2012: #yearinreview, Part 3	Posted by Sean @ 10:50 GMT

Part 3 of our 2012: #yearinreview — October to December.

October 3, 2012

It won't be long until we'll be unable to create a CAPTCHA that computers couldn't solve.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) October 3, 2012

October 4, 2012

I was looking at a phonebook. Hundreds of pages of names, numbers and home addresses. Couldn't find a privacy policy.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) October 4, 2012

October 5, 2012

Use a black marker to write 'PIN: 5186' on your ATM card. It increases incorrect PIN entries if the card is stolen. Don't use your real PIN.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) October 5, 2012

October 12, 2012

Not sure if your CPU fan is working or not? Just run any game that uses Adobe Flash� and you'll find out.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) October 12, 2012

October 23, 2012

Email tip #46: 1) Create a filter for the word 'unsubscribe'. 2) Send those emails to Trash.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) October 23, 2012

November 8, 2012

Google has around 1,000,000,000 users and their annual revenue is about $30,000,000,000. So, you are worth $30 to Google per year.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) November 8, 2012

November 16, 2012

The internet has very few rules. But one of them is that every single site focusing on lyrics or wallpapers just HAS to look sketchy.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) November 16, 2012

November 17, 2012

Sales figures Q3/2012:87.5 Million Windows devices VS 122.5 Million Android devices.Linux has finally beaten Windows in consumer devices!

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) November 17, 2012

November 20, 2012

AdBlock is great, but has such a small userbase. They really should advertise more. Oh, wait.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) November 20, 2012

November 27, 2012

Apple has fired Williamson, the manager responsible for iOS Maps.Unfortunately he couldn't find his way out of the building.#macrumors

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) November 27, 2012

December 3, 2012

Google knows where you've been. Now they will also know where you're going, by parsing flight reservation emails from your Gmail. No joke.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) December 3, 2012

December 4, 2012

Note that Visa, MasterCard and Amex are making significant profits out of spam. Most of the goods advertised via spam are paid with them.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) December 4, 2012

December 6, 2012

I could imagine a movie plot based on John McAfee, Kim Dotcom, Satoshi Nakamoto, Julian Assange, Elon Musk, Albert Gonzales and thegrugq.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) December 6, 2012

December 18, 2012

If Instagram users were not paying money for the service, then how did they think they were paying for it?It's an expensive service to run.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) December 18, 2012

December 19, 2012

When a company sues Google over something, I wonder if Google starts monitoring what kind of searches that company is doing.

— Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) December 19, 2012

Which brings us to today, the last day in the office before a long Christmas break at F-Secure Labs. But just because this blog will be a bit quiet doesn't mean we're inactive. You can follow all of Mikko Hypponen's Tweets via: https://twitter.com/mikko

Follow me, Sean Sullivan, via: https://twitter.com/5ean5ullivan

Here's an example of what I find to be of interest:

Senator Franken's Location Privacy Protection Act: bit.ly/R8z9zv ~ Wants to ban �stalking� apps. Excellent interview.

— Sean Sullivan (@5ean5ullivan) December 21, 2012

U.S. Senator Al Franken wants to ban "stalking" apps, which are often used to abuse women:



Location privacy is an important issue and the basis of our prediction that mobile spy software will go mainstream in 2013.

For excellent security and technology related news aggregation, follow: https://twitter.com/FSecure

Banks around the world are getting ready to face a massive cyber assault. bit.ly/Ub0nWU

— F-Secure (@FSecure) December 20, 2012

—————

And now for an end of year recommendation.

Check out the Risky Business security podcast's 2012 in review for a great compilation, with soundtrack, of Aussie Patrick Gray and Kiwi Adam Boileau's weekly news segments.



Finally, as you reflect back on the security issues of 2012, remember, don't panic.

Sometimes things just have a way of working themselves out.

Watch this and then open the YouTube page, check the likes/dislikes: youtu.be/ussCHoQttyQ~ The Internet is an incredible thing.

— Sean Sullivan (@5ean5ullivan) November 28, 2012

Peace be with you,
Sean

2012: #yearinreview, Part 1
2012: #yearinreview, Part 2