Consumer Security
Social
Facebook sued over alleged scanning of users' private messages
Jessica Guynn, Karen Gullo Facebook is being sued over allegations it monitors private messages to gather even more information on its users and share the data with advertisers.
Security
Was your Snapchat account hacked? Use this tool to find out
Anita Li Two developers have created a tool that helps Snapchat users check if their accounts have been hacked.
Tech
Most Australians want Google to stop giving data to US spy agencies
Philip Dorling Most Australians are opposed to Google handing over Australian data to US spy agencies and want greater privacy protection after the revelations of American intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden. There is also strong support for greater government regulation to force the company to pay more tax in Australia.
Comment
Why I cover my iPhone and laptop camera and why you should too
BEN GRUBB Ever feel like you're being watched through the web cameras of your multiple devices? I did and found plenty of comfort in sticky tape.
Privacy
Researchers activate Apple iSight webcams without warning light
Ashkan Soltani, Timothy B. Lee If a laptop has a built-in camera, then someone can access it to spy on the user at any time, and the user would never know.
Security
Online shoppers: before you click that ad, read this
Dali Kaafar While online shopping has become less problematic over time as online security becomes stronger, there is another, lesser-known way to fall foul of hackers: malicious advertising.
Security
Game teaches risks of personal data exposure
Sim Sim Wissgott Sexual orientation, private debt, medical records, even your favourite ice cream flavour: do you know much of this personal information is out there and available for sale?
Security
Cryptolocker warning: Malware extortion virus attacks on rise
Natalie O'Brien It has a name like a B-grade horror film and computer experts say the latest virus attacking Australian computers is one of the most vicious they have ever seen.
Security
Rise in government requests for Google data
Brian Womack Number of Aussie government requests for user data jumped 10 percent to 645 in the first half of 2013.
Security
Internet users manage up to 50 online passwords
SARAH WHYTE Australians are using up to 50 online passwords and creating false identities in a bid to maintain their privacy in the virtual world.
Tech
Love scams sending $7m a month to west Africa
LUCY BATTERSBY One in five internet users aged over 50 have been victims of online fraud, in part because older Australians are more likely than teenagers to chat to strangers online, post personal contact information or get caught up in love scams.
Mobiles
iPhones add features to foil thieves
Dana Hull The theft of iPhones and iPads is so widespread it's known as "Apple picking".
The 20 most popular passwords stolen in Adobe hack
Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai The three most popular passwords among Adobe users, whose account details were stolen by hackers, are: "123456", "123456789", and "password".
Security
Smartphone buyers beware: don't trust all .com.au domains
Liam Tung Some Australian online shops may not be all they seem, as several scam .com.au sites have been shut down.
Cyber security
What hackers can discover about you is 'chilling'
A journalist who challenged a team of hackers to find out as much information about him as possible has described their findings as "chilling" after they were able to access all of his bank accounts and crack all of his passwords.
Privacy
How to remain anonymous online
ADAM TURNER Someone, somewhere is always watching your activity online.
Security
Forget the NSA, that spy may be your spouse
Jordan Robertson It's not just the NSA, many ordinary people are also using sophisticated software to eavesdrop on the communications of their lovers, children and business rivals.
Apps
SnapHack app lets users save Snapchat photos without notifying sender
Salvador Rodriguez Want to save Snapchat pictures and videos without the sender finding out? There's an app for that.
Spam
Huge rise in phishing spam on text messages
Brad Howarth Mobile messaging has become so ingrained in our lives that few of us think twice about opening a text message.
Privacy
Few cheers for ID scanning at pubs
SEAN NICHOLLS The hotels lobby has seized on the findings of a survey on privacy that found an overwhelming majority of Australians believe it is ''not acceptable'' to be forced to have their identification scanned to enter a licensed venue.
Privacy
Gmail extension aims to drown NSA in nonsense
Ryan Gallagher An US university graduate is combating the NSA's massive surveillance infrastructure ... with nonsense.
The Edge
Malware: blame the maestro
BLEEDING EDGE We've become familiar over the years with the workings of Blame Theory induced disasters.
Privacy
Data 'could end up with crooks'
SEAN NICHOLLS The personal information of customers whose identification is scanned at Kings Cross nightclubs could end up in the hands of criminals with ties to the venues, privacy advocates are warning.
Privacy
Australians more concerned about privacy than ever before
Sarah Whyte and Ben Grubb Australians are more concerned about their privacy than ever before, quickly abandoning companies they believe abuse their information.
Security
PC viruses: don't give in to the hijackers
Dave Thompson Sneaky hijack-ware won't be detected, prevented or removed by your anti-virus software.
Tech
China pays 2 million people to monitor web: report
China is employing two million people to keep tabs on people's internet use, according to state media, in a rare glimpse into the secret world of Beijing's vast online surveillance operation.
Security
Microsoft hands user data to Aussie government
Paddy Wood Microsoft handed Australian government agents personal information about more than a thousand users in the first half of 2013, a transparency report reveals.
Tech
Social media spam increased 355% this year
Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai Spam has risen 355 per cent on the typical social media account in the first half of 2013.
Privacy
Control how you're tracked online
David Auerbach Four simple steps to control the wide-scale tracking of your internet activity.
Security
Hackers 'crack' Apple's fingerprint scanner
Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai Just days after Apple made the iPhone 5S available to the public, a group of hackers claimed that they had already cracked the phone's Touch ID fingerprint scanner.
