A more secure Wi-Fi: The Wi-Fi Alliance has released the new WPA2 standard for WiFi that’s designed to mitigate several long-standing security problems. Among the fixes: The new standard mandates stronger WiFi passwords, Wired.com reports. The new standard also will include 192-bit encryption. The alliance also published the new WiFi Easy Connect protocol, designed for IoT devices that have limited or no display, says SlashGear.
Wait for us, says email: The Electronic Frontier Foundation, one of the organizations behind the HTTPS-encryption initiative Let’s Encrypt, has launched an email server encryption project called STARTTLS Everywhere. The project is designed to help admins run more secure email servers, Engadget reports.
AI targets fraud: Insurers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence technologies to root out fraud, Fast Company says. AI can help pick out inconsistencies and unusual patterns to identify “sophisticated rings of fraudsters rigging auto accidents” and people exaggerating the worth of their damaged property.
AI also examines eruptions: Scientists at the Earth-Life Science Institute in Tokyo are using AI to help predict the types of eruptions coming from volcanos, says Phys.org. By examining tiny particles of volcanic ash, the AI is predicting the types of eruptions coming from the volcano, which aids in mitigation efforts.
Botnets for cheap: Hackers are selling a $50 piece of malware that promises to allow buyers to build their own botnets, which they can then sell for fun and profit, SC Magazine reports. The Kardon malware appears to be a rebrand of the ZeroCool botnet, which has been rarely spotted in the wild. The authors of the malware also appear to be exaggerating its features. Shocker.
The coming cyberwar? Ukraine is concerned about a potential cyberattack coming from Russia, Reuters reports. Hackers from Russia are targeting Ukrainian companies with malicious software to create “back doors” for what appears to be a huge, coordinated attack, Ukraine’s cyber police chief says.
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