Mobile security threats rise

Security threats to your mobile device lurk as malware, fraudulent lures such as SMS spoofing, and toll fraud, but they?re all becoming favorites of digital crooks as people move away from using PCs and toward smartphones and tablets, according to a new report.

Such cybercrime is worth big money, whether it happens on your PC or smartphone. Cybercrime in 2011 cost consumers $110 billion worldwide and $21 billion in the United States, according to Symantec?s recently released annual Cybercrime Report (PDF).

But online crime may soon cost us more. The frequency of mobile threats doubled between 2010 and 2011, Symantec says, and 35 percent of online adults worldwide have either lost or had their mobile device stolen, exposing them to identity and data theft.

In its report, Symantec defines mobile cybercrime as unsolicited text messages that captured personal details, an infected phone that sent out an SMS message resulting in excess charges (typically known as toll fraud), and traditional cybercrime such as e-mail phishing scams.

It sounds like your cell phone is open to some nasty threats, but is mobile security really something you should be worrying about? Does your smartphone need the same kind of 24/7 threat detection that your PC does?

No doubt, mobile devices are the next big target for malicious actors looking to make a quick buck. During this year?s Black Hat conference in Las Vegas, for example, vulnerabilities were demonstrated against popular technologies used in mobile devices such as near field communication, baseband firmware, and HTML 5.

The problem is that while mobile threats may be rising, it?s unclear just how prevalent these issues are in the United States. Symantec?s statistics, for example, say that 31 percent of mobile users in 2011 received a text message from someone they didn?t know or an SMS requesting they click on an embedded link or dial a certain number to get a ?voicemail.? All of these techniques are tricks the bad guys can use to inject malware onto your phone or attempt to trick you into handing over personal data.

But that 31 percent of users is a worldwide statistic based on interviews with more than 13,000 people in 24 different countries around the globe. Symantec also said it found the highest incidence of cybercrime in countries such as Russia, China, and South Africa where the rate of victimization ranges from 80 to 92 percent. High incidences of cybercrime in concentrated areas can often skew worldwide results, especially when those areas are highly populous nations such as China and Russia.

Lookout Mobile Security also recently released its annual mobile security report and noted that toll fraud, where malware secretly contacts high-priced SMS services that slap hidden charges on your mobile bill, is currently the most prevalent type of mobile malware. But this type of activity primarily affects users in Eastern Europe and Russia, the security firm says.

Links to malicious Websites, however, are a concern for mobile device users in the United States. Around four in ten American users are likely to click on an unsafe link, according to Lookout. Malicious links can come from e-mail, social networks, or the SMS-based spam and phishing techniques that Symantec described.

If you?re an Android user, you should also be aware that your platform is the most popular target for malware creators, according to a recent report from security firm McAfee. That?s hardly a surprise given the open approach Google takes to apps on Google Play as well as the fact that Android is the largest smartphone platform in the world.

One popular trick is to create an app that looks like a more popular program such as Angry Birds and bundle that fake app with malicious software. Lookout in late 2011 uncovered just such a scam in Google Play used for SMS toll fraud; however, that scam affected users in Europe and parts of Western Asia, not North America.

Mobile security threats are apparently on the rise, and this trend is bound to grow as more people turn to using smartphones and tablets in their everyday lives. For now, however, it appears the best approach for North American users to practice mobile security is to be wary of what you download and the links that you click on.

Make sure you?re downloading genuine apps and not imitations from app stores such as Google Play or GetJar. Signs to look for in trusted apps include a large number of good user reviews written in coherent English, a link to the app developer?s website to see if the app is actively supported, and the number of users an app has.?

Beyond apps, just as on a PC, never click on a Web link purporting to be from a bank or other financial institution, especially if that link comes to you via SMS.

Mobile devices may be the next frontier for malware creators, but as with PCs, the best defense is to use common sense and be on your guard for incoming scams via e-mail, social networks, and text messages.

Connect with Ian Paul (@ianpaul) on Twitter and Google+, and with Today@PCWorld on Twitter for the latest tech news and analysis.

Article source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/262017/mobile_security_threats_rise.html

Source: http://bizappfusion.com/mobile-security-threats-rise/

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U.S. adds 96,000 jobs in August; unemployment rate drops to 8.1 percent

The nation?s pace of job creation unexpectedly slowed in August, according to government figures released Friday, raising expectations that the Federal Reserve will inject the flagging economy with its biggest stimulus initiative in two years.

