Month: March 2020

Zoom Meetings Aren’t End-to-End Encrypted, Despite Misleading Marketing. Also, they mine your data with vampire teeth.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Zoom, the video conferencing service whose use has spiked amid the Covid-19 pandemic, claims to implement end-to-end encryption, widely understood as the most private form of internet communication, protecting conversations from all outside parties. In fact, Zoom is using its own definition of the term, one that lets Zoom itself access unencrypted video and audio Read more about Zoom Meetings Aren’t End-to-End Encrypted, Despite Misleading Marketing. Also, they mine your data with vampire teeth.[…]

Hacker hijacks all Microsoft and CCC YouTube accounts to broadcast crypto Ponzi scam

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A hacker has hijacked all of Microsoft’s official YouTube accounts and is broadcasting a cryptocurrency Ponzi scam to the company’s subscribers, ZDNet has learned from one of our readers. The hacks appear to have occurred about 13 hours ago, according to our source. The hijacked accounts are still streaming at the time of writing, despite Read more about Hacker hijacks all Microsoft and CCC YouTube accounts to broadcast crypto Ponzi scam[…]

Someone Convinced Google To Delist Our Entire Right To Be Forgotten Tag In The EU For Searches On Their Name, which means we can’t tell if they are abusing the system

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The very fact that the tag being delisted when searching for this unnamed individual is the “right to be forgotten” tag shows that whoever this person is, they recognize that they are not trying to cover up the record of, say, an FTC case against them from… oh, let’s just say 2003… but rather are Read more about Someone Convinced Google To Delist Our Entire Right To Be Forgotten Tag In The EU For Searches On Their Name, which means we can’t tell if they are abusing the system[…]

A Woman Who Can Smell Parkinson’s, Alzheimers, Cancer, TBC, Is Inspiring New Research Into Diagnosis

Posted on by Robin Edgar

For most of her life, Joy Milne had a superpower that she was totally oblivious to. She simply had no idea she possessed an utterly amazing, slightly terrifying biological gift that scientists would itch to study. In fact, Joy probably would have stayed oblivious if it hadn’t been for her husband, Les Milne. […] But Read more about A Woman Who Can Smell Parkinson’s, Alzheimers, Cancer, TBC, Is Inspiring New Research Into Diagnosis[…]

US Officials Use Mobile Ad Location Data to Study How COVID-19 Spreads, not cellphone tower data

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Government officials across the U.S. are using location data from millions of cellphones in a bid to better understand the movements of Americans during the coronavirus pandemic and how they may be affecting the spread of the disease… The data comes from the mobile advertising industry rather than cellphone carriers. The aim is to create Read more about US Officials Use Mobile Ad Location Data to Study How COVID-19 Spreads, not cellphone tower data[…]

Israel uses anti-terrorist tech to monitor phones of virus patients

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Israel has long been known for its use of technology to track the movements of Palestinian militants. Now, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to use similar technology to stop the movement of the coronavirus. Netanyahu’s Cabinet on Sunday authorized the Shin Bet security agency to use its phone-snooping tactics on coronavirus patients, an official confirmed, Read more about Israel uses anti-terrorist tech to monitor phones of virus patients[…]

Zoom Removes Code That Sends Data to Facebook – but there is still plenty of nasty stuff in there

Posted on by Robin Edgar

On Friday video-conferencing software Zoom issued an update to its iOS app which stops it sending certain pieces of data to Facebook. The move comes after a Motherboard analysis of the app found it sent information such as when a user opened the app, their timezone, city, and device details to the social network giant. Read more about Zoom Removes Code That Sends Data to Facebook – but there is still plenty of nasty stuff in there[…]

Yeah, that Zoom app you’re trusting with work chatter? It lives with ‘vampires feeding on the blood of human data’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

As the global coronavirus pandemic pushes the popularity of videoconferencing app Zoom to new heights, one web veteran has sounded the alarm over its “creepily chummy” relationship with tracking-based advertisers. Doc Searls, co-author of the influential internet marketing book The Cluetrain Manifesto last century, today warned [cached] Zoom not only has the right to extract Read more about Yeah, that Zoom app you’re trusting with work chatter? It lives with ‘vampires feeding on the blood of human data’[…]

Android Apps Are Transmitting what other apps you have ever installed to marketing peole

Posted on by Robin Edgar

At this point we’re all familiar with apps of all sorts tracking our every move and sharing that info with pretty much every third party imaginable. But it actually may not be as simple as tracking where you go and what you do in an app: It turns out that these apps might be dropping Read more about Android Apps Are Transmitting what other apps you have ever installed to marketing peole[…]

cheap High-frequency, high-power and nanoscale semiconductors that can see through walls

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Scientists have crafted a tiny flexible electrical device capable of generating terahertz waves that can penetrate walls and microscopic cells, potentially paving the way for new imaging techniques – and fast switching in chips. Terahertz radiation lies in the electromagnetic spectrum where microwaves and infrared meet. These so-called T-waves, ranging from 0.3 to 3THz according Read more about cheap High-frequency, high-power and nanoscale semiconductors that can see through walls[…]

LA Teen Who Died of Covid-19 Was Denied Treatment Because He Didn’t Have Health Insurance. The US looks like a banana republic.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A 17-year-old boy in Los Angeles County who became the first teen believed to have died from complications with covid-19 in the U.S. was denied treatment at an urgent care clinic because he didn’t have health insurance, according to R. Rex Parris, the mayor of Lancaster, California. Roughly 27.5 million Americans—8.5 percent of the population—don’t Read more about LA Teen Who Died of Covid-19 Was Denied Treatment Because He Didn’t Have Health Insurance. The US looks like a banana republic.[…]

