Netgear’s ultimate WiFi router gives you full speed on any frequency
Filed under: Networking
Source: Netgear (1), (2)
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Hackers Using Law Enforcement Tools to Access iCloud Backups Unprotected by Two-Factor Authentication
Earlier today, Apple issued a press release stating that an iCloud/Find My iPhone breach had not been responsible for the leak of several private celebrity photos over the weekend, instead pointing towards a “very targeted attack on user names, passwords, and security questions” hackers used to gain access to celebrity accounts.
The company did not divulge specific details on how hackers accessed the iCloud accounts, leading Wired writer Andy Greenberg to investigate the methods that hackers might possibly have used to acquire the stolen media.
Greenberg visited Anon-IB, a popular anonymous image board where some of the celebrity photos first originated, and discovered that hackers openly discuss exploiting software designed for law enforcement and government officials. Called ElcomSoft Phone Password Breaker (EPPB), the software in question lets hackers enter a stolen username and password to obtain a victim’s full iPhone/iPad backup.
“Use the script to hack her passwd…use eppb to download the backup,” wrote one anonymous user on Anon-IB explaining the process to a less-experienced hacker. “Post your wins here ;-)”
Acquiring just a user name and password allows hackers access to content on iCloud.com, but with the accompaniment of the ElcomSoft software, a complete backup can reportedly be downloaded into easy-to-access folders filled with the device’s contents.
According to security researcher Jonathan Zdziarski, who spoke to Wired, metadata from some of the leaked photos is in line with the use of the ElcomSoft software and possibly the iBrute software, which exploited a vulnerability in Find My iPhone to allow hackers unlimited attempts to guess a password. Apple has, however, patched the exploit, and has suggested iBrute was not a factor in the attacks.
As noted by TechCrunch, using ElcomSoft’s software to download an iPhone’s backup successfully circumvents two-factor verification as the two-factor authentication system does not cover iCloud backups or Photo Stream.
Apple’s press release pointed towards two-factor authentication as a way to prevent similar hacking attempts, but it appears enabling two-factor authentication would not stop iCloud backup hacks conducted with the Phone Password Breaker if an Apple ID and password could be obtained. Two-factor verification can, however, make it much more difficult for hackers to acquire a user’s login credentials in the first place, preventing many attacks.
The ElcomSoft software does not require any credentials to purchase and while it costs $399 to purchase, it is also available on bittorrent sites. This gap in security has been known for quite some time, with ElcomSoft’s own CEO pointing towards the lack of two-factor authentication for iCloud backups back in May of 2013.
Apple has explored expanding two-factor authentication to some iCloud services, but an official expansion of the security feature has not yet been introduced.
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China Mobile Begins Accepting Preorders for Unreleased iPhone 6 [iOS Blog]
Chinese carrier China Mobile has begun taking preorders for the upcoming iPhone 6 ahead of the device’s official launch, reports China Daily. Available at China Mobile Beijing, the preorder campaign appears to be aimed at drumming up interest for Apple’s new devices.
On a website, China Mobile Beijing allows users to choose between the 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6, but the carrier does not offer images of the device or a potential release date. A China Daily source has suggested Chinese customers may receive the iPhone 6 as early as mid-month, however, which would be in line with previous rumors and past device release timelines.
Mockup of 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 depicted with iPhone 5s
China Mobile’s preorder campaign also confirmed rumors that Apple will release larger screens for the device as buyers are asked to choose either a 4.7-inch version or a 5.5-inch one. The iPhone 5S has a 4-inch screen.
The program is available only in Beijing and, as of Tuesday evening, had attracted more than 33,000 orders. It remains unclear when the buyers can get the device. A person familiar with the matter told China Daily the first iPhone 6 could be distributed to Chinese customers as early as mid-month.
As of Tuesday evening in China, the campaign had garnered more than 33,000 orders, pointing towards strong interest in the iPhone 6. Analysts have predicted that the launch of the iPhone 6 could see a massive spike in upgraders and Android switchers, due to its larger display and redesigned chassis.
