Security

The end-user is at the mercy of the service creator when it comes to how secure their data will be online. Google, fortunately, offers extra opt-in features to help ensure than no one other than you will be able to log-in and access your information. One of these security measures is the two-step authentication process.

With two-step, the user decides if they want to enter a randomly generated code each time they log in from a specific place, or if they want to enter it only every 30 days. The benefit is that if you try to log in … Read more

The world has come to this. An armor manufacturer in Maryland has created a bulletproof whiteboard designed to protect teachers and students in the event of an emergency.

Hardwire specializes in military and law enforcement armor ranging from ballistic armor panels to bulletproof shields. It's now turning its expertise in military armor towards creating armor for the classroom.

The Bulletproof Whiteboard comes with two handles on the back. If there is a threat, the teacher is supposed to take the whiteboard and hold it out. It is designed to absorb multiple clips of ammunition. The product description also says, "Blends well with classroom - no psychological impact on students."… Read more

If somebody tries and fails to access your phone three times, Android phones running today's update to Lookout Mobile Security (download) will be able to take a photo of the culprit.

Two new features today bolster the app's already robust security options. The Lock Cam feature -- which Lookout said in a blog post announcing the changes will be rolled out over the next week to free users -- takes a photo using your phone's front-facing camera, records the location data based on your phone's GPS, and then sends the package to your e-mail account.

If … Read more

Learning a lesson from the Stuxnet attack, Iran has beefed up its cyber forces and poses a greater threat to the United States.

At least, that was the word of warning from U.S. Air Force General William Shelton yesterday, according to Reuters. Speaking with reporters, Shelton said that the Iranian government has increased its cyber efforts since and as a result of being hit by Stuxnet.

In 2010, the infamous computer worm was unleashed in Iran and other countries. Designed to seize control of power grids and other industrial control systems, Stuxnet infected computers at Iran's Natanz nuclear … Read more

Updated Thursday, January 17, 2012, at 4:50 p.m. PDT with comment from AV-Test.org.

For the second time in a row, Microsoft Security Essentials has failed to be certified as effective by AV-Test.org, an independent testing lab based in Germany.

The lab publishes test results every two months, and the test from November and December 2012 looked at 25 consumer antivirus security programs. Three failed certification: PC Tools Internet Security 2012, AhnLab Internet Security 8.0, and Microsoft Security Essentials 4.1.

This was the second test in a row in which MSE failed to earn certification. … Read more

California's attorney general issued long-promised guidelines on mobile privacy today. The "Privacy on the Go (PDF)" report address the varied interests in smartphone and mobile app development, including app developers, carriers, ad networks, and operating system makers.

"We are now offering this set of privacy practice recommendations to assist app developers, and others, in considering privacy early in the development process," Attorney General Kamala Harris wrote in an introduction to the guidelines.

Sarah Downey, online privacy analyst at online privacy firm Abine, agreed that it's important to get the various mobile interests focused on … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Locator devices that let parents keep track of their kids are nothing new. Evado Filip decided to do things a little differently with the VivoPlay, a watch geared for the 5- to 12-year-old crowd.

Many parents don't want to cough up a real cell phone for their little dears until they get pretty close to being teenagers. The VivoPlay includes GSM, so parents and kids can get in touch when necessary, but it's not a full-blown cell phone with all the related texting and possible cyberbullying issues. This feature elevates the watch from a location device to a communication device.… Read more

LAS VEGAS--Private WiFi has been making a name for itself as a subscription VPN service on desktops. At CES 2013, the company has unveiled mobile apps for iOS and Android.

Private WiFi wraps your data in 128-bit encryption as it runs in the background of your phone or tablet. Based on the open-source OpenVPN, the service will block attacks on public, unsecure networks such as man-in-the-middle attacks, rogue networks, honeypots, ARP spoofing, sniffing, and session sidejacking.

Private WiFi CEO Kent Lawson said that his app stands a better chance than the competition because Private WiFi is low-cost but avoids privacy … Read more

Most people still choose to handle home security the old-fashioned way. They have a big slobbery dog or they pay a security company to monitor their home. For people who are allergic to pups and don't want to deal with security contracts, startup iSmart Alarm is hoping to turn the iPhone into the focal point for home security.

The system is made up of several parts that can be mixed and matched as needed. There are cameras, motion sensors, contact sensors for windows and doors, and a remote tag for tracking kids or pets (or both). The brains of the system is a square device called the CubeOne that plugs into an outlet and connects up to your router.… Read more