Security Bits and Bytes

• The Wall Street Journal reports that the CEO of Heartland Payment Systems "gets religion" on security. You'll recall that Heartland reported what has been called the "largest security breach ever" earlier in the year.
• Researchers have uncovered a new platform used by cybercriminals to buy and sell batches of zombie PCs and other tools used to carry out attacks. The scheme is exposed in detail by Elinor Mills here and Robert Westervelt here.
• Reports from Illinois state auditors indicate that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation cannot account for 52 computers. The department is responsible for regulating the banking and insurance industries as well as several professions, including accounting, medicine, and engineering. The agency cannot say if the missing computers held confidential information. The machines may have been transferred to other agencies, but there are no records indicating such transfers.