The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

Using search warrants to get into fingerprint-locked phones

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Investigators in Lancaster, Calif., were granted a search warrant last May with a scope that allowed them to force anyone inside the premises at the time of search to open up their phones via fingerprint recognition, Forbes reported Sunday.The government argued that this did not violate the citizens’ Fifth Amendment protection against self incrimination because Read more about Using search warrants to get into fingerprint-locked phones[…]

making paralysed people feel through fake hands

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Touch is essential for hand use. Yet, brain-controlled prosthetic limbs have not been endowed with this critical sense. In a new study by Flesher et al ., microelectrode arrays were implanted into the primary somatosensory cortex of a person with spinal cord injury and, by delivering current through the electrodes, generated sensations of touch that Read more about making paralysed people feel through fake hands[…]

Court finds GCHQ and MI5 engaged in illegal bulk data collection

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The mysterious Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which oversees Blighty’s snoops, has ruled that the bulk collection of personal data — conducted by GCHQ and MI5 between 1998 and 2015 — was illegal. Responding to a claim brought by Privacy International, the 70-page judgment handed down this morning [PDF] found that the spooks’ surveillance activities had been Read more about Court finds GCHQ and MI5 engaged in illegal bulk data collection[…]

UK wants to monitor fake boobs, claims event 6 years ago is catalyst

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry (BCIR) is intended to prevent a repeat of faulty Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP) silicone breast implants scandal in 2010, in which fraudulently manufactured silicone gel implants affected thousands of women. Its establishment is in response to recommendation 21 in Sir Bruce Keogh’s Review of the Regulation of Cosmetic interventions, Read more about UK wants to monitor fake boobs, claims event 6 years ago is catalyst[…]

Dutch net neutrality law does well, pisses off monopolists

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Dutch Senate has passed the revised Net Neutrality Law as part of an amendment to the country’s Telecommunications Act. The strict new law seeks to ensure that telcos and ISPs treat all internet traffic equally and cannot favour one internet app or service over another. Opponents, however, say the legislation, which was approved by Read more about Dutch net neutrality law does well, pisses off monopolists[…]

Modern Business Solutions Stumbles Over A Modern Business Problem – 58M Records Dumped From An Unsecured Database

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Now we have yet another massive database leak has been uncovered related to an insecure MongoDB installation, exposing at least 58 million subscriber records. Twitter user @0x2Taylor posted exfiltrated data on the file sharing site MEGA twice over the weekend, each time resulting in the data being taken down very quickly. The data was then Read more about Modern Business Solutions Stumbles Over A Modern Business Problem – 58M Records Dumped From An Unsecured Database[…]

Google offers fuzzing tool for Chrome for automated testing

Posted on by Robin Edgar

fuzzing involves sending random data at a piece of software to crash it and capturing the conditions at the time of the crash. […] libFuzzer attacked individual components of Chrome, sending the random data directly to the API. It’s a coverage-guided fuzzer, meaning it measures “code coverage for every input, and accumulate test cases that Read more about Google offers fuzzing tool for Chrome for automated testing[…]

Avtech devices 14 serious unpatched vulnerabilities

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Avtech is the second most popular search term in Shodan. According to Shodan, more than 130.000 Avtech devices are exposed to the internet. That’s because there are 14 serious unpatched vulnerabilities, the guide in the link goes through. Ensure the admin interface is not exposed to the internet, change the default admin password if you Read more about Avtech devices 14 serious unpatched vulnerabilities[…]

69% increase in hacked online stores stealing your credit card details from 2015

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Online skimming is a new form of card fraud. In November 2015, the first case was reported. Upon investigating, I scanned a sample of 255K online stores globally and found 3501 stores to be skimmed. It is now ten months later. Are the culprits in jail yet? Not quite, here are the numbers of compromised Read more about 69% increase in hacked online stores stealing your credit card details from 2015[…]

Dozens of suspicious court cases, with missing defendants, aim at getting web pages taken down or deindexed – The Washington Post

Posted on by Robin Edgar

There are about 25 court cases throughout the country that have a suspicious profile: All involve allegedly self-represented plaintiffs, yet they have similar snippets of legalese that suggest a common organization behind them. (A few others, having a slightly different profile, involve actual lawyers.) All the ostensible defendants ostensibly agreed to injunctions being issued against Read more about Dozens of suspicious court cases, with missing defendants, aim at getting web pages taken down or deindexed – The Washington Post[…]

‘StrongPity’ malware infects users through illegitimate WinRAR and TrueCrypt installers

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A new strain of malware has been discovered by Kaspersky Labs, named ‘StrongPity,’ which targets users looking for two legitimate computer programs, WinRAR and TrueCrypt. WinRAR is a file archiver utility for Windows, which compresses and extracts files, while the latter is a discontinued encryption tool. The malware contains components that not only has the Read more about ‘StrongPity’ malware infects users through illegitimate WinRAR and TrueCrypt installers[…]

Apple Watches banned from Cabinet after ministers warned devices could be vulnerable to hacking 

