India’s Biometrics Raise Privacy Fears; Malware Slams Major Media Websites

Posted March 16th, 2016 at 12:32 pm (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Today’s Tech Sightings:

FILE - Village women stand in a queue to get themselves enrolled for the Unique Identification (UID) database system at Merta district in the desert Indian state of Rajasthan. The Indian government has been using the UID database, known as Aadhaar, to make direct cash transfers to the poor.

FILE – Village women stand in a queue to get themselves enrolled for the Unique Identification (UID) database system at Merta district in the desert Indian state of Rajasthan. The Indian government has been using the UID database, known as Aadhaar, to make direct cash transfers to the poor.

India’s Billion-member Biometric Database Raises Privacy Fears

Biometrics might prove to be one solution to cybersecurity intrusions, but it is a cause for concern, particularly in India. Citing national security interests, the country’s parliament is getting ready to pass a bill that would give government agencies access to the world’s largest biometrics database. The move has alarmed privacy advocates, especially as it comes on the heels of the government’s recent crackdown on student protests.

Advertising-based Cyberattacks Hit BBC, New York Times, MSN

Malicious online advertisements, or malvertisements, hit several major entities on Sunday, including the BBC, Newsweek, The New York Times and MSN. The attack targeted users’ computers, either infecting them with malware or encrypting their files with ransomware. The campaign is related to the Angler Exploit Kit, according to security firm Trend Micro.

Apple: US Founding Fathers ‘Would Be Appalled’ With Request to Unlock iPhone

The showdown continues between Apple and the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) over a government request to unlock the iPhone of a mass shooter. The proceedings are also seen as a crucial contest between privacy and security. In the latest development, Apple CEO Tim Cook blasted the DoJ, saying its court filing arguing that Apple should comply violates the U.S. Constitution.

More:

Aida Akl
Aida Akl is a journalist working on VOA's English Webdesk. She has written on a wide range of topics, although her more recent contributions have focused on technology. She has covered both domestic and international events since the mid-1980s as a VOA reporter and international broadcaster.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *