Information security analytics

Lenovo staff data theft: Unencrypted laptops stolen
A corporate-issued laptop lifted from a Lenovo employee in Singapore contained a cornucopia of unencrypted payroll data on staff based in the Asia Pacific region, The Register reveals. Details of the massive screw-up reached us from Lenovo staffers, who are simply bewildered at the monumental mistake. Lenovo has sent letters of shame to its employees confessing the security snafu.
Facebook fined 11.4M dollars in Italy over data misuse
After a year of woe, the social network's data-related troubles aren't yet over. Italy's Competition Authority on Friday slapped Facebook with two fines that total 10 million euros ($11.4M) for using people's data for commercial purposes in ways that break the country's laws, the portal CNet reports.
Google accelerates Google closure
Bug exposed data of 52 million users; move comes day before Google CEO is to testify before Congress for the first time, The MarketWatch with reference to The Wall Street Journal reports. Google said it would close the consumer version of its Google+ social network earlier than planned, after a second software glitch this year exposed the profile data of users and raised fresh concerns about the search giant’s privacy controls.
Unprotected MongoDB exposes scraped profile data of 66 million
Information belonging to more than 66 million individuals was discovered in an unprotected database, within anyone's reach, if they knew where to look on the web. The records look like scraped data from LinkedIn profiles, The Bleeping Computer reports. The cache includes personal details that can identify users and could help adversaries create phishing attacks that are more difficult to recognize.
Ex-headteacher prosecuted for illegally obtaining students' data
A former headteacher has been fined in court for unlawfully obtaining school children’s personal data from previous schools where he worked, the website of ICO reports.
Momo dating app exposes data of 30 million users
Personal data from 30 million users of China’s top dating app Momo is reportedly being sold for as little as RMB 200 (around $30), the portal Technode reports. Weibo user lxghost posted a series of screenshots from the Chinese dark web entitled “database of 30 million Momo users” today (December 3), with a comment saying: “Momo’s database is quite cheap.” TechNode was unable to verify the claims made by the Weibo user.
XTAL ordered to pay 223M dollars for trade secret theft
  Silicon Valley semiconductor outfit XTAL has been ordered by a court to fork out $223m in damages for stealing trade secrets from rival ASML, The Register reports. The biz was found guilty by a jury in Santa Clara County of pressuring ASML employees to hand over details of the Dutch company's source code, user manuals and image models.
Quora data breach affects 100M users
Quora said that a security breach may have compromised data from about 100 million users. In an email sent to users and a blog post by CEO Adam D’Angelo, the company said a “malicious third party” gained unauthorized access to Quora’s  systems. Its internal security teams and a “leading digital forensics and security firm” are currently investigating the breach. Law enforcement officials have also been notified, The TechCrunch reports.
500 million Marriott customers affected in massive data breach
Marriott International Inc. said it’s investigating a hack of the guest reservation database at its Starwood unit that may be one of the biggest such breaches in corporate history. Marriott shares slumped 5.6 percent in pre-market trading, The Time reports.
9 charged for divulging Samsung flexible display trade secrets
  South Korean prosecutors claim the suspects conspired with two representatives of an unnamed Chinese company to steal Samsung's '3D Lamination' OLED flexible display technology. The indicted employees allegedly passed off the display tech for $15.5 billion won, The PCMag reports. South Korea today charged nine people with illegally selling details about Samsung's flexible display technology to China.
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