Internet-connected home devices like the Nest thermostat promise a new world of convenience — and new security risks, too. James Martin/CNET There’s a good chance you’ll soon have to worry about your house getting hacked. Everything from door locks and ovens to thermostats and refrigerators are being connected to the Internet to make them “smart,” …

FireEye chart shows why the company’s analysts think that APT28 is Russian government malware. FireEye Malicious software designed to steal sensitive information from businesses and foreign governments is made in Russia and supported by the Russian government, a security research firm reported Tuesday. The group behind the malicious software, or malware, has been identified as APT28 and has links to …

With Android 5.0 Lollipop, Google says, security will be set automatically. CNET The head of Google’s Android mobile software security team has a little secret: Although he lives in urban San Francisco, “most days” he doesn’t lock the front door to his house. And he’s not worried about it. While it’s not clear whether Adrian Ludwig is arrogant, trusts his …

A knock-off Michael Kors handbag that Cloudmark researcher Tom Landesman got in the mail when he followed a spam link to its logical conclusion. Josh Miller/CNET If you haven’t gotten spam on your Apple iMessage, count yourself lucky. Spam has been ballooning on the tech giant’s mobile messaging service, security researchers at CloudMark say. In May, iMessage spam made up …

The iPhone’s Touch ID sensor (shown here) is now available on the new iPads. CNET Apple’s new iPads will come with a feature they’ve never had before: the Touch ID fingerprint-reading sensor. CEO Tim Cook announced that the latest iPads will include the biometric scanner at an event at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. Thursday, validating iPad rumors and leaks …

Apple’s WatchKit, which will help developers build apps for its new smartwatch, will arrive in November. James Martin/CNET Apple will make its WatchKit toolkit available sometime in November, CEO Tim Cook said at its event Thursday, enabling developers to begin building apps for its forthcoming smartwatch. WatchKit was first announced at a flashy Apple event last month, where the company …

Sen. Ron Wyden moderated a discussion between top tech firm leaders on the impact of the US spying scandal on the Internet economy. Prognosis: It’s going to get worse before it gets better. Seth Rosenblatt/CNET PALO ALTO, Calif. — The impact of US government surveillance on tech firms and the economy is going to get worse before it gets better, …

Twitter is suing the US government in federal court to loosen restrictions that prevent full disclosure of government demands for Twitter user data. The suit, filed by the San Francisco-based social networking company in the US District Court of Northern California, says that US government prohibitions on sharing the nature of some of its demands for Twitter user data violate …

Graphics from the ComputerCop site promoting their ties to local law enforcement. ComputerCop The heavily distributed kid-monitoring software ComputerCop, which many police departments around the US gave to families for free, is doing far more harm than good, a new report by the Electronic Frontier Foundation alleges. An eight-month investigation by the group — a nonprofit that focuses on civil …

The Matchstick hopes to convince developers and consumers alike that its open streaming Internet and media platform is more desirable than the Chromecast. Matchstick Mozilla is expanding beyond its Firefox browser and trying its hand in the suddenly hot streaming video business. Its take: the MatchStick HDMI streaming stick, which will sell for a limited time through Kickstarter at a …