Michael KanU.S. Correspondent, IDG News Service
Michael Kan covers security for the IDG News Service.
A vigilante hacker may have built a computer worm to protect smart devices
Is a vigilante hacker trying to secure your IoT device from malware? The mysterious developer behind a growing computer worm wants people to think so.
IoT malware clashes in a botnet territory battle
Mirai -- a notorious malware that’s been enslaving IoT devices -- has competition. A rival piece of programming has been infecting some of the same easy-to-hack products, with a resiliency that surpasses Mirai, according to security researchers.
Smart teddy bears for kids suffer a contentious data breach
If you own a stuffed animal from CloudPets, then you may have been hacked.
China plugs its 'Great Firewall,' going after unauthorized VPN access from local ISPs
China is patching a hole in its online censorship apparatus. The country’s regulators are going after unauthorized internet connections, including tools known as VPNs (virtual private networks) that can bypass China’s efforts to control the web.
The FTC accuses D-Link of manufacturing insecure routers and cameras
A Federal Trade Commission attempt to rein in a poorly secured IoT device is raising questions over whether the U.S. regulator has the power to crack down on vendors suspected of shoddy practices.
Upgraded Mirai botnet disrupts Deutsche Telekom by infecting routers
A new version of Mirai -- a malware that’s been enslaving poorly secured IoT devices -- has found a new victim: vulnerable internet routers from Germany’s Deutsche Telekom.
Friday's DDoS attack came from 100,000 infected devices
DNS Service provider Dyn said that Friday's massive internet disruption came from hackers using an estimated 100,000 devices, many of which have been infected with a notorious malware that can take over cameras and DVRs.
Chinese firm admits its hacked DVRs, cameras were behind Friday's massive DDOS attack
Xiongmai, a Chinese electronics component manufacturer, says its products inadvertently played a role in a massive DDoS cyberattack that disrupted major internet sites in the U.S. on Friday.
An IoT botnet is partly behind Friday's massive DDOS attack
Malware that can build botnets out of IoT devices is at least partly responsible for a massive distributed denial-of-service attack that disrupted U.S. internet traffic on Friday, according to network security companies.
Massive smart device botnet highlights the dangers of default passwords
A botnet responsible for a massive DDOS (distributed denial-of-service) attack was created thanks to weak default usernames and passwords found in internet-connected cameras and DVRs.
Last.fm breach from 2012 affected 43 million users
Stolen data obtained from music site Last.fm back in 2012 has surfaced, and it looks like hackers made off with accounts belonging to more than 43 million users.
One smart plug isn't so bright when it comes to security
Smart sockets that let you control an electrical plug over the Internet may sound cutting edge, but they can also be rife with security flaws.
U.S. seizes domains of KickassTorrents, site's owner arrested
The U.S. has seized domains belonging to KickassTorrents, one of the most popular sites for illegal file sharing, and its alleged owner has been arrested.