Content by Mathew J. Schwartz

Microsoft Email Case Triggers Warnings

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  August 13, 2014

European officials plan to continue pushing for stronger EU privacy rules in the wake of a controversial U.S. court ruling that authorizes the U.S. Justice Department to seize data stored outside the country.

Antivirus Apps Fail Test

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  August 11, 2014

Researcher Joxean Koret says he's cataloged local and remote vulnerabilities in 14 antivirus applications, many of which have since been patched. But shouldn't the vendors have spotted them first?

Blackphone: Inside a Secure Smart Phone

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  August 8, 2014

Can a smart phone increase your privacy and security while remaining both highly usable and attractive to buyers? The inaugural Blackphone is testing that question for consumers and businesses.

Ransomware: 7 Defensive Strategies

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  August 7, 2014

Learn the top techniques for defending against ransomware attacks that encrypt stored data and demand a payoff to unlock PCs, servers, storage devices and smart phones.

The Marketing of Security Threats

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  August 7, 2014

Expect every new warning of cybercrime attacks, online espionage or the malware du jour to be slickly marketed, with the announcements carefully timed. But is this bad for either the information security community or attackers' victims?

5 Facts About CyberVor Report

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  August 6, 2014

A report that a Russian hacker group dubbed "CyberVor" is hoarding more than 1 billion stolen passwords triggered worldwide concern, but security experts caution that scant details have been revealed, making the threat tough to judge.

Microsoft to Appeal E-Mail Ruling

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  August 1, 2014

A U.S. federal court judge has upheld a warrant requiring Microsoft to give the Justice Department copies of e-mails being stored at a data center in Dublin. But Microsoft plans to appeal the ruling on privacy grounds.

'Internet of Things' Security Analysis

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  August 1, 2014

Vendors are rushing useful new "Internet of Things" products to market, but too often treat device security and data privacy as an afterthought, says Forrester Research analyst Andrew Rose.

4 Facts About Operation Emmental

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  July 29, 2014

A low-tech campaign combines phishing, small-footprint attack code and Android malware to topple banks' security defenses in Switzerland and three other nations. Will the campaign extend to U.S., U.K., and beyond?

EU Eyes Global 'Right to Be Forgotten'

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  July 24, 2014

Google and Microsoft met with European regulators in Brussels July 24 to discuss their compliance with the "right to be forgotten" ruling and whether it should apply to all of their search engine sites - and not just those in Europe.

Google Faces Privacy Policy Challenges

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  July 23, 2014

Google's move to adopt a single, unified privacy policy in 2012 continues to have legal repercussions, with the Italian Data Protection Agency demanding changes, and a judge clearing the way for a U.S. class action lawsuit to move forward.

EU to Roll Out Cybercrime Taskforce

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  July 22, 2014

The EU Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce pilot is set to coordinate cross-border investigations - across Europe, the United States and beyond - into cybercrime, including payment card fraud, DDoS attacks and malware rings.

Malware Bypasses 2-Factor Authentication

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  July 22, 2014

An online gang with ties to Romania and Russia has been bypassing two-factor, Android-based authentication systems - used by 34 different banks to authenticate customers - via the sophisticated Operation Emmental cybercrime campaign.

Researcher: Cryptolocker Not Dead Yet

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  July 21, 2014

Despite official suggestions to the contrary, the Cryptolocker ransomware isn't dead yet, even as new types of ransomware continue to flood onto black market cybercrime forums, one researcher claims.

UK Surveillance Bill Becomes Law

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  July 18, 2014

A controversial U.K. "emergency" surveillance bill has become law, just seven days after being introduced to Parliament. But a privacy rights group has already promised to challenge the new law in court.