The Week in Security
May 11, 2012 11:53 AM
Bounty
Google is now offering up to $20,000 as a reward to researchers who find and report significant security holes in its websites, services and apps. It used to offer a maximum reward of $3,133. The rewards help it fix flaws that could allow someone to use its sites to distribute malware. (Image: ThinkStock)
Apple Gets Patched
Apple's latest software update fixes a security flaw that could have exposed some users' passwords in plain text. A concurrent update for its Safari Web browser removes older (and presumably less secure) versions of the Adobe Flash plug-in. (Image: ThinkStock)
Bitcoin's Bad Side
The digital currency Bitcoin behaves like cash; transactions using Bitcoin are anonymous and irreversible. The FBI is concerned that these qualities are attracting money launderers and other criminals to use Bitcoin. At least one website uses Bitcoin to accept payments for illegal narcotics.
Not My Type
Security software from BehavioSec allows banks to recognize the typing, clicking and touchscreen habits of individual customers. If someone with a different typing style, for example, accesses a user's account, it could be a sign of fraud . (Image: ThinkStock)
'Not Typical'
A suspect in Canada is alleged to have posed as a Mountie to try to steal an ATM from a convenience store. RCMP Const. Tracy Wolbeck told the Chilliwack Times that such behavior "is not typical of a police officer. We wouldn't come in and attempt to remove an ATM machine." (Image: ThinkStock)
Guard Duty
Higher Standard
The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council plans to address what it calls "a major problem area ": botched installations of security software. It plans a training and certification process that it says could reduce data breaches by closing security gaps. (Image: ThinkStock)
In Time
U.S. merchants and issuers should not delay their adoption of the secure EMV chip-card standard, since the technology often takes longer than expected to deploy. Experts from Canada, which began the switch to EMV much earlier, said that anyone who does not start by early next year will be "already lagging." (Image: ThinkStock)