China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile carrier with more than 700 million subscribers, first began carrying the iPhone in January of 2014, after extended negotiations with Apple. Apple CEO Tim Cook called inking a deal with China Mobile a “watershed” moment,” allowing the company to reach millions of new customers and significantly expand its presence in China.
As it marks an opportunity for significant growth, China has become an increasingly important market for Apple. Tim Cook visited the country multiple times in 2013 and Apple has opened several retail stores in China in 2014, including locations in Wuxi, Chongqing, and Beijing.
Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 6 at a September 9 media event, which may also include the debut of its wearable device and a payment initiative. Though Apple is expected to preview both the 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 models, it is unclear if both devices will be available to launch at the same time due to production difficulties with the larger phone.
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Droid Landing Twitter account alerts to “Reactivation fast approaching”
The Droid Landing twitter account has been the feed for all things Motorola Droid over the years. They have made announcements, run contest and pushed out all sort of information. The twitter account has been silent for quite some time, December of last year to be exact, when they retweeted about a KitKat update for the Droid Ultra and Droid Maxx. Now the account has come alive again with a simple little tweet that helps solidify a new addition to the family.
Reactivation fast approaching, wait and see
— DroidLanding (@DroidLanding) September 2, 2014
It certainly doesn’t offer much of anything about anything for us. At least we will find out what the deal is come Thursday during the event that is planned.
Random thoughts about it all:
It does pull back some thoughts on a previous benchmark filing that circled around the web that some thought was going to be the Moto X+1. I didn’t buy it at the time because the benchmarks carried a device model number of XT912a. The XT912 is the Droid Razr for Verizon. They carried benchmarks that showed a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor at about 2.3GHz, 2GB of RAM, 32GB on-board storage, a 5.2-inch 1920 x 1080 screen resolution and Android 4.4.3.
Does that mean that this is what we can expect? Possibly, but I suspect some tweaks were probably made after the fact.
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The Sony Xperia Z3 and e-ink SmartBand get press image leak treatment
The Sony IFA 2014 press conference may only be hours away, but that still hasn’t stopped leaked press images of their latest flagship, the Sony Xperia Z3, from leaking out. Like the leak of the Xperia Z3 Compact we saw a few days ago, the Xperia Z3 appears to be depicted in multiple colour variations as well, and some of them, as well as the overall design of the device, look absolutely divine, if we do say so ourselves. What is also intriguing about this set of leaked images is the following picture in particular:
While the image may look harmlessly like a standard press image for the Xperia Z3, it’s the device on the lady’s wrist that is of most interest. After rumours that a certain “SmartBand Talk” wearable exists, the appearance of this e-ink display fitness wearable looks like pretty good evidence that such a device exists. Whether Sony will actually announce it as part of their IFA 2014 presentation is another question entirely.
I looks like Sony has moved away from its stock-standard Xperia device design for the Xperia Z3, adding colour to the frame as well as the panels as well. We can’t wait to hear more about the device in a few hours; we’ll be sure to put up a livestream once we find one.
What do you think about the Sony Xperia Z3 and this possible SmartBand device? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Source: XperiaBlog
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EE tries to upstage its rivals with improved pay-as-you-go tariffs
When you’re the biggest 4G player in the UK, logic dictates that you don’t let your rivals hog the limelight for too long. EE’s well aware of this, so just a few days after Vodafone finally joined the 4G pay-as-you-go party, it’s decided to improve the value of its pre-paid top-ups in an attempt to distance it from the competition. The new options cover three categories — Talk and Text, Data and Everything — letting you decide which of those usage models fits your needs best, possibly stopping you from paying for services you won’t use. It’s also dropped the lowest PAYG top-up to £1, which includes 100MB of data lasting seven days, in the hope it’ll lure in even the most budget-conscious mobile user. Finally, it’s ensuring you’re rewarded for your loyalty by throwing in an extra 250MB of data, 50 minutes of calls to any network or 250 additional texts to customers who’ve not missed a top-up for three months. It’s even created a comparison guide detailing how its new packs perform against rival offerings, just in case it O2 and co. weren’t already looking on enviously.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
Source: EE
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Engadget Daily: The deal with Twitch.tv, iCloud celebrity photo leak and more!
