Search Results for: apple

Hackers are defacing loads of high profile Reddit channels with pro-Trump messages

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A massive hack has hit Reddit today after tens of Reddit channels have been hacked and defaced to show messages in support of Donald Trump’s reelection campaign. The hacks are still ongoing at the time of writing, but we were told Reddit’s security team is aware of the issue and has already begun restoring defaced Read more about Hackers are defacing loads of high profile Reddit channels with pro-Trump messages[…]

EU demands strange concessions from Google over Fitbit deal – wants to share movement data to third parties

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The EU has demanded that Google make major concessions relating to its $2.1 billion acquisition of fitness-tracking company Fitbit if the deal is to be allowed to proceed imminently, according to people with direct knowledge of the discussions. Since it was announced last November, the acquisition has faced steep opposition from consumer groups and regulators, Read more about EU demands strange concessions from Google over Fitbit deal – wants to share movement data to third parties[…]

Instagram and 50 other apps found that quietly access iOS device’s camera

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Apple’s iOS 14 beta has proven surprisingly handy at sussing out what apps are snooping on your phone’s data. It ratted out LinkedIn, Reddit, and TikTok for secretly copying clipboard content earlier this month, and now Instagram’s in hot water after several users reported that their camera’s “in use” indicator stays on even when they’re Read more about Instagram and 50 other apps found that quietly access iOS device’s camera[…]

Microsoft’s Doing the Monopoly Thing Again, Slack Says

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Workplace messaging software company Slack is accusing Microsoft of monopoly behavior in an antitrust complaint filed today to European Union regulators. Unsurprisingly, the accusations hinge on the same practice that helped make Microsoft rich in the first place. Bill Gates, Windows, innovation, yes, yes, OK—undoubtedly Microsoft had a lot to contribute to the early years Read more about Microsoft’s Doing the Monopoly Thing Again, Slack Says[…]

Twitter says hack of key staff led to celebrity, politician, biz account hijack mega-spree

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Twitter has offered its initial analysis of the Wednesday mass hijacking of prominent twits’ accounts – and suggested it all kicked off after its staff fell for social engineering. Judging from leaked screenshots of Twitter’s internal systems circulating online and seen by El Reg, it appears one or more miscreants were able to gain direct Read more about Twitter says hack of key staff led to celebrity, politician, biz account hijack mega-spree[…]

Big tech’s reckoning starts with an antitrust committee

Posted on by Robin Edgar

On July 27th, the CEOs of Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Google — the “GAFA” companies — will testify in front of the House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee. Getting those four people into the same room — even virtually — on the same day is something of a feat and it speaks to how seriously these companies Read more about Big tech’s reckoning starts with an antitrust committee[…]

Fraunhofer releases H.266/VVC which encodes video 50% smaller

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Fraunhofer HHI (together with partners from industry including Apple, Ericsson, Intel, Huawei, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Sony) is celebrating the release and official adoption of the new global video coding standard H.266/Versatile Video Coding (VVC). This new standard offers improved compression, which reduces data requirements by around 50% of the bit rate relative to the previous Read more about Fraunhofer releases H.266/VVC which encodes video 50% smaller[…]

Uncovered: 1,000 phrases that incorrectly trigger Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant

Posted on by Robin Edgar

As Alexa, Google Home, Siri, and other voice assistants have become fixtures in millions of homes, privacy advocates have grown concerned that their near-constant listening to nearby conversations could pose more risk than benefit to users. New research suggests the privacy threat may be greater than previously thought. The findings demonstrate how common it is Read more about Uncovered: 1,000 phrases that incorrectly trigger Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant[…]

Big Tech on the hook for billions in back taxes after US Supreme Court rejects Altera stock options case hearing

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and a host of other tech giants will have to pay billions of dollars in extra tax after the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal on a stock-option case. America’s top court said [PDF] on Monday it will not review a decision by the Ninth Circuit of Appeals that stock-based Read more about Big Tech on the hook for billions in back taxes after US Supreme Court rejects Altera stock options case hearing[…]

From the crew behind the Sony Pictures hack comes Operation Interception: An aerospace cyber-attack thriller

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Threat intel researchers have uncovered a phishing and malware campaign that targeted “a large European aerospace company” and which was run by the same North Koreans behind the hack of Sony Pictures. While there are quite a few European aerospace firms, Slovakian infosec biz ESET was more concerned with the phishing ‘n’ malware campaign it Read more about From the crew behind the Sony Pictures hack comes Operation Interception: An aerospace cyber-attack thriller[…]

Amazon Set to Face Antitrust Charges in European Union

Posted on by Robin Edgar

European Union officials are preparing to bring antitrust charges against Amazon for abusing its dominance in internet commerce to box out smaller rivals, according to people with knowledge of the case. Nearly two years in the making, the case is one of the most aggressive attempts by a government to crimp the power of the Read more about Amazon Set to Face Antitrust Charges in European Union[…]

GSMA suggests mobile carriers bake contact-tracing into their own apps – if governments ask for it

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The GSM Association, the body that represents mobile carriers and influences the development of standards, has suggested its members bake virus contact-tracing functionality into their own bundled software. The body today popped out a paper [PDF] on contact-tracing apps. After some unremarkable observations about the need for and operations of such apps, plus an explanation Read more about GSMA suggests mobile carriers bake contact-tracing into their own apps – if governments ask for it[…]

