Security

Two free ways to encrypt Google Drive files

This month marks the sixth anniversary of my Google Drive account. I've been aware since the beginning that the thousands of files I have uploaded to the service are stored unencrypted on Google's servers.

That hasn't prevented me from uploading plenty of sensitive information to Google Drive, including dozens of invoices that list my address and the amount of money I was billing for, although the invoices do not include any bank-account or Social Security numbers.

I could have easily encrypted the files using any number of free services. In last May's "Free services make Gmail, Google Drive, and Google search more private,&… Read more

Wise Care 365 Pro is now half off for a lifetime subscription

PC optimizers are pretty common these days. But how can you tell which one is worthy of keeping your machine fast and free of errors? One sure way to tell is to try it out. Wise Care 365 Free has always been a favorite with our editors as well as users. With over 50,000 downloads a week, Wise Care 365 is a go-to cleaner application for many people.

Main features:

All-in-one utility: Besides optimizing performance, WC365 also includes a Disk Cleaner and Registry Optimizer to help your PC get in shape. Comprehensive cleaning helps slim down your system by … Read more

Ex-Stasi boss green with envy over NSA's domestic spy powers

For Wolfgang Schmidt, it was just bad luck that he was 20 years too late and living on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain.

The former head of the Stasi, which was East Germany's secret police force, betrayed a fair bit of envy about the powers enjoyed by his former Cold War nemesis in the aftermath of revelations about the extent of the National Security Agency's surveillance powers.

"You know, for us, this would have been a dream come true," he said in a wide-ranging interview with McClatchy.

As a former top spook in his … Read more

Student group files complaint against U.S. firms over NSA data snooping

A student group has charged several U.S. technology companies with violations of European law for allegedly cooperating with the NSA to collect data on private citizens.

Known as Europe-v-Facebook (EVF), the group of Austrian students announced Wednesday that it filed formal complaints with the EU against Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Skype, and Yahoo. The group contends that since the five companies do business in Europe through subsidiaries, they fall under European privacy laws.

Such laws allow the export of data only if the company's European subsidiary can guarantee an "adequate level or protection" in the home country. … Read more

Over 1 million American Android users have downloaded adware

Adware has become a somewhat concerning issue on Android, a new study from security firm Lookout has discovered.

According to the security company, over the last year alone, over 1 million American Android users have unknowingly downloaded adware. What's worse, 6.5 percent of the free applications available in the Google Play marketplace now contain adware of some sort.

Adware isn't exactly the easiest topic to define, since there's a gray area between what's proper ad practice and what's not. However, Lookout says that there are a few key hallmarks that turn seemingly innocuous ads … Read more

Google: Hacked sites far worse than attack sites

Web sites you think are safe but have been compromised to distribute malicious software are far more prevalent than sites that are intentionally dangerous, according to a new Transparency Report from Google released on Tuesday.

The new Safe Browsing section of the report reveals some of the security trends that Google has been seeing. While Google reiterated that its Safe Browsing program flags up to 10,000 sites a day, the report showed that hacked sites remain a major problem -- with about 60 percent hosting malware and 40 percent being used for phishing attacks.

Dedicated attack sites numbered in … Read more

AnchorFree's dropping anchors and setting sail with a VPN giveaway

With all of the recent talk about PRISM, the NSA, and Big Bro Obama following you around the Internet and reading all of your precious e-mails containing links to those "all-critical" YouTube videos your dad keeps sending you, it's great to see a company taking a stand for personal privacy.

Starting this Tuesday, June 25, the folks over at AnchorFree are giving away 50,000 free codes for their Elite Hotspot Shield VPN services, good for six months. These codes will unlock cross-platforms and will work on PC, Mac, and iOS (Android not supported yet), on up … Read more

South Korean Web sites hit by hackers

South Korea has suffered its latest cyberattack, and one that marked the 63rd anniversary of the start of the Korean War.

The country's science ministry said that multiple government and private sites were hit in Tuesday's hacking, the Associated Press has reported. Included in the attack were the site for the country's presidential Blue House and several media servers.

The South Korean government said that it's investigating further and has urged officials and citizens to secure their computer systems, the AP added.

No potential suspects were named in the attack. But North Korea would likely top … Read more

Whistle-blower update: Snowden lands in Moscow; WikiLeaker's Gmail searched

Several stories involving whistle-blower/espionage suspect Edward Snowden cropped up over the weekend, including word of a U.S. demand for his extradition and that he flew to Moscow Sunday, and is likely heading for another destination. And news of a Justice Department search of a former WikiLeaks volunteer's Gmail account has also surfaced. Here's a quick summary:

Snowden was allowed to leave Hong Kong because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law. He landed in Moscow early Sunday morning, but his final destination is unclear. According to a report in the New York Times, … Read more