Content by Mathew J. Schwartz

Heartbleed Alert: Vulnerability Persists

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 22, 2015

The OpenSSL Heartbleed bug hasn't died, with recent scans still finding 250,000 Internet-connected systems that remain vulnerable. Security experts recommend enterprises expand their patching efforts to find devices with embedded firmware that contain the flaw.

Google Reveals More Microsoft Zero Days

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 21, 2015

Following summertime engineering team layoffs, Microsoft has botched two Windows fixes and failed to issue updates to address three Windows flaws that were spotted by Google, which the search giant revealed publicly 90 days after privately notifying Microsoft.

ENISA Warns of Internet Vulnerabilities

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 20, 2015

ENISA - the EU agency responsible for bolstering European cybersecurity practices - is calling on Internet infrastructure providers to adopt best practices for combatting routing threats, DNS spoofing and poisoning attacks, as well as DDoS disruptions.

How NSA Hacked North Korean Hackers

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 19, 2015

The FBI's attribution of the attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment to North Korea was based, in part, on NSA intelligence gleaned from the agency having infected a significant number of North Korean PCs with malware, a news report says.

Report: Mercenaries Behind APT Attacks

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 16, 2015

An increasing number of cyber-attacks are not being launched by governments - or their intelligence services - but rather by opportunistic mercenaries offering "espionage-as-a-service," according to a new report.

U.S., UK Plan 'Cyber War Games'

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 16, 2015

The U.S. and U.K. plan to hold "cyber war games" to help them prepare for defending against online attacks. Meanwhile, hackers have targeted 19,000 French websites with DDoS attacks and defacements since the Paris massacre.

Europe Seeks More Mass Surveillance

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 14, 2015

Following the Paris terror attacks, the French government plans to strengthen its surveillance laws, while the British prime minister has promised to allow intelligence agencies to penetrate any encrypted communications.

Hackers Disrupt North Korea Video Game

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 14, 2015

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was set to star in a satirical video game, in which he battled the forces of imperialist oppression with the help of unicorns and narwals - until hackers apparently disrupted game development.

930 Million Android Devices at Risk?

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 13, 2015

Information security experts are calling on Google to rethink its patch priorities after it declines to fix a critical component that runs on Android 4.3 "Jelly Bean" and older devices, leaving an estimated 930 million mobile devices at risk.

Hackers Release Info from Swiss Bank

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 12, 2015

Hackers released sensitive information from Banque Cantonale de Geneve (BCGE) after the Swiss bank declined to pay attackers' ransom demand. Hacking group Rex Mundi claims it exploited a SQL injection flaw to breach the bank's defenses.

UK Debates Rebooted 'Snooper's Charter'

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 12, 2015

Following the Paris attacks, Britain's prime minister hopes to reintroduce a controversial surveillance bill known as the "Snooper's Charter." Meanwhile, many European countries - and the U.S. - plan to increase anti-terrorism collaboration.

Expert: Sony Hackers Sound Russian

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 12, 2015

The FBI has attributed the Sony hack to North Korea, in part by analyzing the messages left by the "G.O.P." attackers. But linguistics expert Shlomo Engelson Argamon says the messages appear to have been written by native Russian speakers.

Surveillance Demands Follow Paris Massacre

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 9, 2015

In the wake of the Paris massacre, the head of Britain's MI5 domestic intelligence agency has called for new powers to fight extremism, warning that as terror plots increase, communications-interception capabilities are decreasing.

FBI's Sony Attribution: Doubts Continue

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 8, 2015

FBI Director James Comey's Jan. 7 defense of the bureau's attribution of the Sony Pictures hack to North Korea hasn't silenced many information security experts, who argue that the scant evidence divulged to date proves nothing.

Paris Attacks: The Cyber Investigation

Eric Chabrow , Mathew J. Schwartz  •  January 8, 2015

French authorities continue to investigate the Jan. 7 attack in Paris that claimed the lives of a dozen, including journalists and police officers. Information security experts say that cyber-forensic skills are crucial for finding the perpetrators.