The Security Box, podcast 17: catch up, Trend Micro, apps, and more

Welcome to the security box, podcast 17. TheRSS feed is where you can go to subscribe to receive this and the regular tech show, and this link is the link to use to download the 171.56mb mp3 file. While the RSS has the majority of the show notes, due to space limitations, the books section of the show notes was left out as those notes can only be 4000 characters. There, I link to the blog, and people can find it.

Feel free to comment on any of the topics from within the following program, and enjoy!

Welcome to podcast 17 of the technology series known as the security box.

Catch up

• Michael in Tennessee makes an appearance as he was not able to make it last week. We talk about encryption, the lack there of from the government, and companies in general in the security landscape.We are not pointing our fingers at any one company, but mainly an open discussion.

Topics:

• A subset of apps were targeted in an article that indicates that 76 percent of them have at least one vulnerability or bug. The goal is not to write perfect software, but software that can be fixed within a reasonable time frame. Different types of terms are used within this article, none of which I’m too familiar with, but the article I found quite interesting. It came from the folks at help net security. 76% of applications have at least one security flaw is the article, let us discuss.
• Trend Micro has a program for free called House Call which is accessible. This was actually talked about this past Thursday with Andy and Josh. In the article Trend Micro HouseCall for Home Networks Trend Micro talks about what they’ve done with the program and how it can benefit you.
• URL tracking systems like add words and add cents by Google can be abused just like the URL shorteners before it. How URL Tracking Systems are Abused for Phishing comes from Phishlabs, and its well worth the read. This should probably be talked about, because sites use these services including blindness related sites. Do you think it is time to move away from the services in the name of security?

News Notes and more

• In some good news, we’ve definitely got some. Two Charged in SIM Swapping, Vishing Scams is the article penned by Mr. Krebs. Maybe this is a start to something, only time will tell what happens.

There may be more news that I didn’t cover here or on the podcast of the box, let me know what you want covered.

Books as part of segment 1

There are two different books that are available on BARD, one in audio form, one in braille digital form. It may be available elsewhere, but we want you to have these available if you want, talking about privacy in various ways. While I was told to read 1984, the title itself didn’t strike me as exciting as the book Privacy and Technology in the Digital Age. We’ll find full descriptions of both books, and remember to check the blog under NCSAM for other titles I’ve read.

The following books come from The National Library Service as part of the Library of Congress. The books may also be available elsewhere, and you need to search them out.

• 1984: a novel DB73474
  Orwell, George; Pynchon, Thomas; Fromm, Erich. Reading time: 13 hours, 56 minutes.
  Read by Andy Pyle. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.
  Literature
  Satire about an alternate London under a totalitarian regime overseen by the omnipresent Big Brother. Winston Smith, a Ministry of Truth bureaucrat, attempts
  an intellectual rebellion against the Party while he pursues an illicit romance. His actions lead to his imprisonment, torture, and reeducation by the
  Thought Police. 1949.
• The digital person :: technology and privacy in the information age BR16095
  Solove, Daniel J. 3 volumes. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.
  Science and Technology
  Computers
  Legal Issues
  Law professor examines the proliferation of databases that store information on individuals’ activities, interests, and preferences assembled through computers
  and the Internet. Examines privacy and legal concerns including identity theft, the debate over public records, and the use of government access to profile
  people for criminal or terrorist activity. 2004.

Thanks for listening, and enjoy the program!