Employers added just 96,000 jobs last month. And despite sitting on a pile of cash, companies said they continue to hold back on hiring in the face of fragile business conditions, slowing growth around the world and uncertain national policies.

Graphic

A detailed look at the job situation in August

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The tepid jobs recovery has spanned virtually every sector of the labor market over the past year. Manufacturing, once a bright spot, hit a bump in August and shed jobs. Construction hiring remained mired in a slump, while cash-starved state and local governments continued to slash payrolls. Just about the only sectors that added jobs were financial services and the health industry, but those gains were not enough to lift the job market from the deep hole caused by the recession.

The weak job figures posed a post-convention setback for President Obama, who argued that he is slowly getting the economy on track but needs more time. The campaign of Republican challenger Mitt Romney said the report confirms the administration?s ineffectiveness on the economy.

This year, employers have added an average of 139,000 jobs a month, below last year?s monthly average of 153,000, and just over the number needed to meet the normal expansion of the labor force.

But few things are normal in this recovery. The unemployment rate declined in August to 8.1 percent, a drop that occurred largely because 368,000 people left the labor force. The Labor Department counts only those actively seeking a job as unemployed.

The percentage of people older than 16 in the workforce reached its lowest level since 1981, according to the Labor Department. Nearly 70 percent of men were working or looking for a job ? the lowest percentage since the government began tracking the statistic in 1948.

Economists attribute the workforce decline, which accelerated with the country?s economic problems, both to an aging population and the despair engendered by an unemployment rate that has hovered above 8 percent for 43 consecutive months.

The bleak report is all but certain to spur the Federal Reserve to expand its efforts to generate faster economic growth and lower unemployment. The central bank, whose policymakers meet next week, is strongly considering pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into the mortgage market.

The Fed is likely to extend its plan to hold interest rates near zero for up to a year ? moving its guidance from 2014 to 2015, as investor expectations soar about what the U.S. central bank will do to speed up the nation?s sluggish economic recovery.

The central bank, which has not yet made any decisions, will announce what actions it is taking on Thursday after the conclusion of a two-day policymaking meeting.

The Fed signaled last month that it was nearing new action ? absent a sudden positive turn in the economy ? and Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke increased expectations further last week when he identified mass unemployment as a ?grave concern? that the central bank must forcefully address.

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=24c15cad7aa54c3bb2e2eaca6866f400

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign awarded 5-year grant from NASA

[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 7-Sep-2012
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Contact: Nicholas Vasi
nvasi@illinois.edu
217-333-0873
Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Research team to mine genomic data to infer universal aspects of the evolution of life in deep time

Champaign, Ill., September 7, 2012 The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been selected as one of five new research teams joining the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) to study the origin and evolution of life, on a five-year grant totaling approximately $8 million.

Nigel Goldenfeld, Swanlund Professor of Physics and leader of the Biocomplexity research theme at the Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB), will serve as the principal investigator. The goal is to characterize the fundamental principles governing the origin and evolution of life anywhere in the universe. This multidisciplinary effort to define and characterize "universal biology" will include the fields of microbiology, geobiology, computational chemistry, genomics, and physics.

Nigel Goldenfeld explains: "So what is universal biology? Looking at a modern computer, say a smartphone, compared to the first room-sized computers it's hard to believe they are the same machine. Yet they are all examples of universal computation. What now are the analogous general principles for living, evolving organisms? Beyond speculation, can we actually test out theories with real data? Modern genomics provide the data and tools to examine carefully the evolutionary relationships between parts of the cell. And even further, theory gives us a clear hypothesis to test: namely that early life was a commune, and indeed had to have been, based on general universal biology considerations related to the detailed structure of the genetic code."

The Illinois team will use genomics to explore deep evolutionary time, looking for signatures of early collective states of life. The group will also perform laboratory work to study in detail how individual cells sense, respond and adapt to changing environments. Lastly, the project will look for signatures of the major transitions that life must make as evolution changes character from being communal to the modern era where there are traceable individual organismal lineages. "It is important to develop the field of universal biology, because we may never find traces of life on other planets. But if we understand that life is generic, maybe even an expected outcome of the laws of physics, then we'll know for sure that we are not alone," Goldenfeld says.

