Did you know that your browsing information is being monitored and sold while you use your phone? Verizon and AT&T have cookies, in the form of Unique Identifier Headers (UIDH), that insert a string of numbers, letters and characters into your HTTP requests. This information allows any website to build a user profile based on your unique identifier. This allows for targeted ads, tracking and storing of your browsing history. If that doesn't scare you, what if I told you they've been doing it for over two years now. But because it's not something that you can easily see, it has gone almost entirely unnoticed for this long.
This aggravates me, and gets me very annoyed. I do not want my information being stored, sold or looked at. I do not want ads targeted at me based on my search history. I hate the idea of anything related to me being tracked at all for that matter, and most irritating is that they do this in such a hidden way....Yet we're basically forced to stay in their game because they've monopolized the industry to the point where switching companies means having worse service connectivity. All frustration aside, I think this is an issue that needs further exploration.
Sources:
Naked Security
Propublica
Mac Rumors
"Even if you're not doing anything wrong, you are being watched and recorded." - Edward Snowden
Hackers, Sentenced to Life?
This week there were more changes proposed to the UK's serious crime bill, which could have hackers facing lengthy sentences. The proposal states that attacks that are considered "catastrophic" in nature, that "result in loss of life, serious illness and injury, or serious damage to national security or a significant risk thereof" would allow for a stronger sentencing. That would mean that some hackers, who cause enough damage could in turn get a maximum sentencing of life in prison. Many who oppose this bill suggest that it hurts whistle blowers who they believe should not be prosecuted at all.
I think that hackers should see a more harsh sentence world wide. It does not seem justified to me for causing millions of dollars in damages and only going to jail for a few months to a few years. The punishment does not seem to match the crime as of right now. I do not however feel that it should be a life sentence kind of punishment. That seems a bit harsh to me. If the courts did a better job of weighing the damages caused to fit the punishment, that too would be more suffice. I also think that slightly stricter laws would act as a deterrent for many, but not for all. Simply because some of these 'hackers' believe they're undetectable.
Sources:
Naked Security
RT.com
I think that hackers should see a more harsh sentence world wide. It does not seem justified to me for causing millions of dollars in damages and only going to jail for a few months to a few years. The punishment does not seem to match the crime as of right now. I do not however feel that it should be a life sentence kind of punishment. That seems a bit harsh to me. If the courts did a better job of weighing the damages caused to fit the punishment, that too would be more suffice. I also think that slightly stricter laws would act as a deterrent for many, but not for all. Simply because some of these 'hackers' believe they're undetectable.
Sources:
Naked Security
RT.com
Facebook Protecting Their Users, Good or Bad?
Facebook has come forward telling users that they scan the internet looking at all stolen data, and collect as much of it as possible. They then compare all of the stolen credentials to their users password and email address to see if they find a match. Essentially, if people are silly enough to use the same password on a different site that has gotten breached, Facebook will notify you to change your password on your next login. The theory is that Facebook is protecting your account from behind hijacked, however this raises concern for some suggesting that Facebook is going too far and is storing too much of your personal data.
I personally am on the fence about this topic. It's good that they are attempting to protect their users, however I don't like the idea of them storing my information. Part of me feels that it's the users own fault if they choose to use the same exact password on every website. The other part of me feels like it's a kind gesture for Facebook to spend the extra money and resources on trying to further protect their users.
Sources:
Naked Security
The Register
I personally am on the fence about this topic. It's good that they are attempting to protect their users, however I don't like the idea of them storing my information. Part of me feels that it's the users own fault if they choose to use the same exact password on every website. The other part of me feels like it's a kind gesture for Facebook to spend the extra money and resources on trying to further protect their users.
Sources:
Naked Security
The Register
What is Google up to now?
In December 2013, Google purchased Boston Dynamics, a company that creates robots for the US government. In January 2014, Google paid some 400 million dollars for DeepMind, a company which focuses on artificial intelligence. And just this week Google has announced they're purchases two more companies, Dark Blue Labs and Vision Factory. Dark Blue Labs is a company that focuses on machine learning and thought process, and Vision Factory focuses on computer vision and sensory. The future as we know it is starting to look more and more robotic. In the last several years Google has been purchasing many other companies that allow them the best technologies in similar fields. But with the purchase of all these robots, artificial intelligence, and various other futuristic technologies...you have to ask..where is Google going with all this?
