Alan Martin

Over the summer, Google introduced plans to start giving preference to websites that use HTTPS encryption to try and incentivize good online security practices. PC World reports that Microsoft's search rival, Bing, has no plans to follow suit with its own search algorithm.

Google is facing a threat of expensive legal action over the recent leaked naked celebrity photographs, according to IT Pro. The basis for the legal threat seems to be built on the idea that the search giant didn't do enough to prevent people seeing the photographs after the initial leak.

The FBI has opened up its previously in-house malware analyzing tool to the public in order to crowdsource more samples for speedier response, according to The Register.

In a bid to improve the security of its Chrome browser, Google has announced that it is upping the ‘bounty’ paid to people who successfully find bugs and exploits hidden in the browser up to a maximum of $15,000. This is an impressive increase on the previous cap of $5,000, reports betanews.

The creator of an app that secretly allows you to monitor another person’s smartphone usage without their knowledge has been arrested in Los Angeles, according to Slashgear.

With Apple, Google and other tech companies responding to users’ demands for privacy with further smartphone encryption options, not everyone is happy. FBI Director James Comey is “very concerned” about increased mobile OS encryption, according to TechSpot.

A California oil company that lost thousands after being attacked by hackers has won $350,000 in a legal settlement after suing its bank.

As the World Cup heads into its third week, there’s a new phishing scam to be aware of. EA Games’ FIFA 14 Ultimate Team has been targeted – not for the first time – by scammers offering new downloadable players.

Ancestry.com has become the latest site to be taken down by a distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attack. The genealogy website was shut down from Monday-Tuesday this week, along with its sister site, Findagrave.com.