US charges Syrian Electronic Army hackers

Despite numerous high-profile hacking campaigns against the US government, news outlets and tech companies, the Syrian Electronic Army has remained a largely faceless entity… until now. The US has charged Ahmad Umar Agha (left), Firas Dardar (right) and Peter Romar with several crimes, including unauthorized computer access and (in the cases of Dardar and Romar) money laundering. The three are accused of compromising numerous targets, including a Marine Corps recruiting page (where they encouraged mutiny) and a news site (where they made false claims that the White House was under attack). Separately, Dardar and Romar are charged with conducting extortion schemes: Dardar would force victims to pay up and use Romar to get around Syrian sanctions forbidding payments.

The FBI is also adding Agha and Dardar to its Cyber’s Most Wanted list, and it’ll offer $100,000 each if you have tips that lead to their arrests. With that said, the charges might not be all that effective. At least Agha and Dardar are believed to be living in Syria, and it’s not as if the Assad regime is about to extradite sympathizers (however self-serving) to a country that wants Assad gone. As such, these charges are more symbolic than anything — they’ll prevent the accused from traveling to extradition-friendly countries, but they probably won’t put anyone behind bars.

Via: CSO

Source: Department of Justice, FBI

FBI Enlists Israeli Firm Cellebrite to Unlock Shooter’s iPhone

Israeli mobile software developer Cellebrite is helping the FBI in its attempt to unlock the iPhone at the center of the San Bernardino shooter investigation.

That’s according to a story filed by Reuters this morning, based on a report in Wednesday’s copy of Israeli daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. If the software company succeeds then the FBI will no longer need the help of Apple, the report claimed, citing unnamed industry sources.

According to its website, Cellebrite offers “mobile forensics solutions” which “give access to and unlock the intelligence of mobile data sources to extend investigative capabilities, accelerate investigations, unify investigative teams and produce solid evidence”.

Apple and the U.S. government have been embroiled in a heated public battle that started when a court ordered Apple to help the FBI unlock the iPhone 5c of terrorist Syed Farook. Unlocking the iPhone would require Apple to build a new version of iOS that bypasses iPhone passcode restrictions and provides the FBI with a way to enter passcodes electronically, something Apple has staunchly refused to do.

On Monday, the U.S. Justice Department convinced the court overseeing its ongoing battle with Apple to postpone a hearing scheduled to take place March 22. The DoJ said new leads had been discovered that could provide it with a way to unlock the iPhone 5c used by San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook without involving Apple.

Various commentators on the case have cast doubt on the FBI’s original claim that it had exhausted all avenues in its attempt to unlock Farook’s iPhone and a number of ideas have been floated in the media by security experts. The most likely attack was set out in a March 7 blog post by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which directly called into question the FBI’s initial assertion that it had no means of extracting the iPhone’s data.

The process described by UCLA technology fellow Daniel Kahn Gillmor uses a technique called NAND mirroring to copy the portion of the phone’s memory that counts the number of passcode attempts entered. By continually restoring the copy, the FBI could thereby circumvent the limit on the number of passcode guesses that can be made before the device is rendered permanently inaccessible.

Another, more risky – not to mention laborious – method is an invasive microchip attack known as “de-capping”. This involves removing and de-capsulating the phone’s memory chip, carefully drilling down into it using a focused ion beam to expose the portion of the chip containing the target data (in this case, the iPhone’s unique ID and passkey algorithm) and then probing it, micron by micron, to extract the information.

The latter could then be used in an off-device “brute-force” attack on the passcode that would be able to try all possible combinations without running up against the iPhone’s guess limit.

The judge involved in the high-profile California case has agreed to vacate the March 22 hearing and requested that the government provide an update on its progress by April 5. The motion requiring Apple to help the FBI lock the iPhone was suspended.

In a conference call with reporters on Monday, Apple said it would insist on obtaining details about the exploit the FBI plans to use should the government keep the case going. If the case is dropped, Apple will not be able to ask for that information.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tag: Apple-FBI
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Google will soon launch Android Pay in the UK

Google has confirmed plans to launch Android Pay in the UK within the next few months. MasterCard and Visa debit and credit cards from major participating establishments will be supported, including HSBC, Bank of Scotland, Lloyds, MBNA and First Direct. Retailers with supporting contactless card readers will accept Android Pay too, not to mention Transport for London’s network. It’s good to finally see that Android Pay isn’t far off from launching in the UK.

All you need is a handset with NFC and be running Android 4.4 or higher. As well as physical stores, it will also be possible to conveniently make payments inside apps on the smartphone without having to constantly enter card details. Android Pay itself is currently only available in the U.S., leaving Google some distance behind Apple’s global roll out of its own contactless payment wallet.

New LG G5 advert confirms April 1 launch

The LG G5 has appeared in a new advertisement with a confirmed release date of April 1. It’s a short video, focusing on the rear of the LG G5 and featuring a quick look at snapping in one of the magic slot modules.

Some participating retailers and LG partners have already announced plans as to when they expect to start shipping out units, while others will follow suit as we approach the launch date. Interested to pick one up for yourself? Hit the link below for more details.

• Where you can buy the LG G5

LG G5

• LG G5 hands-on
• LG G5 complete specs
• LG G5 CAM Plus module
• LG G5 B&O Hi-Fi audio module
• The G5 has an always-on display
• LG G5 keeps the SD card, shuns adoptable storage
• Join the LG G5 discussion

Kmashi’s 10000mAh power bank will keep you charged for just $9.20 at Amazon with coupon

Kmashi is currently offering its 10000mAh power bank for just $9.20 at Amazon with coupon code DZIBCBG3, a savings of nearly $5. With this, you can charge two devices at the same time, and 10000mAh is enough for multiple full charges of your phone or tablet. There are four status LEDs that easily show you how much power the pack has, and it can output at a total of 5V 3.1A between the two ports.

Remember, you’ll need coupon code DZIBCBG3 to get the full savings.

See at Amazon

Can someone Photoshop the Eiffel Tower under my finger? Simple request, hilarious results

When Sid Frisjes visited France he, like many before him, attempted to get a humorous photo with him stood in front of the Eiffel Tower, with the perspective looking like he was touching it.

When he saw the image, though, he realised it was anything but.

But instead of moving further away and retaking the picture to have the desired effect, he decided to appeal to the internet. And 4Chan. The fool.

 

#eiffeltower #Paris, nailed it!

A photo posted by Sid Frisjes, the Coolinary Kid (@sidfrisjes) on Apr 17, 2015 at 5:13am PDT

His simple request to forumites was to manipulate the photo to make it look like he had indeed placed his finger atop the Parisian tourist attraction. Hilarity ensued.

“Can someone Photoshop the Eiffel Tower under my finger?” soon became an internet meme and we’ve collected some of the best efforts from the many submitted across a number of sites.

4Chan

There are hilarious ones, silly ones, and some that are just plain bizarre. All you have to do is click through the gallery above to check them out. If we find any more we like, we might add them too over time.

In addition, if the obvious Photoshop manipulation of an image tickles you, you should also check out our 79 Photoshop errors gallery. In many ways they are worse as they weren’t meant to be funny to begin with.

Enjoy.

Ever wondered what Wi-Fi looks like? These new pictures show it’s stunning

Wi-Fi signals are all around us, yet most of us have no clue what they would look like if we could see them. Now that’s changed.

This is Lightpainting WiFi, a collection created by the Touch Research Project at Newcastle University. The group has been able to use smart sensors and cameras to capture Wi-Fi signals in the world around us, and they’re beautiful. It calls this area, that’s just outside our visible world, Hertizan Space.

The project has employed the use of long exposure photography in conjunction with RSSI sensors to visualise the otherwise invisible Wi-Fi signals. These pictures are being dubbed “digital ethereal” by their creators.

The photos taken are either in a day to day scenario or in an enclosed studio space. The difference in the way the Wi-Fi signals move and spread out is obvious. It’s interesting to look at the photos where a smartphone sits in one place and the Wi-Fi billows out from it like an explosion.

The studio shots show how the signals can be moved by object interaction. Colours move from blue, for a weaker signal, up to red for strongest signal. Check out the gallery above to enjoy a look into an otherwise invisible world that surrounds us everyday.

READ: 79 of the worst Photoshop errors ever, you won’t believe your eyes

6 reasons why you should still buy a Nintendo Wii U

Although there have been recent rumours that suggest otherwise, Nintendo has firmly denied that it is halting manufacture of the Wii U console.

Even the most die-hard Nintendo fan will have to admit that it’s been an unmitigated flop in comparison to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. And the company can’t escape the fact that, by the end of the Wii U’s run, it is unlikely to have even sold as many units as it did its last reported “flop”, the GameCube.

However, production, says Nintendo, will continue throughout 2016 at least. And we are thrilled at the news.

Why? Because it is still one of our favourite consoles and exclusively sports some of our favourite games.

So, if you haven’t yet got yourself a Wii U, you might consider altering your stance and here are six reasons why.

You never know, enough support and it might rise like a phoenix from the flames…

Price

You can get a Premium version of the Wii U – one with 32GB of on-board storage – for less than £240 these days. And that invariably includes a game or two as part of the bundle, even Mario Kart 8 or Xenoblade Chronicles X.

Considering it was £300 at launch without a game (well, it did include Nintendo Land, but that barely counts), it now represents far better value. You can also get a Basic Wii U, with just 8GB of internal storage, for around £180 without a game or even cheaper if you shop around. And if you already own a Wii, all the accessories, including the Wii Remotes, and the games are compatible.

At that price, therefore, it is attractive to families, especially those who already invested considerably in the Wii.

READ: Nintendo Wii U review

Rivals

Admittedly, with price drops and retailer incentives, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are much closer in affordability to the Wii U. However, that is generally without a game and it is worth considering that with both, you also need to pony up an extra monthly amount online gaming through Xbox Live and PlayStation Plus.

Online Wii U games do not need a subscription.

In addition, the games that are available for both are more geared to an older, more hardcore player. There are fewer family oriented games, we feel.

Also, a lot of the brilliant original games are being rereleased under the Nintendo Selects badge, which means they cost just £20 a pop.

Nintendo

Mario Kart 8

It might be older than some Wii U titles, but Mario Kart 8 is still a family fave and one of the best multiplayer driving/party games out there.

And although we’ve seen some excellent triple-A homegrown games for the console from Nintendo over the last couple of years, including other older titles like Pikmin 3, Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Super Smash Bros and Hyrule Warriors, none have resonated across family groups quite as much as the return of the greatest kart racing franchise of all time.

READ: Mario Kart 8 review

The game is, quite simply, brilliant. In our review, we said that it is “a gorgeous looking, incredibly fun racing game that lives up to its 20-plus years of heritage. It is almost as great in simple single-player mode as it is when you’ve got mates around to share the fun”, and we stick by that today.

Backwards compatibility

While other console manufacturers might scream and shout about backwards compatibility with some former games, or charge a monthly fee to play them streamed over the internet, Nintendo has offered backwards compatibility on the Wii U from the beginning. You can play any older Wii title using Wii accessories without compromise.

In addition, the online Nintendo store, accessible through the Wii U, hosts many classic games from the manufacturer’s past. They include Mario games for NES, SNES and beyond, and many many more. More recently, N64 classics like Wave race 64 and 1080 Snowboarding have been added to the playable list of games you can buy and download.

Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda

We might still be waiting for the Wii U-specific Zelda game (with some rumours suggesting it might be switched to the forthcoming Nintendo NX instead) but there have been two fantastic remasters of older Zelda games that are well worth owning.

The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD is a superb remake of the game originally available for GameCube and it is always surprising to us to find out how few people played the first release. With it now available on Wii U, that can be rectified.

Also, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD has more recently been released and it is an excellent remaster.

The two RPGs above show why Nintendo is held in such high regard for its role-players.

Super Mario Maker

The craze for creation games continued with gusto thanks to the release of Super Mario Maker, which gives Wii U owners the tools and incentive to build their own retro 2D Mario platform game levels.

It has been hugely successful since being released last year as part of Mario’s 30th anniversary celebrations, having sold a staggering 3.34 million copies by the end of 2015. Considering there are just over 12.5 million Wii U consoles in circulation, that means more than one in four Wii U owners have bought Super Mario Maker.

If Mario games are your bag, and have been since the beginning, this is an ideal opportunity to play thousands of fan created levels.

Yes, we have rose-tinted spectacles at times, but no other games console can offer that opportunity.

READ: Super Mario Maker review: Build it and they will come

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens preview: Best Star Wars game ever?

There have been plenty of Lego games over the years, but we have fondest memories for the very first. The 11-year-old Lego Star Wars might have been based on the least popular collection of films but it kicked off a mighty franchise of platform puzzlers that always delight no matter the subject matter.

We’ve had Lego games based on the Harry Potter films, Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, Jurassic World, both major comic book universes, Indiana Jones and even Pirates of the Caribbean, but it is the return to where it all started that has us most excited.

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is, much like the movie on which it is based, a love letter to the series. It is crammed with references and rewards that transcend episode seven itself, and thanks to modern games systems, seems to be the Lego title TT Games has always wanted to make.

READ: Lego Marvel’s Avengers review: A Marvel-lous return to form

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens: First hour of play

And that’s based on the fact we’ve played a good 45 minutes to an hour of the game already.

At a London preview event, we played three levels based on and around Jakku – basically the sections near the beginning of the film. We also got to hear what will make this Lego game stand out amongst its forebears, including the only recently released Lego Marvel’s Avengers. And it’s all great stuff for fans young and old.