I've been asking myself with how fast technology continues to progress, what will I see in my lifetime? Will the reality of the movie I, Robot be a reality? The thought of robots wandering around seems scary to some and thrilling to others. Google has yet to make many comments on where they plan on taking all of their newly acquired companies, but they have announced that they will be working together with Oxford University. And Britain has been looking to become the world leader in robotics for quite some time now. They plan on attempting to use robots in decommissioned nuclear sites and abandoned coal mines around the UK as a test for these types of devices.
Sources:
IT Pro Portal
Phys.org
NBC News
ABC News
I've been asking myself with how fast technology continues to progress, what will I see in my lifetime? Will the reality of the movie I, Robot be a reality? The thought of robots wandering around seems scary to some and thrilling to others. Google has yet to make many comments on where they plan on taking all of their newly acquired companies, but they have announced that they will be working together with Oxford University. And Britain has been looking to become the world leader in robotics for quite some time now. They plan on attempting to use robots in decommissioned nuclear sites and abandoned coal mines around the UK as a test for these types of devices.
Sources:
IT Pro Portal
Phys.org
NBC News
ABC News
More Businesses Hacked
This week yet another major business has announced that their credit and debit card machines have been compromised. Kmart has announced they too have been breached, as well as their parent company Sears Holding Corp. Kmart currently operates 1221 stores across the US. Kmart has yet to release how many potential cards may be effected by this breach. Yet another big company in the US to get hit by this kind of attack. Michaels, Target, Home Depot, Dairy Queen, Sears, JP Morgan and the list goes on and on... Who's next?
The growing trend of all these companies being compromised is not good at all. It's showing us how even in the year 2014 things are not as secure as we had hoped for them to be. I personally do not use cards unless i absolutely have to. Cash is unhackable, untraceable, and undetectable. I don't have to worry about my information being stolen when I use cash, which is mostly always unless I am forced to buy something online. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Cash is King.
Sources:
Naked Security
PC World
The growing trend of all these companies being compromised is not good at all. It's showing us how even in the year 2014 things are not as secure as we had hoped for them to be. I personally do not use cards unless i absolutely have to. Cash is unhackable, untraceable, and undetectable. I don't have to worry about my information being stolen when I use cash, which is mostly always unless I am forced to buy something online. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Cash is King.
Sources:
Naked Security
PC World
Skype Qik: Microsoft's Version of Snapchat
Skype, owned by Microsoft, has just released their own version of video conversation messaging. Their new app, Skype Qik, allows users to send video messages to users, in the same way that Snapchat allows users to send pictures. This new application allows for up to 42 seconds of video to be captured and shared with one or several people at a time. The release of this new application comes at a very troublesome time. Their biggest seen competitor, Snapchat was just recently hacked again. Their recent hack left thousands of pictures to be leaked onto the internet for all to see, even though they have previously claimed that would be impossible. Strike two for Snapchat, as the continue to lose users' trust.
I think Microsoft needs to focus on ensuring their new user basis that this application is secure. If they can provide a more secure way for people to communicate, I think we'll see more Snapchat users switching over to Qik for privacy reasons. Although Qik has a focus right now of being the first video platform, I think there is a potential that it will soon be a hybrid of both pictures and videos. I'm curious to see how many users they get over the next few months that continue to use this app, rather than just test it out a few times.
Sources:
Tech Crunch
The Christian Science Monitor
I think Microsoft needs to focus on ensuring their new user basis that this application is secure. If they can provide a more secure way for people to communicate, I think we'll see more Snapchat users switching over to Qik for privacy reasons. Although Qik has a focus right now of being the first video platform, I think there is a potential that it will soon be a hybrid of both pictures and videos. I'm curious to see how many users they get over the next few months that continue to use this app, rather than just test it out a few times.
Sources:
Tech Crunch
The Christian Science Monitor
Twitter: Suing US Government Over Surveillance
Twitter has recently announced that they have filed a suit against the United States government for their right to explicitly tell their users the extent of the government surveillance. The suit specifically is against the Department of Justice as well as the FBI. They're stating that certain laws and statutes prohibit them from publicly disclosing the details of their requests. Other large companies are also claiming that these types of statutes and laws are essentially "gagging" them, disallowing them to speak about the extent of said searches.
