asleep at the switch. Others have tested positive for alcohol or drugs on duty or have even lost their weapons in a Barney Fife-like attempt to maintain order. Some federal marshals have also provided falsified information.
6. Strollers
Not the kind you push a baby in but the kind who just stroll on through airport security. In this entry from Schneier on Security, he tells the true story of a man who was pulled aside for an extra security check and just strolled on through anyway. After realizing their error, TSA wisely or unwisely - depending on your viewpoint - shut down the entire terminal in LaGuardia airport. It turned out to be a false positive on the man, but the security expert blogs that the delays probably rippled for days.
7. Lazy Employees
Who among us hasn’t taken a second to browse the internet or get on Facebook during work hours? But in contrast, how many of us have the lives of a whole airplane full of passengers in our hands, not to mention the buildings these planes may or may not fly into? This blog has an actual photograph of an airport security worker playing solitaire on company time with a line of passengers waiting.
8. But Wait, There’s More!
What’s worse than playing solitaire on the job? A sure fire answer is sleeping on the job. In this YouTube video, an official TSA agent working for Amtrak in Chicago is literally filmed sleeping on the job. The fact that he tried to hide it behind sunglasses adds a bit a humor to the outrage.
9. But a Bonus is in Order
Despite all the failures of airport security and everyone involved in it, employees of the Transportation Security Administration can still expect bonuses on par with all the other employees of the government. According to this article from Government Executive, 76 percent of employees under the agency’s Performance Accountability and Standards System will receive a pay increase, bonuses, or both. Keep in mind that this is during a time when unemployment is up, pay is down, and taxes on everything from soda to tanning beds are in the works. This announcement also came at about the same time of the Christmas Day bombing, which was allowed by airport security but stopped by private citizens.
10. Explosives
Although no airport in the world allows explosives, it still happens. In the most famous case, Richard Reid would attempt to light an explosive in December 2001. He tried to light the fuse in his shoe to the explosive more than one time before being subdued by passengers and crew. Again it is unclear how Reid managed to sneak explosives onto an airplane, but we have him to thank for being forced to take off shoes for airport security.
11. Cigarettes
Although TSA prohibits any flammable devices, cigarettes are still allowed. Even matchbooks and lighters meeting a certain size and flammability are also allowed. However, few airlines allow you to light a cigarette inside or outside the plane, no matter how long the flight is.
12. But Toys Are Still Banned
In this blog entry, a child recounts how what was clearly a toy gun was able to bring airport security to a halt. Bonus points for explaining the entire ordeal with the honesty of a child. Also good if you are a fan of the “Transformers.”
Be wary that the twelve dangers airport security still doesn’t check for is only as up to date as the most current TSA regulations. To see the most current list click here for updates. The TSA lists what you can take as a carry on and/or checked baggage. There is also a blog entry from Gadling with useful suggestions on items you should bring with you on a flight.
================
For more information, visit: http://www.criminaljusticedegree.com/12-dangers-airport-security-still-doesnt-check-for/
To help, we have gathered twelve dangers airport security still doesn’t check for. They include items that should be banned but are still allowed through, items that shouldn’t be allowed but are, and everything in between that will have you rethinking that next airport security fee.
1. An Actual Gun
Run all the bans you like, apparently weapons are still making it through airport security. In January of 2010 a flight attendant was able to sneak an actual hand gun through the usual processes. Although guns are allowed as checked baggage, this one made it onto the flight and she was eventually charged. It is still unclear what her purpose was in taking a handgun onto a plane.
2. Plastic Knife
As we have all seen in prison movies, knives made out of plastic can be just as dangerous as the real thing. Travel Q and A’s has a simple list of things you can and cannot bring on an airplane, and it seems a plastic knife is allowed. Whether or not it can be a standard picnic variety plastic knife or an actual “shiv” is still unclear.
3. Explosives
We’ve all heard of the Christmas Day or Panty Bomber who tried to detonate a bomb during the last leg of a flight to the U.S. But did you ever wonder how airport security didn’t check for or find the explosive devices he was carrying? Still a mum with the media. They do confirm however that Abdulmutallab passed a security check in Amsterdam that included a hand baggage scan and metal detector. Whatever the cause, he was still able to board a flight headed for the United States with a highly explosive chemical.
