Petronella Cybersecurity News

Yesterday we told you about a group of hackers calling themselves The Shadow Brokers auctioning off files they stole from a clandestine branch of the NSA called the Equation Group. The Equation Group was identified as part of the NSA thanks to files released by Edward Snowden, and now he’s speaking out about the hack. […]

A new data breach targeting 20 US hotels operated by HEI Hotels & Resorts for Starwood, Marriott, Hyatt and Intercontinental has been uncovered. The customer financial data associated with tens of thousands of transactions has been compromised thanks to point-of-sale (PoS) malware. Discovered in June, the malware was found on PoS systems used at restaurants, […]

According to a group of hackers going by the name The Shadow Brokers, they’ve being able to infiltrate and steal files from the Equation Group. If you don’t know what that is, it’s probably because the Equation Group is generally believed to be a branch of the National Security Agency. While not specifically saying the […]

Researchers from the security firm Lookout have discovered another Android vulnerability that may affect 80% of Android devices. The flaw would allow hackers to terminate connections, or if those connections aren’t encrypted, they could inject malware into the victim’s communications. The vulnerability originated in version 3.6 of the Linux OS kernel back in 2012 and […]

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has set a convenient online service called My SocialSecurity for retirees and others on social security to check their earnings history, benefits, change their address, or how they receive benefits. It even supports two-factor authentication. Unfortunately, scammers have also found two new ways to take advantage of the service and […]

Picture this: You want to check something from your doctor, so you log into your medical portal to see your health information; only, instead of seeing your information, you see the data from another person. Of course you are going to wonder, “Does that mean someone can see mine as well?” This exact scenario has […]

As previously reported, the latest trend in hacking is still on the rise in which hackers are foregoing big companies and targeting the small guy. As BlackHatters have become more sophisticated, so, too, have their earliest victims – larger businesses and financial institutions. While that was good news to smaller businesses, it, unfortunately also caused […]

Apple has been ignoring FBI requests for creating backdoor security bypass that would allow “good guys” to access devices with a “Golden Key.” Being extremely security-conscious, Apple CEO Tim Cook politely, yet firmly, refused the request as too dangerous to comply with. And Microsoft’s backdoor blunder is making Apple look really smart. Unlike Apple, Microsoft […]

Hacking a Phone with Screen Mirroring Video Jacking – Defined. Screen mirroring is a pretty underused feature on most smartphones. Essentially, it allows someone to cast a duplicate video from their phone’s screen to a larger screen like a television. Unfortunately, as it turns out, it’s also a pretty easy way to steal personal information […]

In 2013, University of Birmingham researchers discovered a flaw that would allow thieves to start the ignition of millions of Volkswagens without needing a key. Volkswagen sued them. That delayed the release of their work for two years. Now those same researchers have found two new flaws in the keyless entry system that affects virtually […]

In the month of July, one hacker going by the handle TheDarkOverlord made up 30% of all data breaches. He also had the largest breach with 23,565 records being put on the Dark Web for sale. Even more surprising is that on average it took two years before a breach was reported, and in one […]

A new type of malware has been discovered by researchers that is so advanced it probably was developed by a nation-state and has been active for years without anyone noticing. Going by both ProjectSauron and Remsec depending on who you talk to, the malware platform has been around since at least 2011 and has affected […]

One of the providers of insurance ID cards for carriers such as BlueCross BlueShield, Newkirk Products, has been the victim of a data breach. While no health plan systems were affected, the personal data of 3.3 million insurance plan members may have been exposed. Newkirk discovered that one of their servers had been accessed without […]

The software company Oracle has become the latest victim of a Russian organized cybercriminals. The hackers have found a way to compromise the customer support portal for hundreds of Oracle’s MICROS point-of-sale (PoS) credit card payment systems. Servicing over 330,000 cash registers, MICROS is one of the top PoS in the world. With the breach […]

If you see a penny pick it up. If you see a USB device, throw it away! Or at the very least, DO NOT STICK IT IN YOUR COMPUTER!! USB sticks are the easiest way for hackers to get malware on your computer.  Elie Bursztein, a Google anti-abuse team researcher, recently conducted a study in […]

Unfortunately for Android fans, a new security flaw has be discovered. Found in the software of tens of millions of phones, this flaw allows hackers to get complete access the user’s data. The vulnerabilities were discovered by security researchers at Checkpoint after six months of reverse engineering the code being run by Qualcomm chipsets. About […]

Going inside a gas station just to purchase has has become all but obsolete for many of us… And when is the last time you paid for gas with cash? While paying at the pump with your card is convenient, it has just become much less secure.  According to police in North Dallas, at least […]

The general feeling by the American public is that it’s probably not out of the realm of possibility for the NSA to be stockpiling unknown security vulnerabilities, and with the mysterious agency spending $25 million dollars a year on Zero Day vulnerabilities, that would seem to be the case. However, according to a researcher from […]

With the Brazilian government mobilizing 85,000 armed soldiers and police, security at the Olympic Games in Rio is obviously a priority. Unfortunately, one of the biggest threats may not be on the ground, it may actually come from the internet. According to the cybersecurity firm Fortinet, there has been a dramatic 83% increase in malicious […]

iOS devices are known for their security, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. One convenience of owning an iOS device is the ability to track your phone or tablet using Apple’s “Find iPhone” app. If you’re unable to find your device, you can use the app (either on a computer or another iPhone/iPad), to ping your lost […]