A Design Defect Is Breaking a Ton of iPhone 6 Pluses: touchscreen controllers are dying

Microsolderer Jessa Jones can fix practically anything. But these days, she spends most of her time fixing just one thing. Because every single month, more and more iPhone 6 and (especially) 6 Plus devices show up at her shop with the same problem: a gray, flickering bar at the top of the display and an Read more about A Design Defect Is Breaking a Ton of iPhone 6 Pluses: touchscreen controllers are dying[…]

Attacker’s Playbook Top 5 Is High On Passwords, Low On Malware

Report: Penetration testers’ five most reliable methods of compromising targets include four different ways to use stolen credentials, but zero ways to exploit software. Playing whack-a-mole with software vulnerabilities should not be top of security pros’ priority list because exploiting software doesn’t even rank among the top five plays in the attacker’s playbook, according to Read more about Attacker’s Playbook Top 5 Is High On Passwords, Low On Malware[…]

Strawberrynet Beauty site lets anyone read customers’ personal information

Popular online cosmetics site Strawberrynet has asked customers if a function that allows anyone to retrieve its customers names, billing addresses, and phone numbers with nothing more than an email address is a bug or a feature […] The feature means customers are able to checkout quickly by just putting their email address into a Read more about Strawberrynet Beauty site lets anyone read customers’ personal information[…]

>25m accounts stolen after Russian mail.ru forums hacked

Two hackers were able to steal email addresses and easily crackable passwords from three separate forums in this latest hack. Two hackers carried out attacks on three separate game-related forums in July and August. One forum alone accounted for almost half of the breached data — a little under 13 million records; the other two Read more about >25m accounts stolen after Russian mail.ru forums hacked[…]

Researchers demonstrate acoustic levitation of a large sphere

When placed in an acoustic field, small objects experience a net force that can be used to levitate the objects in air. In a new study, researchers have experimentally demonstrated the acoustic levitation of a 50-mm (2-inch) solid polystyrene sphere using ultrasound—acoustic waves that are above the frequency of human hearing. The demonstration is one Read more about Researchers demonstrate acoustic levitation of a large sphere[…]

DiskFiltration: sending data using Covert Hard Drive Noise

‘DiskFiltration,’ a covert channel which facilitates the leakage of data from an air-gapped compute via acoustic signals emitted from its hard disk drive (HDD). Our method is unique in that, unlike other acoustic covert channels, it doesn’t require the presence of speakers or audio hardware in the air-gapped computer. A malware installed on a compromised Read more about DiskFiltration: sending data using Covert Hard Drive Noise[…]

How the father of the World Wide Web is trying to decentralise it.

Facebook, Google, eBay, and others own vast swaths of Web activity and have unprecedented power over us, inspiring an effort to re-decentralize the Web.[…] Berners-Lee’s new project, underway at his MIT lab, is called Solid (“social linked data”), a way for you to own your own data while making it available to the applications that Read more about How the father of the World Wide Web is trying to decentralise it.[…]

MS Secureboot has a golden key – which has been hacked.

secureboot is a part of the uefi firmware, when enabled, it only lets stuff run that’s signed by a cert in db, and whose hash is not in dbx (revoked). As you probably also know, there are devices where secure boot can NOT be disabled by the user (Windows RT, HoloLens, Windows Phone, maybe Surface Read more about MS Secureboot has a golden key – which has been hacked.[…]

Failed HUD Helmet Maker Skully Spent Funding On Strippers And Exotic Cars: Lawsuit

In 2014, San Francisco tech startup Skully raised hype and money to build a Tony Stark-style digitally augmented motorcycle helmet. Almost $2.5 million later, the company’s shutting down. Now a lawsuit from within the company gives us some hints as to why: founders allegedly blew the R&D money on lap dances and fast cars. Source: Read more about Failed HUD Helmet Maker Skully Spent Funding On Strippers And Exotic Cars: Lawsuit[…]

Stratux: DIY ADS-B aircraft receiver on Raspberry Pi

Hello! Stratux is a homebuilt ADS-B In receiver for pilots. It’s easy to assemble from inexpensive, off-the-shelf hardware, and probably already works with your electronic flight bag (EFB) of choice. Even better, if you’re so inclined, the software is open-source and hackable so you can build the system that’s right for you. Source: Stratux by Read more about Stratux: DIY ADS-B aircraft receiver on Raspberry Pi[…]