4. Dynamite
You read that correctly. According to this entry from “USA Today,” 32 of the nation’s largest airports failed to detect fake weapons including guns, bombs, and even dynamite. Undercover agents who went to no great lengths to conceal their contraband sailed right through airport security. In 25 to 50 percent of the tests, screeners failed to detect potentially fatal items. Even after scoring positive hits on metal detectors, screeners failed to catch the contraband.
5. What About Marshals?
Although the Fed does hire marshals to provide a last line of defense against terrorists on planes, how effective are they? According to this article, many have taken naps during the job, literally putting them asleep at the switch. Others have tested positive for alcohol or drugs on duty or have even lost their weapons in a Barney Fife-like attempt to maintain order. Some federal marshals have also provided falsified information.
6. Strollers
Not the kind you push a baby in but the kind who just stroll on through airport security. In this entry from Schneier on Security, he tells the true story of a man who was pulled aside for an extra security check and just strolled on through anyway. After realizing their error, TSA wisely or unwisely - depending on your viewpoint - shut down the entire terminal in LaGuardia airport. It turned out to be a false positive on the man, but the security expert blogs that the delays probably rippled for days.
7. Lazy Employees
Who among us hasn’t taken a second to browse the internet or get on Facebook during work hours? But in contrast, how many of us have the lives of a whole airplane full of passengers in our hands, not to mention the buildings these planes may or may not fly into? This blog has an actual photograph of an airport security worker playing solitaire on company time with a line of passengers waiting.
8. But Wait, There’s More!
What’s worse than playing solitaire on the job? A sure fire answer is sleeping on the job. In this YouTube video, an official TSA agent working for Amtrak in Chicago is literally filmed sleeping on the job. The fact that he tried to hide it behind sunglasses adds a bit a humor to the outrage.
9. But a Bonus is in Order
Despite all the failures of airport security and everyone involved in it, employees of the Transportation Security Administration can still expect bonuses on par with all the other employees of the government. According to this article from Government Executive, 76 percent of employees under the agency’s Performance Accountability and Standards System will receive a pay increase, bonuses, or both. Keep in mind that this is during a time when unemployment is up, pay is down, and taxes on everything from soda to tanning beds are in the works. This announcement also came at about the same time of the Christmas Day bombing, which was allowed by airport security but stopped by private citizens.
10. Explosives
Although no airport in the world allows explosives, it still happens. In the most famous case, Richard Reid would attempt to light an explosive in December 2001. He tried to light the fuse in his shoe to the explosive more than one time before being subdued by passengers and crew. Again it is unclear how Reid managed to sneak explosives onto an airplane, but we have him to thank for being forced to take off shoes for airport security.
11. Cigarettes
Although TSA prohibits any flammable devices, cigarettes are still allowed. Even matchbooks and lighters meeting a certain size and flammability are also allowed. However, few airlines allow you to light a cigarette inside or outside the plane, no matter how long the flight is.
12. But Toys Are Still Banned
In this blog entry, a child recounts how what was clearly a toy gun was able to bring airport security to a halt. Bonus points for explaining the entire ordeal with the honesty of a child. Also good if you are a fan of the “Transformers.”
Be wary that the twelve dangers airport security still doesn’t check for is only as up to date as the most current TSA regulations. To see the most current list click here for updates. The TSA lists what you can take as a carry on and/or checked baggage. There is also a blog entry from Gadling with useful suggestions on items you should bring with you on a flight.
================
For more information, visit: http://www.criminaljusticedegree.com/12-dangers-airport-security-still-doesnt-check-for/
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Google Instant Coming Your Way
From Google . . .
The most obvious change is that you get to the right content much faster than before because you don’t have to finish typing your full search term, or even press “search.” Another shift is that seeing results as you type helps you formulate a better search term by providing instant feedback. You can now adapt your search on the fly until the results match exactly what you want. In time, we may wonder how search ever worked in any other way.
Did you know:
Google Instant is a new search enhancement that shows results as you type. We are pushing the limits of our technology and infrastructure to help you get better search results, faster. Our key technical insight was that people type slowly, but read quickly, typically taking 300 milliseconds between keystrokes, but only 30 milliseconds (a tenth of the time!) to glance at another part of the page. This means that you can scan a results page while you type.
