A Review of the Best News of the Week on AI, IoT, & Mobile Security
CISA Releases 5G Security Guidelines (Dark Reading:, Aug 24 2020)
The new document defines lines of effort for developing security for the growing 5G network.
Malicious iOS SDK breaches user privacy for millions (Help Net Security, Aug 24 2020)
Researchers discovered a malicious functionality within the iOS MintegralAdSDK (aka SourMint), distributed by Chinese company Mintegral.
How COVID-19 pushed companies towards a mobile security strategy (SC Media, Aug 24 2020)
At the start of 2020, many organizations were already focused on protecting their mobile employees – whether they were business travelers or the occasional employee working from home. COVID-19 changed the game. Entire workforces have been forced to work remotely. Many had already made the transition to only using smartphones and tablets for work. Others…
Filter Out the Noise
Since I started this curated newsletter in June 2017, I’ve clipped ~16,000 articles and narrowed them down into the best 20 per day & best 15 per week. This is my favorite way to cut through all the security marketing and hype. If you’re enjoying it, tell a friend. If you hate it, tell an enemy.
Thanks! – Lucas Samaras
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Using AI to fight hand-crafted Business Email Compromise (Naked Security – Sophos, Aug 21 2020)
Using natural language models to identify Business Email Compromise (BEC)
This Guy is Suing the Patent Office for Deciding an AI Can’t Invent Things (VICE US – Motherboard, Aug 24 2020)
The USPTO rejected two patents applications written by a “creativity engine” named DABUS. Now a lawsuit raises fundamental questions about what it means to be creative.
AI system for high precision recognition of hand gestures (ScienceDaily – Artificial Intelligence, Aug 13 2020)
Scientists have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system that recognises hand gestures by combining skin-like electronics with computer vision.
New Vulnerability Threatens IoT Devices (Infosecurity Magazine, Aug 19 2020)
Vulnerability in Thales component could endanger millions of IoT devices
Smart-Lock Hacks Point to Larger IoT Problems (Dark Reading, Aug 21 2020)
Two recent reports on smart-locks vulnerabilities show that IoT vendors have a bigger job to do in ensuring their products are safely deployed and configured.
The evolution of IoT asset tracking devices (Help Net Security, Aug 24 2020)
Asset tracking is one of the highest growth application segments for the Internet of Things (IoT). According to a report by ABI Research, asset tracking device shipments will see a 51% year-on-year device shipment growth rate through 2024.
Know the threats to mobile security (Help Net Security, Aug 21 2020)
In order to offer that seamless, omnichannel experience consumers crave, financial institutions have to understand the malicious actors and fraudulent tactics they are up against. Here are a few that have to be on the mobile banking channel’s radar.
Phone Hack Traumatizes Neighbours Actress (Infosecurity Magazine, Aug 20 2020)
Olympia Valance suffers “traumatizing” phone hack that exposed her private images
TikTok Ramps Up Defense Against US Accusations (SecurityWeek, Aug 18 2020)
TikTok has stepped up its defense against US accusations that the popular video app is a national security threat, denouncing what it called “rumors and misinformation” about its links to the Chinese government.
Airplane mode and prepaid SIMs: some Israelis dodge COVID-19 tracking (trust.org, Aug 23 2020)
Some Israelis, fearing a quarantine order after unwittingly being near a coronavirus carrier, are rendering themselves untraceable while in public by switching their cellphones to “airplane mode” or using prepaid “burner” SIM cards instead.
Huawei Role in UK 5G Network Set to Be Removed (Dark Reading:, Aug 24 2020)
The Digital Secretary for the UK, Oliver Dowden, has told the House of Commons that Huawei is set to be stripped of its role in the county’s 5G network due to security concerns.
TikTok Says to Sue Over Trump Crackdown (SecurityWeek, Aug 24 2020)
Video app TikTok said Saturday it will challenge in court a Trump administration crackdown on the popular Chinese-owned platform, which Washington accuses of being a national security threat.