Tag Archive for: public

‘Juice jacking’ hackers can steal your information from USB ports in public places

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NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — If you’ve charged your phone with USB ports in public places, the FBI is warning you about what they’re calling “juice jacking.”

Juice jacking is when hackers load malware onto charging stations at libraries, hotels and airports, and steal your personal information.

Cyber security experts say it can be hard to detect from just looking at them, and that all it takes is plugging in your phone. In seconds, the malware can steal information from your device while it’s being charged.

A local IT expert told CBS News Texas that this is rare, but if it happens to you, there’s a lot of information they can steal.

“Think about all the data and all the types of information that you keep in your cell phone on a daily basis. You have your personal contacts…your business email is probably on your cell phone,” said Kenny Riley, a technical director for Velocity IT.

Riley also said that you may not even know you’re a victim because your device likely won’t have a pop-up notification saying it’s happening, unlike a computer virus.

CBS News Texas reached out to both DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field for comment:

DFW International Airport:

“DFW Airport’s USB ports are ‘charge only,’ not part of a network, and are inspected regularly for signs of tampering. Travelers are always encouraged to inspect USB charging ports before using them and look for signs of unusual adapters or anything suspicious, and to report anything unusual to airport staff.”

Dallas Love Field:

“DAL has not had any reported or confirmed cases of malicious software detected in the airport’s USB ports/outlets. We also do not have standalone phone charging stations.

DAL electrical technicians inspect outlets and USB ports nightly and report any unusual devices or evidence of tampering. Passengers are encouraged to do the same before their usage. As always, we urge…

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CIS, Google Partner to Help Secure Public Sector

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The Center for Internet Security and Google are partnering to create the CIS & Google Cloud Alliance to help advance security and resilience for the broader technology ecosystem, with an emphasis on the public sector.

According to the organizations, the alliance will combine the companies’ experience to offer greater security to public sector entities. The Center for Internet Security (CIS) brings 20 years of helping U.S. state, local, tribal and territorial governments secure their infrastructure against cyber threats, and Google brings its experts and services from its Cybersecurity Action Team. In addition, Google brings insights from its Threat Horizons reports and resources from cyber forensics subsidiary Mandiant.

CIS also brings its established and globally recognized security frameworks, including the CIS Critical Security Controls and CIS Benchmarks, as well as operating the Multi-State and Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (MS-ISAC and EI-ISAC) that supports the security needs of state, local, tribal and territorial governments.

As part of Google’s recent strategy around cybersecurity, Google Cloud is now partnering with industry organizations in other sectors like healthcare and financial services. The company also introduced its Google Public Sector division focused on helping U.S. public sector institutions – including federal, state, and local governments, and educational institutions – accelerate their digital transformations.

According to the announcement, the organizations say this makes them “uniquely positioned to support organizations through the complexities of their digital transformations.”

In a statement, Gina Chapman, executive vice president of sales and business services at CIS, says the partnership combines two cybersecurity powerhouses and applies them to the underserved community of public sector organizations.

“The cybersecurity needs of the public sector demand best-in-class, cost-effective solutions that include implementation and operational support, and we look forward to how we can work together to support this community,” Chapman says.

MK Palmore, director of the officer of the CISO at…

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Better public sector cybersecurity aimed by Center for Internet Security, Google Cloud alliance

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SiliconAngle reports that the Center for Internet Security and Google Cloud have entered into an alliance that seeks to strengthen the cybersecurity posture of the public sector amid increasing threats.

Under the alliance, CIS will be able to provide Google Cybersecurity Action Team services, including Google Threat Horizons reports and Mandiant cybersecurity tools, to help its members bolster cloud security and overall cybersecurity practices. Meanwhile, Google has also introduced partnerships with Health-ISAC and FS-ISAC, as well as unveiled the new Google Public Sector aimed at accelerating digital transformations at U.S. public sector entities.

“This partnership between CIS and Google is particularly exciting because it is bringing together two powerhouse perspectives on cybersecurity and applying them to the highly targeted and historically cyber-underserved community of U.S. state, local, tribal, and territorial government organizations. The cybersecurity needs of the public sector demand best-in-class, cost-effective solutions that include implementation and operational support and we look forward to how we can work together to support this community,” said CIS Executive Vice President of Sales and Business Services Gina Chapman.

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Death of Uttar Pradesh’s gangster ‘godfather’ sparks concerns about public safety

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New Delhi, India(CNN) The brazen assassination of a former Indian lawmaker and his brother in front of live television cameras while under police custody has sparked renewed anger over the blurred lines between politics and crime in the country’s most populous state.

With more than 240 million people, Uttar Pradesh’s population is larger than most countries, yet the state has long been one of India’s poorest, held back by a reputation for corruption and organized crime.

But what took place on Saturday was especially shocking and has transfixed much of India.

Atiq Ahmed, a former lawmaker and convicted criminal, was gunned down alongside his brother Ashraf at point blank range by at least one gunman who posed as a journalist in an incident that was broadcast live.

A former Samajwadi Party member of India’s parliament, Atiq was convicted of kidnapping and sentenced to life in prison last month following a long dual career as both a politician and a mainstay of Uttar Pradesh’s criminal underworld.

Police officers escort Atiq Ahmed outside a court in Prayagraj, India, April 13, 2023, two days before he was assassinated alongside his brother

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