Marketers Bring Antitrust Suit Against Google

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Three online advertisers are suing Google for allegedly violating antitrust laws by monopolizing “digital advertising markets.” “Google leveraged its stranglehold on online search and search advertising to gain an illegal monopoly in brokering display advertising on other companies’ websites,” the marketers allege in a class-action complaint filed last week in U.S. District Court for the Read more about Marketers Bring Antitrust Suit Against Google[…]

Watch SpaceX’s Starship SN4 prototype accidentally self-destruct in a rocket test burn – just before the Falcon launches people at the ISS

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In yet another setback for Elon Musk’s beloved steel spaceship, a SpaceX Starship prototype has exploded on the pad during a rocket test burn. Starship SN4 – designed to ferry astronauts to the Moon and Mars – was undergoing a static engine fire test on Friday when, in scientific terminology, it blew the hell up. Read more about Watch SpaceX’s Starship SN4 prototype accidentally self-destruct in a rocket test burn – just before the Falcon launches people at the ISS[…]

Software Development Environments Move to the Cloud

Posted on by Robin Edgar

If you’re a newly hired software engineer, setting up your development environment can be tedious. If you’re lucky, your company will have a documented, step-by-step process to follow. But this still doesn’t guarantee you’ll be up and running in no time. When you’re tasked with updating your environment, you’ll go through the same time-consuming process. Read more about Software Development Environments Move to the Cloud[…]

Hey Siri, are you still recording people’s conversations despite promising not to do so nine months ago?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Apple may still be recording and transcribing conversations captured by Siri on its phones, despite promising to put an end to the practice nine months ago, claims a former Apple contractor who was hired to listen into customer conversations. In a letter [PDF] sent to data protection authorities in Europe, Thomas Le Bonniec expresses his Read more about Hey Siri, are you still recording people’s conversations despite promising not to do so nine months ago?[…]

Papa don’t breach: Contracts, personal info on Madonna, Lady Gaga, Elton John, others swiped in celeb law firm ‘hack’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Hackers are threatening to release 756GB of A-list celebs’ contracts, recording deals, and other personal info allegedly stolen from a New York law firm. The miscreants have seemingly got their hands on confidential agreements, private correspondence, contact details, and other information belonging to superstars, including Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Sir Elton John, Run DMC, Bruce Springsteen, Read more about Papa don’t breach: Contracts, personal info on Madonna, Lady Gaga, Elton John, others swiped in celeb law firm ‘hack’[…]

Nervous, Adobe? It took 16 years, but open-source vector graphics editor Inkscape v1.0 now works properly on macOS

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Open-source, cross-platform vector drawing package Inkscape has reached its version 1.0 milestone after many years of development. Inkscape can be seen as an alternative to commercial products such as Adobe Illustrator or Serif Affinity Designer – though unlike Inkscape, neither of those run on Linux. The native format of Inkscape is SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), Read more about Nervous, Adobe? It took 16 years, but open-source vector graphics editor Inkscape v1.0 now works properly on macOS[…]

Google Lens can now copy and paste handwritten notes to your computer

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google has added a very useful feature to Google Lens, its multipurpose object recognition tool. You can now copy and paste handwritten notes from your phone to your computer with Lens, though it only works if your handwriting is neat enough. In order to use the new feature, you need to have the latest version Read more about Google Lens can now copy and paste handwritten notes to your computer[…]

Surprise surprise, Xiaomi web browser and music player are sending data about you to China

Posted on by Robin Edgar

When he looked around the Web on the device’s default Xiaomi browser, it recorded all the websites he visited, including search engine queries whether with Google or the privacy-focused DuckDuckGo, and every item viewed on a news feed feature of the Xiaomi software. That tracking appeared to be happening even if he used the supposedly Read more about Surprise surprise, Xiaomi web browser and music player are sending data about you to China[…]

NSO Employee Abused Phone Hacking Tech to Target a Love Interest

Posted on by Robin Edgar

An employee of controversial surveillance vendor NSO Group abused access to the company’s powerful hacking technology to target a love interest, Motherboard has learned. The previously unreported news is a serious abuse of NSO’s products, which are typically used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The episode also highlights that potent surveillance technology such as Read more about NSO Employee Abused Phone Hacking Tech to Target a Love Interest[…]

PSA: New Character Bug in Messages Causing iOS Devices to Crash [Updated]

Posted on by Robin Edgar

There appears to be a new character-linked bug in Messages, Mail, and other apps that can cause the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch to crash when receiving a specific string of characters. Image from Twitter In this particular case, the character string involves the Italian flag emoji along with characters in the Sindhi language, Read more about PSA: New Character Bug in Messages Causing iOS Devices to Crash [Updated][…]

Security lapse exposed creepy Clearview AI source code

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Since it exploded onto the scene in January after a newspaper exposé, Clearview AI quickly became one of the most elusive, secretive and reviled companies in the tech startup scene. The controversial facial recognition startup allows its law enforcement users to take a picture of a person, upload it and match it against its alleged Read more about Security lapse exposed creepy Clearview AI source code[…]

Medical Device ‘Jailbreak’ Could Help Solve the Dangerous Shortage of Ventilators

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Security researcher Trammell Hudson analyzed the AirSense 10 — the world’s most widely used CPAP — and made a startling discovery. Although its manufacturer says the AirSense 10 would require “significant rework to function as a ventilator,” many ventilator functions were already built into the device firmware. Its manufacturer, ResMed, says the $700 device solely Read more about Medical Device ‘Jailbreak’ Could Help Solve the Dangerous Shortage of Ventilators[…]