Security News

Micropayments company Coil distributes new privacy policy with email that puts users' addresses in the ‘To:’ field
2020-11-17 04:58

The Register has read it and can report that while it reveals that Coil seeks permission to share users' details with service providers, partners, and "Related entities". We cannot find a clause that resembles: "We reserve the right to expose your email address to countless other Coil users in the 'To:' field of an email."

Austria Privacy NGO Takes on Apple Over 'Tracking Code'
2020-11-16 19:16

An Austrian online privacy NGO said on Monday it was lodging complaints against Apple in two countries over the use of a code on its phones that allows tracking of user behavior. The NOYB group said it was filing complaints with data protection authorities in Germany and Spain over Apple's use of a so-called IDFA which NOYB says are used on phones "Without user's knowledge or consent".

Privacy Activists in EU File Complaints Over iPhone Tracking
2020-11-16 11:43

European privacy activists have filed complaints against Apple over its use of software to track the behavior of iPhone users. NOYB says the iOS operating system creates unique codes for each iPhone that allow Apple and other third parties to "Identify users across applications and even connect online and mobile behaviour."

Immuta and Starburst help orgs automate data governance, access control, and privacy management
2020-11-16 00:30

Featuring a new, native integration with Starburst, Immuta's Automated Data Governance platform enables data engineering and DataOps teams to automatically detect sensitive data, write and enforce fine-grained access control policies, and provide an active data catalog of Starburst Presto and other cloud services. "Starburst is a natural partner for Immuta. Both companies are focused on helping data-driven organizations maximize the value of data across complex data platforms and architectures by not just separating data storage from compute, but also separating compute and access control," said Chris Devaney, Vice President, Alliances with Immuta.

“Privacy Nutrition Labels” in Apple’s App Store
2020-11-12 12:22

Apple allows data disclosure to be optional if all of the following conditions apply: if it's not used for tracking, advertising or marketing; if it's not shared with a data broker; if collection is infrequent, unrelated to the app's primary function, and optional; and if the user chooses to provide the data in conjunction with clear disclosure, the user's name or account name is prominently displayed with the submission. Developers must disclose the use of contact information, health and financial data, location data, user content, browsing history, search history, identifiers, usage data, diagnostics, and more.

Holiday gifts getting smarter, but creepier when it comes to privacy and security
2020-11-12 04:30

A Hamilton Beach Smart Coffee Maker that could eavesdrop, an Amazon Halo fitness tracker that measures the tone of your voice, and a robot-building kit that puts your kid's privacy at risk are among the 37 creepiest holiday gifts of 2020 according to Mozilla. The guide includes a "Best Of" category, which singles out products that get privacy and security right, while a "Privacy Not Included" warning icon alerts consumers when a product has especially problematic privacy practices.

Apple to Deliver ‘Privacy Labels’ for Apps, Revealing Data-Sharing Details
2020-11-10 17:12

After years of complaints about over-permissioned apps that collect, use and share private user information, Apple will be making developer privacy policies more transparent for consumers. Starting Dec. 8, iOS and macOS developers will be required to provide detailed information about how their apps collect information, which data they collect and what it will be used for, according to an Apple post on its developer support page.

Tim Berners-Lee asks everyone to do new biz a Solid and let him have another crack at fixing the Web's privacy
2020-11-10 07:55

Inventor of the world wide web, Tim Berners-Lee, is having another crack at fixing the internet's biggest problems with the launch of a new enterprise server. The Inrupt Enterprise Solid Server is the first product from a company the inventor started two years ago in response to the problem of personal data online, where tech giants like Facebook and Google build vast databases on user's profiles and sell them to advertisers to make massive profits.

Tim Berners-Lee asks everyone to do new biz a Solid and let him have another crack at fixing the Web's privacy
2020-11-10 07:55

Inventor of the world wide web, Tim Berners-Lee, is having another crack at fixing the internet's biggest problems with the launch of a new enterprise server. The Inrupt Enterprise Solid Server is the first product from a company the inventor started two years ago in response to the problem of personal data online, where tech giants like Facebook and Google build vast databases on user's profiles and sell them to advertisers to make massive profits.

California voters back new data privacy law beefing up CCPA
2020-11-05 22:24

SEE: TechRepublic Premium editorial calendar: IT policies, checklists, toolkits, and research for download. The proposition has ardent supporters and detractors on both sides of the online privacy debate, with some saying it was needed to fill loopholes in the landmark California Consumer Privacy Act and others bashing it for not going far enough or reinforcing dangerous practices. Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, added in another statement that said "Prop 24 enshrines Californians' privacy rights and safeguards them from legislative assault, adds groundbreaking new protections for sensitive information like our race, sexual orientation and location, and creates a European-style privacy agency to protect our rights."