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calikid
04-22-2015, 05:51 PM
My Tivo Premier recently crashed, bummer :(
Had to pull my Tivo HD out of the closet to fill the gap until my mail order Tivo Roamio arrives.
Sadly, one of the first messages I received was "Sorry, YouTube no longer available on this device".

YouTube app no longer supports older TVs, outdated iOS devices
You'll have to make sure your smart TV or mobile device is up to date if you want to continue to access the app.
by Lance Whitney

Google is nixing support for its YouTube app for certain older devices, including TVs and Blu-ray players, iPhones and iPads, and devices that run older versions of Google TV.

Fans of YouTube can access the popular video service through a dedicated app or through its website. Support for the dedicated app on older devices is the piece that's going away.

Why is Google making this move? On a YouTube Help page, the company explained that it's upgrading the YouTube Data API (applications programming interface) to offer more features. (The company told developers of its plans more than a year ago.) As a result, Google began shutting down the existing version Monday, which means the current YouTube app will no longer work on certain devices made in 2012 or earlier. Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/youtube-app-to-no-longer-support-older-tvs-or-ios-devices/)

majicbar
04-23-2015, 09:22 PM
My Tivo Premier recently crashed, bummer :(
Had to pull my Tivo HD out of the closet to fill the gap until my mail order Tivo Roamio arrives.
Sadly, one of the first messages I received was "Sorry, YouTube no longer available on this device".

YouTube app no longer supports older TVs, outdated iOS devices
You'll have to make sure your smart TV or mobile device is up to date if you want to continue to access the app.
by Lance Whitney

Google is nixing support for its YouTube app for certain older devices, including TVs and Blu-ray players, iPhones and iPads, and devices that run older versions of Google TV.

Fans of YouTube can access the popular video service through a dedicated app or through its website. Support for the dedicated app on older devices is the piece that's going away.

Why is Google making this move? On a YouTube Help page, the company explained that it's upgrading the YouTube Data API (applications programming interface) to offer more features. (The company told developers of its plans more than a year ago.) As a result, Google began shutting down the existing version Monday, which means the current YouTube app will no longer work on certain devices made in 2012 or earlier. Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/youtube-app-to-no-longer-support-older-tvs-or-ios-devices/)

Stupid, cheap or lazy, this seems to be a really dumb move on their part. Arrogant management is the model that I think best explains this move.

Garuda
05-05-2015, 04:06 PM
Engineering students create real-time 3-D radar system

http://phys.org/news/2015-05-students-real-time-d-radar.html


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzXmBj0UBLU

Wally
05-10-2015, 07:15 PM
"Is NASA Moving Toward a Hyperspace Drive?"
http://www.space.com/29308-nasa-hyperspace-em-drive.html
It'd be great if it works, though I'm guessing it still may not be able to get us to the nearest stars any time soon though.

CasperParks
05-10-2015, 08:11 PM
"Is NASA Moving Toward a Hyperspace Drive?"
http://www.space.com/29308-nasa-hyperspace-em-drive.html
It'd be great if it works, though I'm guessing it still may not be able to get us to the nearest stars any time soon though.

Within the next couple of decades, I expect a sudden leap forward.

calikid
05-12-2015, 07:42 PM
With all the 4k Televisons hitting the market, looks like BluRay is upgrading to fill the gap in content.
And to think, I haven't even finsihed upgrading my DVD collection to from SD to HD BluRay to 3D, and now I need 4k (Ultra) BluRay disks. Time to upgrade my Star War anthology, again!?!?


Ultra HD Blu-ray specification now complete, logo unveiled

The Blu-ray Disc Association today announced it has finalized what could be the last major disc-based movie format: Ultra HD Blu-ray.

by Ty Pendlebury

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has announced the Ultra HD Blu-ray (4K) specification is now complete and have also revealed the next-gen format's official logo.

The new disc format promises the incorporation of the latest video standards and players will also be backwards compatible with existing Blu-ray discs.

The BDA says the format incorporates a 3840x2160 resolution, expanded color range support, high dynamic range (HDR), and high frame rate content (read 60fps). As well as the promise of up-to-date video, UHD Bluray will also support "next-generation immersive, object-based sound formats".

The BDA has yet to expand on which specific standards will be supported as for each of these features there are a number of competing options: for example there are two object-based sound formats--DTS:X and Dolby Atmos. We have reached out to the BDA for further clarification. Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/ultra-hd-blu-ray-specification-now-complete-logo-unveiled/)

CasperParks
05-12-2015, 07:43 PM
With all the 4k Televisons hitting the market, looks like BluRay is upgrading to fill the gap in content.
And to think, I haven't even finsihed upgrading my DVD collection to from SD to HD BluRay to 3D, and now I need 4k (Ultra) BluRay disks. Time to upgrade my Star War anthology, again!?!?

Ultra HD Blu-ray specification now complete, logo unveiled

The Blu-ray Disc Association today announced it has finalized what could be the last major disc-based movie format: Ultra HD Blu-ray.

by Ty Pendlebury

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has announced the Ultra HD Blu-ray (4K) specification is now complete and have also revealed the next-gen format's official logo.

The new disc format promises the incorporation of the latest video standards and players will also be backwards compatible with existing Blu-ray discs.

The BDA says the format incorporates a 3840x2160 resolution, expanded color range support, high dynamic range (HDR), and high frame rate content (read 60fps). As well as the promise of up-to-date video, UHD Bluray will also support "next-generation immersive, object-based sound formats".

The BDA has yet to expand on which specific standards will be supported as for each of these features there are a number of competing options: for example there are two object-based sound formats--DTS:X and Dolby Atmos. We have reached out to the BDA for further clarification. Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/ultra-hd-blu-ray-specification-now-complete-logo-unveiled/)

I just bought a blue-ray player last year...

majicbar
05-12-2015, 07:55 PM
I just bought a blue-ray player last year...

Well as one who is aware of the possibilities I would point out that the original medium, film or video was not shot to the standards of the 4k video. Rerecording it in the 4k format will only show a graininess in greater fidelity. What I would instead propose is that there be a reprocessing of the original frames shot in less than 4k to provide a virtual 4k image for the 4k televisions. There is usually enough information in the original frame to present a usable 4k image. This may make the playback device more expensive and have special video processing chipsets, but it makes more sense than having to go out and repurchase them in 4k format when one is not getting 4k quality in that product.

Wally
05-15-2015, 07:20 AM
"Is NASA Moving Toward a Hyperspace Drive?"
http://www.space.com/29308-nasa-hyperspace-em-drive.html
It'd be great if it works, though I'm guessing it still may not be able to get us to the nearest stars any time soon though.

"No Warp Drive Here: NASA Downplays 'Impossible' EM Drive Space Engine"
http://www.space.com/29363-impossible-em-drive-space-engine-nasa.html
guess they didn't want to get our hopes up.

calikid
05-21-2015, 05:06 AM
Get a hold of yourself. Wonder how long it will take to bring 'leisure suit larry' to life?!?.
Virtual reality porn? Oculus founder says he won't stop it

Technically Incorrect: If you want to watch porn on your virtual reality headset, go right ahead. At least that's what Oculus' founder appeared to say at a recent tech conference.

by Chris Matyszczyk

Many of you are very excited about the oncoming rush that is the virtual reality headset Oculus Rift.

You may be asking yourselves one little question: "Just how excited will I be able to get?"

A clue emerged Monday when Oculus founder Palmer Luckey appeared to reveal just how lucky some users will be.

Speaking at the Silicon Valley Virtual Reality Conference in San Jose, Calif., Luckey was asked whether his company would block adult content.

Variety reports that he replied: "The Rift is an open platform. We don't control what software can run on it." He added that this was "a big deal."

The word "open" has been some what tarnished in tech over the years. Where once it symbolized an unvarnished nirvana, now it often comes with a few qualfiers.

However, it seemed yesterday that, despite being owned by the pristine bare breast-banners at Facebook, which has a complicated relationship with depicting various parts of the human body on its service, Oculus will allow those who wish to enjoy some adult entertainment on its platform off the leash. Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/virtual-reality-porn-oculus-founder-says-he-wont-stop-it/)

Garuda
05-22-2015, 06:38 PM
WARNING: yet another dangerous security risk when browsing: the LOGJAM ATTACK.

Check here whether your browser is vulnerable: https://weakdh.org/

At the moment of writing, only the very latest version of Internet Explorer 11 is patched.

If you're using Firefox with NoScript, you're probably OK, too.

calikid
05-27-2015, 06:10 PM
Somebodies watching you!

Google files patent for creepy teddy bear
By Hope King

Remember Teddy, the super-computer toy, from the 2001 film "Artificial Intelligence?" Well, Google might be making one.

Earlier this week the company filed a patent for a toy that can control other Wi-Fi-connected devices. This could be one of Google's creepiest patents yet -- especially if movies like "Chuckie" still give you nightmares.

Imagine a teddy bear outfitted with sensors and cameras.

If it senses you're looking at it, the fuzzy toy will rotate its head and look back at you. Once it receives and recognizes a voice command prompt, you can then tell it to control media devices in your home (e.g. turn on your music or TV).

Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2015/05/22/technology/google-doll-toy-connected-device-patent/index.html)

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/dam/assets/150522180012-google-creepy-toy-connected-device-iot-780x439.jpg

calikid
06-05-2015, 02:49 AM
Cyber warfare, can it escalate to IRL warfare?

CHINA HACKS U.S. GOVT.

Cyberattack compromises government workers
By Kevin Liptak and Theodore Schleifer


Washington (CNN)—Four million current and former federal employees may have had their personal information hacked, the Office of Personnel Management said on Thursday.

The agency, which is conducts background checks, warned it was urging potential victims to monitor their financial statements and obtain new credit reports.

U.S. officials believe this could be the biggest breach ever of the government's computer networks.

The breach is beyond the Office of Personnel Management and Department of Interior, with nearly every federal government agency hit by the hackers, government officials said.

An assessment continues and it is possible millions more government employees may be impacted.

American investigators believe they can trace the breach to the Chinese government. Hackers working for the Chinese military are believed to be compiling a massive database of Americans, intelligence officials told CNN on Thursday night.
Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/04/politics/federal-agency-hacked-personnel-management/index.html)

calikid
06-05-2015, 06:21 PM
Ready or not, here Win10 comes!

Windows 10 arrives on July 29

Home users of Windows 7 and 8.1 will get the Windows 10 upgrade for free, but there are a few conditions.
by Tom McNamara

After revealing Windows 10 eight months ago, Microsoft has finally announced a release date for the free upgrade from Windows 7 and 8.1: July 29, just eight weeks from now. This is a little earlier than expected, and there are a few strings attached. First, this date is for the upgrade only. Microsoft has not announced availability of the retail version of Windows 10 or of a standalone download. So, if you prefer to start fresh with a clean installation of Windows, or if you want to download the update once to install on multiple devices, or if you want to obtain it on release day and install it later, you will have to wait a little longer. Second, the version for cell phones, dubbed Windows 10 Mobile, is not a part of this scheme; its release date has not been announced.

The process works like this: Starting today, a Windows icon will pop up in your system tray if you are eligible for the upgrade. This icon comes courtesy of system update KB3035583, which installs an app called Get Windows 10. If you click the icon, the app window will open, and you can make a reservation for your download of Windows 10. Presumably this process enables Microsoft to gauge how many download servers it will need to handle the launch. You can also request an email confirmation, and you can cancel your reservation at any time. If you don't make a reservation now, you can still schedule a download of Windows 10 later on (though the offer of a free upgrade expires after one year).

Microsoft estimates that it will take anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour to process the Windows 10 upgrade. The time to actually download it will depend on your connection speed...
Story Continues (http://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/windows-10-arrives-on-july-29)

CasperParks
06-05-2015, 07:48 PM
Ready or not, here Win10 comes!

Windows 10 arrives on July 29

Home users of Windows 7 and 8.1 will get the Windows 10 upgrade for free, but there are a few conditions.
by Tom McNamara

After revealing Windows 10 eight months ago, Microsoft has finally announced a release date for the free upgrade from Windows 7 and 8.1: July 29, just eight weeks from now. This is a little earlier than expected, and there are a few strings attached. First, this date is for the upgrade only. Microsoft has not announced availability of the retail version of Windows 10 or of a standalone download. So, if you prefer to start fresh with a clean installation of Windows, or if you want to download the update once to install on multiple devices, or if you want to obtain it on release day and install it later, you will have to wait a little longer. Second, the version for cell phones, dubbed Windows 10 Mobile, is not a part of this scheme; its release date has not been announced.

The process works like this: Starting today, a Windows icon will pop up in your system tray if you are eligible for the upgrade. This icon comes courtesy of system update KB3035583, which installs an app called Get Windows 10. If you click the icon, the app window will open, and you can make a reservation for your download of Windows 10. Presumably this process enables Microsoft to gauge how many download servers it will need to handle the launch. You can also request an email confirmation, and you can cancel your reservation at any time. If you don't make a reservation now, you can still schedule a download of Windows 10 later on (though the offer of a free upgrade expires after one year).

Microsoft estimates that it will take anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour to process the Windows 10 upgrade. The time to actually download it will depend on your connection speed...
Story Continues (http://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/windows-10-arrives-on-july-29)

I hope auto windows update doesn't give me windows 10.

Question we'll likely not know until another whistle blower: Did the government, NSA and law enforcement got those requested back-doors?

calikid
06-06-2015, 05:18 PM
I hope auto windows update doesn't give me windows 10.

Question we'll likely not know until another whistle blower: Did the government, NSA and law enforcement got those requested back-doors?

From what I have read, you get the opportunity to download the Win10 upgrade ISO for free the first year.
You don't have to install it right away.
After the first year, you pay $$$ for Win10.

As for your "Back door" question, when I installed the "Win10 Preview" (in a sandbox) I had the option to do an Express Install or a Custom Install. I chose custom, and the options were an eye opener.
About 8 or 10 questions, all having to do with auto submission of reports back to the MS Mothership.
I had to turn off approx. 9 of 10 to meet MY personal privacy requirements. At least they asked!

Garuda
07-20-2015, 08:15 PM
WARNING: Microsoft releases an emergency patch for a critical flaw that can allow a hacker to take over a computer.
This applies to ALL version of Windows.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-releases-emergency-patch-for-critical-windows-flaw/

Gwaihir57
07-20-2015, 11:25 PM
great posts. Just learned microsoft isnt updating IE anymore, dont know if this is true or not. Either way i Got out of IE years ago and so should you.

majicbar
07-21-2015, 01:36 AM
great posts. Just learned microsoft isnt updating IE anymore, dont know if this is true or not. Either way i Got out of IE years ago and so should you.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/microsoft/11359191/New-Internet-Explorer-IEs-Spartan-future.html

Microsoft has reconceptualized IE, in part because of the treatment applied by the courts of the European Union. This article details the change.

calikid
07-21-2015, 05:35 PM
Is this the end for Flash?

Mozilla Firefox Bans Adobe Flash Player


Mozilla Firefox has decided to place a temporary ban on Adobe Flash Player on Windows as well as on iOS platforms. The group Hacking Team reportedly utilized three different routes to breach the plugin and Mozilla has said they would keep Flash blocked until Adobe repairs all issues that have made them susceptible to hackers.


Hacking Team is a Milan-based technology company that produces controversial software for law enforcement and government agencies to monitor internet usage and browsing by individual users. Earlier this month, Hacking Team itself had a serious breach when they were hacked by unknown individuals that exposed data showing the company had worked with Sudan as well as the Lebanese Army. Both are groups that the company has previously denied working with.
Story Continues (http://www.inquisitr.com/2252971/mozilla-firefox-bans-adobe-flash-player/)

calikid
07-28-2015, 08:38 PM
Never did feel right hitting "OK" on the terms page for most Android apps. "Ok to turn on my mic? WHAT? WHY?"


'Stagefright' Bug Could 'Critically Expose' Most Android Phones

by Keith Wagstaff

A flaw called "Stagefright" in Google's Android operating system could let hackers take over a phone with a message -- even if the user doesn't open it.

The flaw could "critically expose" 95 percent of Android devices, according to Zimperium, the security firm that discovered the vulnerability.

Stagefright, which Zimperium called the "mother of all Android vulnerabilities," allows people to send a video containing hidden malware to Android phones via a multimedia message (MMS) application.

For the default messenger app on most Android phones, users don't even have to play the video -- simply looking at the preview of the message will give hackers full access to the text messages and pictures stored on device, according to Zimperium. They would also be able to record audio and video using the phone's microphone and camera.

The company also tested the flaw with Google Hangouts. Because the app instantly processes the video for quicker viewing, receiving the message is enough to make a user vulnerable, the security firm said.

"You're sleeping at 2 a.m. You get a message and that's it -- your phone is infected," Zuk Avraham, founder and CTO of Zimperium, told NBC News. "You can wake up and not even know it happened. This is a very dangerous flaw."
Story Continues (http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/android-flaw-could-let-hackers-take-over-phone-text-n399016)

Garuda
07-29-2015, 04:09 PM
Windows 10 is here.

It can be downloaded at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

calikid
07-29-2015, 06:14 PM
Windows 10 is here.

It can be downloaded at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

It is worth noting that when using the download tool (MediaCreationTool.exe (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/media-creation-tool-install?ocid=ms_wol_win10#)) you can either upgrade NOW, or download an ISO file (the tool also offers a USB option) that can be used later, or even on another PC. You do NOT have to upgrade immediately.

Once the ISO is burned to a DVD, it is bootable (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/boot-install-partition-media-usb-dvd?ocid=W8_setup_partition), and requires your original CD Key (Win7 or Win8) AND the first time it is run you MUST have Win7 (or Win8.x) installed on the PC you are upgrading. From what I have researched, once it is registered subsequent installs may be performed as a clean install.

The Key thing to know is; you can download the Win10 upgrade now and wait to install until later. :cool:

Garuda
07-29-2015, 06:33 PM
By the way, the same goes for the version that downloads through Windows Update: if you've 'reserved' your copy of Win 10, it would have started downloading in the background by now. Once it is downloaded it will NOT automatically be installed. You can choose when to run the installer.

Longeyes
08-01-2015, 02:35 PM
This is fascinating it seems to defy the laws of physics but NASA scientists say the micro wave drive could take us to the moon in 4hrs
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/space/11769030/Impossible-rocket-drive-works-and-could-get-to-Moon-in-four-hours.html

calikid
08-01-2015, 08:43 PM
This is fascinating it seems to defy the laws of physics but NASA scientists say the micro wave drive could take us to the moon in 4hrs
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/space/11769030/Impossible-rocket-drive-works-and-could-get-to-Moon-in-four-hours.html
It works, but they don't know how it works?
Might want to sort that out, before flying off to the moon!

earthman
08-01-2015, 11:34 PM
Strange. Works but don't know how. Love it. Though the drive does make sense. Only 1at is cool. 00 years to Alpha C. That is cool.

CasperParks
08-02-2015, 05:37 AM
Windows 10 is here.

It can be downloaded at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

There is a lot of concern raised over default privacy settings. Read it takes 13 screens and a website to change the settings.

calikid
08-08-2015, 01:59 PM
Wait until Fall? You'd think if the OS X flaw was so serious, Apple would push a hotfix?!?!

Apple to patch serious security hole in Mac OS X

The nasty bug, which could give hackers access to the entire operating system, is set to be fixed in the next security update.

Apple will soon push out a fix for a new security bug that's affected users of its Mac operating system.

Reported in early July, the bug, known as DYLD, is considered a serious hole as it could allow hackers to remotely run a program on a Mac using administrator rights, which potentially opens up wide access to the entire operating system. The vulnerability has already been exploited "in the wild," according to the Guardian, leading to at least one adware installer taking advantage of it to further its capabilities.

In response, Apple will fix the bug in the next update to its Mac OS X, specifically OS X 10.10.5.
Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/apple-reportedly-set-to-patch-serious-security-bug-in-mac-os-x/)

majicbar
08-10-2015, 05:34 PM
http://phys.org/news/2015-08-caltech-discovery-fundamental-physics.html

The discovery helps sort out the fundamental nature of electrons, the way in which they have done this is interesting and novel.

calikid
08-20-2015, 11:27 PM
A recent Med Flight (Helicopter) crew in our region reported a drone passing within 20 feet of them, at an elevation of 1,000ft. Could have been a bad day if it had impacted. The operator was not identified, but the pilot and on board flight nurse were a bit rattled. Maybe this new tech will solve the problem.

U.S. government, police working on counter-drone system
By David Morgan

As concerns rise about a security menace posed by rogue drone flights, U.S. government agencies are working with state and local police forces to develop high-tech systems to protect vulnerable sites, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Although the research aimed at tracking and disabling drones is at an early stage, there has been at least one field test.

Last New Year's Eve, New York police used a microwave-based system to try to track a commercially available drone at a packed Times Square and send it back to its operator, according to one source involved in the test.

The previously unreported test, which ran into difficulty because of interference from nearby media broadcasts, was part of the nationwide development effort that includes the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Defense Department, the source said.

The sources were not authorized to speak about the effort and declined to be identified.

Asked about the development of counter-drone-technology, the Department of Homeland Security said it "works side-by-side with our interagency partners" to develop solutions to address the unlawful use of drones. Officials with the Defense Department, FAA and New York Police Department declined to comment.

But the sources acknowledged that efforts to combat rogue drones have gained new urgency due to the sharp rise in drone use and a series of alarming incidents.
Story Continue (https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/exclusive-u-government-police-working-counter-drone-system-050355777.html)

calikid
08-28-2015, 05:27 PM
Being a small business owner, my mobile phone is my business lifeblood. A necessary tool in the competitive game of keeping the clients happy. So I am anxious about keeping up with calls, but addicted? This test will tell!

This Quiz Tells You If You’re Addicted To Your Phone
Korin Miller

Do you have nomophobia?

It’s a sad fact of life that most of us are at least a little bit hooked on our phones.

But how bad is our addiction? Researchers from Iowa State University have devised a quiz that can tell whether it’s a serious problem.

The test was evaluated on more than 300 people, and the results showed that it’s an accurate predictor of whether a person actually has nomophobia, i.e. the fear of being without a phone. The study results were recently published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior.

The test involves ranking how strongly you disagree (designated by “1” on a scale of 1 to 7) or agree (designated by “7” on the scale) with 20 statements. Your result is calculated by totaling the response numbers, with the higher the score corresponding to a greater level of nomophobia.

Want to figure out how bad your nomophobia is? Try the test out for yourself:

1) I would feel uncomfortable without constant access to information through my smartphone.
2) I would be annoyed if I could not look information up on my smartphone when I wanted to do so.
3) Being unable to get the news (e.g., happenings, weather, etc.) on my smartphone would make me nervous.
4) I would be annoyed if I could not use my smartphone and/or its capabilities when I wanted to do so.
5) Running out of battery in my smartphone would scare me.
6) If I were to run out of credits or hit my monthly data limit, I would panic.
7) If I did not have a data signal or could not connect to Wi-Fi, then I would constantly check to see if I had a signal or could find a Wi-Fi network.
8) If I could not use my smartphone, I would be afraid of getting stranded somewhere.
9) If I could not check my smartphone for a while, I would feel a desire to check it.

If I did not have my smartphone with me:

1) I would feel anxious because I could not instantly communicate with my family and/or friends.
Story/Test continues (https://www.yahoo.com/health/this-quiz-tells-you-if-youre-addicted-to-your-127722498727.html)

calikid
09-21-2015, 04:31 PM
So how does one tell IF a recently installed Apple app is infected?

Apple's iOS App Store Suffers First Major Malware Attack
Never have so many malicious software programs made their way past Apple's stringent app review process.
By JIM FINKLE

Apple Inc. said on Sunday it is cleaning up its iOS App Store to remove malicious iPhone and iPad programs identified in the first large-scale attack on the popular mobile software outlet.

The company disclosed the effort after several cyber security firms reported finding a malicious program dubbed XcodeGhost that was embedded in hundreds of legitimate apps.

It is the first reported case of large numbers of malicious software programs making their way past Apple's stringent app review process. Prior to this attack, a total of just five malicious apps had ever been found in the App Store, according to cyber security firm Palo Alto Networks Inc.
Story Continues (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/apple-app-store-attack_55ff7773e4b0fde8b0cecc04?utm_hp_ref=technol ogy)

calikid
10-05-2015, 05:04 PM
oops! Remember to input a lock code on your phone, or the call back you get could be most unpleasant.

Butt dials' straining 911 emergency systems
By Brandon Griggs

he emergency dispatchers who handle calls to 911 must grapple with urgent situations, frantic callers and garbled messages.

As if that's not enough, now they're facing another challenge: butt dialing.

Accidental calls make up a significant percentage of 911 calls in San Francisco, according to new research by Google that seeks to explain a huge increase in emergency calls in that city. Such calls, typically made when smartphones are in pockets or purses, are placing a strain on already-taxed dispatchers who cannot communicate with the callers and must try to call them back, the report says.

Google researchers shadowed 911 dispatchers in San Francisco and found that 30% of the wireless calls they received during a particular window of time were accidental. This is a time-consuming hassle for dispatchers, who hear an open line and don't know whether the call is a mistake or a legitimate plea for help.

In the vast majority of such cases, the dispatcher had to call back the number to leave a voice mail, which wasted an average of one minute and 14 seconds per call, Google found.
Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/05/living/butt-dialing-911-emergency-feat/index.html)

majicbar
10-07-2015, 03:08 PM
It is not in the news but while using a search engine I ran across a company that the ARMY has awarded a research contract for a technique of diamond plating nickel platings, the idea of which is to reduce friction. My most immediate thought was that this could vastly reduce the heating of machine gun barrels and prevent seizures in the barrel from overheating, (thus the ARMY's interest). Clearly this idea of diamond plating to reduce friction is not exactly new, but the technique should allow wider application of the idea to many other areas such as engines of all kinds.

calikid
11-03-2015, 05:59 PM
Sounds good, but count me out until they shrink those massive goggles down to something more sunglasses sized. :cool:


​Oculus founder: Virtual reality gear will displace smartphones
It won't happen for years, but today's highest-tech smartphones eventually will look like primitive slabs of electronics, says Palmer Luckey of Facebook's virtual reality division.
by Stephen Shankland

DUBLIN -- Today people line up for hours to buy a smartphone that embodies the latest in high technology. Years from now, that phone will seem like a relic as people switch to virtual reality technology, predicted the founder of one of the highest-profile VR efforts.

"I believe it's going to be more ubiquitous than the smartphone," said Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus virtual reality company that Menlo Park, California-based Facebook acquired for $2 billion in 2014.

It's a bold to predict the demise of a device that ships today by the billion, but virtual reality and augmented reality have what it takes, Palmer said Tuesday at the Web Summit tech conference here. VR presents an artificial, but seemingly real, 3D world through a headset that can track a person's head movements to ensure a sensation of full immersion. AR, advocated by startups like Magic Leap and by Microsoft's forthcoming HoloLens product, overlays a virtual view atop the real world.

"Eventually AR and VR technology will converge and combine. You'll wear it all the time or carry it around with you all the time," and the VR gear will absorb the functions of today's smartphones even as it adds new abilities, Luckey said. "I'd be very surprised if 50 years from now we're still all carrying around slabs in our pockets when you can just project a virtual environment."

VR is a hot computing trend, heavily hyped as the future of gaming, learning and communications. Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/oculus-founder-virtual-reality-gear-will-displace-smartphones/)

calikid
11-09-2015, 11:43 PM
It's a shame a childish prank, sharing of nude photos, by unthinking giggly kids can lead to a life time of "Sex Offender" registration.
Harsh Child Porn laws will be used to punish the very kids they were implemented to protect.
Parents, time to pay attention to those smartphones you gave your kids.
Sexting 101: How to Keep Kids From Hiding Nude Photos on Their Phones
By: Dan Tynan

News of a sexting scandal involving hundreds of students at a Colorado high school has got parents across the nation in a tizzy. Are their kids also sharing nude snaps of themselves? How would the parents even know?

Complicating this scandal was how the students kept these images from parents and teachers. Many apparently used mobile “photo vault” apps that make it easy to hide illicit photos.

Sexting might seem harmless to your teens, but it can have serious consequences in the real world. Laws regarding sexting vary widely from state to state, but possessing nude photos of minors is illegal virtually everywhere — regardless of whether the person in possession of the pictures is also underage, has shared them with anyone, or is the person in the photos. Yes, your child could be prosecuted for taking naked selfies.

And once a nude photo has been shared, there’s no controlling what happens to it. The pictures could be used for revenge porn or cyberbullying, or they could surface again online years later, affecting your kid’s ability to get accepted by a college or hired by an employer.

Are your kids hiding pictures on their phones they don’t want you to see? How do you find out – and make sure they stop? Read on for the skinny.
How to identify secret photo vault apps

First, you need to learn how to identify these secret apps. There are hundreds of photo vault apps in both the iTunes App Store and the Play Store that appear to be something else entirely, like a calculator, a clock, or a game. Many are free.

The iTunes App Store is chock full of secret photo vault apps (and so is the Google Play store).

For example: The most common secret vault or “ghost” app appears to be an ordinary calculator. In fact, it is a working calculator — but enter a secret passcode and you unlock a vault
Story Continues (https://www.yahoo.com/tech/how-to-keep-your-kids-from-hiding-nude-pictures-on-150920505.html)

Garuda
11-24-2015, 07:00 PM
On a lighter note... Give your Google experience (gmail, maps, calendar, etc.) the Star Wars treatment:

https://www.google.com/starwars/

newyorklily
12-10-2015, 02:23 AM
Besides this being a very fast computer, is it also more proof of quantum entanglement?

NASA, Google Unveil A Quantum Computer Leap

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3013102/high-performance-computing/nasa-google-unveil-a-quantum-computing-leap.html

Sent from my LGLS660 using Tapatalk

majicbar
12-28-2015, 05:04 PM
Shades of Star Trek: Transparent Aluminium

http://www.sciencerocksmyworld.com/this-star-trek-substance-just-became-real/

Transparent aluminium, I see it but I am shaking my head, are they going to make drinking cans from this stuff? There are many applications that I imagine will present unique opportunities.

majicbar
12-28-2015, 05:15 PM
Shades of Star Trek: Transparent Aluminium

http://www.sciencerocksmyworld.com/this-star-trek-substance-just-became-real/

Transparent aluminium, I see it but I am shaking my head, are they going to make drinking cans from this stuff? There are many applications that I imagine will present unique opportunities.

UFOs that are transparent, is this what those ships are being made of, is there some way to use liquid crystals to change from transparent to opaque, it sounds like a UFO technology. Naval Research Labratory, hmm, are we seeing backengineering here?

whoknows
12-28-2015, 07:12 PM
UFOs that are transparent, is this what those ships are being made of, is there some way to use liquid crystals to change from transparent to opaque, it sounds like a UFO technology. Naval Research Labratory, hmm, are we seeing backengineering here?

Nothing new here just an engineering problem. Many metal oxides can be transparent, one closely associated with spinel is of course corundum. Just hard to make large flat or shaped sheets of the stuff.... Corundum is a simpler oxide of aluminum than Spinel a multipl oxide of Mg & Al.

majicbar
12-28-2015, 07:27 PM
Nothing new here just an engineering problem. Many metal oxides can be transparent, one closely associated with spinel is of course corundum. Just hard to make large flat or shaped sheets of the stuff.... Corundum is a simpler oxide of aluminum than Spinel a multipl oxide of Mg & Al.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_oxynitride Here is another one, materials science is amazing, I should have gone into this field, very interesting stuff.

whoknows
12-28-2015, 07:39 PM
Here is another one, materials science is amazing, I should have gone into this field, very interesting stuff.

Yeah I've always found it interesting as well, though it's only now getting really exciting, sadly a little late for my life timeline.

Garuda
01-08-2016, 04:00 PM
I wouldn't mind having one to these...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1AtfHm4hf8

calikid
02-03-2016, 05:53 PM
Maybe the answer to high tech surveillance is a low tech trained guard Eagle.
Now if only I could train an Eagle to fetch me a UFO. Ha!
But seriously, wouldn't the Props be a danger to the Eagle's talons?
Maybe some Kevlar booties could be developed, if the weight isn't to great.

Dutch cops train eagles to hunt drones
By Juliet Perry, CNN

As authorities scramble for effective and advanced ways to counter the increasing number of rogue drones buzzing around our skies, Dutch National Police have come up with something a little more unusual: the mighty eagle.

In what Dutch company "Guard from Above" calls a "low tech solution for a high tech problem," bald eagles have been trained to swoop in and neatly dispose of any unwanted electronic interlopers.

"Two of the most impressive characteristics of birds of prey are their speed and their power," said Guard From Above co-founder Ben de Keijzer in a media release.

"Sometimes the solution to a hypermodern problem is more obvious than you might think."

A growing problem

In October 2015, in response to pilots reporting 100 drone sightings a month, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it was testing anti-drone technology that would counter rogue drones flying within a five-mile radius of selected airports.

The technology reportedly detects radio signals from rogue drones and uses tracking technology to force the drone to land.

The project was only at research stage, and at the time of the announcement there was no time line in place.

In January of this year nonprofit group Open Briefing also published a report that highlighted how far consumer drones have evolved and how ill-prepared authorities currently are to combat them.
Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/02/europe/dutch-drones-eagles/index.html)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERgNoVrRGeA

calikid
02-05-2016, 04:22 PM
While new ways to blow up the enemies of democracy are exciting, it is nice to know that such tech will one day work it's way into the public's hands.
I can picture a hand held device that paramedics that could get quick answers about a victims injuries.
Or a teacher who can use such a device to determine if a student's actions are a symptom of an under lying learning disability.
To bad such "funding" can't originate as humanitarian, and work it's way into military apps, instead of the other way round.

New Microchip Could Increase Military Intelligence Powers Exponentially
By Patrick Tucker

A military-funded breakthrough in microchips opens the door to portable deep learning.

A new microchip could change life on the battlefield for U.S. troops by bringing the massive data crunching power of multi-computer neural networks — a dream of the 1970s and 80s — into handheld devices. The chip, announced by a team of researchers from MIT and funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, could enable a smartphone-sized device to perform deep-learning functions.
What can the military do with deep learning? Effectively executing complex operations in places like Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan is no longer just a matter of guts and glory. It’s also dependent on accessing and processing information in real time. The military has an abundance of data but always claims a shortage of useful intelligence. Consider that in 2011, during the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, the U.S. Air Force was processing 1,500 hours of full-motion video and 1,500 still images taken from aerial drones every day.

When satellites or drones collect high-resolution photographs or video, it’s human operators that have to do the job of classifying all the objects in that footage. Did someone just move a missile launcher within range of a forward operating base, or is that just a strangely-shaped pile of debris? Is that white van the same one that was on that street during last month’s IED attack? Or is it a different one? Is that bearded insurgent Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi or just a regular radical?

“Full exploitation of this information is a major challenge,” officials at DARPA wrote in a 2009 announcement on deep learning. “Human observation and analysis of [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] assets is essential, but the training of humans is both expensive and time-consuming. Human performance also varies due to individuals’ capabilities and training, fatigue, boredom, and human attentional capacity.”

The promise of mobile deep learning for the military is in shrinking large “neural networks” into the palm of a soldier’s hand. Neural networks are a technology that emerged in the 1970s to great hype and fanfare. They’re a method of information processing inspired by organic central nervous systems. Nodes establish links to other nodes in patterns to hold information in a sort of code somewhat the way that the synaptic connections in your brain hold information. Story Continues (http://www.defenseone.com/technology/2016/02/new-microchip-could-increase-military-intelligence-powers-exponentially/125715/?oref=d-channelriver)

calikid
02-12-2016, 02:41 PM
Seems Microsoft's WIN10 was even worse than we thought when it come to spying on us. :p
Guess it's a small help that I air gap my I-net patch cable, when not specifically online.

Windows 10 Worst Secret Spins Out Of Control
by Gordon Kelly

Back in November Microsoft confirmed Windows 10’s worst kept secret: its extensive telemetry (or ‘spying’ as it has been labelled) cannot be stopped. What no-one realised until now, however, was the extent of it…

Providing the shock is Voat user CheesusCrust whose extensive investigation claims Windows 10 contacts Microsoft to report data thousands of times per day. And the kicker? It is said to happen even after choosing a custom Windows 10 installation and disabling all three pages of tracking options which are all enabled by default.

The raw numbers presented come out as follows: over an eight hour period Windows 10 tried to send data back to 51 different Microsoft IP addresses over 5500 times. After 30 hours of use, Windows 10 expanded that data reporting to 113 non-private IP addresses. Being non-private means there is the potential for hackers to intercept this data.

Taking this a step further, the testing was then repeated on another Windows 10 clean installation again with all data tracking options disabled and third party tool DisableWinTracking was also installed which tries to shut down all hidden Windows 10 data reporting attempts. At the end of the 30 hour period Windows 10 had still managed to phone home with data 2758 times to 30 different IP addresses.

A further interesting fact is these tests were conducted using Windows 10 Enterprise Edition – the version of Windows 10 with most granular level of user control and far more than the standard Windows 10 Home edition used by most consumers. All of which confirms, this controversial data tracking simply cannot be stopped.

What To Make Of This

The obvious first reaction to this might be to panic and scream about class action lawsuits, but it’s a little more complicated than that.

Firstly the Windows 10 EULA (end user licence agreement) which very few users ever read, gives Microsoft full legal rights to do this. Secondly Microsoft has made ...
Story Continue (http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2016/02/09/windows-10-data-tracking-spying-levels/?utm_campaign=yahootix&partner=yahootix#6d7616557aa9)s

CasperParks
02-12-2016, 08:18 PM
Seems Microsoft's WIN10 was even worse than we thought when it come to spying on us. :p
Guess it's a small help that I air gap my I-net patch cable, when not specifically online.

Windows 10 Worst Secret Spins Out Of Control
by Gordon Kelly

Back in November Microsoft confirmed Windows 10’s worst kept secret: its extensive telemetry (or ‘spying’ as it has been labelled) cannot be stopped. What no-one realised until now, however, was the extent of it…

Providing the shock is Voat user CheesusCrust whose extensive investigation claims Windows 10 contacts Microsoft to report data thousands of times per day. And the kicker? It is said to happen even after choosing a custom Windows 10 installation and disabling all three pages of tracking options which are all enabled by default.

The raw numbers presented come out as follows: over an eight hour period Windows 10 tried to send data back to 51 different Microsoft IP addresses over 5500 times. After 30 hours of use, Windows 10 expanded that data reporting to 113 non-private IP addresses. Being non-private means there is the potential for hackers to intercept this data.

Taking this a step further, the testing was then repeated on another Windows 10 clean installation again with all data tracking options disabled and third party tool DisableWinTracking was also installed which tries to shut down all hidden Windows 10 data reporting attempts. At the end of the 30 hour period Windows 10 had still managed to phone home with data 2758 times to 30 different IP addresses.

A further interesting fact is these tests were conducted using Windows 10 Enterprise Edition – the version of Windows 10 with most granular level of user control and far more than the standard Windows 10 Home edition used by most consumers. All of which confirms, this controversial data tracking simply cannot be stopped.

What To Make Of This

The obvious first reaction to this might be to panic and scream about class action lawsuits, but it’s a little more complicated than that.

Firstly the Windows 10 EULA (end user licence agreement) which very few users ever read, gives Microsoft full legal rights to do this. Secondly Microsoft has made ...
Story Continue (http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2016/02/09/windows-10-data-tracking-spying-levels/?utm_campaign=yahootix&partner=yahootix#6d7616557aa9)s

Opinion: Red flags were flying from the start. First it was released as a "free upgrade", making no sense in the business world. Second, it was released near the same time a "rider bill" in US budget is allowing for broader Surveillance and legal protections for corporations taking part.

Recently, Yahoo News reported: Your PC Will Automatically Download Windows 10 This Week, click here to read. (https://www.yahoo.com/tech/your-pc-will-automatically-download-windows-10-092425005.html) So, if you have declined the "free upgrade to Windows 10", Windows 8 or whatever will do it automatically for you as part of the "updates" - Unless you alter settings in "updates". Unless you altered updates, a pop-window will appear requesting you agree to terms and conditions with an option of declining. However, at that point has your computer already has downloaded the software?

Whomever, whatever group want people to upgrade for a reason. I suspect it has to do with Surveillance, "current technology" and "wording in terms and conditions" that users are agreeing.

calikid
02-25-2016, 03:42 PM
Looks like Robot technology has come a long way. This unit can take care of itself, shows great potential.
Gets pretty interesting around 1:30, when an attacker with hockey stick shows up!

Atlas, The Next Generation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVlhMGQgDkY

epo333
03-22-2016, 10:01 PM
Will Artificial Intelligence Surpass Our Own?


What separates these agents from earlier success stories, such as IBM's Deep Blue, which beat the world's reigning chess champion in 1997, and IBM's Watson, which accomplished the same for the quiz show Jeopardy in 2011, is that they are taught by trial and error. The new wave of artificial intelligence (AI) is based on insights derived from the way animals and people learn and analysis of the underlying brain circuits that allowed theorists to develop supervised learning algorithms: the software is shown an image, and depending on whether or not it correctly identifies the face or increases the video game score, parameters internal to the program (so-called synaptic weights) are minutely adjusted. Such machine learning, if done over trillions of machine cycles (yes, it is very computing-intensive), can lead to systems that match or, in some cases, exceed human performance metrics. And, of course, the algorithm never gets distracted or tired and remains focused, day and night (see my July/August column “Intelligence without Sentience”).

Within a decade these instances of “weak” or “narrow” AI—able to replicate specific human tasks—will permeate society. Siri is only the beginning. Driverless cars and trucks will become the norm, and our interactions in supermarkets, hospitals, industry, offices and financial markets will be dominated by narrow AI. The torrid pace of these advances will put severe stress on society to deal peacefully with the attendant problems of unemployment (the U.S. trucking industry alone employs several million drivers) and growing inequality.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-artificial-intelligence-surpass-our-own/

Wally
04-10-2016, 04:19 AM
Spacex finally manages to land their rocket at sea:
http://www.space.com/32517-spacex-sticks-rocket-landing-sea-dragon-launch.html
Hopefully now they will be able to keep improving, without as many crashes.

calikid
04-10-2016, 01:21 PM
Spacex finally manages to land their rocket at sea:
http://www.space.com/32517-spacex-sticks-rocket-landing-sea-dragon-launch.html
Hopefully now they will be able to keep improving, without as many crashes.
It will be nice when they can finally offer rides to the public.
"Put in another quarter daddy, I want to ride again!".

calikid
04-19-2016, 04:24 PM
Long over due. Looks like some fun stuff to enhance your posts will be here soon!

Dozens of new emojis are headed your way soon
by Sarah Mitroff

We're getting a sneak peek at new emojis coming later this year thanks to Google. The latest developer preview of the mobile OS (code named Android N) includes completely redesigned emojis, plus brand-new designs for both Android and iOS that should arrive in the next few months.

Google took some design cues from iOS, redesigning its emoji faces to look simpler and more human-like. You'll also soon be able to pick a different skin color for many of the people emoji, such as the princess, boy, girl and construction worker.

These new emojis will very likely be available with the official release of Android N, whenever that happens. Until then, let's take a look at the most noticeable emoji upgrades and see what's new with each.

Police officer

The strange blob police officer is gone and now we have something that looks a bit more human. In fact, it bears an uncanny resemblance to the iOS police officer. The drawback is that....
Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/how-to/new-android-emojis/)


http://emojipedia-us.s3.amazonaws.com/cache/ab/44/ab448a0a9fe8b6d906a3064ef5112d69.png
New shark emoji

calikid
05-05-2016, 04:45 PM
I just noticed this news item. Looks like MS will expand this squeeze to included corporate/enterprise users. Go WIN10, or go antique hardware. :bleh:

Skylake users given 18 months to upgrade to Windows 10
And next generation processors, including Intel's Kaby Lake, won't be supported in old Windows.
Skylake users given 18 months to upgrade to Windows 10
And next generation processors, including Intel's Kaby Lake, won't be supported in old Windows.
by Peter Bright

If you own a system with an Intel 6th generation Core processor—more memorably known as Skylake—and run Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, you'll have to think about upgrading to Windows 10 within the next 18 months. Microsoft announced today that after July 17, 2017, only the "most critical" security fixes will be released for those platforms and those fixes will only be made available if they don't "risk the reliability or compatibility" of Windows 7 and 8.1 on other (non-Skylake) systems.

The full range of compatibility and security fixes will be published for non-Skylake machines for Windows 7 until January 14 2020, and for Windows 8.1 until January 10 2023.

Next generation processors, including Intel's "Kaby Lake", Qualcomm's 8996 (branded as Snapdragon 820), and AMD's "Bristol Ridge" APUs (which will use the company's Excavator architecture, not its brand new Zen arch) will only be supported on Windows 10. Going forward, the company says that using the latest generation processors will always require the latest generation operating system.
Story Continues (http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/01/skylake-users-given-18-months-to-upgrade-to-windows-10/)

Related Story (http://www.computerworld.com/article/3023533/microsoft-windows/microsoft-support-windows-10-new-hardware-itbwcw.html) "Latest Microsoft PR fail: New PCs don’t support Windows 7, nor 8.1".

newyorklily
05-06-2016, 03:02 AM
NASA Releases 56 Patents Into The Public Domain

I haven't had a chance to read all of this yet but it should prove interesting. I wonder if any of these were back engineered from Roswell.

http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-makes-dozens-of-patents-available-in-public-domain-to-benefit-us-industry/

calikid
05-14-2016, 01:13 PM
And here I just upgraded to 60" 3D TV.
Another Set top box to buy....

ATSC 3.0: What you need to know about the future of broadcast television
What's ATSC 3.0? Just the next generation of over-the-air TV. Even if you don't get your TV with an antenna, it's going to affect you.

he next generation of broadcast TV is coming, whether you're ready or not. Actually, no one's ready, and that's sort of the point.

ATSC, or Advanced Television Systems Committee, is the group that decides what over-the-air (and more) TV signals look like. Last year about 76 percent of US households subscribed to cable, satellite or fiber for TV, while 21 percent relied on antenna reception for at least one TV in the home. But that antenna number went up four points compared to 2014, according to the Consumer Technology Association.

The airwaves are still an important source of free TV for millions of Americans, despite FCC auctions selling off TV spectrum to wireless carriers like T-Mobile. Free TV, however, is in for some big changes.

Back in the day, the ATSC decided on 1080i and 720p resolutions for digital and HDTV broadcasts, and today just about every cable or satellite show uses one or the other. Up next, not surprisingly, is 4K resolution, along with a host of other improvements including high dynamic range (HDR), better sound and even 3D (remember that?) and access via your phone.

Their standards and by extension, what's next for over-the-air TV, will have effects that reach far beyond the people who get their TV via antenna. It could affect what you see and hear on your TV for years, maybe even decades, to come.

The Advanced Television Systems Committee is an international group of broadcasters, TV manufacturers, and other tech companies. If it's a tech company you've heard of, they probably have a seat at the table. Originally the ATSC was created to establish the then-futuristic "HDTV" and what that entailed. Believe it or not, that was almost 25 years ago. We're about as far from that now as they were from color television. We've moved past 1080i/720p. Like it or not, we're in the 4K era.

While Ultra HD TVs have come fast and furious, 4K content has not. We have more now than we ever have, and more is on its way, but it's not a ton. Notably, there is almost no cable or satellite 4K content, and absolutely no over-the-air broadcasts.

When HD hit, the TVs arrived right around the time of the Digital Transition, so we had lovely OTA HD broadcasts to watch on our shiny new HDTVs. Not so much now with 4K. Re-enter the ATSC.
3.0 (i.e., 2 better than 1.0)

Things are moving quickly, or as quickly as you'd expect from a group of companies that are often fierce competitors outside the ATSC. At the end of March one of the major components of the standard, "System Discovery and Signaling," was finalized.
Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/atsc-3-0-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-future-of-broadcast-television/)

atmjjc
05-14-2016, 09:40 PM
4k, that’s a lot of pixels. Your average vision is finite meaning anything over 1080i means very little change to eyeballs to brain.

4k seems like a bandwidth hog to me but the audio end of the ATSC 3.0 has me interested. I have a 7.1 sound system and at times depending how things are being broadcast the background noise with the subwoofer can sometimes drown out conversations and I am always fidgeting with sound output to get a correct balance. It sound like ATSC 3.0 is looking for corrections to the audio broadcast problems, which would be great.

calikid
05-17-2016, 06:51 PM
Coming soon, Ransome-ware for your Android phone.
Article Dell has published. Seems the bad guys have a Beta test of Ransom-ware released into the wild.
It's functionality is limited, and NO ransom is demanded at this time. But an upgraded may be coming, and this malware can then be put to Evil use.
You may want to visit the article, and become familiar with the screens. Naturally it involves tricking the user into installing an app (for now, usually something pornography related) that takes over the phone. Locking out the user unless a ransom is paid.
This is similar to the desktop computer ransom-ware (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ransomware), I'm sure most members are acquainted with.

New Android Lockscreen campaign spotted in the wild (May 12, 2016)

Dell SonicWALL Threats Research Team got reports of a new wave of lockscreen malware spreading for Android. This lockscreen is spreading mainly via Porn related apps. We observed multiple groups of apps with subtle differences but the same functionality overall indicating this campaign is using multiple mediums to spread itself. Based on some of the components it appears that this campaign is still in its early stages and will evolve over time.

Infection Cycle

Upon installation the app requests for Device Administrator privileges <BIG RED FLAG>. On clicking the application or opening the System Settings app we see a screen as shown in the figure below. This screen appears to be the ransom/lockscreen but the user can easily come out of this view by clicking the Home or Recent Apps buttons.



Traditionally lockscreens cover the entire screen of the device and "lock" the users in a position where the device becomes unusable as the users cannot come out of the lockscreen view. In this campaign, at the moment the victim cannot view contents of the System Settings as the lockscreen is shown. It is interesting to note that there is no demand for ransom of any kind, also the fact that the victim can come out of this view gives an indication that this mechanism might not be completely implemented.

Once the application starts running, encoded data is transmitted to multiple domains in the background. The encoding routine is present in each application that is part of this campaign:



We observed data being sent to the following domains:

routstreetcars.com
highlevelzend.com
girlszendarno.com
artflowerstreet.net
raspberryfog.net

If an Android device gets infected with a malware with Device Administrator privileges it becomes difficult to remove it as the uninstall button gets greyed out. A good way to circumvent this issue is to get the device into Safe Mode and then remove it. Getting an Android device into Safe Mode disables the third party apps so it becomes easier to remove malware or any unwanted app. But some Android malware are persistent in Safe Mode as well, this malicious app is no different. Once in Safe Mode the malicious app starts blocking the System Settings after a few moments as shown below:

The traditional way to remove an application does not work here as the System Settings app is unusable because of the lockscreen.
Story Continues (https://www.mysonicwall.com/sonicalert/searchresults.aspx?ev=article&id=929)

Longeyes
05-19-2016, 12:06 AM
Wow!

Portugal runs entirely on renewable energy for four consecutive days
The country has made huge progress in its transition to more sustainable energy sources

For article follow the link...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/portugal-runs-entirely-on-renewable-energy-for-four-consecutive-days-a7035561.html

calikid
05-20-2016, 08:33 PM
Just a little free advice about any unwanted WIN10 upgrade.
I've had several phone calls from panicked people saying they came into work to discover an unexpected "Welcome to Windows 10" screen.
If you don't want WIN10, one solution that worked well was to hit NEXT, and when the Legal/Terms of Service appear, hit DECLINE.
Need to read the next screen carefully, it is worded funny. Something like "Yes, I reject the Free WIN10 Upgrade".
Then the system will perform a roll-back to WIN7 and reboot.
Sneaky Microsoft.

CasperParks
05-20-2016, 10:53 PM
Just a little free advice about any unwanted WIN10 upgrade.
I've had several phone calls from panicked people saying they came into work to discover an unexpected "Welcome to Windows 10" screen.
If you don't want WIN10, one solution that worked well was to hit NEXT, and when the Legal/Terms of Service appear, hit DECLINE.
Need to read the next screen carefully, it is worded funny. Something like "Yes, I reject the Free WIN10 Upgrade".
Then the system will perform a roll-back to WIN7 and reboot.
Sneaky Microsoft.

Thanks for posting. Odd wording is interesting.

Feb 2016, Yahoo Tech Report had an article regarding automatic download of Windows 10.


Yahoo Tech reports: Your PC Will Automatically Download Windows 10 This Week by Rob Waugh, click here for entire article... (https://www.yahoo.com/tech/your-pc-will-automatically-download-windows-10-092425005.html)

A lot of PC users are going to see Windows 10 suddenly appear on their machines this week.

Windows 10 has been changed to a ‘recommended’ upgrade - from an optional one.

If your Windows 7 or 8 machine is set to automatically install recommended items (the default setting), it will download several gigabytes of data.

Microsoft says that users still have the choice of whether to upgrade, according to a report in The Register.

Microsoft said in a statement, ‘As we shared in late October on the Windows Blog, we are committed to making it easy for our Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 customers to upgrade to Windows 10.

Hoping to avoid the upgrade, I altered my Windows settings to manual for updates. From time to time, I continue getting a "pop-up window" asking to "upgrade to Windows 10". There is not a "don't ask again" option.

Longeyes
05-22-2016, 12:01 AM
This morning mine said something like "You have a scheduled upgrade on Tuesday ££$ May if you want to cancel or change this click here otherwise your system will download and be upgraded automatically."
FFS no I don't want it, I've been offered the free upgrade every day for the past three months, if not longer, and have never taken it surely it is clear, I don't want it.
Really sneaky of Microsoft. They are desperate to get everyone onto a monthly subscription as they know they can make an absolute killing out of that.
My PC is very happy I do NOT WANT Window 10!

Longeyes
05-26-2016, 11:11 PM
Solution to this which removes windows 10 pop up window and hence installer

http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/how-stop-windows-10-upgrade-downloading-your-system

newyorklily
06-07-2016, 09:37 PM
Hopefully, no planes get lost when testing interferes with GPS signals this month.

http://gizmodo.com/faa-warns-of-gps-outages-this-month-during-mysterious-t-1780866590

calikid
06-09-2016, 09:01 PM
Hopefully, no planes get lost when testing interferes with GPS signals this month.

http://gizmodo.com/faa-warns-of-gps-outages-this-month-during-mysterious-t-1780866590

Weird the F.A.A. would even allow such a risky thing to happen.

newyorklily
06-10-2016, 05:59 AM
Weird the F.A.A. would even allow such a risky thing to happen.
Could this have something to do with it?

New spy satellite sent into orbit by the NRO

http://www.intelligent-aerospace.com/articles/2016/06/ula-delta-iv-heavy-rocket-with-aerojet-rocketdyne-launches-nro-spy-satellite-with-isr-electronics-and-software-payload-into-orbit.html?cmpid=enl_IAS_IntelligentAerospace_2016-06-09&eid=288656231&bid=1429447

calikid
06-10-2016, 05:41 PM
Could this have something to do with it?

New spy satellite sent into orbit by the NRO

http://www.intelligent-aerospace.com/articles/2016/06/ula-delta-iv-heavy-rocket-with-aerojet-rocketdyne-launches-nro-spy-satellite-with-isr-electronics-and-software-payload-into-orbit.html?cmpid=enl_IAS_IntelligentAerospace_2016-06-09&eid=288656231&bid=1429447

Warning was for West Coast, so rocket launch in Florida (East Coast) probably not related.
Guessing that they are testing some new jamming system.
Funny thing is, why close enough to populated areas that it may affect civilian aviation?
Why not test it on some secluded island in the Pacific Ocean?

whoknows
06-10-2016, 07:34 PM
Warning was for West Coast, so rocket launch in Florida (East Coast) probably not related.
Guessing that they are testing some new jamming system.
Funny thing is, why close enough to populated areas that it may affect civilian aviation?
Why not test it on some secluded island in the Pacific Ocean?

Brings to mind Russian trawlers shadowing Navel Vessels out in the test range off the coast. Mojave Desert seems to me to be a good buffer zone from sophisticated electronic eyes and ears.

newyorklily
06-16-2016, 04:33 PM
More on the GPS jamming on the West Coast.

http://www.militaryaerospace.com/articles/2016/06/gps-jammer-satellite-navigation.html?cmpid=enl_MAE_Weekly_2016-06-15&eid=288656231&bid=1433302

epo333
07-20-2016, 11:30 PM
It’s Alive! Wake Forest Bioprints Living Ear, Bone, Muscle

They said they’d do it and now they have. In the cover story of SME’s Medical Manufacturing 2015 yearbook, Anthony Atala and James Yoo of Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM; Winston-Salem, NC) described the process by which they hoped to bioprint living-tissue structures with a custom-designed 3D printer (http://tinyurl.com/ME-WFIRM). And now they have proven that their approach works—that it is feasible to print living tissue structures to replace injured or diseased tissue in patients. Human-sized external ears were printed and implanted under the skin of mice. Two months later, cartilage tissue and blood vessels had formed.

http://www.sme.org/uploadedImages/Publications/ME_Magazine/2016/April/wake%20forest-bioprinting-ear.jpg



A major challenge of tissue engineering is ensuring that implanted structures live long enough to integrate with the body. The Wake Forest Baptist scientists addressed this in two ways. They optimized the water-based “ink” that holds the cells so that it promotes cell health and growth and they printed a lattice of micro-channels throughout the structures. These channels allow nutrients and oxygen from the body to diffuse into the structures and keep them live while they develop a system of blood vessels.


Full Article :

http://www.sme.org/MEMagazine/Article.aspx?id=8589938793&taxid=1443

In the decades ahead, I think we may be seeing commercial spots on TV advertising "3d Printed Body Parts of all Kinds . . .:das

calikid
07-22-2016, 04:05 PM
http://www.sme.org/uploadedImages/Publications/ME_Magazine/2016/April/wake%20forest-bioprinting-ear.jpg

Can you hear me now? :yikes: :D

calikid
07-31-2016, 02:20 AM
Drones are becoming more ubiquitous in my neighborhood.
Advertisements in the local paper put some nice ones in the $500-$900 range (complete with stabilized HD Camera).
Saw one circling the perimeter of a local manufacturing plant.
Even watched a guy launch one down the street on a busy corner.
Sounds like we may soon have more to worry about than someone simply snooping in our backyards.

