Senator Urges FTC Probe Into Microsoft After Ascension Ransomware Attack

US Senator Ron Wyden urges the FTC to investigate Microsoft after its software contributed to a major ransomware…...

FCC Fines Major U.S. Wireless Carriers for Selling Customer Location Data

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission FCC today levied fines totaling nearly $200 million against the four major carriers -- including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon -- for illegally sharing access to customers location information without consent. The fines mark the culmination of a mor...

IRS: Selfies Now Optional, Biometric Data to Be Deleted

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service IRS said Monday that taxpayers are no longer required to provide facial scans to create an account online at irs.gov. In lieu of providing biometric data, taxpayers can now opt for a live video interview with ID.me, the privately-held Virginia company that runs t...

FCC Proposes to Fine Wireless Carriers $200M for Selling Customer Location Data

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission FCC today proposed fines of more than $200 million against the nation's four largest wireless carriers for selling access to their customers' location information without taking adequate precautions to prevent unauthorized access to that data. While the...

Sen. Wyden Urges Government Ban on Adobe Flash

Citing security concerns, Sen. Ron Wyden is urging the government to create a plan to transition away from Adobe Flash before the vendor stops supporting it in 2020. To that end, the Oregon Democrat delivered a formal request to the National Security Agency and the National Institute of Standards...

U.S. Supreme Court Bolsters Mobile-Phone Privacy Rights

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a decision that bolsters digital privacy rights of cellphone users. In a 5-4 vote, the court ruled law enforcement needs a warrant to obtain mobile phone tower records that can reveal a user’s location over time. The ruling was made on Friday in a case involving...

New Rules Announced for Border Inspection of Electronic Devices

The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol announced new restrictions on when agents can copy data from digital devices at border crossing points. Agents now need “reasonable suspicion” in advance of searches of phones, computers, tablets, cameras or any other digital device belonging to people entering ...