Tag: answers | SpinSafe

Y0ur P@ssw0rd S*cks: Hacker Answers Security Questions

December 12, 2023/in Internet Security

Y0ur P@ssw0rd S*cks is a bi-weekly column that answers the most pressing internet security questions web_crawlr readers have to make sure they can navigate the ‘net safely. If you want to get this column a day before we publish it, subscribe to web_crawlr, where you’ll get the daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.

You may know crimew as the hacktivist who discovered the TSA No Fly List on an unsecured server earlier this year, as exclusively reported by the Daily Dot. The discovery even spawned an internet meme, but that’s a story for another day.

We asked crimew three questions that are most commonly asked by those interested in the world of hacking.

First things first, what exactly is a hacker? It may seem like a silly question. While many people associate the term with criminal activity, hacker is a very broad term. Although the context of this conversation will center around computer hackers, a hacker doesn’t even have to be someone who focuses on electronic devices.

As crimew puts it: “A hacker is anyone who finds creative solutions to problems.”

So, what one piece of advice would a skilled hacker give to help everyday users stay safe online from nefarious actors? It’s much simpler than you’d think.

There’s a popular belief that criminal hackers are spending most of their time breaking into individual people’s social media accounts, leading to worry among many. But in reality, most hacks are done at scale. Criminal hackers steal passwords, credit card numbers, and health data from large databases, for example.

One of the best moves you can make, crimew says, is to keep all your software updated. Sometimes you’re worried that an update will introduce a new feature you aren’t excited about. We get it. But applying all your updates, especially those for your web browsers and operating systems, will help keep you from randomly getting hacked.

Also make sure to check out web_crawlr’s other security tips, which cover a wide array of topics related to everyday life in the digital age.

Now, an answer to the question you have almost certainly asked at some point: “Why haven’t…

Source…

NYT Crossword Answers for July 13, 2023

July 13, 2023/in Internet Security

56A. Be careful with the clue “Self-.” It may seem like a prefix looking for a suffix, but the clue is not a fill-in-the-blank. The answer is AUTO, a synonym of the prefix “Self-.”

3D. I read “Noted coal provider” and my first thought was, Do I actually know any noted mining companies? And therein lies the misdirection. Mr. Huynh was referring to SANTA and the gift given to “bad” children in their Christmas stockings.

Constructor Notes

The inspiration for this theme was this puzzle by Andrew J. Ries.

The PARADOX wordplay was fun, so I tried to see if a puzzle could work with various other PARA- items. I submitted a 21×21 query to another publication with the PARA- formulations as mini-revealers cross-referencing theme answers:

PARADIGMS = PA(TEN)(T EN)GINEERING

PARABLES = V(OX) POPULI V(OX) DEI

PARALYZE = IN DRI(BS) AND DRA(BS)

PARAKEETS = (JOHN)SON AND (JOHN)SON

The idea was rightfully rejected, but I tried different angles and landed on the successive rebuses you see here.

In this case, the gimmick is the puzzle. If this gimmick doesn’t give you enjoyment or eludes you, then you probably will not like the puzzle.

For those constructors keeping track, this puzzle was submitted on Jan. 15, 2022, and accepted on April 7, 2022. The editing team kept 32 clues as written, slightly revised 12 clues and changed 32 clues. All revised and changed clues were, in my opinion, improvements.

I also want to acknowledge David Steinberg and Amanda Rafkin at Universal Crossword, who worked with me when I first started submitting crosswords for publication. Their extremely helpful feedback was so instrumental in my progress as a constructor. Thank you to them both!

Want to Submit Crosswords to The New York Times?

The New York Times Crossword has an open submission system, and you can submit your puzzles online.

Note: Submissions are temporarily closed. They will reopen on July 17. The puzzle editors will review already submitted puzzles during that period, so you may still hear from them while submissions are closed.

For tips on how to get started, read our series “How to Make a Crossword Puzzle.”

The Tipping Point

Almost finished solving but need a bit more help? We’ve got you covered.

Source…

Answers and accountability are needed in Suffolk cyber hack

June 3, 2023/in Computer Security

Imagine someone broke into your house, shut down your essential devices, tapped into all your personal records, and then held them hostage until you paid an exorbitant amount of money to stop this criminal act.

When done over the internet, it’s known as ransomware. And increasingly, American municipalities have fallen victim to this outrageous act of cybercrime, including Suffolk County’s official website and those of some Long Island school districts.

But in Suffolk, nine months after its computer systems were broken into, some vexing questions remain: How long will it take to get bottom-line answers to the root causes of this attack? And who is really to blame?

Certainly, there were plenty of warnings. In March 2022, the FBI alerted local governments like Suffolk that they were particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks which could cause huge disruptions to computer operations, endanger health and public safety, and cost millions to fix. Citing examples around the nation, the FBI recommended against paying ransom demands, and urged municipalities to follow several detailed steps to upgrade their software defenses to prevent future attacks. Because the public relies on open municipal websites for vital services, they are “attractive targets for cyber criminals,” said the agency.

DEVASTATING ATTACK

Nevertheless, Suffolk suffered a devastating cyberattack in September, with hackers demanding $2.5 million in ransom that the county refused to pay. The county’s main website and related services were shut down for nearly six months. Both the FBI and the Suffolk district attorney continue to investigate this attack by cyber thieves who are still unknown to the public.

In its wake, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone blamed the computer breach primarily on the county clerk’s IT director, Peter Schlussler, and put him on paid leave in December. At a cost of $6 million, Bellone hired experts for restoration and recovery of the county’s computer system. In the meantime, the county legislature tapped Richard Donaghue, a former top U.S. Justice Department official, to help conduct its own review of circumstances surrounding the attack.

Now Suffolk’s cyber saga takes a new…

Source…