Did you know:
- Before Google Instant, the typical searcher took more than 9 seconds to enter a search term, and we saw many examples of searches that took 30-90 seconds to type.
- Using Google Instant can save 2-5 seconds per search.
- If everyone uses Google Instant globally, we estimate this will save more than 3.5 billion seconds a day. That’s 11 hours saved every second.
- 15 new technologies contribute to Google Instant functionality.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
August News and 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 . . .
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Desktop Search Engine (A Must)
From Bill Rogers, Editor . . . "I have been using X1 Search for over 5 years now and I can't live without it. The biggest benefit is "time." I save literally hours each day in searching for files. A search takes about 2 second. It runs circles around Google, Yahoo land others. Got mountains of e-mail? X1 can find it.
Don't take my word for it, here's what a professional organization had to say about X1."
--------------------------------------------
Recently, Network World published that X1 Search, v6.7 has won the prestigious Network World Clear Choice Test for Desktop Search Tools!
X1 was rated the top product of six tested in Network World's head-to-head comparative review and was lauded for its intuitive user interface and excellent search speed, among many other features.
"We tested six desktop search products – Copernic Desktop Search, dtSearch Desktop, Exalead Desktop, Google Desktop, ISYS Search, and X1 Professional Client," wrote Mike Heck, reviewer for Network World. "We also looked at the latest Microsoft Search, so we could evaluate the differences between third-party tools and what comes standard with Windows."
"Our Clear Choice Test winner is X1 Professional Client," continued Heck. "In every test scenario it proved superior – from the most documents types indexed and previewed, to type-ahead showing of results. It was also the only product to play well with Microsoft Office 2010."
Don't take my word for it, here's what a professional organization had to say about X1."
--------------------------------------------
X1 was rated the top product of six tested in Network World's head-to-head comparative review and was lauded for its intuitive user interface and excellent search speed, among many other features.
"We tested six desktop search products – Copernic Desktop Search, dtSearch Desktop, Exalead Desktop, Google Desktop, ISYS Search, and X1 Professional Client," wrote Mike Heck, reviewer for Network World. "We also looked at the latest Microsoft Search, so we could evaluate the differences between third-party tools and what comes standard with Windows."
"Our Clear Choice Test winner is X1 Professional Client," continued Heck. "In every test scenario it proved superior – from the most documents types indexed and previewed, to type-ahead showing of results. It was also the only product to play well with Microsoft Office 2010."
Computer bloopers and blunders from the technically clueless
Is your PC dirty?
(Click on Photos to Enlarge)
I have plenty of room for more.
Three shortcuts to My Computer???
VISA - It's just everywhere! Trying to buy something on-line, I suppose. No wonder it didn't work - note the card hasn't even been activated yet.
Here's a variation on the multiple shortcuts idea. I guess this is in case they get confused?
There's a lot more of these at:
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Slip-and-Fall Cases Are On the Rise
http://www.claimsmag.com/News/2010/8/Pages/SlipandFall-Cases-Are-On-the-Rise.aspx
“While many people have legitimate accidents in stores and businesses across the country, we’ve seen a growing number of cases that have some indication of potential fraud,” said Joe Wehrle, NICB president and chief executive officer.
So what do these cases of slip-and-fall fraud entail? Wehrle explains that, “A typical slip-and-fall case may involve two people going into a big box store or retailer, and splitting up. The first person goes down an aisle while the other keeps a lookout. When the coast is clear, he or she pulls out a small bottle of liquid, pours it on the floor, and then pretends to fall on the floor. The partner runs to assist and tells everyone that he witnessed the fall.
“They come into an area and hit several retailers, grocers, or other businesses with sophisticated schemes and professional execution. They hope to collect a quick payout and move on before anyone realizes what’s going on.” New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Las Vegas and Chicago were the five cities with the most questionable claims for slip-and-falls, and California, Florida, New York, Illinois and Texas were the top five states.