Co-investigators on the research team include Elbert Branscomb, Isaac Cann, Lee DeVille, Bruce Fouke, Rod Mackie, Gary Olsen, Zan Luthey-Schulten, Charles Werth, Rachel Whitaker, and Carl Woese from Illinois, Scott Dawson from the University of California, Davis, and Philip Hastings and Susan Rosenberg from Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston.

The research will be based in the university's Institute for Genomic Biology. "This bold research program fits perfectly at the IGB, which was established to help faculty compete for the large grants that are necessary to address grand challenges with a team-based multidisciplinary approach," says Gene Robinson, Director of the IGB. "The NASA award reflects the creativity and vision of the faculty in the Biocomplexity research theme, the IGB, and the campus as a whole."

In addition to the research, novel educational activities related to the field of astrobiology will take place. These will include not only formal education in astrobiology at the undergraduate level, but also a massively online open course as part of the university's initiative in this arena. Other public outreach will include a partnership with a science program at the middle school science level, the development of short web-based videos on astrobiology concepts and findings called "AstroFlix", and a new astrobiology course for lifelong learners in the community.

Goldenfeld concludes "We want to help answer not only the basic questions of 'How does life begin and evolve?' and 'Is there life beyond Earth?' but also 'Why does life exist at all?' The NASA Astrobiology Institute is the most far-sighted attempt to address foundational questions that everyone asks at some time in their life. We are thrilled to participate with them in perhaps the most important questions in all of science."

###

About the Institute for Genomic Biology:

The Institute for Genomic Biology is dedicated to transformative research in agriculture, human health, the environment, and energy use and production, with program areas in systems biology, cellular and metabolic engineering and genome technology. The IGB's mission to advance life sciences research and stimulate bioeconomic development is fulfilled in a number of ways, including pioneering research in bioenergy, critical climate change studies and promising work in regenerative medicine, drug development and understanding cancer at the cellular level. Learn more at www.igb.illinois.edu.

About NASA Astrobiology Institute:

As part of a concerted effort to address this challenge, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration established the NASA Astrobiology Institute in 1998 as an innovative way to develop the field of astrobiology and provide a scientific framework for flight missions. NAI is a virtual, distributed organization of competitively-selected teams that integrate astrobiology research and training programs in concert with the national and international science communities. Read more at astrobiology.nasa.gov/nai/about


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 7-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Nicholas Vasi
nvasi@illinois.edu
217-333-0873
Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Research team to mine genomic data to infer universal aspects of the evolution of life in deep time

Champaign, Ill., September 7, 2012 The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been selected as one of five new research teams joining the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) to study the origin and evolution of life, on a five-year grant totaling approximately $8 million.

Nigel Goldenfeld, Swanlund Professor of Physics and leader of the Biocomplexity research theme at the Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB), will serve as the principal investigator. The goal is to characterize the fundamental principles governing the origin and evolution of life anywhere in the universe. This multidisciplinary effort to define and characterize "universal biology" will include the fields of microbiology, geobiology, computational chemistry, genomics, and physics.

Nigel Goldenfeld explains: "So what is universal biology? Looking at a modern computer, say a smartphone, compared to the first room-sized computers it's hard to believe they are the same machine. Yet they are all examples of universal computation. What now are the analogous general principles for living, evolving organisms? Beyond speculation, can we actually test out theories with real data? Modern genomics provide the data and tools to examine carefully the evolutionary relationships between parts of the cell. And even further, theory gives us a clear hypothesis to test: namely that early life was a commune, and indeed had to have been, based on general universal biology considerations related to the detailed structure of the genetic code."

The Illinois team will use genomics to explore deep evolutionary time, looking for signatures of early collective states of life. The group will also perform laboratory work to study in detail how individual cells sense, respond and adapt to changing environments. Lastly, the project will look for signatures of the major transitions that life must make as evolution changes character from being communal to the modern era where there are traceable individual organismal lineages. "It is important to develop the field of universal biology, because we may never find traces of life on other planets. But if we understand that life is generic, maybe even an expected outcome of the laws of physics, then we'll know for sure that we are not alone," Goldenfeld says.

