|
|
|
|
| SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY |
|
|
|
Be
warned: Your computer may be stealing your money Learning
new language stimulates brain growth Prof Yash
Pal This
Universe Trends Stonehenge scan shows importance of the
solstice |
|
|
Be warned: Your computer may be stealing your money ALMOST a third of all fraudulent banking transactions now originate from the customer’s own computer, as cyber criminals use increasingly sophisticated malware to hijack accounts, online security specialists warned yesterday. To combat the ever-present threat of online crime, financial institutions across Europe have developed multiple security mechanisms such as encrypted card readers and complex security questions when customers log on to their accounts. But experts are warning that the latest software used by criminals to steal money from people’s accounts is becoming so clever that it fools the bank into thinking that they are making a legitimate online transaction. Cyber-security experts have described the latest remote administration tools used to hijack people’s computers —often referred to by hackers as “rats” — as “blood chilling” in their complexity and efficiency. Analysts this week illustrated how the latest malware could infect an unwitting person’s computer and quickly persuade the user to send over vital security data such as log-on details and passwords. The example they used came from a Russian hacker who was recently arrested with more than £140,000 in his house. Using the latest Trojan viruses, hackers infect a computer and communicate with their victims by pretending to be their bank, asking them for personal data which then enables them to log into their accounts and move money around. Until recently, less sophisticated malware meant that those hackers who had gained enough log-in data would still have to try to access a stolen account from a computer that was not the customer’s, which often alerts a bank’s alarm systems and prompts further security questions. Now the latest software allows the hacker to remotely access an infected computer’s bank account from the customer’s own machine without them knowing. “This is a new combination and very alarming from a cyber-security perspective,” Uri Rivner, head of cyber strategy at BioCatch, said. “We are starting to see this more and more. When I talk to banks in Europe, about 30 per cent of the fraud is coming from (customer) computers, which explains the risk.” An executive at a Dutch bank confirmed that such attacks are becoming increasingly commonplace. “This is happening at the moment,” he said. “This is the main concern for the banking sector right now.” The increasing sophistication of malware is a constant headache for banking groups, which want to keep customers’ money safe but easily accessible. The latest kind of attack was just one of many new developments in the hacking world that were being discussed at the RSA Conference in central London, one of the largest global annual gatherings of information security specialists. Many of those at the conference accused privacy campaigners of hindering the cyber-security industry’s ability to protect against new threats because data-protection laws often stopped large-scale sharing of information. — The Independent
|
|||
|
Learning new language stimulates brain growth LEARNING new languages is a good way to keep the brain in shape and could encourage your brain to grow, shows a study. A group of researchers had an almost unique opportunity to observe what happens to the brain when we learn a new language in a short period of time. Young recruits at the Swedish Armed Forces Interpreter Academy pick up a new language very fast, 13 months to be exact. Those with a flair for languages learn to speak fluently in Arabic, Russian or Dari within 13 months. From morning to evening, weekdays and weekends, the recruits study at a pace unlike on any other language course. As a control group, researchers used medicine and cognitive science students at Umea University — students who also study hard, but not languages. Both groups were given MRI scans before and after a three-month period of intensive study. While the brain structure of the control group (not learning a new language) remained unchanged, specific parts of the brain of the language students grew, according to an Umea statement. The parts that developed in size were the hippocampus, a deep-lying brain structure that is involved in learning new material and spatial navigation, and three areas in the cerebral cortex. “We were surprised that different parts of the brain developed to different degrees depending on how well the students performed and how much effort they had had to put in to keep up with the course,” said Johan Martensson, researcher in psychology at Lund University, Sweden. Students with greater growth in the hippocampus and areas of the cerebral cortex related to language learning (superior temporal gyrus) had better language skills than the other students. In students who had to put more effort into their learning, greater growth was seen in an area of the motor region of the cerebral cortex (middle frontal gyrus). The areas of the brain in which the changes take place are thus linked to how easy one finds it to learn a language and development varies according to performance. Previous research from other groups has indicated that Alzheimer’s disease has a later onset in bilingual or multilingual groups. “Even if we cannot compare three months of intensive language study with a lifetime of being bilingual, there is a lot to suggest that learning languages is a good way to keep the brain in shape,” said Martensson. — IANS
|
|||
|
This
Universe I do not think Mars is an active, or even passive, producer of cosmic rays. Perhaps the rumour is connected with extraordinary powers ascribed to Mars in astrological parlance. Why do you get misled by astrological stories? Readers can e-mail questions to Prof Yash Pal at palyash.pal@gmail.com
|
|||
|
Trends BEIJING: China, which has yet to put a person on the moon, aims to land probes on the more distant Mars to collect samples by 2030, the chief scientist of its lunar orbiter project said in remarks reported on Wednesday. China’s ambition to reach Mars is a reflection of its growing economic might, allowing it to develop its space exploration capability. Stonehenge scan shows importance of the solstice LONDON: A cutting-edge laser scan of Stonehenge has shown how Britain’s enigmatic neolithic monument was built to enhance the dramatic passage of sunlight through the circle of stones at midsummer and midwinter. The slabs were intended to appear at their best in the dawn light on the longest day of the year and at sunset on the shortest, the scan for English Heritage found. — Reuters |
Cyber-security
experts sound alarm over growing prevalence of sophisticated malware
I