Meet Danger Drone – a flying computer designed to hack into all your unprotected devices
Luke Dormehl

For Fran Brown, one of the managing partners at renowned security firm Bishop Fox, it all started with Top Gun. “I was watching [the movie] as I often do, and Kenny Loggins’ song came on, and I suddenly thought ‘Danger Drone‘ — that would be an awesome name for a project,” he told Digital Trends. “It went from there.”

Feeling inspired, Brown went on to co-create Danger Drone — or, as he puts, “a hacker’s laptop that can fly.” In essence, the concept is a $500 Raspberry Pi-based quadcopter drone, kitted out with all the regular hacking software security firms deal with on a regular basis.

“[The goal was] to make a cheap, easy-to-create hacking drone so that security professionals can test out the defenses that they’re rolling out,” he continues. “It’s a drone for penetration testing, to see how effective the defenses against this kind of thing actually are.”

You may, of course, be wondering why hackers would have need of a drone. After all, some of the most publicized hacking attacks of recent times have come from thousands of miles away — in places like North Korea. This is true, but as Brown points out, there has also been a rise in proximity-based “over the air” attacks, where people are able to gain access to other people’s devices, which are physically located nearby. Danger Drone takes “over the air” attacks and raises the stakes. You could say it deals with “into the air” attacks.

“Today there’s an abundance of targets that are ripe for hacking,” Brown explained. “The appeal of drones is that you can fly them over buildings, land on people’s roofs, and attack not just their WiFi and their phones, but their FitBit, the Google Chromecast hooked up to their TV, their smartwatches, their smart refrigerators. A drone would be perfect for attacking them.” Story Continues (https://www.yahoo.com/tech/danger-drone-flying-hacker-laptop-141547767.html)

calikid
09-23-2016, 04:06 PM
Microsoft, and their continuing effort to force users to adopt, is now forcing updates onto WIN7 Users. Once a good reason NOT to update to WIN10, now WIN7 will also no longer have the ability to "hide updates" if they are unwanted. The ONLY bug update fixes will be rolled up with ALL present and past OS updates.
Windows/Office looking worse & worse.
Personally, I'm testing out Fedora24/OpenOffice4, looking better & better.~

Impending cumulative updates unnerve Windows patch experts
'Hoping for the best, expecting the worst,' says patch maven about October change to cumulative updates for Windows 7

Microsoft's decision to force Windows 10's patch and maintenance model on customers running the older-but-more-popular Windows 7 has patch experts nervous.

"Bottom line, everyone is holding their breath, hoping for the best, expecting the worst," said Susan Bradley in an email. Bradley is well known in Windows circles for her expertise on Microsoft's patching processes: She writes on the topic for the Windows Secrets newsletter and moderates the PatchMangement.org mailing list, where business IT administrators discuss update tradecraft.

Bradley's anxiety stems from Microsoft's announcement last month that beginning in October it will offer only cumulative security updates for Windows 7 and 8.1, ending the decades-old practice of letting customers choose which patches they apply.

"Individual patches will no longer be available," Nathan Mercer, a senior product marketing manager, said in an Aug. 15 post to a Microsoft blog.
Story Continues (http://www.computerworld.com/article/3123113/windows-pcs/impending-cumulative-updates-unnerve-windows-patch-experts.html)

Garuda
11-30-2016, 05:53 PM
Here's a nice piece of tech, the reMarkable tablet:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34I27KPZM6g

newyorklily
12-28-2016, 11:35 PM
This would definitely be a conversation piece for any party: the Levitating Bluetooth Speaker.

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2016/12/28/lgs-levitating-bluetooth-speaker-is-more-than-just-gimmick.html?cmpid=NL_SciTech

They do it with magnets and I think my cat would probably kill it very quickly.

Wally
01-27-2017, 09:51 PM
From phys.org
Metallic hydrogen, once theory, becomes reality (https://phys.org/news/2017-01-metallic-hydrogen-theory-reality.html)

A99
01-27-2017, 10:10 PM
Is this back-engineered ET technology? Wow! lol Can't wait to see what's coming up next!

Beam me up Scotty!

calikid
02-25-2017, 01:56 PM
Cloudbleed
Everything You Need to Know About Cloudbleed, the Latest Internet Security Disaster
By Adam Clark Estes


Have you heard? A tiny bug in Cloudflare’s code has led an unknown quantity of data—including passwords, personal information, messages, cookies, and more—to leak all over the internet. If you haven’t heard of the so-called Cloudbleed vulnerability, keep reading. This is a scary big deal.

https://cdn.ampproject.org/c/gizmodo.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cloudbleed-the-lates-1792710616/amp

A99
02-25-2017, 02:11 PM
Pretty unreal isn't it but I'm not surprised this happened. Time to change those passwords again.

Wally
03-31-2017, 07:23 AM
From space.com
Used SpaceX Rocket Launches Satellite, Then Lands in Historic 1st Reflight (http://www.space.com/36291-spacex-used-rocket-launch-landing-success.html)

CasperParks
04-24-2017, 10:27 PM
Kitty Hawk (https://kittyhawk.aero/)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMWh4W1C2PM

calikid
05-10-2017, 05:44 PM
A good (but lengthy) article that includes much Windows history.
And the direction Windows is headed.
While eliminating the security vulnerabilities of the past, it (coincidentally?) seems the Windows of the future will closely follow Apple's model of only allowing product purchased at "their" store to run on WIN10.

Why Windows must die. For the third time
Microsoft knows Windows is obsolete. Here's a sneak peek at its replacement.
By Jason Perlow

Last week, a key event occurred in the history of personal computing. It marks the beginning of the death of the operating system that we recognize today as Microsoft Windows.

This euthanizing of Windows has been planned for at least five years, and Microsoft knows that it is necessary for the company's software business and for the PC industry to evolve and stay healthy.

In order for the Windows brand and Microsoft's software business to live, Windows -- as it exists today -- must die.

t is important we have some historical perspective of what "death" actually means for Windows, because it's already happened twice.

The first of Windows' lives occurred in the period between 1985 and 1995. During this time, Windows was a bolt-on application execution environment that ran on top of the 16-bit DOS operating system, which was introduced with the original IBM PC in 1981.

That OS "died" in 1995, when Windows 95 -- the first 32-bit version of the OS -- was released.

From 1989 to 2001, on a separate track, Microsoft also developed Windows NT, a 32-bit, hardware-abstracted, full pre-emptive, protective memory, multi-threaded multitasking OS designed for high-performance RISC and x86 workstations and servers.

The commonality that the consumer version of Windows and Windows NT had was that they shared many of the same APIs, which are collectively known as Win32.

Largely implemented using the C programming language, Win32 became the predominant Windows application programming model for many years. The majority of legacy Windows applications that exist in the wild today still use Win32 in some form. (This is an important takeaway that we will return to shortly.)

In 2001, Windows NT (at that time branded as Windows 2000) and the consumer version of Windows (Windows ME) merged into a single product: Windows XP.

Thus, the second generation of Windows technology descended from Windows 95 "died" at this time.

Shortly after the release of Windows XP, in 2002, Microsoft introduced the .NET Framework, which is an object-oriented development framework that includes the C# programming language.

The .NET Framework was intended to replace the legacy Win32. It has continued to evolve and has been slowly adopted by third-party ISVs and development shops. Over the years, Microsoft has adopted it internally for the development of Office 365, Skype, and other applications.

That was 16 years ago. However, Win32 still is the predominant legacy programming API. More apps out in the wild use it than anything else. And that subsystem remains the most significant vector for malware and security threats because it hosts desktop-based browsers, such as Internet Explorer and Chrome.

A lot has changed in the technology industry in 16 years, especially the internet. Web standards have changed, as have the complexity and sophistication of security threats. More and more applications are now web-based or are hosted as SaaS using web APIs.

Microsoft introduced a new programmatic model with the introduction of the Windows 8 OS. That framework, which is now commonly known as Universal Windows Platform (UWP), is a fully modernized programming environment that takes advantage of all the new security advancements introduced since Windows 8 and that are in the current Windows 10.

While Windows 8 was not well-received in the marketplace because of its unfamiliar full-screen "Metro" UX, the actual programmatic model that it introduced, which was greatly improved for desktop-style windowing in Windows 10, is technically sound and much more secure than Win32 due to its ability to sandbox apps.

In addition to including the latest implementation of .NET, UWP also allows apps to be programmed in C++, C#, Objective C, VB.NET, and Javascript. It uses XAML as a presentation stack to reduce code complexity.

Microsoft Edge, the completely re-designed browser that was introduced in Windows 10, is a native UWP application with none of the security drawbacks of Internet Explorer. Other native UWP applications include Windows Mail, Skype for Windows 10, and some of the applications in the Windows Store.
Story Continues (http://www.zdnet.com/article/why-windows-must-die-for-the-third-time/)

calikid
05-26-2017, 06:35 PM
Just remember folks, those "free games apps" are not really free. Pay me now, or pay me later.

Google Just Killed What Might Be The Biggest Android Ad Fraud Ever.
by Thomas Fox-Brewster

Google has thrown more than 40 apps out of its Play store after it emerged they were quietly forcing Android users to click on ads. As the apps been downloaded as many as 36 million times, security researchers said it appeared to be the biggest ever case of ad fraud perpetrated via Google Play and probably the most successful malware in terms of installs from the official store.

Security firm Check Point revealed the campaign Thursday, claiming a South Korean company, Kiniwini, hid an illegitimate ad clicking function inside 41 apps, most of which were games. Google's Bouncer, a technology designed to keep such so-called "adware" out of its store, wasn't able to pick up on the feature as it was downloaded after installation.

Once the rogue code was added to the apps, they would secretly open webpages in the background, via software that imitated a PC browser. "Once the targeted website is launched, the malware uses the JavaScript code to locate and click on banners from the Google ads infrastructure," Check Point explained. The company would then receive funds for every ad click.

Check Point also noted that various Kiniwini apps would display "a large amount of advertisements, which in some cases leave users with no option but clicking on the ad itself." And it claimed the oldest version of the malware, which it dubbed "Judy", dated from April 2016, indicating it avoided detection for at least a year.

Kiniwini, which also goes by the name ENISTUDIO corp, did not return a request for comment. A post on the company's website reportedly recognizes Google's action to remove the apps. But the company plans to re-release their games once the code has been updated.

Google had not returned a request for comment at the time of publication.

Growing Android fraud problem

According to Android security expert Sergio de los Santos, Judy was symptomatic of a wider problem with such ad fraud targeting Google's platform. "This clicking malware hides very well. They have been undetected for years now, and even now anti-virus products are still not detecting them," said de los Santos, a researcher with Telefonica's ElevenPaths Android security team.
Story Continues (https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2017/05/26/google-shuts-down-massive-ad-fraud-on-play-store/#4b5b19a57807)

calikid
05-30-2017, 12:44 PM
Intel announces new desktop i9 chip with up to 18cores/36threads.

With Core i9, the Intel vs. AMD battle rages anew. Announced Tuesday at Computex in Taipei, Intel’s answer to AMD’s 16-core, 32-thread Threadripper is an 18-core, 36-thread monster microprocessor of its own, tailor-made for elite PC enthusiasts.

The Core i9 Extreme Edition i9-7980XE, what Intel calls the first teraflop desktop PC processor ever, will be priced at (gulp!) $1,999 when it ships later this year. In a slightly lower tier will be the meat of the Core i9 family: Core i9 X-series chips in 16-core, 14-core, 12-core, and 10-core versions, with prices climbing from $999 to $1,699. All of these new Skylake-based parts will offer improvements over their older Broadwell-E counterparts: 15 percent faster in single-threaded apps and 10 percent faster in multithreaded tasks, Intel says.
Story continues (http://www.pcworld.com/article/3198430/components/intels-core-i9-starts-a-bloody-battle-for-enthusiast-pcs.html)

A99
05-30-2017, 03:29 PM
Kitty Hawk (https://kittyhawk.aero/)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMWh4W1C2PM


I can't wait to see those out over the lake and up at the islands.

A99
05-30-2017, 03:38 PM
Intel announces new desktop i9 chip with up to 18cores/36threads.

With Core i9, the Intel vs. AMD battle rages anew. Announced Tuesday at Computex in Taipei, Intel’s answer to AMD’s 16-core, 32-thread Threadripper is an 18-core, 36-thread monster microprocessor of its own, tailor-made for elite PC enthusiasts.

The Core i9 Extreme Edition i9-7980XE, what Intel calls the first teraflop desktop PC processor ever, will be priced at (gulp!) $1,999 when it ships later this year. In a slightly lower tier will be the meat of the Core i9 family: Core i9 X-series chips in 16-core, 14-core, 12-core, and 10-core versions, with prices climbing from $999 to $1,699. All of these new Skylake-based parts will offer improvements over their older Broadwell-E counterparts: 15 percent faster in single-threaded apps and 10 percent faster in multithreaded tasks, Intel says.
Story continues

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3198430/components/intels-core-i9-starts-a-bloody-battle-for-enthusiast-pcs.html

Thanks for the info. Need to do more research on this one to find out more about it than what's in that article.

A99
05-30-2017, 04:10 PM
The Core i9's speeds and feedsAs clock speeds have plateaued at slightly above 4GHz, the challenge has been to find a use for all of the additional cores silicon manufacturers are building into their chips. As we’ve pointed out previously (http://www.pcworld.com/article/3197184/components-processors/amd-ryzen-threadripper-prices-specs-release-date-and-more.html), many games still rely heavily on a single processor core. Intel has turned its attention to a new generation of “streamers” who not only use cores to play the game, but ask other cores within the system to encode the stream to Twitch or YouTube, and perhaps play some music in the background. Intel calls all of these simultaneous activities “megatasking” and sees it as a fantastic way to maintain the demand for ever-greater numbers of cores.
“Even gamers are becoming content creators,” Tony Vera, the X-series marketing manager, told reporters.


Very impressive! Gotta check that out! wow!

calikid
05-31-2017, 01:31 PM
The last batch SB released resulted in approx. 355,000 infected machines in 150 countries (per McAfee report I received on Wannacrypt Ransomware). Wonder what new havoc this release will cause?

Group linked to NSA leaks says will release more data in July
Reuters/Larry Downing

A group that published hacking tools that security experts believe were stolen from the U.S. National Security Agency said on Tuesday it plans to sell a new batch of stolen code in July to customers willing to pay more than $22,000 for it.

The Shadow Brokers group said in an announcement on the internet that it has not yet determined what files will be in the collection. It has previously said it has access to tools for hacking into web mobile handsets and Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) Windows 10 operating system, web browsers and network routers.
Story continues (http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyber-shadow-brokers-idUSKBN18Q22V)
or Mobile Link here (http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN18Q22V).

calikid
07-21-2017, 04:17 PM
Useful webiste: https://haveibeenpwned.com/

Determine if YOUR email address has been compromised.
Over 4 million addresses in the database.
A listing of info regarding WHO/WHAT/WHEN your confidential account info may have been published or sold online

A99
07-21-2017, 04:41 PM
Hmmmm, maybe a good reason to close my email accounts once and for all but unfortunately there are other options than taking drastic actions like that. I DO know that if I ever needed to go into rehab for something like "internet addiction"(don't look a me, I'm in denial), I would first make sure that they have Wi-Fi there.