Co-investigators on the research team include Elbert Branscomb, Isaac Cann, Lee DeVille, Bruce Fouke, Rod Mackie, Gary Olsen, Zan Luthey-Schulten, Charles Werth, Rachel Whitaker, and Carl Woese from Illinois, Scott Dawson from the University of California, Davis, and Philip Hastings and Susan Rosenberg from Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston.

The research will be based in the university's Institute for Genomic Biology. "This bold research program fits perfectly at the IGB, which was established to help faculty compete for the large grants that are necessary to address grand challenges with a team-based multidisciplinary approach," says Gene Robinson, Director of the IGB. "The NASA award reflects the creativity and vision of the faculty in the Biocomplexity research theme, the IGB, and the campus as a whole."

In addition to the research, novel educational activities related to the field of astrobiology will take place. These will include not only formal education in astrobiology at the undergraduate level, but also a massively online open course as part of the university's initiative in this arena. Other public outreach will include a partnership with a science program at the middle school science level, the development of short web-based videos on astrobiology concepts and findings called "AstroFlix", and a new astrobiology course for lifelong learners in the community.

Goldenfeld concludes "We want to help answer not only the basic questions of 'How does life begin and evolve?' and 'Is there life beyond Earth?' but also 'Why does life exist at all?' The NASA Astrobiology Institute is the most far-sighted attempt to address foundational questions that everyone asks at some time in their life. We are thrilled to participate with them in perhaps the most important questions in all of science."

###

About the Institute for Genomic Biology:

The Institute for Genomic Biology is dedicated to transformative research in agriculture, human health, the environment, and energy use and production, with program areas in systems biology, cellular and metabolic engineering and genome technology. The IGB's mission to advance life sciences research and stimulate bioeconomic development is fulfilled in a number of ways, including pioneering research in bioenergy, critical climate change studies and promising work in regenerative medicine, drug development and understanding cancer at the cellular level. Learn more at www.igb.illinois.edu.

About NASA Astrobiology Institute:

As part of a concerted effort to address this challenge, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration established the NASA Astrobiology Institute in 1998 as an innovative way to develop the field of astrobiology and provide a scientific framework for flight missions. NAI is a virtual, distributed organization of competitively-selected teams that integrate astrobiology research and training programs in concert with the national and international science communities. Read more at astrobiology.nasa.gov/nai/about


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/ifgb-uoi090712.php

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Providing Good Customer Service | Women in Consulting

[unable to retrieve full-text content]In the age of social media and online reviews, providing good customer service should be a priority for any business. Good customer service doesn't happen by accident.

Source: http://blog.womeninconsulting.org/running-a-consulting-business/providing-good-customer-service/

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Free Beauty-N-Black Health, Fitness & Beauty Expo This Sunday ...

Photo courtesy of Black BeautyShop Health Foundation

Photo courtesy of Black BeautyShop Health Foundation

Take charge of your health this Sunday with a FREE, woman only event hosted by The Black BeautyShop Health Foundation that will give you the tools to lead a healthier lifestyle.

The Black BeautyShop Health Foundation?s mission is to ?empower African American women with the knowledge and tools to choose to live healthier lifestyles.?

The Beauty N Black Health, Fitness & Beauty Expo will feature free health screenings, healthy cooking demos, makeovers, dance & exercise classes, yoga, hair demonstrations, pampering and more.

There will also be a beauty demonstration led by Dr. Susan Evans, noted skin specialist/dermatologist, to help look your best.

First 200 registered women that attend will also receive a special gift. For full event details visit www.blackbeautyshop.org.

Black BeautyShop Health Foundation Expo:

  • Sunday, September 9th, 2012
  • Carson Community Center
    801 East Carson Street
    Carson, CA 90745
  • 310.835.0212
  • Event Time: Registration begins at 10am ? Event starts at 11am ? 5pm
  • Parking ? Free
  • Fitness Activities/Health Screenings/Workshops/Shopping ? 11am ? 5pm
  • Celebrity & Beauty Panel Discussions ? 3:30 ? 5pm

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Source: http://947thewave.cbslocal.com/2012/09/06/free-beauty-n-black-health-fitness-beauty-expo-this-sunday/

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Researchers take full control of cockroach's movement, turn it into a wireless sensor

