Security News for the Week Ending November 3, 2023
Meta Launches Paid Facebook/Instagram Option in EU
To satisfy EU privacy laws, Meta is going to offer an ad free paid version of Facebook and Instagram in the EU/EEA and Switzerland for (e ) 9.99 on the web and (e ) 12.99 for the apps since the have to give the app store 30 percent. This comes after a (e ) 390 million fine for violating GDPR. We will see how many people like Meta that much. You will still be able to get the free ad-based product, but now they can say you have a choice. Credit: The Hacker News
Gen Zers More Vulnerable to Cybercrime Than Their Grandparents
Likely this is not because Gen Z is more gullible but rather because they live on their electronic devices. In fact, they are three times more likely to be victims than their grandparents. Cybersecurity Ventures says the global cost of cybercrime will be $8 trillion this year and $10.5 trillion by 2025. Credit: KSL
Hearing on New National Cyber Director Appears to Indicate Likely Approval
Harry Coker, a career naval officer and CIA and NSA official faced a Senate sub-committee this week and appeared to sail through the hearing with the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The position has been vacant since Chris Inglis retired. The President officially nominated him in July. Given all of the cyber activity in the government, having a Senate confirmed NCD seems important. Credit: The Record
Is Your Disaster Response Plan as Good as Ace Hardware?
The corporate systems for the Ace Hardware Coop went down last Sunday. Ace says this impacted ACNET, warehouse management, Ace retailer mobile assistant, hot sheets, invoices, Ace rewards and the care center’s phones. This means that they cannot fill or ship orders and customers and stores cannot place orders. Ace says the attackers corrupted 1,200+ systems, of which around 200 were servers (out of 1,400 servers total). As of a few days after the attack, they say that 51% of the servers have been restored and are being validated. Could you do that after a massive cyber attack? Credit: Bleeping Computer
Probe of School Surveillance Software Finds Abuses, Inaccuracies
An investigation into GoGuardian, software that many schools use “to protect the children” is pretty much a dumpster fire. Who it affects most is at risk kids because kids who are better off have family owned devices that they can use. The software, according to EFF, consistently flags college websites, counseling, therapy, drug abuse prevention and other sites. GoGuardian says their software allows school staff to monitor and block kids from viewing subversive content like the “Shark Tank” cast bios. If you are poor, you don’t have an alternative. Everyone else just uses their personal devices. I think school staff have good intentions, but the software they have chosen has some very serious problems. Credit: The Record
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