Samsung has fixed a security flaw in its smart televisions in response to an investigation into privacy and security standards in these TVs.
Consumer Reports reported in February it had found that millions of TVs from Samsung, as well as those from brands that use the Roku TV platform, could be controlled by hackers using easy-to-find security flaws.
The problems were discovered during a Consumer Reports-led privacy and security evaluation of five smart TV brands.
Facebook announced Friday that earlier this week, "attackers exploited a vulnerability in Facebook’s code that impacted ‘View As,’” a feature that lets people see what their own profile looks like to someone else. This allowed them to steal Facebook access tokens which they could then use to take over people’s accounts."
Ed Mierzwinski, the senior director of U.S. PIRG's consumer program, said:
Early reports of yet another big breach, this one where hackers apparently exploited Facebook vulnerabilities to expose the data of 50 million users, are very troubling. It's yet another warning that Congress must not enact any national data security or data breach legislation that weakens current state privacy laws, preempts the rights of states to pass new laws that protect their consumers better, or denies their attorneys general rights to investigate violations of or enforce those laws.
Uber settled charges Wednesday it concealed a 2016 data breach in violation of notification laws. The settlement, which was reached with 50 states and the District of Columbia, requires Uber to adopt data breach notification and data security practices and have its data security reviewed by an outside company. Uber also is required to pay a record $148 million penalty.
“New Yorkers deserve to know that their personal information will be protected – period,” said New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood. “This record settlement should send a clear message: we have zero tolerance for those who skirt the law and leave consumer and employee information vulnerable to exploitation.”
In November 2016, hackers based in the United States and Canada secretly informed security officials at Uber that they’d downloaded the personal information of 57 million riders and drivers, 25 million in the United States and 7.7 million drivers. The information stolen included names, email addresses, and mobile phone numbers; drivers’ license information on about 600,000 drivers nationwide was also stolen. After providing proof of the massive data breach, the hackers demanded “six figures” to delete the data and not disclose the breach. Uber paid the hackers $100,000 to conceal the breach.
Twenty-nine attorneys general filed comments with the Federal Trade Commission on the significant role state attorneys general play in consumer protection, and asked the FTC to include states in the discussion as the agency holds public hearings on “Competition and Consumer Protection in the 21st Century.”
In June, the FTC announced it would offer public hearings “on whether broad-based changes in the economy, evolving business practices, new technologies, or international developments might require adjustments to competition and consumer protection enforcement law, enforcement priorities, and policy.” The FTC asked comments by August 20.
“State Attorneys General are a critical line of defense, protecting consumers against the kinds of unfair and deceptive practices that are far too prevalent,” said New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood. “At a time when consumers’ privacy, data, and security are often treated as commodities rather than sensitive information, this role is more vital than ever.”
It’s still summer, and I’m enjoying its bounties with warm weather, family visits, garden produce, longer days, and nice summer fruits and drinks.
Meanwhile, our boomer bloggers continue to write great articles. Here are their submissions for The Best of Boomer Blogs #560.
Self-worth
Last week, Sue Loncaric from Sizzling Towards 60 and Beyond asked her readers to rate their self-worth. Loncaric received many comments from readers who, like her, struggle with appreciating and valuing themselves as unique and special. This week, she’s sharing her ideas on five easy ways to help you start appreciating yourself and start thriving.
Control
Laura Lee Carter of the Adventures of the New Old Farts has been having lots of trouble this summer. After being evacuated for a wildfire near her home in southern Colorado in July, she now has no Internet access from home. In fact, she feels like she isn't controlling very much of anything anymore...
Social media
Tom Sightings of Sightings Over Sixty read a book this week that focuses on the threats to our current democracy. It made him wonder in his post “On My Mind” whether social media has done anything except make our problems worse . . . or if there's a better way.
The afterlife
There's nothing as mysterious as what happens after this life. Because Carol Cassara is a metaphysical worker, she's often asked to recommend reading about afterlife matters, especially by boomers. At A Healing Spirit's blog, she offers some of what she considers the best reading about afterlife matters. And if you'd like your heart touched, read her piece on the wisdom of dogs.
Observations
Sometimes ordinary days produce unexpected experiences. Such is the case with Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting. One morning she decided to wear a new T-shirt and was surprised by the interest people took in her apparel. She describes the episode in “A Picture Is Worth What?”
Rebecca Olkowski with BabyBoomster.com spent the afternoon at The Getty Center in Los Angeles for a friend’s 60th birthday party. The birthday girl organized a scavenger hunt which was a fun way to see some of the exhibits. Not all the 60-plus year old guests were up to the task, but they had fun.
Enjoy the articles. And, be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.
Finding a new job can be a challenge. Websites can help you find work, but scammers also use these sites to find people to rip off.
Do you look for work on caregiver/nanny job sites? Sometimes scammers will offer a job but say you need to buy supplies or other equipment, said Carol Kando-Pineda, attorney for the Federal Trade Commission’s Division of Consumer and Business Education. They pressure you to act quickly, before you have time to think. They send you a check and tell you to deposit it and transfer money to their vendor to buy the supplies.
Don’t do it — scammers post fake job listings for nannies and caregivers, then make up elaborate stories to get your money, Kando-Pineda said. The positions seem real, but they’re not — it’s a scam. The check will bounce. So, the money you sent is actually your own — and it’s gone.
Continue reading "Watch out for online nanny and caregiving job scams" »
Twenty-one attorneys general urged congressional leaders Monday to improve American cybersecurity and protect the integrity of the upcoming 2018 midterm election and elections to come, against cyberattacks and infiltrations such as the ones committed by Russia in 2016.
Investigations have made clear that Russian hackers targeted the American electoral system, stole the private information of hundreds of thousands of people, and infiltrated a company that supplies voting software across the nation, said New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood.
“No matter how much President Trump waffles, the facts are clear: Russia interfered with our 2016 elections,” said Underwood. “It's high time that Congress act to prevent the next attack – because our democracy depends on it.”
It’s July already, and Wednesday we’ll be celebrating the 242nd Independence Day in the United States.
Democracy is so important to this country, and since President Donald Trump was elected in 2016, our democracy has been under attack. Each day Trump and his cronies seem to come out with some new way to tromp on consumers and the environment.
Despite these challenges, baby boomer bloggers are keeping keeping on. They’re writing about the pros and cons of apartment living in retirement, how to make decisions that let you keep growing, the difficulties working with an internet service provider, how to change ourselves, and jewelry for the private parts.
Sue Loncaric of Sizzling Towards 60 and Beyond reports on these articles for the Best of Boomer Blogs 553.
I hope you have enjoyed this week’s edition of our boomer writings. Don’t forget to leave us a comment and also share the love.
On Wednesday evening, something happened to my Comcast internet connection. I was just starting to upload thousands of photos into iCloud which hadn’t been uploaded since early this year for some reason.
It was about bedtime, so I was hoping that when I woke up Thursday, it would be working. No such luck.
About 11 a.m., I noticed that my Comcast telephone wasn’t working either. Darn, darn, darn.
I called Comcast. An agent tried to reset my modem, telling me to wait 10 minutes to see if it worked. However, nothing happened.
Continue reading "Comcast continues its poor customer service" »