DNP Cockroaches

Built-in power supply? Check. Ability to survive anything? Check. Easy to control? Okay, anyone who's had a cockroach as an uninvited houseguest knows that's not the case. So, rather than re-inventing the biological wheel with a robotic version, North Carolina State university researchers have figured out a way to remotely control a real Madagascar hissing cockroach. They used an off-the-shelf microcontroller to tap in to the roach's antennae and abdomen, then sent commands that fooled the insect into thinking danger was near, or that an object was blocking it. That let the scientists wirelessly prod the insect into action, then guide it precisely along a curved path, as shown in the video below the break. The addition of a sensor could allow the insects to one day perform tasks, liking searching for trapped disaster victims -- something to think about the next time you put a shoe to one.

Continue reading Researchers take full control of cockroach's movement, turn it into a wireless sensor

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Researchers take full control of cockroach's movement, turn it into a wireless sensor originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Sep 2012 11:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/hJeqmaTIUjw/

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NASCAR Purchases Panoz Motor Sports Group | Wis U.P. North

We wonder how this will change NASCAR?

NASCAR Makes Big Purchase and Plans Merger: A Fan?s Reaction
By Kristin Watt | Yahoo! Contributor Network

On Wednesday, September 5, 2012, it was announced that NASCAR had made a major deal to purchase the Panoz Motor Sports Group. Panoz Motor Sports Group is known for being the organization behind the American Le Mans Series. With this purchase, NASCAR can also now claim Road Atlanta and the lease to Sebring International Raceway in Florida. The price was revealed to be around $10 million. The American Le Mans Series featured 10 races in the 2012 season and has five different classes of competitors.

This may seem like a very strange purchase for a stock car organization. However, in 2008, NASCAR had purchased Grand-Am Road Racing. It is now hoped that the two branches of sports car racing can be combined into one single racing organization that would find far more success than each would have individually. The merger will take place after the 2013 season and the 2014 season will be the first season for the new entity. Few details have been given on what may happen so for now all fans can do is speculate on what the future might hold for the two series.

Read more at Yahoo.

Will NASCAR drivers now move to?American Le Mans Series? Does this mean more road course racing?

English: American Le Mans Series (ALMS) race a...

English: American Le Mans Series (ALMS) race at Mid Ohio in 2002 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What do you think about this?

?

American Le Mans Series, featured, Florida, Grand American Road Racing Association, NASCAR, Panoz Auto Development, Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Yahoo

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Source: http://wisupnorth.com/2012/09/nascar-purchases-panoz-motor-sports-group/

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Russia says attacking Iran would be "disastrous": Ifax

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Annapurna Pictures has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to Harmony Korine's "Spring Breakers," which follows the adventures of four young women who go wild during spring break, Annapurna announced Tuesday. Written and directed by Korine, the film stars James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine, Heather Morris and Gucci Mane. The film tells the story of four college girls as they plan to fund their spring break getaway by robbing a fast food shack. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russia-says-attacking-iran-disastrous-ifax-064755751.html

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Robo-cheetah can outrun Usain Bolt

1 hr.

The Cheetah robot from Boston Dynamics, makers of BigDog, has set a new legged-robot speed record, and actually tops out at speeds that would leave Usain Bolt behind ? barely.

We first encountered the Cheetah back in February, when it was shown running, or rather galloping, at 18 mph?? far faster than the record at the time, 13.1 mph. On?Wednesday, the robot maker published?a new video of the Cheetah breaking its own record by hitting an incredible 28.3 mph, or just a touch faster than Usain Bolt at his fastest.

Right now the robot is powered externally and is attached to a tether so it doesn't fly off the treadmill and damage the lab when it stumbles, as it does at the end of the video. Its creator says that an untethered, outdoor version will be tested early next year. They won't be challenging real cheetahs to a race just yet, though; one named Sarah at the Cincinnati Zoo recently set an world record, running at 61 mph to complete the 100-meter dash in just 5.95 seconds.

DARPA is providing the funding, perhaps hoping to create fast-moving legged robots for drone or gunnery platforms.?More information about Boston Dynamics,?whose biomimetic designs (meaning they imitate natural biological forms) have been astonishing and horrifying the Internet for years, can be found at the company's website.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/futureoftech/robo-cheetah-can-outrun-usain-bolt-981370

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