Malicious ads on major websites held users’ files to ransom

A widespread attack has exposed millions to malware that holds files to ransom. The campaign, which was first detected a month ago, placed fake adverts on websites such as Yahoo, AOL and The Atlantic that installed so-called “ransomware” onto a victim’s computer. The attackers stole assets from the likes of Case Logic, Bing and Fancy in order to make the malicious ads appear real, but once a computer becomes infected, things get very bad, very fast, for victims.

The ransomware — named CryptoWall 2.0 — uses Adobe Flash to exploit browser vulnerabilities, installing itself on the affected computer. It then sets about encrypting files on the users’ hard drive, refusing access to said files until the victim pays for a decryption key. The fee, said to be equivalent to $500, is requested in Bitcoin, and security firm Proofpoint, which first noticed the attack, estimates that the attackers’ are currently raking in $25,000 from victims. As Bitcoin wallets are public, Proofpoint is able to analyze the incoming payments to each of the attackers’ accounts. One of the Bitcoin wallets was in use for just 5 days and managed to pull in the equivalent of $9,350.

This latest breach highlights the dangers of malware online. Earlier this year a similar attack targeted Synology storage servers, ransoming mostly small business data for around $350. How do you stay safe? There’s no way to ensure a computer is 100 percent secure, but keeping all your software up-to-date with the latest security patches is a good start. Most modern browsers can also be setup to only open plugins such as Flash when content is clicked on, which would eliminate the risk of being infected by this particular attack.

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Via: IBTimes

Source: Proofpoint

Record everything with this dive-friendly 360-degree action cam

Remember 360fly? The panoramic camera from the company from EyeSee360, which built the panoramic GoPano iPhone lens, has been on the scene since early this year at NAB. Now, the WiFi- and Bluetooth-equipped 360fly camera has been given the nod by the FCC, and an attached review manual gives us a better idea how it works. As the company showed earlier, it’s a single-lens 360 degree horizontal and 240 degree vertical fisheye lens that has “the widest field of view on the market.” It uses an iOS 8 or Android 4.3+ app that turns your Bluetooth LE-equipped smartphone into a 360 degree video viewfinder with full remote control.

Using a single lens and sensor eliminates the need to “stitch” video and photos — instead, you can swipe across the video to pick the angle you want, then edit it together using the 360fly app. As for the rest of the specs: according to the FCC guide, it’s waterproof to a whopping 164 feet (5 atm) with 16GB of memory, a 360 degree horizontal and 240 degree vertical f/2.5 lens, a mic and a 1,504 x 1,504 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor. It can hold a charge for 2 hours, weighs 138g (0.3 pounds) and comes with a tilt mount, power cradle and USB port. You may have noticed that I didn’t mention an SD card — it looks like it’ll make do with 16GB of internally memory only, with large transfers to your mobile device by WiFi.

Rather than tackling sports cam stalwarts like GoPro directly, the 360fly is trying to carve its own niche by capturing video from all around the photographer without the complexity of multiple lenses. EyeSee360 must have a convincing case, because it raised $17.8 million from bullish investors. Though the company promised it for this summer, it looks like its ready to at least take a step towards the market now that it’s cleared the FCC. Some of the specs might be revised in the interim, but for now, the manual is marked “Reviewer’s Guide,” so hopefully we’ll get our mitts on it soon.

Filed under: Cameras

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Somehow the internet hasn’t killed off ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos’

The internet’s been blamed for making a lot of things redundant, and you’d be justified in assuming that that extended to America’s Funniest Home Videos too. Except, surprisingly, the wealth of cat videos and stripper-pole-fail clips online hasn’t had a fatal effect on the long-running show, according to Bloomberg. How the series has managed to survive is apparently been by embracing the internet and creating a trio of YouTube channels, a Facebook page that, according to AFV‘s Vin Di Bona, gets an average 5,000 to 10,000 shares per post and a partnership with online video giant Maker Studios. Di Bona also says that the wealth of AFV digital content is driving viewers back to its traditional broadcasts too.

Bloomberg reports that, according to Nielsen numbers, this month’s season premiere actually increased in ratings by five percent compared to 2013’s. Perhaps even more impressive? That 93 percent of the show’s audience is watching live on a given Sunday night. Somewhere, we’re imagining Bob Saget has a smile on his incredibly dirty mouth.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Bloomberg Businessweek

Honda’s pedestrian-detecting technology is coming to cars this year

Loyal Honda fans, crisis averted. You don’t have to switch to Subaru, Volvo or Ford if you want their anti-collision technology, now that the Japanese automaker has officially announced its own. The company has just launched a new and enhanced driver-assistive system called “Sensing,” which, true to its name, can sense vehicles and pedestrians that might be blocking your way. Using a radar hidden in the front grille coupled with a camera on the windshield, the system can detect whether you’re in danger of colliding with another vehicle or a person crossing the street. It then gives you both audio and visual warnings if so, gently applies the break if you still haven’t after a while, and then brakes hard in your stead if you’re thisclose to running somebody over or smashing against another car.

Other than that, the system can also make sure you’re driving in the middle of the lane, as well as recognize traffic signs and show them on the infotainment display. Honda’s Sensing technology will launch alongside the newest Legend luxury sedan (known in the US as the Acura) before the year ends, though the company promises to load it onto more models in the future.

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Source: Honda