Wehrle said the NICB has increased its focus on commercial fraud, and slip and falls and workers’ compensation fraud are priorities for many of its member companies who write commercial policies. The attention is warranted, considering that the number of slip and fall questionable claims submitted to NICB went from 325 in the first quarter of 2008 to a high of 565 in the fourth quarter of 2009. Just in the first half of 2010, there were 997 slip-and-fall claims referred to NICB for further analysis.
“Fortunately, we’ve worked with insurers to raise the awareness level and urged companies to analyze claims before they pay,” Wehrle continued. “The bad news is, many retailers are self-insured and they look at this as a cost of doing business; they’ll write a check without investigating. Based on what companies have told us, we think that adds up to millions of dollars in unwarranted payouts. We’re reaching out to these companies and urging them to join us in fighting commercial fraud.”
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) announced that "slip-and-fall” claims targeting businesses are being investigated more carefully for potential fraud after more than 4,600 questionable claims were received in 2008, 2009, and the first half of 2010. An analysis of the questionable claims submitted by NICB member companies showed a 57-percent increase in the number of referrals over the past two and a half years.
So what do these cases of slip-and-fall fraud entail? Wehrle explains that, “A typical slip-and-fall case may involve two people going into a big box store or retailer, and splitting up. The first person goes down an aisle while the other keeps a lookout. When the coast is clear, he or she pulls out a small bottle of liquid, pours it on the floor, and then pretends to fall on the floor. The partner runs to assist and tells everyone that he witnessed the fall.
“They come into an area and hit several retailers, grocers, or other businesses with sophisticated schemes and professional execution. They hope to collect a quick payout and move on before anyone realizes what’s going on.” New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Las Vegas and Chicago were the five cities with the most questionable claims for slip-and-falls, and California, Florida, New York, Illinois and Texas were the top five states.
Wehrle said the NICB has increased its focus on commercial fraud, and slip and falls and workers’ compensation fraud are priorities for many of its member companies who write commercial policies. The attention is warranted, considering that the number of slip and fall questionable claims submitted to NICB went from 325 in the first quarter of 2008 to a high of 565 in the fourth quarter of 2009. Just in the first half of 2010, there were 997 slip-and-fall claims referred to NICB for further analysis.
Friday, August 20, 2010
What Another Credit Union Did to Help Cut Expenses
Some more ideas for lowering costs
• Employees now clean our buildings (including myself) – saved $1,200/yr
• Employees converted our high maintenance landscaping to low maintenance – saved $500/yr
• Changed debit card processors – not easy or enjoyable, but save several thousand per year.
• Dumped our leased postage meters and went to using stamps – saved approx $2,600 /y
• Eliminated company cell phones for myself and the Branch Manager (didn’t like the damn thing anyway) – saved $960/yr
• Integrating deposit documents into core processing software – will save approx $4,500/yr
• Dropped employee short term disability ins and shortened the waiting period on our long term disability ins – saves $870 /yr
• Eliminated our Equipment Maintenance policy – saved $14,000 /yr
• Switched to a high deductible HRA for employees - $WOW!!!!!!!! (and we even reimburse part of the deductible)
• Went from a quarterly newsletter to semi-annual - $chump change – but every little bit helps.
• Eliminated NSF/overdraft notices - $(no idea – but based on our fee income, I’ll but the postage alone was worth it)
• Employees now clean our buildings (including myself) – saved $1,200/yr
• Employees converted our high maintenance landscaping to low maintenance – saved $500/yr
• Changed debit card processors – not easy or enjoyable, but save several thousand per year.
• Dumped our leased postage meters and went to using stamps – saved approx $2,600 /y
• Eliminated company cell phones for myself and the Branch Manager (didn’t like the damn thing anyway) – saved $960/yr
• Integrating deposit documents into core processing software – will save approx $4,500/yr
• Dropped employee short term disability ins and shortened the waiting period on our long term disability ins – saves $870 /yr
• Eliminated our Equipment Maintenance policy – saved $14,000 /yr
• Switched to a high deductible HRA for employees - $WOW!!!!!!!! (and we even reimburse part of the deductible)
• Went from a quarterly newsletter to semi-annual - $chump change – but every little bit helps.
