Headlines this week focused on the alleged hacking of Jeff Bezos' smartphone, a new Department of Homeland Security warning specific to connected healthcare products, and more.
The Verge: Never Open a WhatsApp Message from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia
By: Casey Newton
It has been just under a year since Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos shocked the world with a Medium post disclosing that he had been the subject of an extortion attempt, hired the best person in the world to investigate it, and promised to get to the bottom of it.
Reuters: U.N. Says Officials Barred From Using WhatsApp Since June 2019 Over Security
By: Michelle Nichols and Raphael Satter
United Nations officials do not use WhatsApp to communicate because “it’s not supported as a secure mechanism,” a U.N. spokesman said on Thursday, after U.N. experts accused Saudi Arabia of using the online communications platform to hack the phone of Amazon chief executive and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos.
CyberScoop: DHS Pushes Alert on Vulnerable Patient Monitors Sold by GE Healthcare
By: Jeff Stone
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s cybersecurity outfit on Thursday issued an alert about six flaws in popular health care devices that could affect device functionality, expose patients’ health information or create other vulnerabilities.
ZDNet: 14% of Android App Privacy Policies Contain Contradictions About Data Collection
By: Catalin Cimpanu
An analysis of 11,430 Play Store apps found that 14.2% used a privacy policy with contradicting statements about user data collection practices.
Engadget: Microsoft Accidentally Exposed 250 Million Customer Service Records
By: Igor Bonifacic
While most people were out celebrating the start of a new year, Microsoft's security teams were working overtime to close a potentially enormous security loophole. On Thursday, the company disclosed a database error that temporarily left approximately 250 million customer service and support records accessible to anyone with a web browser.
CNET: Scooter App Wars Begin, and Lime Isn't Happy About It
By: Dara Kerr
Lime petitions Apple to yank Scooter Map from its App Store over alleged privacy violations.
New York Times: The Secretive Company That Might End Privacy as We Know It
By: Kashmir Hill
A little-known start-up helps law enforcement match photos of unknown people to their online images — and “might lead to a dystopian future or something,” a backer says.
Engadget: Seattle-area Election Will Let Residents Vote by Smartphone
By: Jon Fingas
Claims that Americans could vote by phone have usually been hoaxes, but Seattle-area residents will get to try the real thing before long.
Recode: Amazon Ring Sales Nearly Tripled in December Despite Hacks
By: Rani Molla
It’s going to take more than a few high-profile video hacking incidents to slow connected security camera sales.
New York Times: Glenn Greenwald Charged With Cybercrimes in Brazil
By: Ernesto Londoño and Letícia Casado
Federal prosecutors in Brazil on Tuesday charged the American journalist Glenn Greenwald with cybercrimes for his role in bringing to light cellphone messages that have embarrassed prosecutors and tarnished the image of an anticorruption task force.