Palantir has secretly been using New Orleans to test its predictive policing technology, was given huge access to lots of private data without oversight due to loophole

The program began in 2012 as a partnership between New Orleans Police and Palantir Technologies, a data-mining firm founded with seed money from the CIA’s venture capital firm. According to interviews and documents obtained by The Verge, the initiative was essentially a predictive policing program, similar to the “heat list” in Chicago that purports to Read more about Palantir has secretly been using New Orleans to test its predictive policing technology, was given huge access to lots of private data without oversight due to loophole[…]

Hey Microsoft, Stop Installing Apps On My PC Without Asking

I’m getting sick of Windows 10’s auto-installing apps. Apps like Facebook are now showing up out of nowhere, and even displaying notifications begging for me to use them. I didn’t install the Facebook app, I didn’t give it permission to show notifications, and I’ve never even used it. So why is it bugging me? Windows Read more about Hey Microsoft, Stop Installing Apps On My PC Without Asking[…]

119,000 Passports and Photo IDs of FedEx Customers Found on Unsecured Amazon Server

Thousands of FedEx customers were exposed after the company left scanned passports, drivers licenses, and other documentation on a publicly accessible Amazon S3 server. The scanned IDs originated from countries all over the world, including the United States, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, and several European countries. The IDs were attached to forms Read more about 119,000 Passports and Photo IDs of FedEx Customers Found on Unsecured Amazon Server[…]

Uzi Nissan Spent 8 Years Fighting The Car Company With His Name. He Nearly Lost Everything To Win. The legal system doesn’t work very well if you have no money.

Nissan the car company never really cared who Uzi Nissan was. Then it decided he had something it wanted very much—the website www.nissan.com, which he created for his small retail computer business in 1994—and it sued him for $10 million. When the two Nissans went to war, Uzi Nissan prevailed in the end, but lost Read more about Uzi Nissan Spent 8 Years Fighting The Car Company With His Name. He Nearly Lost Everything To Win. The legal system doesn’t work very well if you have no money.[…]

2017: Dutch Military Intelligence 348 and Internal Intelligence 3205 taps placed. No idea how many the police did, but wow, that’s a lot!

De MIVD tapte vorig jaar in totaal 348 keer. De AIVD plaatste dat jaar 3.205 taps. Vandaag publiceerden beide diensten de tapstatistieken over de periode 2002 tot en met 2017 op hun website. Source: MIVD tapte vorig jaar 348 keer | Nieuwsbericht | Defensie.nl And of course we have no idea how many of these Read more about 2017: Dutch Military Intelligence 348 and Internal Intelligence 3205 taps placed. No idea how many the police did, but wow, that’s a lot![…]

The 600+ Companies PayPal Shares Your Data With – Schneier on Security

One of the effects of GDPR — the new EU General Data Protection Regulation — is that we’re all going to be learning a lot more about who collects our data and what they do with it. Consider PayPal, that just released a list of over 600 companies they share customer data with. Here’s a Read more about The 600+ Companies PayPal Shares Your Data With – Schneier on Security[…]

Madison Square Garden Has Used Face-Scanning Technology on Customers

Madison Square Garden has quietly used facial-recognition technology to bolster security and identify those entering the building, according to multiple people familiar with the arena’s security procedures. The technology uses cameras to capture images of people, and then an algorithm compares the images to a database of photographs to help identify the person and, when Read more about Madison Square Garden Has Used Face-Scanning Technology on Customers[…]

What is your personal info worth to criminals? There’s a dark web market price index for that

Your entire online identity could be worth little more than £800, according to brand new research into the illicit sale of stolen personal info on the dark web (or just $1,200 if you are in the United States, according to the US edition of the index). While it may be no surprise to learn that Read more about What is your personal info worth to criminals? There’s a dark web market price index for that[…]

Sandvine’s PacketLogic Devices Used to Deploy Government Spyware in Turkey and Redirect Egyptian Users to Affiliate Ads when trying to download popular software

This report describes our investigation into the apparent use of Sandvine/Procera Networks Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) devices to deliver nation-state malware in Turkey and indirectly into Syria, and to covertly raise money through affiliate ads and cryptocurrency mining in Egypt. Key Findings Through Internet scanning, we found deep packet inspection (DPI) middleboxes on Türk Telekom’s Read more about Sandvine’s PacketLogic Devices Used to Deploy Government Spyware in Turkey and Redirect Egyptian Users to Affiliate Ads when trying to download popular software[…]

Retina X ‘Stalkerware’ Shuts Down Apps ‘Indefinitely’ After Getting Hacked Again

A company that sells spyware to regular consumers is “immediately and indefinitely halting” all of its services, just a couple of weeks after a new damaging hack. Retina-X Studios, which sells several products marketed to parents and employers to keep tabs on their children and employees—but also used by jealous partners to spy on their Read more about Retina X ‘Stalkerware’ Shuts Down Apps ‘Indefinitely’ After Getting Hacked Again[…]

