Sprint decides to remove Carrier IQ from users’ devices

There are many features on the cell phones that users pay for, and don’t need but in return, affect their privacy because the providers use it without their consent to gather important information they probably share with the federal intelligence. The carrier IQ software incorporated to the Sprint phones is tracking software capable to record every call, every keystroke the user is typing, every text message the user is sending or receiving. Now Sprint has decided to remove Carrier IQ from all devices through a maintenance release process that will be done over-the-air software update process. The reason advanced for this removal is that Sprint is no longer used the tool. The providers, Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile have claimed using the information collected by the software to quell ongoing concerns. Now Carrier IQ reached a level that U.S government members have asked the House of Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Fred Upton to open an investigation. That is on example of how your own money can cause you a big trouble.

                                              

Nuclear Plan Safety Test details lost

A data breach caused from a lost of an USB memory that carries the stress-test which is not very sensitive become fearful for the simple reason that the USB is not encrypted. The lost of the data is not troublesome because the report of the stress-test would have been made public after the completion, but the violation of the policy of the company is the most important. According to the policy of the company, the USB has to be encrypted but it was not the case. It has been always said that most of the threats come from inside than outside. If the policy has been respected, this incident can be avoided. But the takeaway of this is that, the policy needs to be enforced, so the official must assume the responsibility. The use of EasyLock creates a hidden and encrypted area on the USB flash drive.

                                        

Chocking news

Symantec agrees today to pay $ 50,000 to hackers that claim detaining the source code of some its security products used on the Internet. Sam Thomas, a high ranked Symantec employee is negotiating the deal with Yamatough, one of the hacker to prevent the release of PCAnywhere and Norton Antivirus code. Now, Symantec is looking for proof of deletion of the source code by the hackers after payment. Then Sam Thomas is proposing $2,500 for first three months and after the destruction of the code, Symantec will disburse the balance. The hackers pretend to be part of “Anonymous” group. Symantec has already contacted law enforcement to raise the question of a theft of an intellectual property. As the investigation is still on the way, Symantec is trying to prevent hacker for a catastrophic disclosure of the code. Symantec and hackers cannot agree on a common way of payment and hackers are treating to release the source code to the public.