Garuda
07-21-2017, 08:26 PM
Hmmmm, maybe a good reason to close my email accounts once and for all but unfortunately there are other options than taking drastic actions like that. I DO know that if I ever needed to go into rehab for something like "internet addiction"(don't look a me, I'm in denial), I would first make sure that they have Wi-Fi there.

If your email address appears in the list, all you have to do is change your password(s).
(Meaning: if you use the password for the hacked account on more than one account, you have to change it in all instances where it is used).

A99
07-21-2017, 08:50 PM
Thanks for the info Garuda. As for checking out that link, I'm going to pass on that, at least for today, as I'm not quite up to experiencing a sense of extreme violation which is what I'll be going through should my name pop up in that data search. Am putting a rain-check on that one. Till tomorrow.

calikid
07-25-2017, 02:19 PM
YEARS undetected? Sounds like MAC could use better virus detection.


“Perverse” malware infecting hundreds of Macs remained undetected for years

By Dan Goodin

A mysterious piece of malware that gives attackers surreptitious control over webcams, keyboards, and other sensitive resources has been infecting Macs for at least five years. The infections—known to number nearly 400 and possibly much higher—remained undetected until recently and may have been active for almost a decade.

Patrick Wardle, a researcher with security firm Synack, said the malware is a variant of a malicious program that came to light in January after circulating for at least two years. Dubbed Fruitfly by some, both malware samples capture screenshots, keystrokes, webcam images, and information about each infected Mac. Both generations of Fruitfly also collect information about devices connected to the same network. After researchers from security firm Malwarebytes discovered the earlier Fruitfly variant infecting four Macs, Apple updated macOS to automatically detect the malware.

The variant found by Wardle, by contrast, has infected a much larger number of Macs while remaining undetected by both macOS and commercial antivirus products.
Story continues
https://arstechnica-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/arstechnica.com/security/2017/07/perverse-malware-infecting-hundreds-of-macs-remained-undetected-for-years/?amp=1

calikid
09-13-2017, 12:42 AM
Last week nearly 1 in 2 Americans had their personal data hacked at the Exerpien Credit Check agency.
Some helpful hints on how to tell if YOU were hacked, and clues on how to protect yourself, if you were.

What to do if your identity was stolen after the Equifax hack
by Katie Lobosco

At this point, it might be inevitable. Some of you will have your identities stolen.

Nearly half of Americans had their personal information exposed during a breach at Equifax, the company announced last week.

And it's just the latest hack. Sensitive data on about 80 million Anthem customers was accessed in 2015.

These breaches are some of the worst because the information stolen (names, Social Security numbers, addresses) can be used by an imposter to open accounts in your name, steal your tax refund or your Social Security check.

"This is a goldmine of information for a thief," said Chi Chi Wu, an attorney at the National Consumer Law Center.

When your credit card number is stolen, it's easier to fix. You call the credit card company to close the card and get a new number. In most cases, you won't be responsible for the charges. Some of the victims of the Equifax hack did have their credit card numbers exposed. Equifax will notify you in the mail if this is the case.

But the credit rating bureau won't notify you directly if you're one of the 143 million people whose more sensitive information was stolen. You must go online to EquifaxSecurity2017.com (https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/) to find out.
Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/12/pf/identity-theft-equifax/index.html)
.
Direct Experian link to See if your personal information is potentially impacted. (https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/potential-impact/)

calikid
09-18-2017, 12:59 PM
If you use the excellent PC Utility "CCleaner" aka Computer Cleaner, you might want to check the version.

Hackers Hid Backdoor In CCleaner Security App With 2 Billion Downloads -- 2.3 Million Infected
Thomas Fox-Brewster

Users of Avast-owned security application CCleaner for Windows have been advised to update their software immediately, after researchers discovered criminal hackers had installed a backdoor in the tool. The tainted application allows for download of further malware, be it ransomware or keyloggers, with fears millions are affected. According to Avast's own figures, 2.27 million ran the affected software, though the company said users should not panic.

The affected app, CCleaner, is a maintenance and file clean-up software run by a subsidiary of anti-virus giant Avast. It has 2 billion downloads and claims to be getting 5 million extra a week, making the threat particularly severe, researchers at Cisco Talos warned. Comparing it to the NotPetya ransomware outbreak, which spread after a Ukrainian accounting app was infected, the researchers discovered the threat on September 13 after CCleaner 5.33 caused Talos systems to flag malicious activity.

Further investigation found the CCleaner download server was hosting the backdoored app as far back as September 11. Talos warned in a blog Monday that the affected version was released on August 15, but on September 12 an untainted version 5.34 <SAFE TO USE> was released. For weeks then, the malware was spreading inside supposedly-legitimate security software.

The malware would send encrypted information about the infected computer - the name of the computer, installed software and running processes - back to the hackers' server. The hackers also used what's known as a domain generation algorithm (DGA); whenever the crooks' server went down, the DGA could create new domains to receive and send stolen data. Use of DGAs shows some sophistication on the part of the attackers.

Downplaying the threat?

CCleaner's owner, Avast-owned Piriform, has sought to ease concerns. Paul Yung, vice president of product at Piriform, wrote in a post Monday: "Based on further analysis, we found that the 5.33.6162 version of CCleaner and the 1.07.3191 version of CCleaner Cloud was illegally modified before it was released to the public, and we started an investigation process.
Story Continues (https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2017/09/18/ccleaner-cybersecurity-app-infected-with-backdoor/#387086f2316a)

calikid
10-16-2017, 04:58 PM
If you have a WiFi router on your home network, you may want to watch for a Manufacturer's Firmware update. Seems a new WiFi vulnerability has been discovered that may allow hackers access to WPA & WPA2 encryption keys.


KRACK Attack Hacks All Wi-Fi Networks: What to Do
by Paul Wagenseil Oct 16, 2017, 5:04 AM

A severe flaw in the encryption protocols used by nearly all modern Wi-Fi networks could let attackers hijack encrypted traffic, steal passwords and even inject malware into smartphones and laptops.

Dubbed KRACK, or Key Reinstallation Attack, by its discoverer, the flaw affects all widely used platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux and Android. Android 6.0 Marshmallow and later, and Linux kernel 2.4 and later, are especially hard-hit.

Despite the severity of the flaw, it is rather difficult to implement. The user needs to be within Wi-Fi range of a smartphone or laptop to attack it. The attack does not work over the internet.

What to Do

Users should keep using encrypted Wi-Fi wherever necessary, such as at home and at work. However, you might want to avoid using the networks, even password-protected ones, in coffeeshops, hotels, airports and other public places for the time being.

Fortunately, many Wi-Fi router and client-device makers have already or are about to issue patches...


<SNIP>

...The flaw is not in the cryptography underlying WPA2 or its predecessor, WPA. Rather, it's in the implementation.

When communicating with a client device to initiate a Wi-Fi connection, the router sends a one-time cryptographic key to the device. That key is unique to that connection, and that device. In that way, a second device on the same Wi-Fi network shouldn't be able to intercept and read the traffic to and from the first device to the router, even though both devices are signed into the same Wi-Fi network.

The problem is that that one-time key can be transmitted more than one time. To minimize connection problems, the WPA and WPA2 standards let the router transmit the one-time key as many as three times if it does not receive an acknowledgement from the client device that the one-time key was received.

Because of that, an attacker within Wi-Fi range can capture the one-time key, and, in some instances, even force the client device to connect to the attacker's bogus Wi-Fi network. The attacker can use the one-time key to decrypt much of the traffic passing between the client device and the router.

Android 6.0 and later and recent versions of Linux are particularly vulnerable...
Story Continues (https://www.tomsguide.com/us/wifi-krack-attack-what-to-do,news-25990.html)

calikid
11-12-2017, 04:36 PM
Google reveals some disturbing news about your password security.

Google study shows how your account is most likely to be hijacked

It found phishing to be the biggest threat to your online security.
By Marcella Moon


Security threats like phishing, keylogging and third-party breaches are pretty common knowledge. Google wanted to gain a better understanding of how hijackers steal passwords and other sensitive data in the wild, though, so it conducted an analysis of online black markets from March 2016 to March 2017. The result? It found that among the three, phishing poses the biggest threat to your online security. Together with credential leaks, the two represent a threat "orders of magnitude larger than keyloggers."

The tech titan found 788,000 credentials that were stolen via keyloggers, 12 million stolen via phishing and 3.3 billion exposed by third-party breaches within a year of investigating black markets.
Story continues
https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/11/google-study-hijack/

calikid
01-03-2018, 05:33 PM
Intel Design flaw leaves system open to hacking on all Intel chips produced within the last 10 years. While I'm sure Intel is hoping for a software fix, this takes me back to the original Pentium (mid 1990s) whose flaw resulted in a Intel recall/replacement of ALL Pentium CPUs. What a mess that was!

'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign
Other OSes will need an update, performance hits loom
By John Leyden and Chris Williams

A fundamental design flaw in Intel's processor chips has forced a significant redesign of the Linux and Windows kernels to defang the chip-level security bug.

Programmers are scrambling to overhaul the open-source Linux kernel's virtual memory system. Meanwhile, Microsoft is expected to publicly introduce the necessary changes to its Windows operating system in an upcoming Patch Tuesday: these changes were seeded to beta testers running fast-ring Windows Insider builds in November and December.

Crucially, these updates to both Linux and Windows will incur a performance hit on Intel products. The effects are still being benchmarked, however we're looking at a ballpark figure of five to 30 per cent slow down...
Story Continues (https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/01/02/intel_cpu_design_flaw/)

Garuda
01-03-2018, 07:12 PM
Intel Design flaw leaves system open to hacking on all Intel chips produced within the last 10 years. While I'm sure Intel is hoping for a software fix, this takes me back to the original Pentium (mid 1990s) whose flaw resulted in a Intel recall/replacement of ALL Pentium CPUs. What a mess that was!

'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign
Other OSes will need an update, performance hits loom
By John Leyden and Chris Williams

A fundamental design flaw in Intel's processor chips has forced a significant redesign of the Linux and Windows kernels to defang the chip-level security bug.

Programmers are scrambling to overhaul the open-source Linux kernel's virtual memory system. Meanwhile, Microsoft is expected to publicly introduce the necessary changes to its Windows operating system in an upcoming Patch Tuesday: these changes were seeded to beta testers running fast-ring Windows Insider builds in November and December.

Crucially, these updates to both Linux and Windows will incur a performance hit on Intel products. The effects are still being benchmarked, however we're looking at a ballpark figure of five to 30 per cent slow down...
Story Continues (https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/01/02/intel_cpu_design_flaw/)

I don't know whether it was related to this, but Microsoft just installed an emergency patch on my computer.
And I do run virtual machines on this PC.

calikid
01-04-2018, 05:21 PM
Whoa, appears this vulnerability has the major players scrambling to repair the bug.


How to protect your PC against the major ‘Meltdown’ CPU security flaw
Only Intel machines are affected by Meltdown
By Tom Warren

Details have emerged on two major processor security flaws this week, and the industry is scrambling to issue fixes and secure machines for customers. Dubbed “Meltdown” and “Spectre,” the flaws affect nearly every device made in the past 20 years. The Meltdown flaw only affects Intel processors, and researchers have already released proof of concept code that could lead to attacks using Meltdown.

The vulnerabilities allow an attacker to compromise the privileged memory of a processor by exploiting the way processes run in parallel. They also allow an attacker to use JavaScript code running in a browser to access memory in the attacker’s process. That memory content could contain key strokes, passwords, and other valuable information. Researchers are already showing how easy this attack works on Linux machines, but Microsoft says it has “not received any information to indicate that these vulnerabilities have been used to attack customers at this time.”

Protecting a Windows PC is complicated right now, and there’s still a lot of unknowns. Microsoft, Google, and Mozilla are all issuing patches for their browsers as a first line of defence. Firefox 57 (the latest) includes a fix, as do the latest versions of Internet Explorer and Edge for Windows 10. Google says it will roll out a fix with Chrome 64 which is due to be released on January 23rd. Apple has not commented on how it plans to fix its Safari browser or even macOS. Chrome, Edge, and Firefox users on Windows won’t really need to do much apart from accept the automatic updates to ensure they’re protected at the basic browser level.

For Windows itself, this is where things get messy. Microsoft has issued an emergency security patch through Windows Update, but if you’re running third-party anti-virus software then it’s possible you won’t see that patch yet. Security researchers are attempting to compile a list of anti-virus software that’s supported, but it’s a bit of mess to say the least.

A firmware update from Intel is also required for additional hardware protection, and those will be distributed separately by OEMs. It’s up to OEMs to release the relevant Intel firmware updates, and support information for those can be found at each OEM support website. If you built your own PC you’ll need to check with your OEM part suppliers for potential fixes.
Story Continues (https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/4/16848976/how-to-protect-windows-pc-meltdown-security-flaw)



Add note: The article (https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/4/16848976/how-to-protect-windows-pc-meltdown-security-flaw) references current steps you can take:

Update to the latest version of Chrome (on January 23rd) or Firefox 57 if you use either browser
Check Windows Update and ensure KB4056892 is installed for Windows 10*
Check your PC OEM website for support information and firmware updates and apply any immediately

*The update was NOT installed on my system, I had to search Microsoft, download (http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB4056892) and install. WIN10 only, a few different flavors be sure you get the right one.

calikid
01-12-2018, 08:52 PM
So we wait 5 years for the lawsuit to settle, and then we each get $10. :rolleyes:
Intel facing class-action lawsuits over Meltdown and Spectre bugs

Plaintiffs claim compensation for security flaws and alleged slowdown that fixing computers will cause, while corporations count cost of corrections
Dado Ruvic/Reuters

Samuel Gibbs

Intel has been hit with at least three class-action lawsuits over the major processor vulnerabilities revealed this week.

The flaws, called Meltdown and Spectre, exist within virtually all modern processors and could allow hackers to steal sensitive data although no data breaches have been reported yet. While Spectre affects processors made by a variety of firms, Meltdown appears to primarily affect Intel processors made since 1995.

Three separate class-action lawsuits have been filed by plaintiffs in California, Oregon and Indiana seeking compensation, with more expected. All three cite the security vulnerability and Intel’s delay in public disclosure from when it was first notified by researchers of the flaws in June. Intel said in a statement it “can confirm it is aware of the class actions but as these proceedings are ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment”.

