Web security software firm warns of more sophisticated Internet threats…Shell shuts down oil production at three platforms after mobs in Nigeria seize facilities…Union president, politicians rally to support striking Houston janitors…
The recent 2006 Semi-Annual Web Security Trends Report from Websense warns of more sophisticated cyber-extortion and other Internet threats. Websense produces security and filtering productivity software. Dan Hubbard, the company’s Vice President of Security Research, says cyber threats can also affect telephones.
“Yeah, you know, one of the interesting aspects about the report this time is this is the first time we’ve seen some attacks which have used combinations of Web sites, e-mail and voice-enabled devices, whether they’re mobile phones through SMS or whether they’re simply, you know, voice-over-IP attacks, which, you know, ask the end-user to call a phone number or call the end-user on a phone number which is controlled by a computer in order to get information from them.”
Most e-mail users are familiar with offers that appear too good to be true.
“You know, there is no Nigerian princess that has a fortune that is waiting to, you know, she’s waiting to get the money out of the country. Definitely there’s a lot of things that the people are falling for that they shouldn’t. However, there are also a lot of other, you know, sophisticated attacks, that, you know, even the most, you know, intelligent user can fall for.”
Hubbard says the Websense report finds a 100 percent increase in Web sites designed to install keyloggers, screen scrapers and other forms of crimeware on the computers of Web surfers.
Shell shut down oil production at three platforms today after mobs of angry villagers in Nigeria stormed and seized the facilities. A spokesman says the three pumping stations were invaded by mobs who accused the oil giant of failing to meet the terms of an agreement to provide them with development assistance. No word on how much oil has been cut off. Violent unrest and attacks by armed militants in Nigeria’s oil region have cut more than a quarter of the country’s oil exports since the beginning of this year.
The president of the 1.8 million member Service Employees International Union is being joined this hour by politicians on the picket line outside 1100 Louisiana to support Houston janitors on strike. Andrew Stern is being joined at the strike rally by Congressman Gene Green and State Representatives Garnet Coleman, Ana Hernandez, Dora Olivo, County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia and Houston City councilmember Adrian Garcia. Contract talks for more than 5,300 janitors ended last Tuesday with Houston’s five largest cleaning companies, as workers seek pay and benefit improvements. Janitors also plan a “March for Justice” at Grady Park in the Galleria area on Saturday afternoon with elected, faith and community leaders.
A Houston federal judge has acquitted William Fuhs of fraud and conspiracy charges since the recent 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently tossed out the conviction because of insufficient evidence. Nearly two years ago a jury convicted Fuhs, three other Merril Lynch executives and a former Enron finance executive for their roles in a sham sale of assets in late 1999 so Enron could appear to have met earnings targets. Fuhs is one of four former Merrill Lynch executives whose Enron-related charges were thrown out by the appeals panel. The government is considering whether to retry the other three or to appeal the 5th Circuit’s ruling. All four began serving prison terms in 2005, ranging from 2? to nearly four years.
A former Greenwich NatWest banker accused of fraud related to an Enron partnership has paid the rest of his bond one day before the deadline. David Bermingham and former colleagues Giles Darby and Gary Mulgrew are charged with bilking the bank out of millions of dollars from the sale of the Enron partnership. The three are freed on $1 million bond each.