Category: Security

Google Security

Google banks on its own tech to protect Chrome users from another Heartbleed

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As reported on Engadget. BY STEVE DENT Last month Google said that it was tired of mashed-together bug fixes for OpenSSL and decided to create its own fork called BoringSSL. It has now implemented that variant in thelatest Chromium build, the open-source software that eventually arrives in Chrome. OpenSSL is software used for secure connections — created largely by volunteers — and an overlooked code problem recently caused the infamous Heartbleed bug. When BoringSSL was first announced, there was some grumbling from…

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Google Microsoft Security

Google, Microsoft and Instagram rush to fix Flash flaw that could steal your data

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As reported on Engadget. BY STEVE DENT  Yet another critical security flaw has been found for Adobe’s notoriously sieve-like Flash plug-in, this time by Google Engineer Michele Spagnuolo. His exploit tool, called “Rosetta Flash” is just a proof of concept, but could allow hackers to steal your cookies and other data using malicious Flash .SWF files. The exploit is well known in the security community, but had been left unfixed until now as nobody had found a way to harness it for…

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Cloud Microsoft Security

Microsoft Bolsters Encryption For OneDrive And Outlook.com

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As reported on TechCrunch. by Alex Wilhelm Microsoft announced this morning that it has bolstered the security of several of its digital products, bringing stronger encryption tools to its OneDrive and Outlook.com services. In the wake of revelations that the United States government was tapping the core fiber cables of the Internet, snooping on traffic between the data centers of large technology companies, and working to weaken encryption, a loose, industry wide effort has been undertaken to build digital…

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Mobile Security

Privacy-focused Blackphone starts shipping for $630

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As reported on Engadget. BY SHARIF SAKR  If you missed our coverage during Mobile World Congress, then here’s what you need to know about Blackphone: it’s a mid-spec Android smartphone that comes pre-subscribed to (and pre-installed with) a bunch of privacy and anti-surveillance services, for a price of $629 off-contract. It’s the offspring of a joint venture between Silent Circle andGeeksphone, who together have just announced that the first batch of devices is now shipping to customers who pre-ordered during…

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Security

Dropcam can now tell the difference between your cat and boyfriend

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As reported on Engadget. BY EMILY PRICE Wi-Fi-connected surveillance camera Dropcam can be useful for checking on your special furball when you’re away from home. However, movement from an enthusiastic scratching post session registers the same as a burglar running off with your flatscreen, making it a less than ideal for security. That means you either have to deal with constant push notifications, or run the risk you’re getting robbed. Today Dropcam announced that an update coming August…

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Google Security

Google will also stop scanning business and government Gmail inboxes for ads

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As reported on Engadget. BY MARIELLA MOON Student Gmail accounts aren’t the only ones safe from Google’s prying eyes. Apparently, the company’s also pulling its targeted ad scanners from Gmail inboxes for businesses and government, as well as from free legacy accounts. Mountain View’s confirmed toTechCrunch that it’ll completely kill the enable/disable toggle for targeted ads for those users. These lucky people will just never see another link hawking Viagra (hey, show me a Spam folder without…

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Microsoft Security

Serious Internet Explorer flaw puts XP users especially at risk

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As reported on Engadget. BY NICOLE LEE We hope that you heeded our advice to finally ditch Windows XP in favor of a more modern operating system, because there’s a new security exploit that’ll leave stubborn XP users in the cold. In a security alert released on Saturday, Microsoft reports that there’s a serious vulnerability in Internet Explorer 6 through 11 that could allow hackers to take over your computer remotely if you happen to visit a malicious…

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Google Security

Google is working on end-to-end encryption for Gmail

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As reported on The Verge. By Russell Brandom Google wants to make it easier for Gmail users to encrypt their emails, according to a report in VentureBeat. PGP has been an open-source encryption standard for nearly 20 years, but the protocol has been dogged with usability issues that many claim have kept it from broader use. As a result, engineers at Google are working on ways to make PGP easier for users, as part of a larger push…

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Government Security

There’ll be no escape from the FBI’s new facial recognition system

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As reported on Engadget. BY DANIEL COOPER If you thought that the NSA wanted too much personal information, just wait a few months. The EFF is reporting that the FBI’s new facial recognition database, containing data for almost a third of the US population, will be ready to launch this summer. Codenamed NGI, the system combines the bureau’s 100 million-strong fingerprint database with palm prints, iris scans and mugshots. Naturally, this has alarmed privacy advocates, since it’s not just felons whose…

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Security

What is Heartbleed, anyway?

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As reported on Engadget. BY JOSE ANDRADE If you’re an IT professional, gadget blogger or token geek in your circle of friends, chances are, you’ve been hounded relentlessly over the past couple of days about “this Heartbleed thing.” “Do I need to update my antivirus?” “Can I login to my bank account now?” “Google already fixed it, right?” We’ve heard them all, but the answers aren’t all that clear or simple. In an attempt to take the pressure…

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