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Checklist 40: Apple’s Hacker History

Ransomware, malware, DDoS attacks… Those are the kinds of things we tend to think of when someone says the work “hacker” today. That’s not what the word used to mean, though. We’re doing a bit of hacker history on today’s checklist, looking at Apple’s hacker roots and how that led to the ever growing Apple ecosystem.

Hacker Gains Access to iPhone 5 Secure Enclave Key, Opens Door for More Research

While the iPhone’s fingerprint scanner and its associated TouchID functionality provide a wealth of convenience to users, it also brings some unique security challenges. Biometric data is one of the most personally identifiable and irreplaceable types of information out there. While someone who steals your fingerprint data may not be able to unlock many doors right now, that doesn’t mean it will always be the case. As a result, Apple put serious effort into developing a method for securely handling the verification of fingerprint data. The result was the …

Hacker breaches water treatment plant in Florida, tampers with chemical safety settings

Last week, someone breached the computer system of a water treatment plant in Florida. According to public officials, the hacker tampered with critical safety settings, making changes that could have released toxic chemicals into the water supply.

The Oldsmar water treatment plant hack

The incident occured in the city of Oldsmar, Florida, a small municipality (pop. 14,000) just outside of Tampa. According to a press release issued by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, an unidentified hacker accessed the City of Oldsmar’s computer system twice on February 5.

The first intrusion was brief, and …

Checklist 64: Safely Shopping for Technology This Holiday Season

The holiday shopping season has arrived again — and with this episode, we’re turning our attention to some security issues specific to this time of year. With Christmas coming up, you might be looking at all kinds of electronic gadgets for your friends and family. From tech-based toys to Internet of Things products, retailers have more web-connected devices available for us every year.

While it’s certainly a fun time of year, opening some of these gifts during the holidays could also mean opening up your loved ones to a …