Tag: USA

Hacker attempts to poison Florida city’s water supply

February 10, 2021

While the incursion was thwarted in time, cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure are a major cause for concern. Last Friday, an unknown attacker accessed the computer systems of a water treatment facility in Oldsmar, Florida, and attempted to poison the city’s water supply by manipulating the chemical levels of sodium hydroxide. This substance, commonly referred to … More Hacker attempts to poison Florida city’s water supply

Identity theft spikes amid pandemic

February 4, 2021

The US Federal Trade Commission received 1.4 million reports of identity theft last year, double the number from 2019. The number of reported cases of identity theft in the United States doubled in 2020 year-on-year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has said. In a blogpost marking the start of Identity Theft Awareness Week, the FTC said that … More Identity theft spikes amid pandemic

Portland passes the strictest facial recognition technology ban in the US yet

September 11, 2020

Oregon’s largest city aims to be a trailblazer when it comes to facial recognition legislation. On Wednesday, The Portland City Council passed what could be considered one of the strictest facial recognition bans in the United States. The legislation bans both city government agencies and private businesses from using the technology on the city’s grounds.  While bans on the public … More Portland passes the strictest facial recognition technology ban in the US yet

Facial recognition technology banned in another US city

June 29, 2020

In a move lauded by privacy advocates, Boston joins the ranks of cities that have voted down the municipal use of the technology. Boston has become the second-largest city in the world after San Francisco to ban the use of facial recognition technology by police and city agencies. The ordinance was passed unanimously on Wednesday and bars … More Facial recognition technology banned in another US city

Americans report US$13 million in losses from coronavirus scams

April 15, 2020

The median loss to fraudulent schemes that exploit the global health crisis is almost US$600. The United States’ Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has received more than 17,000 complaints from U.S. consumers who reported total losses in excess of US$13 million from COVID-19 related scams. The FTC has compiled the data into an easily digestible infographic, which … More Americans report US$13 million in losses from coronavirus scams