Habitable Exoplanet Catalog
Planetary Habitability Laboratory
Day: November 22, 2017
EU passes law that allows it to shut down websites without judicial oversight
The European Union (EU) has voted on Tuesday, November 14, to pass the new Consumer Protection Cooperation regulation, a new EU-wide applicable law that gives extra power to national consumer protection agencies, but which also contains a vaguely worded clause that also grants them the power to block and take down websites without judicial oversight. Read more about EU passes law that allows it to shut down websites without judicial oversight[…]
German Regulators Ban Smartwatches for Kids, Urge Parents to Destroy Them
Last month, the European Consumer Organization (BEUC) warned that smartwatches marketed to kids were a serious threat to children’s privacy. A report published by the Norwegian Consumer Council in mid-October revealed serious flaws in several of the devices that could easily allow hackers to seize control. Doing so could grant attackers access to both real-time Read more about German Regulators Ban Smartwatches for Kids, Urge Parents to Destroy Them[…]
An Ethereum Startup (Confido) Just Vanished After People Invested $374K
Confido is a startup that pitched itself as a blockchain-based app for making payments and tracking shipments. It sold digital tokens to investors over the Ethereum blockchain in an ICO that ran from November 6 to 8. During the token sale, Confido sold people bespoke digital tokens that represent their investment in exchange for ether, Read more about An Ethereum Startup (Confido) Just Vanished After People Invested $374K[…]
OnePlus phones have a secret root backdoor and the password is ‘angela’
An apparent factory cockup has left OnePlus Android smartphones with an exposed diagnostics tool that can be potentially exploited to root the handsets. Security researcher Robert Baptiste suggested the EngineerMode APK was made by Qualcomm, and was intended to be used by factory staff to test phones for basic functionality before they are shipped out Read more about OnePlus phones have a secret root backdoor and the password is ‘angela’[…]
Scientists edit a person’s DNA to try to cure disease
Scientists for the first time have tried editing a gene inside the body in a bold attempt to permanently change a person’s DNA to cure a disease. The experiment was done Monday in California on 44-year-old Brian Madeux. Through an IV, he received billions of copies of a corrective gene and a genetic tool to Read more about Scientists edit a person’s DNA to try to cure disease[…]
Pawnbroker pwnd: Cash Converters says hacker slurped customer data
Pawnbroking and secondhand goods outlet Cash Converters has suffered a data breach. Customers were notified of the leak on Thursday by email, samples of which have been posted on social media. Cash Converters said it had discovered that a third party gained unauthorised access to customer data within the company’s UK webshop. Credit card data Read more about Pawnbroker pwnd: Cash Converters says hacker slurped customer data[…]
Intel: We’ve found severe bugs in secretive unpatchable Management Engine, affecting millions
Thanks to an investigation by third-party researchers into Intel’s hidden firmware in certain chips, Intel decided to audit its firmware and on Monday confirmed it had found 11 severe bugs that affect millions of computers and servers. The flaws affect Management Engine (ME), Trusted Execution Engine (TXE), and Server Platform Services (SPS). Intel discovered the Read more about Intel: We’ve found severe bugs in secretive unpatchable Management Engine, affecting millions[…]
Google collects Android location data even if you turn it off and don’t have a SIM card inserted
Since the beginning of 2017, Android phones have been collecting the addresses of nearby cellular towers—even when location services are disabled—and sending that data back to Google. The result is that Google, the unit of Alphabet behind Android, has access to data about individuals’ locations and their movements that go far beyond a reasonable consumer Read more about Google collects Android location data even if you turn it off and don’t have a SIM card inserted[…]
Loakes shoes hacked, fluffs the explanation
This is more than a little embarrassing for a business that supplies handmade leather goods to the British royal family. Founded in 1880 by brothers Thomas, John and William Loake, the firm has since sold more than 50 million pairs of Goodyear welted shoes in more than 50 countries. […] Loake strangely described described the Read more about Loakes shoes hacked, fluffs the explanation[…]
Uber loses personal info on 600K drivers and 57M users in 2016. Pays hackers $100K in hope they delete it. Forgets to mention this in apology.
the individuals were able to download files containing a significant amount of other information, including: The names and driver’s license numbers of around 600,000 drivers in the United States. Drivers can learn more here. Some personal information of 57 million Uber users around the world, including the drivers described above. This information included names, email Read more about Uber loses personal info on 600K drivers and 57M users in 2016. Pays hackers $100K in hope they delete it. Forgets to mention this in apology.[…]