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All is a-twitter at the micro blogger as hacks continue to occur of high-profile accounts. In April, hackers broke into and tweeted from the accounts of CBS, NPR, and the Associated Press, posting messages that the US government was “in bed”  with terrorists, and that there had been a (fake) explosion at the White House.

“That one bogus AP tweet caused the Dow Jones Industrial Average to drop 1 percent almost immediately, highlighting just how much people trust Twitter as a breaking news resource," VentureBeat points out.

A group called the Syrian Electronic Army took credit for the hacks, but the potential for other copycats is so great, Twitter is urging companies not to share passwords in emails or over the Internet and to limit the number of people with access to the their Twitter account. The company is even advising publishers to designate one computer exclusively for tweeting. Additionally, publications are advised to use two-factor authentication on email addresses, use strong passwords and store passwords on LastPass or 1Password.Continue reading...

As with any device that ups the ante on usage and reach, added security risks and vulnerability come hand-in-hand—and in this case, fashion issues as well.

Google has been busy hyping Google Glass, as it unleashes the futuristic specs on developers and journalists to test drive. It released a tutorial video this week, demonstrating how the glasses work. 

But as developers pour over the specs of the device, several security loopholes have been discovered, causing already existing security concerns to rise. Jay Freeman, iOS and Android developer discovered that an Android hacking technique could compromise the Glass headset, gaining complete control of its operating system and potentially allowing the installation of surveillance malware. 

This “Explorer” version of Glass that developers received doesn’t have a PIN code or authentication protection, so when left on and unattended, the device is vulnerable to hacking. A USB cable could be attached to the headset and used to gain full "root" access to the device, which could allow surveillance programs to be installed. Such programs could upload a user's photos, video and audio to a remote server.Continue reading...

Undeterred by Coca-Cola's privacy policy, the company's corporate website was attacked by Chinese hackers in March 2009 — but nobody knew, because the company decided against disclosing the breach publically after the FBI informed them.

Blooomberg reveals that the hackers spent one month “pilfering sensitive files” about Coca-Cola’s attempt to acquire China Huiyuan Juice Group for $2.4 billion. If successful, the transaction would have been the largest foreign takeover of a Chinese company ever. The breach started with malware-infected e-mails to Coca-Cola's senior executives which, when opened, enabled the hackers to infiltrate the network and steal proprietary information. Once revealed, the Huiyuan deal collapsed three days later.Continue reading...

Loews Hotels found its name in the news in recent days because the fire-alarm system of its Nashville hotel was set off by a drunken two-time Olympic gold medalist, snowboarder Shaun White. His schoolboy antics led to the whole place being evacuated and a contrite apology from the snowboarder. Not exactly the kind of security Loews wants to be known for.

Now the hotel chain is the first hospitality brand to participate in a first-of-its-kind security partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. U.S. citizens who sign on to Loews’ loyalty-rewards program, YouFirst Platinum, gain complimentary enrollment into the DHS’s Global Entry program and allows guests to expedite airport screening with TSA PreCheck.

"Partnerships are integral to the way we do business as a brand," stated Loews Chairman Jonathan Tisch. "Our collaboration highlights the importance of the public and private sectors working together to improve hospitality for all our guests, whether that be at our hotels or traveling through an airport."Continue reading...

Cisco has taken on historical themes before, imagining Paul Revere with a Cisco Cius tablet and an updated Braveheart in the office. Above, its new video evokes Helen of Troy vs. hackers insides a Trojan horse virus, a means to communicate the brand's value protecting small business networks. Tagline: "The right network changes everything."

Thomson Reuters’ acquisition of MarkMonitor underscores the increasing threat to brands from digital piracy. With Internet commerce accounting for more than 20% of GDP growth in mature countries, piracy and counterfeiting are costing companies more than $600 billion per year.

The San Francisco-based MarkMonitor uses a SaaS delivery model, providing technology and expertise to protect revenue and reputation for more than half of Fortune 100 businesses.Continue reading...

In the wake of skepticism by brands — such as GM's recent we're out/we're in Facebook dance — on the efficacy of FB ads, the venerable BBC decided to put it to a test.

The BBC's tech reporter, Rory Cellan-Jones, created a bogus brand on Facebook, calling it VirtualBagel, to test the effectiveness of Facebook advertising by posing questions (such as asking why users clicked "like" on the page) and trying to suss out what makes users trust brands they encounter, even fake brands, on the site.

The page showed minimal information, but within 24 hours, had more than 1,600 ‘likes,’ primarily from India, Egypt, Indonesia and the Philippines, and the page was most popular overall in Cairo, with 75% of ‘likers’ 13 to 17-year-olds. Within four days, it amassed 3,000 likes, clearly from fake profiles of people living in those countries.

"What was striking was that hardly anyone from the US or the UK - two of the most valuable markets for advertisers - appeared to have clicked to like VirtualBagel," commented Cellan-Jones about the response to the faux FB brand page. 

Furthermore, “when the advert was adjusted to target only the UK, the number of people liking the page dropped to a trickle and the click-through rate - one measure of effectiveness - fell to just 10% of the previous level.”Continue reading...

Buddy Media and Twitter have partnered on an "age-screening" solution for brands who want to check on followers where age-sensitive products are concerned, like alcohol.

The free service for marketers has been in beta-testing for a months with a select group of alcohol brands including Brown Forman’s Jack Daniels, Jim Beam’s Skinny Girl feed, and MillerCoors' Coors Light and Miller Lite.

“Until now, companies have had to develop their own custom, one-off “age-screening” solutions. The result has been a patchwork of solutions with different approaches, processes and levels of success,” wrote Buddy Media CEO Michael Lazerow.Continue reading...