‘I had a moral duty’: whistleblowers on why they spoke up

They took on warmongers, sexual abuse and tax dodgers.

In an age where information is tightly controlled by image-makers, spin doctors and gatekeepers, real scandal can often only be revealed with the help of whistleblowers. read more »

Laughing at the Google+ bug? You’re making a big mistake.

A vulnerability in Google’s software has led to the potential exposure of information belonging to half a million accounts on its social network, Google+, the company acknowledged Monday — to which many people joked: Who cares?

This is a logic trap. Do not fall for it.

The idea that Google+ is some ancient relic of a bygone era is not relevant. What is relevant is that at one time, millions of people were persuaded to create accounts on Google+, accounts that still exist today, accounts that eventually became a danger to their owners — unbeknown to them — years after Google+ stopped being a meaningful social or cultural phenomenon. read more »

Experian credit freeze flaw may have revealed your PIN to fraudsters

It’s Experian’s turn to be in the hot seat.

The credit bureau’s process to retrieve a PIN that safeguards a frozen Experian credit report had a security defect, making it easier for a fraudster to potentially get the PIN, unfreeze the report and open new accounts in someone else’s name. NerdWallet first reported on the flaw after one of its readers alerted the personal finance website.

Experian has since addressed the issue, the company said. But the company has not said how long the defect was in place or whether it will issue new PINs.

The flaw’s discovery comes just over year after Equifax disclosed a massive data breach that compromised personal data of 148 million Americans. It also follows the enactment of a new federal law on Sept. 21 mandating free credit freezes for everyone. read more »