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Hacker shows how to get free iOS in-app purchase content in major Apple security breach (video)
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Mods / Hacks, Software,
A Russian hacker has uncovered a serious breach in Apple's iOS App Store in-app purchase model that allows anyone to get access to pretty much any in-app purchase content completely for free. Surprisingly easy to set up, the model just requires the installation of two security certificates, followed by you entering a different DNS server in your Settings app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. That's it.
Read More 
| In-Appstore via 9to5Mac
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Apple adds new security features to Mountain Lion
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Software,
Apple just released a security update for Mountain Lion Developer Preview 4 that adds in some new tactics for OS X to keep you safe. First, it'll check for security updates from Apple each day, and gives you the option of having the updates installed automatically or after you restart your Mac. Mountain Lion launches next month on the Mac App Store.
IBM disables Siri on employee iPhones in the name of security
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Corporate News, Software,
In an interview with MIT publication Technology Review, IBM CIO Jeanette Horan admitted that the company disables the use of Siri on employee iPhone smartphones. Why is that? Well, since anything spoken to Siri is sent and stored on Apple servers, the thinking is that employees may speak things that shouldn't be in the hands of anyone but IBM--and certainly not in the hands of one of its toughest competitors.
It's not just Siri that's not allowed. Cloud sharing tools like Dropbox and iCloud are also disabled, and employees aren't even allowed to forward internal IBM email message to external non-IBM addresses.
Read More | MIT Technology Review
Susan Sarandon: Government Tapped My Phone
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Movies, Legal Issues, Rants, Features,
Susan Sarandon claims that the government has tapped her phone.
The actress and liberal anti-war activist alleges she was denied security clearance to the White House and has discovered her phone was bugged through two Freedom of Information Act requests.
"We know we're under surveillance. I was denied a security clearance to go to the White House and I don't know why. Do you know why?" she said, speaking during a Q&A session at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Although Susan claims she has no idea why she is under surveillance by the US government, her outspoken campaigning against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and her activism in political campaigns since the 1980s could be responsible. Ten years ago in 2002, she joined the rally in Washington, D.C. against the invasion of Iraq. "Let us resist this war. Let us hate war in all its forms, whether the weapon used is a missile or an airplane," she said.
Click to continue reading Susan Sarandon: Government Tapped My Phone
Richmond Police will wake up residents who leave gadgets in their cars
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Misc. Tech, Transportation, Videos,
We’re not the biggest of fans seeing red and blue flashing lights behind us, as that usually means the fun has just ended. Thanks to a new initiative in Richmond, Virginia, folks will have to worry about early-morning knocks on the door from the boys in blue as well between the hours of midnight and 4:00 a.m if they leave valuable gadgets in their cars.
RPD has started a new initiative, or wake up call service for drivers who leave itesms like smartphones, tablets, and MP3 players in their cars. Night shift officers will be patrolling the streets, peering into curbside vehicles to see if there are any valuables left behind. The motive behind the initiative is to curb vehicle break-ins, which hit a record 20 incidents over the last month. The wake-up call service is way to teach drivers a lesson, RPD says. Though we’re not too sure drivers will be coherent at 4:00 in the morning, we're hopeful that the officers will be able to teach them a little common sense.
Checkout the video above as WBBC 12 NBC reports on the initiative, and let us know in the comments if you think it’s a smart move on RPD behalf below.
Read More | Autoblog
OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion to provide deeper privacy options for contacts
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Software,
With all the recent uproar over the fact that many app developers have been accessing and uploading users contacts without their explicit permission, we know that Apple is set to being a feature to iOS that asks the user if it's okay that the app does that. What we didn't realize, however, is that the feature will be coming to the Mac as well with the release of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. One new feature in today's release of Developer Preview 2 sees the operating system notifying the user that an app "Would Like to Access You Contacts" and then offering the user the opportunity to say OK, or to not allow the action. It's a small gesture, but it will go a long way towards keeping your data private.
This is how easy it is to fool a TSA body scanner
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Misc. Tech, Transportation, Videos,
Well, this is a it alarming. You know those crazy TSA body scanners that blast you with radiation and can pretty much make you appear naked in the scanned image? Well, apparently, they are easier to trick than a regular old metal detector. More invasive, potentially hazardous to your health, and not as good as the faster, simpler, and more efficient metal detector. Hopefully this opens up some eyes, raises some eyebrows, and results in quick change. More at the link below, which we recommend sending to your local government representatives in the hopes that action is taken.
Read More | TSA Out of Our Pants
How to delete your Google Web History before tomorrow’s privacy policy change
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Features, Google, Internet,
On March 1st (that's tomorrow!), Google will be changing its privacy settings. The changes will unify all Google services under one umbrella, as far as privacy is concerned. In other words, what you search for on YouTube will be accessible by Google Search, and all other Google services. As of today, all your site and search history stayed sandboxed within the specific services that you used. Tomorrow, that'll be a different story.
Your search and activity history can obviously reveal a lot of personal data that you may not want Google to know. Things like medical conditions, location, personal habits, and more. That said, there are a few easy steps you can take to keep your search history private and outta Google’s reach. Taking these steps does not prevent Google from gathering and storing this information internally, and doesn't change the fact that this information can be requested and possibly turned over to law enforcement for legal matters. However, what it does do is make it so that Google anonymizes the information after 18 months, and that Google doesn't use your web history to offer you customized search results. With Web History enabled, Google will keep your records indefinitely. Keep on reading for a walkthrough!
Senator Al Franken ‘Troubled’ by Carrier IQ investigation results
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Software,
Sen. Al Franken this week said he is still "very troubled" by the technology deployed by Carrier IQ despite the fact that the company—as well as AT&T, Sprint, Samsung, and HTC—released details about how they use Carrier IQ software.
"People have a fundamental right to control their private information," Franken, a Minnesota Democrat, said in a statement. "After reading the companies' responses, I'm still concerned that this right is not being respected."
Of particular concern was the fact that Carrier IQ was receiving the contents of users' text messages after say it did not, as well as the software's ability to collect online search data.
"There are still many questions to be answered here and things that need to be fixed," Franken said.
"We appreciate Subcommittee Chairman Franken's continued interest in protecting consumer privacy and look forward to our ongoing dialogue with the Senator to answer his additional questions," Carrier IQ said in a statement.
Click to continue reading Senator Al Franken ‘Troubled’ by Carrier IQ investigation results
Robert Pattinson Gets Sick of Set Security
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Adaptation, Drama, Horror, Romance, Sequels, Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Filmmaking, Upcoming Releases,
Breaking Dawn: Part 1's Robert Pattinson finds film sets "frustrating." The Twilight Saga actor hates the fact he has to be separated from the rest of the cast and crew on his movies for security reasons, which means he never properly gets to know anyone he is working with.
"You just wish that you could stay in a s***ty hotel and hang out with everyone. I never meet anyone, and I have to have the same conversation all the time, going over the same trivial bulls**t every time you talk to someone. I'm always separated from the crew because you have to be in an extra secure place and I don't even know people's names - it's very frustrating."
Robert - who is in a relationship with his Twilight Saga co-star Kristen Stewart - admits his worldwide fame has affected how he interacts with other people and he finds it very difficult to trust new individuals because he is paranoid they will "sell him out."
"I just try to avoid as much hassle as possible and try to find places where it's more important for them to keep your business than sell you out. Everybody wants to sell you out," he told Marie Claire.
