5 Security Things to Know for the Week of Dec. 14

1. Twitter began notifying users it suspects have been targeted by state-sponsored hackers.

2.  Microsoft, Apple and Adobe all released huge patch loads last week, some for publicly known vulnerabilities.

3. A legal battle that raised the larger question of the Federal Trade Commission's power to regulate security practices in the private sector ended in a settlement.

4. Probably not surprising news, but new research shows that visiting websites in search of pirated content will result in malware.

5.  Here's a clear-cut guide to the ongoing encryption debate.

Bonus: Is your VPN vulnerable to attack?