• Eliminated NSF/overdraft notices - $(no idea – but based on our fee income, I’ll but the postage alone was worth it)
ATM Manufacturer Issues Strong Security Warning
http://www.cutimes.com/news/2010/8/Pages/ATM-Manufacturer-Issues-Strong-Security-Warning.aspx?utm_source=cutimes&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=traffic&cmpid=cutimes
The manufacturer, which specializes in building stand-alone, primarily cash-dispensing ATMs, issued the warning after a researcher at a security firm found a way to make ATMs manufactured by Triton and another firm disgorge all the case in their vaults.
Barnaby Jack, the director of Security Research at IOActive Labs, demonstrated how he was able to walk up to an ATM and upload software that made the ATM spit out all its cash.
In an Aug. 6 interview with CNN, Jack said he was also able to successfully attack the ATMs remotely and to use the machine to gather card data from users.
Triton and Jack said that IOActive made the manufacturers aware of the weakness prior to making it public, enabling the companies to distribute security fixes to prevent those attacks.
The Triton security warning carried a picture of a revolver along with the question “are you playing Russian Roulette with your ATM?” In bullet points marked with pictures of bullets, the firm asked questions about security concerns including whether patches have been uploaded and passwords changed.
Triton Systems, a leading manufacturer of ATMs, has issued a security warning to ATM deployers, including credit unions, to keep their ATM security systems up to date.
The manufacturer, which specializes in building stand-alone, primarily cash-dispensing ATMs, issued the warning after a researcher at a security firm found a way to make ATMs manufactured by Triton and another firm disgorge all the case in their vaults.
Barnaby Jack, the director of Security Research at IOActive Labs, demonstrated how he was able to walk up to an ATM and upload software that made the ATM spit out all its cash.
In an Aug. 6 interview with CNN, Jack said he was also able to successfully attack the ATMs remotely and to use the machine to gather card data from users.
Triton and Jack said that IOActive made the manufacturers aware of the weakness prior to making it public, enabling the companies to distribute security fixes to prevent those attacks.
The Triton security warning carried a picture of a revolver along with the question “are you playing Russian Roulette with your ATM?” In bullet points marked with pictures of bullets, the firm asked questions about security concerns including whether patches have been uploaded and passwords changed.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
President Obama Signs into Law Ban on Cell Phones in Federal Prisons
A law signed by President Obama bans cell phone use by federal prisoners. The Federal Bureau of Prisons confiscated more than 2,600 cell phones from minimum security facilities and 600 from secure federal institutions last year. Inmates have been known to direct crimes from behind bars using cell phones, including gang activity, drug distribution and credit card fraud.
Financial Institutions Identify Fraud as Top Debit Concern
About 71% of financial institutions in the electronic payments industry identified fraud as their main concern related to debit cards, according to a recent SWACHA study
.
SWACHA, an electronic payments resource, commissioned a study among its members, which includes credit unions, to identify concerns associated with debit card use (Transactiondirectory.com Aug. 17).
Nearly 43% of those surveyed said they spent up to 40 or more hours in 2009 dealing with fraud--specifically, with fraud from skimmers and data breaches. More than 19.2% of respondents spent up to $50,000 with the cases.
SWACHA said it plans to offer additional educational resources to help its member financial institutions mitigate fraud risks.
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/10/system081810-1.html?ref=hed
.
SWACHA, an electronic payments resource, commissioned a study among its members, which includes credit unions, to identify concerns associated with debit card use (Transactiondirectory.com Aug. 17).
Nearly 43% of those surveyed said they spent up to 40 or more hours in 2009 dealing with fraud--specifically, with fraud from skimmers and data breaches. More than 19.2% of respondents spent up to $50,000 with the cases.
SWACHA said it plans to offer additional educational resources to help its member financial institutions mitigate fraud risks.
http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/10/system081810-1.html?ref=hed
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
13 Things and Identity Thief Won't Tell You
1. My least-favorite credit card? American Express, because it likes to ask me for your zip code.
2. Your unlocked mailbox is a gold mine. I can steal your account numbers, use the convenience checks that come with your credit card statement, and send in pre-approved credit offers to get a card in your name. Stealing mail is easy. Sometimes, I act like I’m delivering flyers. Other times, I just stand there and riffle through it. If I don’t look suspicious, your neighbors just think I’m a friend picking up your mail.