Today, we dive into the world of Twitch.tv, learn why many new apps are rejected from the App Store, check out a bling-tastic Galaxy Gear S, investigate the iCloud celebrity photo leak and more! Read on for Engadget’s news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Filed under: Misc
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Yelp escapes extortion lawsuit unscathed, except for its reputation
For years, businesses have accused Yelp of running an extortion racket. If companies refused to pay for ads, Yelp would allegedly pull down some of their positive reviews (and wreck sales) until they gave in. Well, those accusations don’t appear to hold much legal water; an appeals court has upheld a California judge’s dismissal of a 2010 class action lawsuit that claimed Yelp was committing civil extortion. Needless to say, the recommendation service is ecstatic. It cites the ruling as proof that the shops simply had an “axe to grind” and were either trying to “draw attention away” from bad reviews or else prop up review manipulation schemes.
Only that’s not really why the court ruled the way it did. As Courthouse News Service notes, the plaintiffs lost because their claims didn’t meet the requirements for an extortion case. They couldn’t demonstrate that they had a right to hold on to those good reviews, or that Yelp had no right to demand payment. In other words, it’s still possible that Yelp was pressuring stores to buy ads at the risk of losing positive buzz; it’s just that no one was entitled to that buzz in the first place. The appeals court was quick to note that this “stringent standard” prevents abuse of extortion laws against upstanding businesses. Whether or not that’s true, the ruling won’t do much to reassure people that reviews accurately reflect a location’s quality — you might want to double-check ratings the next time you’re thinking of visiting an unfamiliar restaurant.
Filed under: Internet
Source: USCourts.gov (PDF), Yelp Official Blog
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Apple Discussing Mobile Payments Partnership With Nordstrom
Nordstrom may be one of Apple’s first merchant partners when Apple launches its upcoming mobile payment initiative, reports Bank Innovation. Apple is said to be in talks with Nordstrom about its payments service, suggesting Nordstrom could be one of the first retailers to support payments via iPhone.
The “talks” Nordstrom and Apple have been engaged are related to payments — but the extent of those talks is unclear. Apple was looking for a clothing brand with a large physical reach, our source said, but also with an established and high-end brand. With a strong brick-and-mortar presence, but with a focus on digital innovation as well, our source said Nordstrom was a “great” pick for Apple.
Nordstrom is a logical partner for Apple, as its retail stores already use Apple’s iPhones and iPads as point-of-sale systems. According to Nordstrom employees, Apple’s mobile point-of-sale systems are purchased directly from Apple and were updated to work with ‘the most recent iPhones” just a few weeks ago. Bank Innovation suggests that Nordstrom’s current point-of-sale systems, which are said to be the same as Apple’s own in-store EasyPay systems, may possibly be compatible with Apple’s upcoming mobile payment service.
Earlier this year, a report suggested Apple was speaking with several high-profile retail store chains about a mobile payment service, in order to retailer gauge interest and explore possibilities for a unified payment service, and Nordstrom may have been included in these talks.
EasyPay mobile payments concept by Ricardo Del Toro
In addition to partnering with retailers, Apple is also said to have signed deals with American Express, MasterCard, and Visa for its mobile payments initiative, which will likely leverage technologies like NFC, Bluetooth, and iBeacons, in addition to Touch ID, Apple’s fingerprint-sensing security technology.
According to reports, Apple’s payments service will allow iPhone owners to use their devices to make payments both online and in retail stores. Apple is expected to announce its mobile payments initiative during its September 9 media event.
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Making a beer selection at happy hour has never been easier
Even the most experienced beer drinker comes across selections they aren’t familiar with, especially when traveling to a new locale. To help analyze the selections on a bar’s suds list, just snap a picture with your trusty smartphone and let SipSnapp do the rest. The app will sift through the available selections and provide you with a list of crowd-sourced ratings and reviews from RateBeer. Now, you’ll have little excuse when that IPA you ordered isn’t quite up to snuff.
Source: SipSnapp
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AIVAnet 