avivah litan – Computer Security Articles

Simple Banking Security Tip: Verbal Passwords

November 6, 2017 admin Aite Group, Andy Greenberg, avivah litan, gartner, Julie Conroy, KBA, Other, verbal password, voice biometrics, wired

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Mon, 06 Nov 2017 16:53:03 +0000

There was a time when I was content to let my bank authenticate me over the phone by asking for some personal identifiers (SSN/DOB) that are broadly for sale in the cybercrime underground. At some point, however, I decided this wasn’t acceptable for institutions that held significant chunks of our money, and I began taking our business away from those that wouldn’t let me add a simple verbal passphrase that needed to be uttered before any account details could be discussed over the phone.

Independent Krebs

Fraudsters Exploited Lax Security at Equifax’s TALX Payroll Division

May 18, 2017 admin avivah litan, Equifax, Gartner Inc., ICSI, Identity Theft, International Computer Science Institute, knowledge-based authentication, Nicholas A. Oldham, Nicholas Weaver, Other, TALX, tax refund fraud, two-factor authentication

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Thu, 18 May 2017 20:23:13 +0000

Identity thieves who specialize in tax refund fraud had big help this past tax year from Equifax, one of the nation’s largest consumer data brokers and credit bureaus. The trouble stems from TALX, an Equifax subsidiary that provides online payroll, HR and tax services. Equifax says crooks were able to reset the 4-digit PIN given to customer employees as a password and then steal W-2 tax data after successfully answering personal questions about those employees. In a boilerplate text sent to several affected customers, Equifax said the unauthorized access to customers’ employee tax records happened between April 17, 2016 and March 29, 2017. Beyond that, the extent of the fraud perpetrated with the help of hacked TALX accounts is unclear, and Equifax refused requests to say how many consumers or payroll service customers may have been impacted by the authentication weaknesses.

Independent Krebs

Payments Giant Verifone Investigating Breach

March 7, 2017 admin Andy Payment, Anunak, avivah litan, Carbanak, Foregenix, Gartner Inc., Hyatt breach, mastercard, MICROS, Oracle, Oracle Micros Breach, Other, Steve Horan, Trustwave, Verifone breach, Visa

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2017 18:02:30 +0000

Credit and debit card payments giant Verifone [NYSE: PAY] is investigating a breach of its corporate computer networks that could impact companies running its point-of-sale solutions, according to multiple sources. Verifone says the extent of the breach was “limited” and that its payment services network was not impacted. San Jose, Calif.-based Verifone is the largest maker of credit card terminals used in the United States. It sells point-of-sale terminals and services to support the swiping and processing of credit and debit card payments at a variety of businesses, including retailers, taxis, and fuel stations. On Jan. 23, 2017, Verifone sent an “urgent” email to all company staff and contractors, telling them that they had 24 hours to change all company passwords.

Independent Krebs

Stolen Passwords Fuel Cardless ATM Fraud

January 23, 2017 admin ATM fraud, avivah litan, cardless ATM, Chase bank, Fox28, gartner, Kristina Markula, Mike Fusco, Other, Regulation E, twofactorauth.org

Some financial instutitions are now offering so-called “cardless ATM” transactions that allow customers to withdraw cash using nothing more than their mobile phones. But as the following story illustrates, this new technology also creates an avenue for thieves to quickly and quietly convert stolen customer bank account usernames and passwords into cold hard cash. Worse still, fraudulent cardless ATM withdrawals may prove more difficult for customers to dispute because they place the victim at the scene of the crime.