National Cyber Security By Gregory Evans

Criminals continue to explore new avenues to lure victims, most recently by claiming to be a US military contractor, who was performing reconstruction work in Libya. Fraudsters sent unsolicited e-mails claiming that several metal boxes were found in cellars of high-rise buildings built and occupied by Muammar Gaddafi. Each box purportedly contained large sums of money, in addition to guns, armor, bullets, and drugs. The e-mails requested the recipient’s assistance with transferring the money out of Libya. Head’s up, Washington, D.C. — according to a list compiled by online security provider Norton and research firm Sperling’s BestPlaces, the U.S. capital has the highest number of cybercrime risk factors in the nation. Seattle, San Francisco, Atlanta and Boston round-out the top-five riskiest places. Also check out the job of the day!!!!

Unlocking a phone is not illegal, but unlocking a phone which is under contract is a breach of contract and is subject to legal action. With cyber criminals exploring the smart phones market, the business of installing top paid apps for free on mobiles is flourishing in the market. Huge billboards around the City lure customers by offering top paid apps which they will install on their smart phones for free. Apps piracy also comes under software piracy and it is illegal as per Indian Cyber Laws. Good news Seattle. It is no longer  the city at highest risk for cybercrime.  This year, the city is  No. 2, behind Washington, D.C., on the "Riskiest online cities" list from Sperling's BestPlaces and Norton. Also, check out the job of the day!!!!

FORREST B. SMITH, age 77, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt to crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten. Specifically, SMITH pleaded guilty to possessing images depicting the sexual exploitation and victimization of children. Warning of “cyber mayhem” sweeping the country, leaders of the Senate Homeland Security, Intelligence, and Commerce committees on Tuesday introduced long-expected legislation designed to streamline government efforts to combat cyberthreats. Also check out the job of the day!!!

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement created a cybercrime task force to keep up with crimes committed online. Louisiana city employees and potential outside sources will be examined in an FBI investigation into possible cyber crimes that have been committed with a computer(s) in the water distribution office. Also check out the job of the day!!!

Prosecutors say Internet crime is on the rise. These cases are difficult to investigate and very time consuming for law enforcement, but there are steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim.   The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) said that the new 'e-crime' centres had been established in Yorkshire and the Humber, the Northwest and in the East Midlands. The new units will assist the Police Central E-crime Unit (PceU) which is operated by the Metropolitan Police in London. And check out the job of the day!!!!

The U.S. is trying to dabble in policing the Internet again, but in a vastly different way. Meet S.1469 or the International Cybercrime Reporting and Cooperation Act. Over a period of several weeks, the Computer Crimes and Forensics Investigations Unit of the Alamance County Sheriff's Office has been conducting a number of cyber crime investigations.  Following an extensive investigation a number of individuals have been charged in three separate series of events. The charges are related to three juvenile victims. Amid the flurry of cybercrime news that dominated headlines last year, from rampaging hacktivists and cyberspies to rising sabotage threats to infrastructure control systems – there was something else: the cybercops on the beat did a better job, too. Also check out the job of the day!!!!

The former owner of a pair of Illinois-based technology companies has been sentenced to 2.5 years in federal prison for her role in a scheme to bribe school officials to land federal contracts for providing Internet service in several states. An associate of Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom was released from custody on bail in New Zealand on Thursday, as the NZ $4.3 million (U.S. $3.6 million) home of his former boss was seized.  The FBI is seeking to extradite the two men, along with Dotcom, 38, and Mathias Ortmann, 40, to the United States after the closure of their Hong Kong-based online file-sharing website Megaupload on January 19. Also check out the job of the day!!!

Last month hackers took control of passenger rail lines in the Northwest, disrupting signals twice and creating delays. Businesses list the threats they are most concerned about in 2012; leading the list: unplanned IT and telecom outages, data breaches, and adverse weather. Also check out the job of the day!!

The Senate was able to approve on Tuesday morning the long-delayed Cybercrime bill whose latest amended version proposes the creation of new government offices. According to the FBI and the Department of Justice, cyber-crime is on the rise among American businesses, and it is costing them dearly. Cyber-crime includes a myriad of devious criminal practices designed to breach a company's computer security. Also check out the job of the day!!!

The Syrian Cabinet approved on Tuesday a bill on organizing internet communication and combating cybercrime. Three North Carolina teens are accused of not only hacking another teen's Facebook page but also posting derogatory messages and an obscene image on it.   Also check out the job of the day!!!

The two-pronged email smear campaign that targeted former U.S. Speaker Newt Gingrich on the eve of South Carolina’s pivotal “First in the South” presidential primary was a “big, highly-sophisticated” undertaking, according to one of the law enforcement professionals currently investigating the cyber crime. From compromised machines to mass email lists for spamming, electronically-transferring funds out of bank accounts to phishing attacks—India’s 100 million internet users have become prime targets for hackers across the globe. Also check out the job of the day!!!

A Computer Programmer has been arrested over the theft of $10m worth of proprietary software code from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. While the rest of the world was making resolutions and sleeping off a night of partying, a South African cybercrime gang rang in the New Year by stealing more than $5 million from a government bank. Also check out the job of the day!!!

To combat the growing problem of cyber crime, Google has decided to take matters into its own hands. Yesterday in the US, it started Good to Know, a consumer education campaign the internet giant is hoping will make the web a safer place. A suspected Russian cyber-crook has arrived in the US to face charges of security fraud, computer hacking and ID theft following his deportation from Switzerland. Also check out the job of the day!!

SignatureLink, Inc. announced today that the company has entered into an agreement with ThreatMetrix, Inc. SignatureLink will integrate ThreatMetrix's Cybercrime Defender Platform with SignatureLink's online "friendly fraud" technology giving merchants and the entire online payment community the ability to address 100% of online payment fraud. Also check out the job of the day!!

One of the world’s leading software protection companies is calling on multinational organizations to be more vigilant – and proactive – about the increasing risk of becoming victims of cyber crime.   Also check out the job of the day!!

Recent research by information management company Iron Mountain reveals that 20 per cent of businesses across Europe view the risk of employee theft as the most serious threat to information security. They see the risk as greater to the business than IT failure, cybercrime or natural disaster. Also check out the job of the day!!

Texas-based global security consultancy Stratfor said Wednesday that it was re-launching its online operations, after hackers stole credit card numbers and personal information off its site in December.  What's good for Facebook and its employees could be very good for California's treasury.  If the Palo Alto company goes public this year, as many have speculated, the state stands to reap hundreds of millions of dollars in capital gains taxes from Facebook investors and employees profiting from stock sales. That could bring a much-needed windfall to a state government facing a $9.2 billion deficit. Also check out the job of the day!!

Stephen Elop gave an impassioned speech on Monday about waging a war to re-enter the United States by establishing a beachhead here.  Elop, a Canadian with a military general's vocabulary and haircut, is the chief executive for Nokia. The Finnish company is the highest-volume cell phone manufacturer worldwide, but has struggled in the U.S. and in staying ahead of the technological curve. Plus Google is getting way more personal.  They will add new features to make the search engine easier to use and safer everytime you log on. Also check out the job of the day!!

Several Saudi citizens have warned against the potential threat posed by foreign workers who dominate the Kingdom’s mobile phone and computer shops. Some of these workers are involved in cyber crimes and blackmail women customers. Also check out the job of the day!!

A scientist has come up with a revolutionary new technology that protects confidentiality and authenticity, seamlessly and simultaneously. It could fight of cyber criminals. Banks are also looking at new ways to protect themselves from cyber crime.   Also check out the job of the day.