3. Even with all the new technology, most of us still steal your information the old-fashioned way: by swiping your wallet or purse, going through your mail, or Dumpster diving.
4. I dig through Dumpsters in broad daylight. If anyone asks (and no one does), I just say my girlfriend lost her ring, or that I may have thrown my keys away by mistake.
5. One time I was on the run and needed a new identity so I went through a hospital Dumpster and found a statement with a Puerto Rican Social Security number for a Manuel Rivera. For a good two years after that, I was Manuel Rivera. I had his name on my apartment, on my paychecks and, of course, on my credit cards.
6. Is your Social Security number on your driver’s license or your checks, or is it your account number for your health insurance? Dumb move.
7. When I send out e-mails “phishing” for personal information by posing as a bank or online merchant, I often target AOL customers. They just seem less computer literate—and more likely (I hope) to fall for my schemes.
8. I never use my home computer to buy something with a credit card that’s not mine. That’s why you can often find me at the public library.
9. If you use the same ATM every time, you’re a lot more likely to notice if something changes on the machine, like the skimmer I installed.
10. Sometimes I pose as a salesman and go into a small office. After I make my pitch, I ask the secretary to make me a copy. Since most women leave their purses on the floor by their chairs, as soon as they leave the room, I grab their wallet. I also check the top and bottom right-hand drawers of their desks, where I often find company checks.
11. How much is your information worth? I can buy stolen account information—your name, address, credit card number, and more—for $10 to $50 per account from hackers who advertise on more than a dozen black market web sites.
12. Hey, thanks for writing your PIN number on that little slip of paper in your wallet. I feel like I just won the lottery.
13. Sure, it may be nice not to have to put in your password when you use an unsecured Wi-Fi connection. But know this: We have software that can scoop up all the data your computer transmits, including your passwords and other sensitive information.
(Readers Digest http://www.readersdigest.com/identity
2. Your unlocked mailbox is a gold mine. I can steal your account numbers, use the convenience checks that come with your credit card statement, and send in pre-approved credit offers to get a card in your name. Stealing mail is easy. Sometimes, I act like I’m delivering flyers. Other times, I just stand there and riffle through it. If I don’t look suspicious, your neighbors just think I’m a friend picking up your mail.
3. Even with all the new technology, most of us still steal your information the old-fashioned way: by swiping your wallet or purse, going through your mail, or Dumpster diving.
4. I dig through Dumpsters in broad daylight. If anyone asks (and no one does), I just say my girlfriend lost her ring, or that I may have thrown my keys away by mistake.
5. One time I was on the run and needed a new identity so I went through a hospital Dumpster and found a statement with a Puerto Rican Social Security number for a Manuel Rivera. For a good two years after that, I was Manuel Rivera. I had his name on my apartment, on my paychecks and, of course, on my credit cards.
6. Is your Social Security number on your driver’s license or your checks, or is it your account number for your health insurance? Dumb move.
7. When I send out e-mails “phishing” for personal information by posing as a bank or online merchant, I often target AOL customers. They just seem less computer literate—and more likely (I hope) to fall for my schemes.
8. I never use my home computer to buy something with a credit card that’s not mine. That’s why you can often find me at the public library.
9. If you use the same ATM every time, you’re a lot more likely to notice if something changes on the machine, like the skimmer I installed.
10. Sometimes I pose as a salesman and go into a small office. After I make my pitch, I ask the secretary to make me a copy. Since most women leave their purses on the floor by their chairs, as soon as they leave the room, I grab their wallet. I also check the top and bottom right-hand drawers of their desks, where I often find company checks.
11. How much is your information worth? I can buy stolen account information—your name, address, credit card number, and more—for $10 to $50 per account from hackers who advertise on more than a dozen black market web sites.
12. Hey, thanks for writing your PIN number on that little slip of paper in your wallet. I feel like I just won the lottery.
13. Sure, it may be nice not to have to put in your password when you use an unsecured Wi-Fi connection. But know this: We have software that can scoop up all the data your computer transmits, including your passwords and other sensitive information.
(Readers Digest http://www.readersdigest.com/identity
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