Joel Wallenstrom Contributor Joel Wallenstrom is president and chief executive of Wickr, a secure communications company. Before Wickr, Joel co-founded iSEC Partners, one of the world’s leading information security research teams, later acquired by NCC Group, and served as Director for Strategic Alliances at @stake, one of the very first computer security companies in the […]
View More What business leaders can learn from Jeff Bezos’ leaked textsCategory: Ron Wyden
Despite promises to stop, US cell carriers are still selling your real-time phone location data
Last year, four of the largest U.S. cell carriers were caught selling and sending real-time location data of their customers to shady companies that sold it on to big spenders, who would use the data to track anyone “within seconds” for whatever reason they wanted. At first, a little-known company LocationSmart was obtaining (and leaking) […]
View More Despite promises to stop, US cell carriers are still selling your real-time phone location dataUsing Facebook’s latest privacy stumble, lawmakers push for strong FTC oversight
Lawmakers are again unhappy with Facebook after the latest big story again portraying Facebook’s failure to protect the private data of its users. Yesterday, the New York Times reported that the company had special relationships with a handful of major tech companies, including Amazon, Microsoft and Spotify. The report alleges that Facebook allowed those partners forms […]
View More Using Facebook’s latest privacy stumble, lawmakers push for strong FTC oversightState Department confirms data breach exposed employee data
The State Department has confirmed a data breach affecting an unknown number of employees. A spokesperson told TechCrunch that the breach affected “less than 1 percent” of unclassified employee inboxes. “We have not detected activity of concern in the Department’s classified email system.” “We determined that certain employee personally identifiable information may have been exposed […]
View More State Department confirms data breach exposed employee dataJustice Department’s threat to social media giants is wrong
Never has it been so clear that the attorneys charged with enforcing the laws of the country have a complete disregard for the very laws they’re meant to enforce. As executives of Twitter and Facebook took to the floor of the Senate to testify about their companies’ response to international meddling into U.S. elections and […]
View More Justice Department’s threat to social media giants is wrongStingray cell phone surveillance devices may interfere with 911 calls, senator says
A senator has confirmed that the use of cell site simulators for conducting real-time surveillance on cell phones may interfere with 911 calls. In a letter to the attorney general, Sen. Ron Wyden said that devices, widely known as “stingrays,” can jam cell phones from sending or receiving phone calls and text messages, which may limit […]
View More Stingray cell phone surveillance devices may interfere with 911 calls, senator saysTall Poppy aims to make online harassment protection an employee benefit
For the nearly 20% percent of Americans who experience severe online harassment, there’s a new company launching in the latest batch of Y Combinator called Tall Poppy that’s giving them the tools to fight back. Co-founded by Leigh Honeywell and Logan Dean, Tall Poppy grew out of the work that Honeywell, a security specialist, had […]
View More Tall Poppy aims to make online harassment protection an employee benefitRussian indictments show that the U.S. needs federal oversight of election security
Adam Eichen Contributor Share on Twitter Adam Eichen is the author of Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning, and Connection for the America We Want. He is also an Advisor to EqualCitizens.US Phoebe Wong Contributor Share on Twitter Phoebe Wong is executive director of EqualCitizens.US, a democracy reform non profit based in Washington DC. She was […]
View More Russian indictments show that the U.S. needs federal oversight of election securityTinder bolsters its security to ward off hacks and blackmail
This week, Tinder responded to a letter from Oregon Senator Ron Wyden calling for the company to seal up security loopholes in its app that could lead to blackmail and other privacy incursions. In a letter to Sen. Wyden, Match Group General Counsel Jared Sine describes recent changes to the app, noting that as of […]
View More Tinder bolsters its security to ward off hacks and blackmailSenator warns Facebook better shape up or get ‘broken up’
In the run-up to Mark Zuckerberg’s first appearance before Congress, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden issued a warning to the company about what it can expect from lawmakers if it doesn’t radically alter course. “Mr. Zuckerberg is going to have a couple of very unpleasant days before Congress next week and that’s the place to start,” […]
View More Senator warns Facebook better shape up or get ‘broken up’Senator calls on Tinder to fix a security flaw that lets randos snoop through your dates
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is nervous about Tinder. He may not be swiping on the service this Valentine’s Day, but with a new letter demanding that Tinder resolve some security issues, Wyden is looking out for everyone who is. Last month, a security report surfaced what it deemed “disturbing vulnerabilities” in the dating app. Wyden’s letter cites the research, demanding… Read More
Voting machine makers explain what they do (and don’t do) to make sure no one hacks the vote
As the House and Senate continue to examine the wave of disinformation around the 2016 presidential election, concerns around the security of voting systems examine something even more germane to the U.S. democratic system. Read More
View More Voting machine makers explain what they do (and don’t do) to make sure no one hacks the vote