Part of the reason is that the developer has pulled a few new game features out of the bag to make The Force Awakens feel a little different to the multiple other Lego games out there already. There are still the familiar gameplay tropes, with two or more characters on screen at once, brick collection, hidden secrets and the cunning blend of platform and puzzle action, but one Lego staple has been enhanced and a couple of new modes make the experience more rounded.

For starters, the game now features multi-builds. In usual Lego games, to solve and conquer certain puzzles, you need to destroy some of the surroundings and rebuild them into a set, useful item. In The Force Awakens, some of the flashing, dancing bricks can be built into different objects.

Warner

Sometimes this is purely aesthetic, giving a similar outcome but different, fandom-serving animation, while others need to be rebuilt in several different ways to solve different parts of the puzzle.

A new gameplay mode entirely involves flight. TT Games added flight sections to Lego Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars but they were linear and fairly basic. This time flight levels are based mainly in large, open arenas, so you get the feel of a genuine Star Wars dogfight.

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Combat

The last major change that Warner and TT Games are willing to talk about now concerns blaster battles. We didn’t actually get a chance to try one out in our gameplay session, but the idea is that they add an all-new aspect to combat. Rather than just rely on the button mashing as per usual, you can duck and cover, interact with the scenery and built turrets to take on waves of enemies. We look forward to seeing that in action as we head closer to the release date.

For now, we got to start our session in a section called “The Scavenger”. This is based on the part of the film when Rey first encounters BB-8. It not only shows a new side for a Lego game, with stunning backdrops both inside and outside a crashed Star Destroyer, but you get to play as the new droid, who is just as charming here as in the movie.

Warner

We especially like the fact that the main cast members reprised their roles to record some exclusive game audio, so Daisy Ridley provides plenty of additional dialogue not just lifted from the film. John Boyega also adds his voice to proceedings when he appears later.

Next for us was a section that kicked off with a hilarious skit about Kylo Ren and his adoration for Darth Vader. We won’t spoil it here, but it reminded us of the excellent “Emo Kylo Ren” spoof Twitter account (@KyloR3n).

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Millenium Falcon gameplay

We then got to try the flight mechanics for the first time, by flying around the skies of Jakku in the Millennium Falcon (of course). Save for the obvious Lego references, it actually felt quite Star Wars Battlefront in control style. And as we had to dispatch 16 Tie-Fighters before we could progress, it was stylishly similar too.

Warner

The last section we played, on the Nima Outpost, had us control Rey, Finn and BB-8 through a mainly combat centric level. The First Order Stormtroopers were everywhere and needed to be blasted to kingdom come, but it was actually the smaller things in the backgrounds that we found ourselves admiring most – like troopers on sun loungers making the most of the sandy environment, or playing beach volleyball.

First Impressions

That just about sums up all the Lego games, not just this or the previous Star Wars titles. The humour is spot on.

It parodies the subject matter just enough without over-egging the point and from what we’ve seen so far, there is also enough lip-service to the franchise to keep fans happy.

You can tell that the development team are all fans themselves, with more than 200 playable and customisable characters included, and more than 40 vehicles and creatures from the films adapted for the game.

There are also 18 levels in total in the finished game, of which seven are made up of content that you have never seen before – such as how Han and Chewie acquired the Rathtars you see on their ship in the film.

Of course, there’s still plenty of time before the game is out – 28 June 2016 – so we hope to see much more of it before then, but on this showing it is shaping up to be one of the best Lego and Star Wars games to date.

World’s first live Minecraft concert will be limited entry, here’s how to get in

The alt-universe of Minecraft is massive with myriad worlds to explore and people from all walks of life, there’s even music. But now, in a claimed world first, there is a going to be a full on concert held in the Minecraft domain.

While Minecraft might be limited graphically by its blocky nature, there’s no reason music can’t be experienced in all its intricate glory. There have been gigs before that use Minecraft as the venue. This fact has not escaped the organisers of Norwegian tech festival, The Gathering.

From 20:00 (GMT) on Wednesday 23 March musicians from the UK and Norway will open the festival with a live gig. While the real world event happens it will also be taking place in the Minecraft universe. A team of gamers will recreate the band’s movements using their Minecraft avatars, live, so anyone can enjoy it from home.

When we say anyone we mean one of the first 3,000 people to get in. Since the servers running the event are limited, if you turn up as guest number 3,001, you won’t get in.

So armed with the knowledge of the event’s opener, ahead of time, you can get in there early so you’ll be ready to take part in a little bit history in the making.

If you don’t make the Minecraft cut, don’t fret too much, you can still enjoy the live event via the livestream online too. Check out the video below for a taste of what to expect at the Minecraft concert.

READ: Best tech Easter eggs: Hidden secrets of Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and more