The plaintiffs also cite the alleged computer slowdown that will be caused by the fixes needed to address the security concerns, which Intel disputes is a major factor. “Contrary to some reports, any performance impacts are workload-dependent, and, for the average computer user, should not be significant and will be mitigated over time,” Intel said in an earlier statement.
Story Continues (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jan/05/intel-class-action-lawsuits-meltdown-spectre-bugs-computer)

calikid
01-24-2018, 09:22 PM
While I really do appreciate an expert like Linus holding Intel's feet to the fire, I kind of hope he is wrong. I've been installing multiple FIRMWARE (Management Engine) patches to client's HP workstations non-stop for many days now. Hate to think it was busy work. :p

Spectre and Meltdown: Linux creator Linus Torvalds criticises Intel's 'garbage' patches.
Updated: 'We are actively engaging with the Linux community, including Linus,' says Intel.
By Steve Ranger

Linus Torvalds is not happy about the patches that Intel has developed to protect the Linux kernel from the Spectre and Linux flaws.

In a posting on the Linux kernel mailing list, the Linux creator criticised differences in the way that Intel approached patches for the Meltdown and Spectre flaws. He said of the patches: "They do literally insane things. They do things that do not make sense."

Torvalds added: "And I really don't want to see these garbage patches just mindlessly sent around."

Spectre and Meltdown are design flaws in modern CPUs which could allow hackers to get around system protections on a wide range of PCs, servers, and smartphones, allowing attackers to access data including passwords, from memory. Since the flaws were discovered, the tech industry has been scrambling to fix them before they can be exploited.

However, others on the mailing list took a different view: "Certainly it's a nasty hack, but hey -- the world was on fire and in the end we didn't have to just turn the datacentres off and go back to goat farming, so it's not all bad," said one.

It's not the first time the Linux chief has criticised Intel's approach to the Spectre and Meltdown flaws. Earlier this month, he said: "I think somebody inside of Intel needs to really take a long hard look at their CPU's, and actually admit that they have issues instead of writing PR blurbs that say that everything works as designed."
Story Continues (http://www.zdnet.com/article/spectre-and-meltdown-linux-creator-linus-torvalds-criticises-intels-garbage-patches/)

Garuda
11-21-2018, 06:37 PM
Don't know whether this was ever posted here: The incredible inventions of intuitive AI | Maurice Conti


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR5N2Jl8k14

calikid
11-22-2018, 03:35 PM
Like politicians don't say bad enough things already, now we have to wonder if they every said that stuff at all.

How The Wall Street Journal is preparing its journalists to detect deepfakes


“We have seen this rapid rise in deep learning technology and the question is: Is that going to keep going, or is it plateauing? What’s going to happen next?”

By Francesco Marconi and Till Daldrup

Artificial intelligence is fueling the next phase of misinformation. The new type of synthetic media known as deepfakes poses major challenges for newsrooms when it comes to verification. This content is indeed difficult to track: Can you tell which of the images below is a fake?

http://www.niemanlab.org/images/reagan-deepfake-photomosh.jpg

We at The Wall Street Journal are taking this threat seriously and have launched an internal deepfakes task force led by the Ethics & Standards and the Research & Development teams. This group, the WSJ Media Forensics Committee, is comprised of video, photo, visuals, research, platform, and news editors who have been trained in deepfake detection. Beyond this core effort, we’re hosting training seminars with reporters, developing newsroom guides, and collaborating with academic institutions such as Cornell Tech to identify ways technology can be used to combat this problem.

“Raising awareness in the newsroom about the latest technology is critical,” said Christine Glancey, a deputy editor on the Ethics & Standards team who spearheaded the forensics committee. “We don’t know where future deepfakes might surface so we want all eyes watching out for disinformation.”

Here’s an overview for journalists of the insights we’ve gained and the practices we’re using around deepfakes.
How are most deepfakes created?

The production of most deepfakes is based on a machine learning technique called “generative adversarial networks,” or GANs. This approach can be used by forgers to swap the faces of two people — for example, those of a politician and an actor. The algorithm looks for instances where both individuals showcase similar expressions and facial positioning. In the background, artificial intelligence algorithms are looking for the best match to juxtapose both faces.

Because research about GANs and other approaches to machine learning is publicly available, the ability to generate deepfakes is spreading. Open source software already enables anyone with some technical knowledge and a powerful-enough graphics card to create a deepfake.

Some academic institutions such as New York University are taking unique approaches to media literacy. One class at the Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) at NYU Tisch — “Faking the News” — exposes students to the dangers of deepfakes by teaching them how to forge content using AI techniques. “Studying this technology helps us not only understand the potential implications but also the limitations,” said Chloe Marten, a product manager at Dow Jones and master’s candidate who enrolled in the NYU class.
Techniques used to create deepfakes

Deepfake creators can use a variety of techniques. Here are a few:

Faceswap: An algorithm can seamlessly insert the face of a person into a target video. This technique could be used to place a person’s face on an actor’s body and put them in situations that they were never really in.

Lip sync: Forgers can graft a lip-syncing mouth onto someone else’s face. Combining the footage with new audio could make it look like they are saying things they are not.

Facial reenactment: Forgers can transfer facial expressions from one person into another video. With this technique, researchers can toy with a person’s appearance and make them seem disgusted, angry, or surprised.

Motion transfer: Researchers have also discovered how to transfer the body movements of a person in a source video to a person in a target video. For instance, they can capture the motions of a dancer and make target actors move in the same way. In collaboration with researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, Journal correspondent Jason Bellini tried this technique out for himself and ended up dancing like Bruno Mars.

Journalists have an important role in informing the public about the dangers and challenges of artificial intelligence technology. Reporting on these issues is a way to raise awareness and inform the public.

From “Deepfake Videos Are Getting Real and That’s a Problem,” The Wall Street Journal, October 15, 2018.
How can you detect deepfakes

We’re working on solutions and testing new tools that can help detect or prevent forged media. Across the industry, news organizations can consider multiple approaches to help authenticate media if they suspect alterations.

“There are technical ways to check if the footage has been altered, such as going through it frame by frame in a video editing program to look for any unnatural shapes and added elements, or doing a reverse image search,” said Natalia V. Osipova, a senior video journalist at the Journal. But the best option is often traditional reporting: “Reach out to the source and the subject directly, and use your editorial judgment.”
Examining the source

If someone has sent in suspicious footage, a good first step is to try to contact the source. How did that person obtain it? Where and when was it filmed? Getting as much information as possible, asking for further proof of the claims, and then verifying is key.

If the video is online and the uploader is unknown, other questions are worth exploring: Who allegedly filmed the footage? Who published and shared it, and with whom? Checking the metadata of the video or image with tools like InVID or other metadata viewers can provide answers.

In addition to going through this process internally, we collaborate with content verification organizations such as Storyful and the Associated Press. This is a fast-moving landscape with emerging solutions appearing regularly in the market. For example, new tools including TruePic and Serelay use blockchain to authenticate photos. Regardless of the technology used, the humans in the newsroom are at the center of the process.

“Technology alone will not solve the problem,” said Rajiv Pant, chief technology officer at the Journal. “The way to combat deepfakes is to augment humans with artificial intelligence tools.”
Finding older versions of the footage

Deepfakes are often based on footage that is already available online. Reverse image search engines like Tineye or Google Image Search are useful to find possible older versions of the video to suss out whether an aspect of it was manipulated.
Examining the footage

Editing programs like Final Cut enable journalists to slow footage down, zoom the image, and look at it frame by frame or pause multiple times. This helps reveal obvious glitches: glimmering and fuzziness around the mouth or face, unnatural lighting or movements, and differences between skin tones are telltale signs of a deepfake.

As an experiment, here are some glitches the Journal’s forensics team found during a training session using footage of Barack Obama created by video producers at BuzzFeed.

The box-like shapes around the teeth reveal that this is a picture stitched onto the original footage.

Unnatural movements like a shifting chin and growing neck show that the footage is faked.

In addition to these facial details, there might also be small edits in the foreground or background of the footage. Does it seem like an object was inserted or deleted into a scene that might change the context of the video (e.g. a weapon, a symbol, a person, etc.)? Again, glimmering, fuzziness, and unnatural light can be indicators of faked footage.

In the case of audio, watch out for unnatural intonation, irregular breathing, metallic sounding voices, and obvious edits. These are all hints that the audio may have been generated by artificial intelligence. However, it’s important to note that image artifacts, glitches, and imperfections can also be introduced by video compression. That’s why it is sometimes hard to conclusively determine whether a video has been forged or not.
The democratization of deepfake creation adds to the challenge

A number of companies are creating technologies — often for innocuous reasons — that nonetheless could eventually end up being used to create deepfakes. Some examples:
Object extraction

Adobe is working on Project Cloak, an experimental tool for object removal in video, which makes it easy for users to take people or other details out of the footage. The product could be helpful in motion picture editing. But some experts think that micro-edits like these — the removal of small details in a video — might be even more dangerous than blatant fakes since they are harder to spot.

Weather alteration

There are algorithms for image translation that enable users to alter the weather or time of day in a video, like this example developed by chip manufacturer Nvidia by using generative adversarial networks. These algorithms could be used for post-production of movie scenes shot during days with different weather. But this could be problematic for newsrooms and others, because in order to verify footage and narrow down when videos were filmed, it is common to examine the time of day, weather, position of the sun, and other indicators for clues to inconsistencies.


Story Continues
(http://www.niemanlab.org/2018/11/how-the-wall-street-journal-is-preparing-its-journalists-to-detect-deepfakes/)

calikid
03-07-2019, 12:10 AM
About time some defensive tools were released to the public. Helps if "we" can protect ourselves.
.
The NSA Makes Ghidra, a Powerful Cybersecurity Tool, Open Source
by: Lily Hay Newman

The National Security Agency develops advanced hacking tools in-house for both offense and defense—which you could probably guess even if some notable examples hadn't leaked in recent years. But on Tuesday at the RSA security conference in San Francisco, the agency demonstrated Ghidra, a refined internal tool that it has chosen to open source. And while NSA cybersecurity adviser Rob Joyce called the tool a "contribution to the nation’s cybersecurity community" in announcing it at RSA, it will no doubt be used far beyond the United States.

You can't use Ghidra to hack devices; it's instead a reverse-engineering platform used to take "compiled," deployed software and "decompile" it. In other words, it transforms the ones and zeros that computers understand back into a human-readable structure, logic, and set of commands that
reveal what the software you churn through it does. Reverse engineering is a crucial process for malware analysts and threat intelligence researchers, because it allows them to work backward from software they discover in the wild—like malware being used to carry out attacks—to understand how it works, what its capabilities are, and who wrote it or where it came from. Reverse engineering is also an important way for defenders to check their own code for weaknesses and confirm that it works as intended.
Story Continues (https://www.wired.com/story/nsa-ghidra-open-source-tool/)
.

Note: I went to the NSA Ghidra website (https://www.nsa.gov/resources/everyone/ghidra/), and they referred me to this Ghidra v9 download site (https://ghidra-sre.org/). It works.

Garuda
03-07-2019, 04:33 AM
About time some defensive tools were released to the public. Helps if "we" can protect ourselves.
.
The NSA Makes Ghidra, a Powerful Cybersecurity Tool, Open Source
by: Lily Hay Newman

The National Security Agency develops advanced hacking tools in-house for both offense and defense—which you could probably guess even if some notable examples hadn't leaked in recent years. But on Tuesday at the RSA security conference in San Francisco, the agency demonstrated Ghidra, a refined internal tool that it has chosen to open source. And while NSA cybersecurity adviser Rob Joyce called the tool a "contribution to the nation’s cybersecurity community" in announcing it at RSA, it will no doubt be used far beyond the United States.

You can't use Ghidra to hack devices; it's instead a reverse-engineering platform used to take "compiled," deployed software and "decompile" it. In other words, it transforms the ones and zeros that computers understand back into a human-readable structure, logic, and set of commands that
reveal what the software you churn through it does. Reverse engineering is a crucial process for malware analysts and threat intelligence researchers, because it allows them to work backward from software they discover in the wild—like malware being used to carry out attacks—to understand how it works, what its capabilities are, and who wrote it or where it came from. Reverse engineering is also an important way for defenders to check their own code for weaknesses and confirm that it works as intended.
Story Continues (https://www.wired.com/story/nsa-ghidra-open-source-tool/)
.

Note: I went to the NSA Ghidra website (https://www.nsa.gov/resources/everyone/ghidra/), and they referred me to this Ghidra v9 download site (https://ghidra-sre.org/). It works.

Yep, I had downloaded it yesterday already.

calikid
03-08-2019, 07:46 PM
Popular browser. Sounds like a CRITICAL flaw. If you use chrome, might want this patch ASAP.

Stop What You're Doing and Update Google Chrome
Google Chrome Security and Desktop Engineering Lead Justin Schuh says users should install the latest version of the browser – 72.0.3626.121 – right away.

By Angela Moscaritolo

Google is urging Chrome users to update the web browser right away to patch a zero-day vulnerability that is being actively exploited.

In a Tuesday tweet, Google Chrome Security and Desktop Engineering Lead Justin Schuh said users should install the latest version of the browser—72.0.3626.121—right away.

"Seriously, update your Chrome installs... like right this minute," he wrote.

Google started rolling out the patch for Chrome on Windows, Mac, and Linux on Friday. This week, Google revealed that the update corrects a "high" severity flaw—CVE-2019-5786—that has been under attack by cybercriminals.

"Google is aware of reports that an exploit for CVE-2019-5786 exists in the wild," the web giant said.

A member of Google's Threat Analysis Group first reported the bug on Feb. 27. At this point, details of the vulnerability are scant, as Google said it's restricting access to bug details until a majority of users have installed the update.
Story Continues (https://www.pcmag.com/news/367015/stop-what-youre-doing-and-update-google-chrome)

calikid
05-03-2019, 06:47 PM
Truly scary story about popular program updates being "contaminated".




A Mysterious Hacker Group Is On a Supply Chain Hijacking Spree
by Andy Greenberg

A software supply chain attack represents one of the most insidious forms of hacking. By breaking into a developer's network and hiding malicious code within apps and software updates that users trust, supply chain hijackers can smuggle their malware onto hundreds of thousands—or millions—of computers in a single operation, without the slightest sign of foul play. Now, what appears to be a single group of hackers has managed that trick repeatedly, going on a devastating supply chain hacking spree—and becoming more advanced and stealthy as they go.

Over the last three years, supply chain attacks that exploited the software distribution channels of at least six different companies have now all been tied to a single group of likely Chinese-speaking hackers. They're known as Barium, or sometimes ShadowHammer, ShadowPad, or Wicked Panda, depending on which security firm you ask. More than perhaps any other known hacker team, Barium appears to use supply chain attacks as their core tool. Their attacks all follow a similar pattern: Seed out infections to a massive collection of victims, then sort through them to find espionage targets.