The Car of the Future Will Sell Your Data

Picture this: You’re driving home from work, contemplating what to make for dinner, and as you idle at a red light near your neighborhood pizzeria, an ad offering $5 off a pepperoni pie pops up on your dashboard screen. Are you annoyed that your car’s trying to sell you something, or pleasantly persuaded? Telenav Inc., Read more about The Car of the Future Will Sell Your Data[…]

Electronics-recycling innovator faces prison for trying to extend computers’ lives

Eric Lundgren is obsessed with recycling electronics. He built an electric car out of recycled parts that far outdistanced a Tesla in a test. He launched what he thinks is the first “electronic hybrid recycling” facility in the United States, which turns discarded cellphones and other electronics into functional devices, slowing the stream of harmful Read more about Electronics-recycling innovator faces prison for trying to extend computers’ lives[…]

Pirates Crack Microsoft’s UWP Protection, Five Layers of DRM Defeated

Video games pirates have reason to celebrate today after scene cracking group CODEX defeated Microsoft’s Universal Windows Platform system on Zoo Tycoon Ultimate Animal Collection. While the game it was protecting isn’t exactly a fan favorite, it was reportedly protected by five layers of DRM within the UWP package, including the Denuvo-like Arxan anti-tamper technology Read more about Pirates Crack Microsoft’s UWP Protection, Five Layers of DRM Defeated[…]

Roses are red, Facebook is blue. Think private means private? More fool you

In a decision (PDF) handed down yesterday, chief judge Janet DiFiore said that a court could ask someone to hand over any relevant materials as part of discovery ahead of a trial – even if they are private. The threshold for disclosure in a court case “is not whether the materials sought are private but Read more about Roses are red, Facebook is blue. Think private means private? More fool you[…]

Do Not, I Repeat, Do Not Download Onavo, Facebook’s Vampiric VPN Service

There’s a new menu item in the Facebook app, first reported by TechCrunch on Monday, labeled “Protect.” Clicking it will send you to the App Store and prompt you to download a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service called Onavo. (“Protect” shows up in the iOS app. Gizmodo looked for it on an Android device and Read more about Do Not, I Repeat, Do Not Download Onavo, Facebook’s Vampiric VPN Service[…]

Danish man convicted of promoting illegal film service

A Danish man has become the first European to be convicted of taking part in the promotion of an illegal online film site.The 39-year-old man was handed a six-month suspended sentence by an Odense court for promoting the illegal online film streaming service Popcorn Time via his website popcorntime.dk. […] More specifically, the man was Read more about Danish man convicted of promoting illegal film service[…]

UK.gov mass data slurping ruled illegal – AGAIN

In a judgment handed down this morning, judges backed a challenge brought by deputy Labour leader Tom Watson in a long-running battle against state surveillance rules.These laws allow for ISPs and telcos to retain communications data for up to a year and for public authorities to get access to this information. But campaigners have argued Read more about UK.gov mass data slurping ruled illegal – AGAIN[…]

Thanks to “consent” buried deep in sales agreements, car manufacturers are tracking tens of millions of US and EU cars

Millions of new cars sold in the US and Europe are “connected,” having some mechanism for exchanging data with their manufacturers after the cars are sold; these cars stream or batch-upload location data and other telemetry to their manufacturers, who argue that they are allowed to do virtually anything they want with this data, thanks Read more about Thanks to “consent” buried deep in sales agreements, car manufacturers are tracking tens of millions of US and EU cars[…]

Microsoft whips out tool so you can measure Windows 10’s data-slurping creepiness

The software giant has produced a tool that’s claimed to show users how much personal information its Windows 10 operating system collects and sends back to Redmond for diagnostics.The application is dubbed Diagnostic Data Viewer, and is free from the Windows Store. It reveals that stuff like the computer’s device name, OS version, and serial Read more about Microsoft whips out tool so you can measure Windows 10’s data-slurping creepiness[…]

YouTube’s Support for Musicians Comes With a non-disparagement contract. Wait, what? It’s legal to agree to this before you know what they will do to you?!

YouTube has asked musicians to agree not to disparage the streaming-video service in exchange for promotional support, according to people familiar with the matter, a way to quell persistent criticism by artists. In recent months, YouTube has given a handful of musicians a couple hundred thousand dollars to produce videos and promoted their work on Read more about YouTube’s Support for Musicians Comes With a non-disparagement contract. Wait, what? It’s legal to agree to this before you know what they will do to you?![…]

American Reich restarts dodgy spying program – just as classified surveillance abuse memo emerges

The US Senate reauthorized a controversial NSA spying program on Thursday – and then, because it’s 2018 and nothing matters any more, embarked on a partisan battle over a confidential memo that outlines Uncle Sam’s alleged abuse of surveillance powers. Despite numerous appeals, press conferences, competing legislation and speeches outlining abuse of the program, on Read more about American Reich restarts dodgy spying program – just as classified surveillance abuse memo emerges[…]