Ever wonder what clickjacking or VPNs are all about? We’ve got the security definitions for you in Avira’s Wordbook.
The post The right word for IT is in the Avira Wordbook appeared first on Avira Blog.
Tag Archives: Technology
UPDATE: Augmented Malware with Pokémon Go
The slow global rollout of Pokémon Go is causing some fans to jump over download restrictions – and potentially straight into the arms of malware writers.
The post UPDATE: Augmented Malware with Pokémon Go appeared first on Avira Blog.
How to know if your Instagram got hacked & more
“Has my Instagram account been hacked?” is a question you’re likely to not ask until after the fact.
The post How to know if your Instagram got hacked & more appeared first on Avira Blog.
Think Your Fingerprint Sensor is Impervious to Criminals? Think Again.
To swipe or to press? Your fingerprint is the new key that unlocks digital life. Fingerprint recognition is an increasingly popular security barrier that can be found in all sorts of high-end devices that are currently on the market. It’s fast and easy, and can be used as an alternative or a complement to those hard-to-remember passwords.
But can we depend on fingerprint recognition as a trustworthy protection mechanism? These little sensors, usually circular and flat, are very convenient. With a swipe or press of your finger, and you’re in. But the disadvantages of using fingerprint recognition are much higher. Yes, the main benefit to this kind of security barrier is that the biometrics used belong to a person and cannot be modified, except for in the case of surgery or accident, making them unique and impossible to recreate. Or can they be copied?
If you have seen police drama television shows, you have already passed criminology 101. Our fingerprints are left on everything we touch. Since the surface of the sensor itself is used to record the fingerprint, your smartphone could be easily compromised by anyone with access to the device and your fingerprints (which could remain on any of the many objects that pass through your fingers on a daily basis).
Fingerprints are left on everything we touch.
Unlike passwords which can only be saved on computers and devices that we use, fingerprints can be stored everywhere and on everything, making them public domain. It has been demonstrated how it is possible to make high quality copies of fingerprints using different techniques, which means that it is very much possible to create copies with the fingerprint in order to impersonate the user.
If this is true, why do we continue to use fingerprint recognition to protect the devices and services we use every day? In comparison to passwords, fingerprint scanners have many obvious benefits: a fingerprint is unique, you always have it with you, you can’t forget it, and it is easy to record it with a sensor, among other things.
Despite all of the foreseeable disadvantages, biometric recognition techniques like fingerprint sensors will continue to be the most widely used security method (and of course, they will be used hand-in-hand with classic passwords, or something similar). Clearly, double security barriers remain in our future.
The post Think Your Fingerprint Sensor is Impervious to Criminals? Think Again. appeared first on Panda Security Mediacenter.
Hacking Android with Mr. Goodwrench
Forget the image of a hacker in a dark cave. Think about a mechanic with a well equipped toolbox intent on ‘fixing’ your WiFi.
The post Hacking Android with Mr. Goodwrench appeared first on Avira Blog.
Avira now scans your QR Codes
Quick Response Codes – better known as QR-Codes – are liked by marketing and users alike and have been increasingly popular during the past couple year. You can see them on advertising posters, in magazines, online, and on the packaging of everyday products.
The post Avira now scans your QR Codes appeared first on Avira Blog.
Bounty time for bugs at Avira
The field is open for bug hunters
The post Bounty time for bugs at Avira appeared first on Avira Blog.
Somebody hacked my coffee!
It’s just not going to be a great day when someone hacks your morning cappuccino.
The post Somebody hacked my coffee! appeared first on Avira Blog.
Desperate browser game housewives
Adult women are now the largest single demographic group in gaming according to a study released by the Entertainment Software Association.
The post Desperate browser game housewives appeared first on Avira Blog.
Avira Browser Security – A small tool for the browser, a big step in browser security
If you installed our Avira Antivirus, you might have already seen it: Our Avira Browser Security or ABS for short. But do you actually know what it’s for, what it does, and why you might want to install it if you haven’t already?
The post Avira Browser Security – A small tool for the browser, a big step in browser security appeared first on Avira Blog.