Recently both Apple and Google both announced that they would be encrypting their phones in such a way that the government would not be able to access user data. Other companies including Microsoft, Facebook and Dropbox are also fighting government demands for their user's data. I think that this lawsuit will be a monumental turning point if Twitter wins their case, claiming the government's violation of the First Amendment. Only time will tell though...
Sources:
Naked Security
LA Times
Recently both Apple and Google both announced that they would be encrypting their phones in such a way that the government would not be able to access user data. Other companies including Microsoft, Facebook and Dropbox are also fighting government demands for their user's data. I think that this lawsuit will be a monumental turning point if Twitter wins their case, claiming the government's violation of the First Amendment. Only time will tell though...
Sources:
Naked Security
LA Times
Robocops: A Reality?
Police officers in Dubai are about to have some scary technology to have on their side. Using Google Glass and third-party software for facial recognition, the Dubai traffic police will soon be comparing faces with their wanted databases as they walk around. This new software will capture photos of people around the officers and search the database for people wanted for crimes. If a match is found in the database, the device will then receive a notification letting the officer know.
What's very shady about all this, is that Google actually has a policy against this type of application. The loophole however is that the software that is being used has been created by a third party, and installed by the owner rather than being offered through MyGlass store. The idea is, Google can prevent them from downloading said software through someone who made the software, but if they purchase the Glasses and install the software themselves, there isn't much Google can do to prevent this from occurring... Similar to jail breaking a phone. Google has yet to make any comments on the implementation of this, nor have they discussed the legal actions that may occur (if any may apply).
Sources:
Network World
Naked Security
What's very shady about all this, is that Google actually has a policy against this type of application. The loophole however is that the software that is being used has been created by a third party, and installed by the owner rather than being offered through MyGlass store. The idea is, Google can prevent them from downloading said software through someone who made the software, but if they purchase the Glasses and install the software themselves, there isn't much Google can do to prevent this from occurring... Similar to jail breaking a phone. Google has yet to make any comments on the implementation of this, nor have they discussed the legal actions that may occur (if any may apply).
Sources:
Network World
Naked Security
Army & Xbox: Hacked
The US Department of Justice has recently announced that they're charging four young hackers for breaking into Microsoft & The US Army. This is very unsettling, to think that 4 people aged 18 to 28 are capable of hacking one of the biggest and most powerful companies in the world, as well as our government. They're said to have stolen over $100 million dollars worth of software and other data related to the Xbox One, Xbox Live & Software for training helicopter pilots. One of the four are Canadian, making this the first time that the US is convicting an individual from outside the US for hacking into US firms to steal information and data.
What I find even worse is that the 2 individuals who have already pleaded guilty are only facing up to 5 years in prison. That seems like such a short sentence, in comparison to the damages that they've caused both the government as well as Microsoft. I personally don't think that is a long enough sentence for stealing over $100 million dollars worth of information. I think it is very scary to think that teenagers are teaching themselves how to break into some of the best secured companies in the world.
Sources:
Gizmodo
Time Inc.
What I find even worse is that the 2 individuals who have already pleaded guilty are only facing up to 5 years in prison. That seems like such a short sentence, in comparison to the damages that they've caused both the government as well as Microsoft. I personally don't think that is a long enough sentence for stealing over $100 million dollars worth of information. I think it is very scary to think that teenagers are teaching themselves how to break into some of the best secured companies in the world.
Sources:
Gizmodo
Time Inc.
A More Secure Cryptocurrency: Darkcoin
I'm sure you have heard of bitcoin by now. Created in 2008 and becoming much more popular since 2012, bitcoin is a virtual currency. A new more secure kind of cryptocurrency is emerging... Darkcoin. What makes them different? Bitcoin transactions take up to an hour to occur, darkcoin - nearly instantly. Bitcoin uses a ledger system which allows anyone to view the account balances and transactions of other people, Darkcoin completely mixes up the digital fingerprints of users and obscures them from any outside view. They are both open source, however darkcoin has the first financial privacy built directly into the software. Darkcoin has also implemented multi-path routing so users can send encrypted messages.
What does all this mean? It means that darkcoin will be the fastest, most secure, most untraceable/undetectable digital currency to date. I'll be curious to see how popular this becomes over the next few months.
Sources:
Cryptocoins News
Technewsworld
What does all this mean? It means that darkcoin will be the fastest, most secure, most untraceable/undetectable digital currency to date. I'll be curious to see how popular this becomes over the next few months.
Sources:
Cryptocoins News
Technewsworld
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