Dragging your Database Out Through Your Login Screen

Let’s start with the visual image of one of those mechanical claw arcade machines – the one where you insert a few quarters and grab a toy with a mechanical claw. These can be addictive games for some of us. Let’s take that same visual image. But instead of a claw dropping down onto a pile of beanie babies, let’s visualize a hacker reaching through your login screen and … Read More »

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Thoughts on WordPress Security

I have a good friend who owns a Web design company, who, with little or no prompting, will tell one and all the security perils of using WordPress. He will talk about the well publicized WordPress hacks that have been written up in online IT publications. The good news is that I always know what he’ll talk about; the bad news is that he is just one of many … Read More »

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Taking a Laptop to a Knife Fight

We all have fears. My own include high places (the falling part), being buried alive (Uma Thurman’s coffin scene in Kill Bill 2 haunts me) and crazy people with sharp weapons. I don’t do gutters and the probability of my being buried alive is smaller than a lightning strike – I’m safe on both fronts. As for crazies with weapons; while I couldn’t find solid numbers, Indiana’s total 2011 … Read More »

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Origins of Hacktivism: Anonymous, Lulz Security and WikiLeaks

While today’s hacktivism is undoubtedly much broader than media reporting would lead us to believe, the public appears to focus on three organizations: Anonymous, Lulz Security (LulzSec) and WikiLeaks, as the core of hacktivism in the United States, if not the world. So who are these self-proclaimed hactivists? Where did they come from? And how are they making their mark on cyber security, corporate business and how we conduct … Read More »

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Cyber Crime: How Hackers Stole $13 Million in One Day

Every time I buy a lottery ticket, one of my friends reminds me that the lottery is a tax on stupidity. When I win, he will not be on my ‘generous to friends’ list. I know he’s right, just unfeeling. Though I find the $1 investment to be a short-lived dream, I also feel like it’s worth every penny. After all, life as in instant multi-millionaire – what could … Read More »

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Feeling Vulnerable: What are Computer Security Vulnerabilities and How Could They be Putting Your Company at Risk?

You wouldn’t intentionally leave your wallet on the hood of your car in the mall parking lot. In the same respect, you wouldn’t let a child walk home from school in the dark along a busy street. The reason you wouldn’t do these things is because your wallet and your children are important to you and leaving them unattended would make them vulnerable to theft and harm. According to … Read More »

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Evolution of the Term “Hacker”

After nine months of noteworthy data breaches, from the Shady Rat Attack to the Sony PlayStation Network breach—the term “hacking” is more likely to call to mind script kiddies and self-proclaimed hactivist groups, like Anonymous, than tech-savvy geeks like Steve Jobs. However, although today “hacking” is almost synonymous with cyber crime, this wasn’t always the case. Define “Hacker” According Merriam-Webster, “hack” has a number of definitions, including 1.  “to … Read More »

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Famous Hackers: Shimomura v. Mitnick

Hacking group LulzSec, made headlines last month when it hacked a number of high-profile websites including, PBS’ NewsHour, Sony and Nintendo. LulzSec didn’t just hack— they were also quite public about their escapades, calling out well-known and self-proclaimed “hacktivist” group Anonymous. While LulzSec’s jabs at Anonymous might seem uncharacteristic of a group with such sophisticated skills, these two groups aren’t the first hackers to have a disagreement. Kevin Mitnick … Read More »