Posted on by Robin Edgar

inisters have been barred from wearing Apple Watches during Cabinet meetings amid concerns that they could be hacked by Russian spies, The Telegraph has learned. Under David Cameron, several cabinet ministers wore the smart watches, including Michael Gove, the former Justice Secretary. However, under Theresa May ministers have been barred from wearing them amid concerns Read more about Apple Watches banned from Cabinet after ministers warned devices could be vulnerable to hacking […]

Sexual Activity before Sports Competition: you can after all

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Sexual activity before competition has been considered as a possible cause for reduced performance since ancient Greece and Rome. Recently, the hypothesis that optimal sport performance could be influenced by a variety of factors including sexual activity before competition has been investigated. However, few scientific data are available, with the exception of anecdotal reports of Read more about Sexual Activity before Sports Competition: you can after all[…]

Religion in US ‘worth more than Google and Apple combined’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Religion in the United States is worth $1.2tn a year, making it equivalent to the 15th largest national economy in the world, according to a study. The faith economy has a higher value than the combined revenues of the top 10 technology companies in the US, including Apple, Amazon and Google, says the analysis from Read more about Religion in US ‘worth more than Google and Apple combined’[…]

Hackers hijack Tesla Model S from afar, while the cars are moving, control is scary

Posted on by Robin Edgar

VIDEO Chinese hackers have attacked Tesla electric cars from afar, using exploits that can activate brakes, unlock doors, and fold mirrors from up to 20 kilometres (12 miles) away while the cars are in motion. Keen Security Lab senior researchers Sen Nie, Ling Liu, and Wen Lu, along with director Samuel Lv, demonstrated the hacks Read more about Hackers hijack Tesla Model S from afar, while the cars are moving, control is scary[…]

Is Tesla telling us the truth over autopilot spat?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In the latest exchange between Mobileye and Tesla, however, the chip company has accused Tesla of lying. “The allegations recently attributed to a spokesperson for Tesla … are incorrect and can be refuted by the facts,” Mobileye said in a statement. […] Tesla was “pushing the envelope in terms of safety,” the company’s chairman and Read more about Is Tesla telling us the truth over autopilot spat?[…]

Why I Knocked Boston Children’s Hospital Off The Internet: A Statement From Martin Gottesfeld

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The answer is simpler than you might think: The defense of an innocent, learning disabled, 15-year-old girl. In the criminal complaint, she’s called “Patient A,” but to me, she has a name, Justina Pelletier. Boston Children’s Hospital disagreed with her diagnosis. They said her symptoms were psychological. They made misleading statements on an affidavit, went Read more about Why I Knocked Boston Children’s Hospital Off The Internet: A Statement From Martin Gottesfeld[…]

Control multiple PCs with one mouse / keyboard

Posted on by Robin Edgar

You used to be able to use synergy, but that has become non-free. Now you have the following two free alternatives: Input Director enables the control of multiple Windows systems using the keyboard/mouse attached to one computer Switch control between systems either by hotkey or by moving the cursor off the screen edge on one Read more about Control multiple PCs with one mouse / keyboard[…]

Securify your PC using Qubes and Whonix

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Qubes is a security-oriented, open-source operating system for personal computers. Qubes takes an approach called security by compartmentalization, which allows you to compartmentalize the various parts of your digital life into securely isolated compartments called qubes. This approach allows you to keep the different things you do on your computer securely separated from each other Read more about Securify your PC using Qubes and Whonix[…]

Team unravels mystery of bacteria’s antibiotic resistance

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A popular antibiotic called rifampicin, used to treat tuberculosis, leprosy, and Legionnaire’s disease, is becoming less effective as the bacteria that cause the diseases develop more resistance. […] “Antibiotic resistance is one of the major problems in modern medicine,” said Adbelwahab. “Our studies have shown how this enzyme deactivates rifampicin. We now have a blueprint Read more about Team unravels mystery of bacteria’s antibiotic resistance[…]

Someone built an AI chatbot from a text message database of a dead man, works quite well

Posted on by Robin Edgar

It had been three months since Roman Mazurenko, Kuyda’s closest friend, had died. Kuyda had spent that time gathering up his old text messages, setting aside the ones that felt too personal, and feeding the rest into a neural network built by developers at her artificial intelligence startup. She had struggled with whether she was Read more about Someone built an AI chatbot from a text message database of a dead man, works quite well[…]

Apple Wins Appeal Reinstating $119.6 Million Samsung Verdict, showing insanity of patent law

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In this case, Apple claimed that Samsung infringed patents for the slide-to-unlock feature, autocorrect and a way to detect phone numbers so they can be tapped to make phone calls. The bulk of the award, $98.7 million, was for the detection patent that the earlier panel said wasn’t infringed. The February decision also said the Read more about Apple Wins Appeal Reinstating $119.6 Million Samsung Verdict, showing insanity of patent law[…]

US govt straight up accuses Russia of hacking DNC emails

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Russian government “directed the recent compromises of emails from US persons and institutions,” the US Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said on Friday, an accusation that gives formal recognition to a claim previously voiced through unnamed sources. In late July, The New York Times reported that Read more about US govt straight up accuses Russia of hacking DNC emails[…]