Crimeware

Research in applied security, from mobile malware detection to improved user interfaces.

by Markus Jakobsson

Dr. Markus Jakobsson is a leading voice in advising on advancements in understanding phishing, crimeware and mobile security. He specializes in research around applied security, ranging from mobile malware detection to improved user interfaces. He is Principal Scientist at PayPal, and CTO/co-founder of FatSkunk, a San Diego based mobile malware startup. Dr. Jakobsson has authored numerous books and more than 100 peer-reviewed conference and journal articles. In 2012, he released two books: The Death of the Internet and Mobile Authentication: Problems and Solutions. He holds more than 50 patents and more than 100 pending patents.

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What is worse than reusing passwords?

Posted Aug 12, 2008 - 09:22 pm

Think your password resets are secure? Think again. The city you grew up in and your mother's maiden name can be derived from public records. Facebook might unwittingly tell the name of your best friend. And, until quite recently, Ford with its 25% market share had a pretty good chance of being the brand of your first car!
fraud, password
When friendly 'from' names become enemies

Posted Sep 05, 2013 - 11:55 am

How friendly email from names, smartphones, and social media create a perfect opportunity for social engineering scams.
fraud, Mobile Security
Better law enforcement -- always good for us?

Posted Jul 22, 2008 - 10:47 am

If law enforcement improves, we will all be safer. Right? Well actually, maybe not.
crimeware, data mining
Can you tell a good URL from a bad one?

Posted Jul 29, 2008 - 01:58 pm

Look at these three URLs: www.accountonline.com, www.democratic-party.us, www.wachovia.pin-update.com. Can you tell which (if any) correspond to legitimate service providers? Do you think the average Internet user can tell, too?
crimeware, deceit
Forty-one million stolen credit cards is just the beginning

Posted Aug 07, 2008 - 12:55 pm

Federal prosecutors have charged 11 people with stealing 41 million credit cards, obtained by wardriving. The criminals drove around and scanned wireless networks for vulnerabilities, then installed sniffers that stole credit card information. Was this kind of attack inevitable? I believe it was. And we have more coming.
epidemic, pharming
Free iPhones -- then what?

Posted Jul 16, 2008 - 05:15 pm

Is free a good thing? Maybe not. Let's consider the impact on Internet security of heavily discounted smartphones. It could be quite a disaster.
crimeware, free
Google knows who you are

Posted Aug 05, 2008 - 10:47 am

Search engines and ISPs know who you are and where you've been. Phishers and advertisers do too. But can the average Joe learn this about you? Yes -- for good and bad.
advertising, browser
Google Tech talk on Password Reset

Posted Aug 15, 2008 - 12:35 am

In a recent post, I described the problems with password reset, and how current password reset questions can be attacked. Watch my recent Google Tech talk on this subject...
Google, password
How Herbert Thompson stole his friend's identity

Posted Aug 22, 2008 - 01:27 pm

This is a great account of how easy it is to break into people's accounts.
data mining, gmail
How to build a better password: Be less predictable

Posted Sep 20, 2013 - 11:36 am

When users are forced to include both upper case and lower case, as well as numerals and special characters, what do they do? They meet those requirements in the ways that are easiest for them to remember. But there is a better way.
passwords, secure passwords

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Keep your old Facebook posts out of search with this one settings change

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