Password

Starbucks has promised to update its mobile app – the most-used mobile payment app in America – after a security researcher found that it stored passwords in plain text, leaving users vulnerable to attack.

A tiny new iris-scanner which plugs into smart devices and PCs could eradicate the need for passwords entirely – and it offers a far higher level of security than fingerprint scanners, with a ‘false positive’ chance of just 1 in 2.25 trillion.

The two million people who had chosen “123456” as their Adobe password were widely mocked online after the company’s security breach – but most users (and companies) hate passwords, and some have big (and surreal) ideas about what’s coming next….

A new ‘Smart ID’ card, BluStor, aims to “eliminate hacking and identity theft” – using a combination of voiceprints, fingerprints and iris readings and connecting to mobile devices via Bluetooth, so an app can confirm a user’s ID instantly.

Your next PC password could be President Bill Clinton kissing a fish – and that disturbing mental image, and similar surreal “story images” could be the key to creating strong passwords across multiple accounts, according to Carnegie Mellon researchers.

Fingerprint identification systems could sweep through the world faster than most have predicted, according to Ericcsson, the world’s largest cellphone network maker – based on opinion polls of 100,000 smartphone users around the world.

Microsoft’s telepathic power, of course, comes from AI, not magic, and illustrates very clearly which passwords are easy for a computer to “guess” – the tool Telepathwords, guesses the next letter as you type in a password.

Apple users may soon be able not only to unlock their devices simply by showing their face – they may be able to “control” functions on Macs, iPhones and iPads simply by looking at the screen, and prevent people nearby snooping on lock screen alerts.

Major websites such as Kickstarter, WarnerBros.com and the online photography community 500px.com are among 2,000 at risk from a vulnerability that could allow attackers to impersonate real users and access their sites, according to a researcher.

Human heartbeats are near-unique – each person’s rhythm forms a mathematical pattern which can be used to identify people. A bracelet which aims to use this for secure ID took a big step towards PCs and phones in the home this week, as 6,000 developers began work on apps for it.

A ‘high impact’ security bug affecting Gmail’s password recovery system was discovered by a researcher – and quickly patched. The vulnerability allowed attackers to reset user passwords remotely.

When any computer user types on a keyboard, the pattern of keystrokes is unique – like a fingerprint. When using a mouse, the patterns for each user are just as different – and Iowa State engineers aim to combine these “patterns” to identify people, offering a more secure alternative to passwords.

Keypic uses an image – usually an advert, but it can be a single pixel, an animation, or anything the site’s administrator wants – and checks for typically “human” behavior. It’s already used on nearly 6,000 sites, and is available as a plug-in for WordPress and Drupal.

The system relies on users describing patterns of blots, then matching descriptions to patterns – and should be foil the automated programs used by cybercriminals, the researchers say.

A new app lets you unlock Mac computers without entering a password – users simply tap on a paired iPhone with the Knock app when near the Mac, and it opens up.

Google may soon offer Chrome users a little extra protection for their passwords – which could previously be accessed in “one click” on unattended machines. The search giant is testing a new security feature, according to reports.

When Adobe admitted 38 million user IDs had leaked from its system this week, it was one of a long line of companies to fall victim to such data breaches. Most companies react fast – and offer good advice – but our guide adds a few extra safeguards if your ID is put at risk.

An American artificial intelligence company claims to have “cracked” CAPTCHAs – the standard word tests used to tell humans and computers apart online. A program designed by Vicarious can break standard CAPTCHAs with 90% accuracy, Vicarious claims.

Launched today in London, the technology mixes biometrics and other security technologies for what its makers claim is a “transformative” solution to combating cybercrime – and which can be used for network security, banking machines and even smartphones.

Routers from Chinese manufacturer Tenda contain a hidden “backdoor” which could allow attackers to “take over” the router and send it commands. The company also sells routers branded as Medialink, and the machines are available around the world.

Apple has announced an event for October 22, with the usual teasing headline, “We still have a lot to cover.” Leaked pictures hint that at least one of those things will be an iPad protected by the Fingerprint ID system used in iPhone 5S.