Thieves can wirelessly unlock up to 100 million Volkswagens (and other brands by VW), each at the press of a button

The hack can be used by thieves to wirelessly unlock as many as 100 million VW cars, each at the press of a button. Almost every vehicle the Volkswagen group has sold for the past 20 years – including cars badged under the Audi and Skoda brands – is potentially vulnerable, say the researchers. The Read more about Thieves can wirelessly unlock up to 100 million Volkswagens (and other brands by VW), each at the press of a button[…]

Thailand plans to track non-citizens with their mobile phones

the plan’s not in action yet but has been agreed in principle. It’s hoped the scheme will be up and running in about six months, by which time you’ll only be able to buy trackable SIMs when you visit. The good news is that if your phone roams, you’ll be exempt. And with roaming plans Read more about Thailand plans to track non-citizens with their mobile phones[…]

It turns out that anonymity decreases online posting agression!

This article introduces social norm theory to understand online aggression in a social-political online setting, challenging the popular assumption that online anonymity is one of the principle factors that promotes aggression. We underpin this social norm view by analyzing a major social media platform concerned with public affairs over a period of three years entailing Read more about It turns out that anonymity decreases online posting agression![…]

Dutch Olympians not allowed to drink? Are they reformed religious fanatics?

Yuri van Gelder, Dutch gymnast, went out for a few to celebrate making the final. Apparently he got carried away and had some alcohol (shock! horror!) and came home at some time in the morning. So the Dutch team have sent him home, without allowing him to participate in the final. His behaviour sounds slightly Read more about Dutch Olympians not allowed to drink? Are they reformed religious fanatics?[…]

Public Wi-Fi hotspots and you: Busting the many legal myths in the UK

Ars investigates legal advice for hotspot operators—most are ill-informed; the rest invented. […] According to the experts we consulted, anyone attempting to follow the recommendations could in practice be creating data protection liabilities that they’re ill-equipped to discharge. Others may be put off altogether by dire warnings about legal risks that simply don’t exist. Source: Read more about Public Wi-Fi hotspots and you: Busting the many legal myths in the UK[…]

More than 30 states offer online voting, but experts warn it isn’t secure

“We believe that online voting, especially online voting in large scale, introduces great risk into the election system by threatening voters’ expectations of confidentiality, accountability and security of their votes and provides an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate the voting results,” Neil Jenkins, an official in the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications at the Read more about More than 30 states offer online voting, but experts warn it isn’t secure[…]

7(!) remote vulnerabilities (RCE, bof) in Nuuo NVR and NETGEAR Surveillance products

The web interface contains a number of critical vulnerabilities that can be abused by unauthenticated attackers. These consist of monitoring backdoors left in the PHP files that are supposed to be used by NUUO’s engineers, hardcoded credentials, poorly sanitised input and a buffer overflow which can be abused to achieve code execution on NUUO’s devices Read more about 7(!) remote vulnerabilities (RCE, bof) in Nuuo NVR and NETGEAR Surveillance products[…]

New ransomware mimics Microsoft activation window

A new ransomlock variant, which mainly affects the US, tricks users into calling a toll-free number to reactivate their Windows computer. […] Victims of this threat can unlock their computer using the code: 8716098676542789 Source: New ransomware mimics Microsoft activation window | Symantec Connect Community It also turns out that calling the support number on Read more about New ransomware mimics Microsoft activation window[…]

White hat Hackers Make the First-Ever Ransomware for Smart Thermostats

The thermostat in question has a large LCD display, runs the operating system Linux, and has an SD card that allows users to load custom settings or wallpapers. The researchers found that the thermostat didn’t really check what kind of files it was running and executing. In theory, this would allow a malicious hacker to Read more about White hat Hackers Make the First-Ever Ransomware for Smart Thermostats[…]

UK copyright extension on designed objects is “direct assault” on 3D printing. Also, how much money was UK gov paid to extend it 70+ years?

A recent extension of UK copyright for industrially manufactured artistic works represents “a direct assault on the 3D printing revolution,” says Pirate Party founder Rick Falkvinge. The UK government last month extended copyright for designs from 25 years to the life of the designer plus 70 years. In practice, this is likely to mean a Read more about UK copyright extension on designed objects is “direct assault” on 3D printing. Also, how much money was UK gov paid to extend it 70+ years?[…]