Singapore Government to make its contact-tracing app freely available to developers worldwide

Posted on by Robin Edgar

SINGAPORE – In a move to help the international community combat the coronavirus pandemic, the Government will be making the software for its contact-tracing application TraceTogether, which has already been installed by more than 620,000 people, freely available to developers around the world. In a Facebook post on Monday (March 23), Minister-in-charge of the Smart Read more about Singapore Government to make its contact-tracing app freely available to developers worldwide[…]

Ring corporate surveillance doorbells Continues To Insist Its Cameras Reduce Crime, But Crime Data Doesn’t Back Those Claims Up

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Despite evidence to the contrary, Amazon’s Ring is still insisting its the best thing people can put on their front doors — an IoT camera with PD hookups that will magically reduce crime in their neighborhoods simply by being a mute witness of criminal acts. Boasting over 1,000 law enforcement partnerships, Ring talks a good Read more about Ring corporate surveillance doorbells Continues To Insist Its Cameras Reduce Crime, But Crime Data Doesn’t Back Those Claims Up[…]

Comet ATLAS is Brightening Faster than Expected might be awesome to look at mid May

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Comet ATLAS (C2019 Y4) is plunging toward the sun, and if it doesn’t fly apart it could soon become one of the brightest comets in years. “Comet ATLAS continues to brighten much faster than expected,” says Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab in Washington DC. “Some predictions for its peak brightness now border on Read more about Comet ATLAS is Brightening Faster than Expected might be awesome to look at mid May[…]

Ancestor of all animals identified in Australian fossils

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A team led by UC Riverside geologists has discovered the first ancestor on the family tree that contains most familiar animals today, including humans. The tiny, wormlike creature, named Ikaria wariootia, is the earliest bilaterian, or organism with a front and back, two symmetrical sides, and openings at either end connected by a gut. The Read more about Ancestor of all animals identified in Australian fossils[…]

Hackers target WHO as cyberattacks double

Posted on by Robin Edgar

WHO Chief Information Security Officer Flavio Aggio said the identity of the hackers was unclear and the effort was unsuccessful. But he warned that hacking attempts against the agency and its partners have soared as they battle to contain the coronavirus, which has killed more than 15,000 worldwide. The attempted break-in at the WHO was Read more about Hackers target WHO as cyberattacks double[…]

New York Stock Exchange Chairman Sold Millions in Stock Before Crash and after wife had been briefed about Covid-19 secretly

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Jeffrey Sprecher, the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, sold $3.5 million in stock on February 26, a month after his wife, Senator Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, received a closed-door briefing about the covid-19 threat. According to SEC filings, Sprecher sold $15.3 million more in stock on March 11, at the beginning of the Read more about New York Stock Exchange Chairman Sold Millions in Stock Before Crash and after wife had been briefed about Covid-19 secretly[…]

After 450 years, the tiny feudal Channel island of Sark will finally earn the right to exist on the internet with a domain

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The island of Sark, a United Kingdom royal fiefdom located in the Channel Islands and measuring just two square miles (517 hectares), has succeeded in its 20-year quest to be officially recognized by the International Standards Organization (ISO). The decision will lead to creation of a new two-letter code for the island and an addition Read more about After 450 years, the tiny feudal Channel island of Sark will finally earn the right to exist on the internet with a domain[…]

Finally! Two colour e-readers about to hit the market!

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Ireader C6 is a full color e-reader and will be released soon the company has just announced they are working on a new color e-reader that is capable of displaying 4,096 colors and will be released on March 26th. The iReader C6 will feature a six inch capacitive touchscreen display with 300 PPI and it Read more about Finally! Two colour e-readers about to hit the market![…]

Two Senators Dumped Stock After Being Briefed About COVID-19; While Telling The World Things Were Going To Be Fine

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Senator Richard Burr is a real piece of work. In 2012 he was one of only three Senators to vote against the STOCK Act. This was a law put in place following a 60 Minutes expose about how Congress was getting filthy stinkin’ rich off of insider trading, since Congress was exempt from insider trading Read more about Two Senators Dumped Stock After Being Briefed About COVID-19; While Telling The World Things Were Going To Be Fine[…]

NASA to launch 247 petabytes of data into AWS – but forgot about eye-watering cloudy egress costs before lift-off

Posted on by Robin Edgar

NASA needs 215 more petabytes of storage by the year 2025, and expects Amazon Web Services to provide the bulk of that capacity. However, the space agency didn’t realize this would cost it plenty in cloud egress charges. As in, it will have to pay as scientists download its data. That omission alone has left Read more about NASA to launch 247 petabytes of data into AWS – but forgot about eye-watering cloudy egress costs before lift-off[…]

no Intel Management Engine: Purism lifts lid on the Librem Mini, a privacy-focused micro PC

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Purism has dropped the veil on the latest computer in its privacy-focused lineup – a small form-factor PC designed for space-conscious free software enthusiasts. Available to pre-order now, the Librem Mini packs an eighth-generation, quad-core Whiskey Lake i7-8565U processor, modified with Purism’s Pureboot technology. At its heart, this aims to minimise any potential third-party interference Read more about no Intel Management Engine: Purism lifts lid on the Librem Mini, a privacy-focused micro PC[…]