Zack Whittaker
TechCrunch
New York, NY, United States
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Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
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Recent articles by Zack:
Microsoft says it will fix an Internet Explorer security bug under active attack
Microsoft is "aware of limited targeted attacks," but a patch is not yet available. → Read More
The US government should stop demanding tech companies compromise on encryption
In a tweet late Tuesday, President Trump criticized Apple for refusing “to unlock phones used by killers, drug dealers and other violent criminal elements.” Trump was specifically referring to a locked iPhone that belonged to a Saudi airman who killed three U.S sailors in an attack on a Florida base in December. It’s only the latest […] → Read More
Buttigieg’s CISO resigns, leaving no known cybersecurity chiefs among the 2020 candidates –
Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has lost his campaign’s chief information security officer, citing “differences” with the campaign over its security practices. Mick Baccio, who served under the former South Bend mayor’s campaign for the White House, left his position earlier this month. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news. TechCrunch also confirmed Baccio’s resignation, […] → Read More
Google finally brings its security key feature to iPhones –
More than half a year after Google said Android phones could be used as a security key, the feature is coming to iPhones. Google said it’ll bring the feature to iPhones in an effort to give at-risk users, like journalist and politicians, access to additional account and security safeguards, effectively removing the need to use […] → Read More
Cloudflare is giving away its security tools to US political campaigns –
Network security giant Cloudflare said it will provide its free security tools and services to U.S. political campaigns, as part of its efforts to secure upcoming elections against cyberattacks and election interference. The company said its new Cloudflare for Campaigns offering will include distributed denial-of-service attack mitigation, load balancing for campaign websites, a website… → Read More
Microsoft and NSA say a security bug affects millions of Windows 10 computers
Microsoft has released a security patch for a dangerous vulnerability affecting hundreds of millions of computers running Windows 10. The vulnerability is found in a decades-old Windows cryptographic component, known as CryptoAPI. The component has a range of functions, one of which allows developers to digitally sign their software, proving that the software has not […] → Read More
Amazon fires employees for leaking customer email addresses and phone numbers –
Amazon has fired a number of employees after they shared customer email address and phone numbers with a third-party “in violation of our policies.” The email to customers sent Friday afternoon, seen by TechCrunch, said an employee was “terminated” for sharing the data, and that the company is supporting law enforcement in their prosecution. Amazon […] → Read More
A billion medical images are exposed online, as doctors ignore warnings
Despite warnings from security researchers, the number of exposed images has risen. → Read More
Mozilla says a new Firefox security bug is under active attack
Mozilla has warned Firefox users to update their browser to the latest version after security researchers found a vulnerability that hackers were actively exploiting in “targeted attacks” against users. The vulnerability, found by Chinese security company Qihoo 360, was found in Firefox’s just-in-time compiler. The compiler is tasked with speeding up performance of JavaScript to […] → Read More
As ransomware gets craftier, companies must start thinking creatively –
Some say ransomware is in decline. Others say it’s getting craftier. File-encrypting malware, known as ransomware, infects vulnerable computers and scrambles its files, inviting victims to return access to their data once they pay a ransom. Ransomware remains one of the most popular types of malware and is said to be a multi-billion dollar — albeit […] → Read More
Homeland Security warns businesses to brace for Iranian cyberattacks
Homeland Security is warning U.S. companies to "consider and assess" the possible impacts and threat of a cyberattack on their businesses following heightened tensions with Iran. It's the first official guidance published by the government's dedicated cyber advisory unit, the Cybersecurity → Read More
2019 was a hot mess for cybersecurity, but 2020 shows promise –
It’s no secret that I hate predictions — not least because the security field changes rapidly, making it difficult to know what’s next. But given what we know about the past year, we can make some best-guesses at what’s to come. Ransomware will get worse, and local governments will feel the heat File-encrypting malware that […] → Read More
Travelex suspends services after malware attack –
Travelex, a major international foreign currency exchange, has confirmed it has suspended some services after it was hit by malware on December 31. The London-based company, which operates more than 1,500 stores globally, said it took systems offline “as a precautionary measure in order to protect data” and to stop the spread of the malware. […] → Read More
Here’s where California residents can stop companies selling their data
An updating list of links lets state residents easily opt-out of companies selling their data. → Read More
A Twitter app bug was used to match 17 million phone numbers to user accounts
The researcher matched 17 million phone numbers using the Android app's contact upload feature. → Read More
No, Spotify, you shouldn’t have sent mysterious USB drives to journalists –
Last week, Spotify sent a number of USB drives to reporters with a note: “Play me.” It’s not uncommon for reporters to receive USB drives in the post. Companies distribute USB drives all the time, including at tech conferences, often containing promotional materials or large files, such as videos that would otherwise be difficult to […] → Read More
Plenty of Fish app was leaking users’ hidden names and postal codes
In some cases the researcher found enough information to identify where a particular user lived. → Read More
Healthcare startup Lyfebin exposed medical images
The unprotected storage bucket contained X-rays, ultrasounds, and other medical imagery. → Read More
Over 1,500 Ring passwords have been found on the dark web
More than 1,500 Ring account passwords exposed, but Ring denies a breach. → Read More
Osano, a risk and compliance startup, raises $5M in Series A –
Risk and compliance startup Osano, which earlier this year debuted on the Battlefield stage at TechCrunch Disrupt SF, has raised $5.4 million in its Series A round. The company told TechCrunch that the round was led by LiveOak Venture Partners and Next Coast Ventures, both of which invested in the company’s seed round. Its Series […] → Read More