The technique disturbs security researchers not only because it demonstrates Barium's ability to disrupt computers on a vast scale, but also because it exploits vulnerabilities in the most basic trust model governing the code users run on their machines.

"They're poisoning trusted mechanisms," says Vitaly Kamluk, the director of the Asia research team for security firm Kaspersky. When it comes to software supply chain attacks, "they’re the champions of this. With the number of companies they’ve breached, I don’t think any other groups are comparable to these guys."

In at least two cases—one in which it hijacked software updates from computer maker Asus and another in which it tainted a version of the PC cleanup tool CCleaner—software corrupted by the group has ended up on hundreds of thousands of unwitting users' computers. In those cases and others, the hackers could easily have unleashed unprecedented mayhem, says Silas Cutler, a researcher at Alphabet-owned security startup Chronicle who has tracked the Barium hackers. He compares the potential of those cases to the software supply chain attack that was used to launch the NotPetya cyberattack in 2017; in that case, a Russian hacker group hijacked updates for a piece of Ukrainian accounting software to seed out a destructive worm and caused a record-breaking $10 billion in damage to companies around the world.

"If [Barium] had deployed a ransomware worm like that through one of these attacks, it would be a far more devastating attack than NotPetya," Cutler says.

So far, the group seems focused on spying rather than destruction.
Story Continues (https://www.wired.com/story/barium-supply-chain-hackers/)

Wally
05-04-2019, 12:56 AM
Truly scary story about popular program updates being "contaminated".




A Mysterious Hacker Group Is On a Supply Chain Hijacking Spree
by Andy Greenberg

A software supply chain attack represents one of the most insidious forms of hacking. By breaking into a developer's network and hiding malicious code within apps and software updates that users trust, supply chain hijackers can smuggle their malware onto hundreds of thousands—or millions—of computers in a single operation, without the slightest sign of foul play. Now, what appears to be a single group of hackers has managed that trick repeatedly, going on a devastating supply chain hacking spree—and becoming more advanced and stealthy as they go.

Over the last three years, supply chain attacks that exploited the software distribution channels of at least six different companies have now all been tied to a single group of likely Chinese-speaking hackers. They're known as Barium, or sometimes ShadowHammer, ShadowPad, or Wicked Panda, depending on which security firm you ask. More than perhaps any other known hacker team, Barium appears to use supply chain attacks as their core tool. Their attacks all follow a similar pattern: Seed out infections to a massive collection of victims, then sort through them to find espionage targets.

The technique disturbs security researchers not only because it demonstrates Barium's ability to disrupt computers on a vast scale, but also because it exploits vulnerabilities in the most basic trust model governing the code users run on their machines.

"They're poisoning trusted mechanisms," says Vitaly Kamluk, the director of the Asia research team for security firm Kaspersky. When it comes to software supply chain attacks, "they’re the champions of this. With the number of companies they’ve breached, I don’t think any other groups are comparable to these guys."

In at least two cases—one in which it hijacked software updates from computer maker Asus and another in which it tainted a version of the PC cleanup tool CCleaner—software corrupted by the group has ended up on hundreds of thousands of unwitting users' computers. In those cases and others, the hackers could easily have unleashed unprecedented mayhem, says Silas Cutler, a researcher at Alphabet-owned security startup Chronicle who has tracked the Barium hackers. He compares the potential of those cases to the software supply chain attack that was used to launch the NotPetya cyberattack in 2017; in that case, a Russian hacker group hijacked updates for a piece of Ukrainian accounting software to seed out a destructive worm and caused a record-breaking $10 billion in damage to companies around the world.

"If [Barium] had deployed a ransomware worm like that through one of these attacks, it would be a far more devastating attack than NotPetya," Cutler says.

So far, the group seems focused on spying rather than destruction.
Story Continues (https://www.wired.com/story/barium-supply-chain-hackers/)

This is most troubling. Would Norton or other internet security programs be able to detect or fix tainted updates?

calikid
05-04-2019, 06:37 PM
This is most troubling. Would Norton or other internet security programs be able to detect or fix tainted updates?You may have noticed the "Story Continues" link at the bottom of the post. Click on it for more details. :)

calikid
05-06-2019, 02:48 PM
If Mozilla doesn't come up with a fix sometime soon, you may want to follow the story link to find a "Quick Fix" they list at the end of the article.

Mozilla bug throws Tor Browser users into chaos
By Paul Ducklin

Mozilla is currently stuck in the middle of a cybersecurity blunder involving digital signatures.
The bug reports we’ve seen so far don’t give much more detail than “expired intermediate certificate” problems, but the symptoms are obvious, especially for Tor users.
We didn’t get hit by this bug immediately – we were off the grid yesterday and left our computing kit at home. (Nothing Bear Gryllsy, you understand – we took ourselves off to Bristol on Brunel’s famous Great Western Railway to visit a bicycle show but left our mobile phone behind entirely by mistake.)
But today, not long after firing up the Tor Browser, which is a special version of Firefox with numerous privacy-centric settings turned on and baked into the build, we received a worrying popup warning.

According to the Tor Browser program, one of our browser add-ons could no longer be trusted and had been turned off – the alert didn’t say which one, just that some sort of cybersecurity concern had suddenly arisen.




Story Continues (https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2019/05/05/mozilla-bug-throws-tor-browser-users-into-chaos/)

Garuda
05-06-2019, 06:59 PM
If Mozilla doesn't come up with a fix sometime soon, you may want to follow the story link to find a "Quick Fix" they list at the end of the article.

Mozilla bug throws Tor Browser users into chaos
By Paul Ducklin

Mozilla is currently stuck in the middle of a cybersecurity blunder involving digital signatures.
The bug reports we’ve seen so far don’t give much more detail than “expired intermediate certificate” problems, but the symptoms are obvious, especially for Tor users.
We didn’t get hit by this bug immediately – we were off the grid yesterday and left our computing kit at home. (Nothing Bear Gryllsy, you understand – we took ourselves off to Bristol on Brunel’s famous Great Western Railway to visit a bicycle show but left our mobile phone behind entirely by mistake.)
But today, not long after firing up the Tor Browser, which is a special version of Firefox with numerous privacy-centric settings turned on and baked into the build, we received a worrying popup warning.

According to the Tor Browser program, one of our browser add-ons could no longer be trusted and had been turned off – the alert didn’t say which one, just that some sort of cybersecurity concern had suddenly arisen.




Story Continues (https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2019/05/05/mozilla-bug-throws-tor-browser-users-into-chaos/)

A permanent fix already is available for Firefox: upgrade to the latest version (at this moment 66.0.4 for Firefox) and the problem is solved.

However... I did not that some add-ons, like the 'Multi-account containers' did lose all of their data: I had to completely reconfigure them from scratch.

I did not experience any problems in Tor.

calikid
05-07-2019, 04:31 PM
A permanent fix already is available for Firefox: upgrade to the latest version (at this moment 66.0.4 for Firefox) and the problem is solved.

However... I did not that some add-ons, like the 'Multi-account containers' did lose all of their data: I had to completely reconfigure them from scratch.

I did not experience any problems in Tor.My Tor browser refused to run NoScript. Also got warnings from various websites that Java was active.

Will try the update. Thanks.

calikid
05-07-2019, 05:04 PM
Been a few years since Apple threw out the Apple OS, and adopted Linux running with their Apple GUI. Seems to be working for them.
Maybe this is a step by MS in the same direction.
.
Microsoft is finally bringing full Linux to Windows 10

By Mike Moore
Move looks to make Windows 10 more open-source friendly.
.
Linux could soon be coming to your desktop after Microsoft revealed plans to ship a full Linux kernel directly in Windows 10.

In great news for open-source fans, the computing giant has said it will look to push the launch of a Linux kernel in Windows 10 for the first time at its Microsoft Build conference.

The launch will dovetail with a distribution installed through the Windows Store, with a release expected later this year - although Windows Insider users will be able to get preview builds by the end of June.

Microsoft says that the first release will be based on the latest stable Linux release (version 4.19), and updates will come alongside each stable release going forward.

This should mean a major boost in performance when compared to the current emulator, with faster boot times and more efficient memory use also mentioned as new perks.

“Beginning with Windows Insiders builds this Summer, we will include an in-house custom-built Linux kernel to underpin the newest version of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL),” Microsoft program manager Jack Hammons wrote in a blog post announcing the news.

"The kernel will be rebased at the designation of new long-term stable releases to ensure that the WSL kernel always has the latest Linux goodness.”

"This is the culmination of years of effort from the Linux Systems Group as well as multiple other teams across Microsoft. We are excited to be able to share the result and look forward to the new and interesting ways in which you will use WSL."

Microsoft also announced a new edition of its Windows Terminal command line app..
Story Continues (https://www.techradar.com/news/microsoft-is-finally-bringing-linux-to-windows-10)

calikid
05-10-2019, 07:12 PM
Intel's roadmap for chip development 2019 - 2020.

Intel roadmap confirms 10nm 'Tiger Lake' chip with Xe graphics, more Ice Lake and Lakefield details
Part of Intel's pitch to investors included more details on how Intel's upcoming chips will perform.
Mark Hachman.

Intel extended its public microprocessor roadmap through 2020 on Wednesday, confirming the existence of “Tiger Lake,” a 10nm Core chip due in 2020 that features an entirely new microarchitecture and Intel’s forthcoming Xe graphics.

Executives also began disclosing some of the performance improvements associated with its previously-announced chips, such as how fast Intel’s first 10nm chip, Ice Lake, will be compared with the previous generation. Intel also began talking a bit about the improvements in “Lakefield,” which stacks logic together to create a denser system-on-a-chip.

Combine the new 10nm “Ice Lake” core—which executives said would ship in June—plus the redesigned Tiger Lake chip, as well as Intel’s other major announcement, 7nm chips by 2021, and Intel is at least talking more aggressively than it has in years.

.

Ice Lake

Speaking at Intel’s investor conference Wednesday, Murthy Renduchintala, Intel’s chief engineering officer, said that it’s no secret that Intel has struggled with 10nm development.


Intel’s Ice Lake isn’t that far away.

“In discussions with many of you, the belief is that Intel’s process technology has slowed down over time,” Renduchintala added. Wednesday’s message? That’s no longer the case.

Ice Lake, Renduchintala said, takes full advantage of the 10nm technology. Though he didn’t disclose performance, he did provide some generation-over-generation comparisons, albeit with no real specifics. It’s interesting that Intel’s not talking directly about CPU integer performance; instead, Intel believes that Ice Lake will deliver 2.5 times to 3 times the “AI performance” of a prior-generation chip, and twice the graphics performance.

Ice Lake also contains what Intel refers to as “Generation 11” performance, which apparently will be branded as a “Next Gen Graphics Iris Plus Experience,” if the boilerplate text in Intel’s presentation is any indication. Gregory Bryant, the senior vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group, told investors that the integrated graphics is powerful enough to play hundreds of games at 1080p resolutions at 30 (not 60) frames per second.

Tiger Lake

According to Renduchintala, the lead product for the 7nm generation will actually be a GP-GPU for the datacenter in 2021, based upon the new Xe architecture that Intel is developing. PC users, however, will be focusing on Tiger Lake.

calikid
05-22-2019, 04:12 PM
Good news for people who like secure browsers. TOR Alpha (test) version for Android has been out for awhile, and now the general (stable) release v8.5 is available.

Official Tor Browser for Android available on Google Play

The Tor Project has released the first stable version of the Tor Browser for Android.
By Zeljka Zorz

The release is referred to as version 8.5, mainly to prevent confusion: Tor Browser releases for Windows, macOS, and Linux are currently on that version.
About Tor Browser for Android

The Tor Project released an alpha version of the app in September 2018 and has been working on tweaking it ever since.

“Mobile browsing is increasing around the world, and in some parts, it is commonly the only way people access the internet. In these same areas, there is often heavy surveillance and censorship online, so we made it a priority to reach these users,” Tor Browser developer Nicolas Vigier explained.

“We made sure there are no proxy bypasses, that first-party isolation is enabled to protect you from cross-site tracking, and that most of the fingerprinting defenses are working. While there are still feature gaps between the desktop and Android Tor Browser, we are confident that Tor Browser for Android provides essentially the same protections that can be found on desktop platforms.”

Tor Browser for Android isolates websites to prevent third-party trackers and ads from following users, makes user fingerprinting based on browser and device information difficult, and prevents anyone watching the users’ connection from knowing what websites they visit.

It also allows users to access sites that have been blocked by their ISP.
Story Continues (https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2019/05/22/tor-browser-for-android/)

calikid
06-29-2019, 04:30 PM
How to Prevent and Respond to a SIM Swap Scam
by Brendan Hesse

When ZDNet’s Matthew Miller got hit with a SIM swap attack, he described it as a “horror story” that caused him to lose “decades of data.” And he’s not being hyperbolic; more than a week later, he’s still dealing with the aftereffects, and there’s no guarantee from some of the major tech players—including Twitter and Google—that he’ll ever be able to regain access to that which his attackers messed up.

SIM swapping is a big deal, especially if you’re also actively involved in the cryptocurrency community—a great way for an attacker to make a little cash and mess up your life. Thankfully, a few little tweaks to your account security practices can help reduce the likelihood that this irritating issue will ever ruin your day (or month).
What is SIM swapping?

SIM swapping involves a hacker duping your cell provider into believing that you’re activating your SIM card on another device. In other words, they’re stealing your phone number and associating it with their SIM card.

If successful, this attack will deactivate your device, and their device will now be the destination for all texts, phone calls, data, and accounts tied to your phone number and SIM card. With that information, the attacker could easily gain access to your app accounts, personal data, and financial information. They could even lock you out of your services for good.

Think of how many apps and accounts use your phone number to verify your identity—and not even when you go to log in with your username and password, which an attacker won’t know, but the very recovery mechanisms you would use to reset this key information. All the account security in the world won’t do much good if an attacker can pretend they’re you just by taking over your phone number.

Story Continues (https://lifehacker.com/how-to-prevent-and-respond-to-a-sim-swap-scam-1835627474)

Wally
07-01-2019, 01:43 PM
From space.com
After Decades of Hunting, Physicists Claim They've Made Quantum Material from Depths of Jupiter (https://www.space.com/metallic-hydrogen-claim.html)

The last time somebody made this claim they lost their sample. Hopefully that won't happen this time.

epo333
11-01-2020, 03:03 PM
New 3D Printing Organs Technology.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Boc_TPwwYo&feature=emb_logo

CasperParks
11-03-2020, 03:47 AM
Klein Vision Flying Car


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAnIjwwzupI&feature=emb_logo

To visit Klein Vision's website, click here (https://www.klein-vision.com/).

Longeyes
11-03-2020, 08:32 AM
Aligned Carbon nanotube batteries seem very impressive

https://www.intelligentliving.co/li-ion-batteries-worlds-fastest-electrodes/