Last week, Path iPhone app users were surprised (and quite disgruntled) to learn that the innards of their address books contacts email addresses and phone numbers had been uploaded to and stored on Paths servers. After a public outcry, Path immediately amended its practice to request user permission, and deleted its records.. But the larger issue of how iOS application makers access, transmit, and store address book data from iOS devices is one that refuses to be swept under the rug. And rightfully so. This is your address book were talking about, arguably the most private of all entities. Its the digital repository of the personal and professional relationships youve amassed in your lifetime, and a simple click of a button could expose those relationships to strangers with malicious intents. Also, as many have pointed out, much of the data in your address book belongs to other people (their cell phone numbers, for instance), and has been entrusted to you with the understanding that you will keep it private. The link for this article located at VentureBeat is no longer available. . But the larger issue of how iOS application makers access, transmit, and store address book data fro. iphone, users, surprised, quite, disgruntled), learn, innards. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
Microsoft needs to start beefing up the security of its Windows Phone 7 App Marketplace. An ethical hacker provided WPCentral, a Windows Phone centric site, with a video showing proof-of-concept program that could grab any App from Marketplace and be installed for free sans any DRM security.. This proof-of-concept program, dubbed FreeMarketplace, raises an alarm against a severe security issue with the Windows Marketplace that might lead to App Piracy. Recently Microsoft's Windows Marketplace started teething with 5000 Apps as reported two days ago. WPCentral clarified that the methodology of the FreeMarketplace and the proof-of-concept program itself will NOT be released to the public. Of course it did spark a discussion about the potential piracy going en masse if this methodology is leaked to the public. The link for this article located at TechTree is no longer available. . This proof-of-concept program, dubbed FreeMarketplace, raises an alarm against a severe security iss. microsoft, needs, start, beefing, security, windows, phone, marketplace, ethical. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
Honing in on the need for more security in application development, IBM Rational is planning an enterprise-level product that features two separately acquired technologies for security testing and code scanning.. The product, which would be released later this year, would feature Rational AppScan testing capabilities, acquired when IBM bought Watchfire in 2007, and the former Ounce Labs software that checks code for security issues, said David Grant, director of security solutions at Rational, in an interview late last week. IBM bought Ounce last year. "[The combined product] brings a whole new level of accuracy to security testing," Grant said. The link for this article located at Tech World is no longer available. . Microsoft's new privacy frameworks aim to strengthen user data protection through innovative encryption methods.. Secure Development Tools, Application Security Solutions, IBM Rational Security Tools. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
Websites are as vulnerable as ever, according to a survey of Web application security professionals who test sites for security holes. The survey, conducted by researcher Jeremiah Grossman on his blogsite, polled more than 60 security pros, 63 percent who work for vendors or consultants, 23 percent for enterprises, 5 percent for government, and 10 percent for other types of organizations. These are the guys in the trenches who hammer on Websites regularly -- 53 percent said all or almost all of their job is dedicated to Web app security (versus development, general security, and incident response); 28 percent said about half; and 20 percent said "some." . Not much has changed in Web security, according to the survey respondents. The average Website's level of security has stayed the same this year as in 2005, 50 percent of the respondents said. And 28 percent said Websites are slightly more secure, and 20 percent said they are worse. Only 3 percent said they are "way more secure." According to 53 percent of the respondents, the main reason organizations conduct vulnerability assessments is to measure how secure they are (or aren't), and only 25 percent said it's for regulatory and compliance reasons. Ten percent said the organizations' customers or partners had asked them for independent validation. (See The Web App Security Gap and Review: Web Application Firewalls.) The link for this article located at Dark Reading is no longer available. . Application safety shows little progress, according to a recent poll conducted among experts regarding security threats and evaluations.. Web Application Security,Vulnerability Assessments,Security Risks,Industry Insights,Trends in Web Security. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
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