Facebook is the first company to use a tool from Microsoft that identifies known images of child pornography and remove them from the social network.

The tool, called PhotoDNA, is software that analyzes images for certain characteristics and compares them to images in a reference database. Microsoft calls this process “robust hashing,” and an illicit image’s “hash value” can help authorities track and identify copies – altered or not – of child porn photos. (See video below.)

Facebook deploys Microsoft tool to fight child pornography | The Microsoft Blog – seattlepi.com

An extract of a nice read at ZDNet:

I can tell you for a fact, many, many people are falling for this attack. Our call volume here at AppleCare is 4-5x higher than normal and [the overwhelming majority] of our calls are about this Mac Defender and its aliases. Many frustrated Mac users think their Mac is impervious to viruses and think this is a real warning from Apple. I really wish I could say not many people will fall for this, but in this last week, we have had nothing but Mac Defender and similar calls.

AppleCare support advises Mac users to use antivirus now!

Epsilon Email Issue

We were recently informed by Epsilon, a marketing vendor used by Stonebridge Life Insurance Company and its affiliates to send emails, that an unauthorized third party gained access to email files of a number of Epsilon’s clients, including
our email lists. For your security, you are receiving this notice from us because Stonebridge Life Insurance Company or its affiliates has sent you information via email in the past using Epsilon as our
vendor.

What information was accessed?

Your email address and first name has been accessed. No other personal information regarding you was accessed.

How does this impact you?

In all likelihood, this will not impact you. However, we recommend that you continue to be cautious of unwanted emails, emails that contain links with potential viruses or emails prompting you to provide personal or financial information. We urge you to be cautious when opening links or attachments from unknown third parties.

What is Epsilon doing about this?

Epsilon has notified us that they have identified the cause of the breach and have taken the necessary steps to prevent additional data access. Epsilon has reported this incident to the appropriate authorities for investigation.

We sincerely regret any concern or inconvenience this may have caused you. Your privacy and the security of your information is a top priority for us.

Sincerely,

Stonebridge Life Insurance Company and its Affiliates

2700 West Plano
Parkway ● Plano, Texas 75075-8200

By Ben Popken

The guy sitting next to you in the coffee shop might actually be logging into your Facebook account, using the info beaming out your computer. It’s called “session hijacking” or “sidejacking” and despite it being a well-known vulnerability, most websites aren’t protecting their users from it. After a developer recently unveiled a user-friendly bit of code that makes “sidejacking” as easy a few mouse clicks, the problem is getting fresh attention.

Your Facebook Login Can Get Jacked By A Monkey With A Mouse – The Consumerist

Facebook admits its third-party developers have mishandled private data | Web Apps News – Betanews

Security Experts Claim iPad Vulnerable To New Attacks

By Marc Perton on June 14, 2010 2:29 PM

Goatse Security, the white-hat hackers that exposed the iPad’s problems keeping email addresses under wraps, is back with a warning about additional risks to owners of the tablet. And they’re also more than a little peeved that AT&T called them “malicious” in yesterday’s apology to customers. “When we disclosed this, we did it as a service to our nation. We love America and the idea of the Russians or Chinese being able to subvert American infrastructure is a nightmare,” Goatse’s Escher Auernheimer said.

Security Experts Claim iPad Vulnerable To New Attacks – The Consumerist

http://gawker.com/5559346/apples-worst-security-breach-114000-ipad-owners-exposed

Google: Oops…our Street View cars also saw websites you were visiting

By Tim Conneally | Published May 14, 2010, 5:26 PM

Google today said it will stop collecting Wi-Fi network data from its Street View cars, after an investigation from the German Data Protection Authority (DPA) found the search company was also collecting data about websites people were visiting on public hotspots.

Google: Oops…our Street View cars also saw websites you were visiting | Tech Policy & Law News – Betanews

http://consumerist.com/2010/03/internet-explorer-6-takes-a-dirt-nap.html